How to Become a Penetration Tester?

Security testing is absolutely fundamental to the implementation and control of systems today. IT security will probably continue to change in the next few years. This is exactly the area where a penetration tester works. What he does exactly, which skills he needs and what you can earn as a penetration tester, you will find out in this article.
 

What does a penetration tester do? What’s his job?

Penetration means intrusion and here refers to secured computer systems. A penetration tester or “Pentester” tries to crack this system on behalf of the owner of such a computer system. This means that just like a hacker, the Pentester gains unintended access to the system. A hacker simply wants to exploit security holes. Unlike, a Pentester wants to find them and then fix them.
 

 
There is a fundamental difference in the activity compared to software development. A new software product is tested for functionality. For this purpose, you execute the intended functions and check if the result meets the expectations.

As a Pentester, you are looking for system parts that are not working as intended. Successful penetration, therefore, means that the Pentester was able to cause the system to behave in an unexpected manner. The developers of the system naturally try to prevent such access.

Standardized methods help with this protection, bypassing these protections requires you as a Pentester to think outside the box.
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What skills does a penetration tester need?

The most important quality of a Pentester is creativity because he has to go unconventional ways to penetrate systems.

This is also the reason why Pentester almost always come from outside the development team of the system under test. You should bring a fresh and impartial approach.

Technically speaking, as a Pentester you need a precise understanding of the processes in the target system. That means you have to understand the programming languages and system architecture used and be able to handle them.
 

 
Therefore it often makes sense that you specialize in certain systems and gain really profound knowledge and experience in this field.

One possible focus is web applications. Here you need an understanding of the client-side scripting language Javascript, server-side languages such as PHP and the SQL language for access to databases.

Another area is cracking computer networks. To do this, you need to have a detailed understanding of protocols at different levels of the ISO model. At the application level, these are, for example, HTTP and SSH, while TCP and IP are located at lower levels.

One area with a great future is IoT or Internet of Things. The number of devices connected to the Internet will continue to rise sharply and especially small computers are often very poorly secured.
 

How do you become a penetration tester?

For several years now there have been special courses in computer security at universities. Such a degree is a good starting point for working as a pentester.

But you should keep in mind that this education is much broader. So if you are aiming at becoming a Pentester, there are probably faster ways to reach your goal.

This includes preparation courses for certification exams as a Pentester. They are also a good source of information about the actual requirements a Pentester must meet. Successfully taking the exam is the first step towards employment as a Pentester. In addition to theoretical knowledge, many of these exams also contain practical parts in which you have to prove your skills on a real system.

In any case, intensive self-study is required for successful work as a Pentester. Here, too, the practical exercises play an essential and necessary role. You can find many vulnerable computers online that you can use to hone your skills.
 

 

Where can a Penetration tester work?

Your possible future employers include companies in the field of computer security. You then test the clients’ systems, the result of your work is a report about the security holes found, and the general security situation of the tested systems.

Pentesters are also used by the police, the intelligence services, and the Armed Forces. For these employers, you attack the systems of criminals or other actors.

Job opportunities are also offered by the BSI, the Federal Office for Information Security. It is responsible for information security, but as the national information security authority, it also has numerous other tasks in consulting and certification.

One of the most interesting jobs for you as a pentester is the independent work for order exchanges. Their customers invite all free Pentesters to test their systems and pay those who find security problems and pass them on to them. Such an activity can also provide you with valuable experience, which is very much sought after by employers.
 

What salary can I expect?

With a starting salary of at least 50,000$, the salaries range between 70,000$ and 90,000$ after some professional experience. With the right skills, your income can grow very quickly.
 

Conclusion

Penetration tester is an exciting activity in the field of cybersecurity that will continue to be of great importance in the next few years. With the right skill set and skills, it’s an exciting job for IT talents.
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