Penetration testing is one of the most emerging and promising fields in the IT sector. Penetration testers are ethical hackers. These “good” hackers are usually hired by system software owners or web-based application companies. The pen testers check the vulnerability of the private data of the system. So, ethical hackers are responsible for protecting data from the unethical hackers who may try to break into the system.
Do you want to become a penetration tester? Keep reading to learn about all the things you need to know.
Table of Contents
What Does a Pen Tester do?
The main job of a pen tester is to identify, validate, test, and check the system for any existing security threats in the network or the systems. Surely, a system is tested for security before it is evolved, but it is important to keep it updated to protect information from the latest threats.
The pen testers specifically identify issues in the preexisting network, data storage, or other tech systems. So, a pen tester uses hacking tools to break into the system and make a report on how they were able to bypass the system security. Based on this report, the ethical hackers also work with the security team to improve and update the system to protect it from the “real” hackers.
Stages of Penetration Testing
The process of pen testing takes place in five stages.
- Inspection
First, the pen tester gathers all the information about the system he/she is working on. Many footprinting tools like Sam Spade, Nmap, and traceroute are available to get info from websites, social networks, and emails.
- Scanning
In this stage, hackers dig deeper into the system to get more information about software policies, servers, security measures, and flaws.
- Gaining Access
This is the most crucial step. In this stage, the pen tester tries to gain access to confidential data based on the security flaws identified in the scanning phase.
- Maintaining Access
Sometimes, there is a risk that some changes might be made in the system. So, the hacker needs to maintain access using some spyware.
- Cleaning Traces
The last step is to clear all the tracks of the hack by removing all the programs or spyware used during the process. This is the time to evaluate whether a bad hacker can hack into the system in the same way or not.
Ways to Become a Penetration Tester
The pursuit of a career as an ethical hacker starts from pre-college days. At this time, students explore their interests and decide to choose “computer science” as a college major. To become a pen tester, the skill of coding, programming, scripting, and knowledge about computer networks, databases, and operating systems is necessary.
The undergraduate programs of computer science, IT, cybersecurity, software engineering enable students to proceed into this field. After getting their degree, students may build their experience by working as an intern or employee in industries primarily in the system or network security. After that, they become able to work as professional penetration testers. Some also opt for a master’s degree in cybersecurity.
Steps to become a Pen Tester
- Evaluate Yourself
First, you need to ask yourself if the pen testing is for you or not. This field requires great intelligence, patience, consistency, excellent problem-solving skills, and continuous effort to stay updated with the latest trends. So, before choosing this career path, evaluate yourself honestly.
- Get the Required Education
As mentioned earlier, getting a degree in CS or SE, cybersecurity, or IT is important for pursuing a career in Penetration Testing.
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- Develop the Required Skills
You need to focus on the following things to become an ethical hacker.
- Networking
- Programming
- Databases
- Operating system
- Cryptography
You have to learn programming languages like python, ruby, C++, and PHP. MySQL will help you to create and manage databases. You must excel in operating systems like LINUX/UNIX.
- Gain Experience
Stepping into a career and gaining experience is an essential step. For that, you need to start working in security administration, network engineering, system management, web-based security, and other such disciplines. Doing this will give a kick start to your career as a pen tester. Also, this will improve your skills and resume.
- Sign up for the affordable TryHackMe site.
- Buy Become An Ethical Hacker
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- Get Certifications
Many organizations now offer widely recognized professional certifications for voluntary work in ethical hacking, cybersecurity, and pen testing. Gaining certifications will help you to get a job.
- Jump into Pen Testing
After following the previous steps, you are now eligible to work as a professional pen tester.
- Stay Updated
It is necessary to remain up to date with the latest trends and technologies in this path. You have to keep upgrading your knowledge and skills. With ever changing hacking tactics and security policies, you will have to keep your expertise fresh.
- Stay Legal
The last but not the least point is that no matter what, you have to stay “Ethical.” Indulging in unethical hacking will not only make you vulnerable to the penalty but will also ruin your career as a “white hat” hacker.
Why Choose Ethical Hacking as a Career?
By learning ethical hacking, you can help to secure and protect systems and data from threats. Following are some pros of pursuing ethical hacking as a career.
Great Career Opportunities
By becoming a pen tester, you can open a gate of career opportunities for yourself. Technology is everywhere now, and data is being generated every day. Ensuring the protection of data is an important demand for today’s companies. New malware and Spywares are generated every day. So, the demand for pen testers is increasing day by day. By choosing this career, you will surely become a hot cake for the industry.
High Earning
In the US, the average salary of a pen tester is $100k per annum. This is only expected to increase as security threats and demand for an expert is ever-growing. Working as a senior security officer can get you no less than $200k per annum.
Final Word
To conclude, a career as a Pen Tester requires a lot of skills and effort, but you will surely get a sweet reward for it. By following the above-mentioned steps, you can become a penetration tester. You just have to believe in yourself and keep working to shape your skills.