Pentester. Who is it, what does he need and what does his job look like?

Penetration testing can be classified as one of the most popular forms of work in the security industry. What is the work of a pentester and who exactly is such a person? What are the qualifications and tools you need to apply for the position of a person known as "that good hacker"? You will find the answers to these and other questions in this article.

What does a pentester do?

The Pentester looks for weaknesses in the company's IT system, thus protecting it against a real hacker attack. It performs the so-called penetration testing . These are activities aimed at finding and identifying possible programming errors. Such unintended shortcomings are found in many applications and IT systems used by various companies on a daily basis. The task of the pentester is to create malware and test information systems in order to always be one step ahead of cybercriminals. It is worth realizing that the list of such potential system bugs is growing every day.

What should a pentester be able to do ?

The pentester should certainly know how to prevent and protect against various methods of attack. Both those often and slightly less used. Known methods of attack and programming errors include, for example, SQL Injection or Buffer Overflow. Not everyone has encountered HTTP Request Smuggling or Reflected File Download in practice . Today, a given application may seem fully secured, and the next day (due to a new class of errors), it may again be threatened by hackers. For this reason, the pentester should be up-to-date and constantly improve. Many people who are wondering how to start in cyber security hear that the domain of a good pentester is to break down even seemingly complex issues into parts.

The pentester certainly needs the right equipment as well. 

• Here , for example, you can read about which WiFi network card will be the best for a pentester and why.
• And in this post, you will learn more about one of the tools that have been used for years to find weaknesses in the security of information systems and computer networks.

Pentester - how to start ?

Many people of all ages are wondering today how to get a job in cyber security or how to start in the profession of a pentester. When it comes to education, it is definitely worth getting interested in studying IT, but of course it is not a necessary requirement. The experience gained as an administrator, analyst or programmer can also turn out to be worth its weight in gold. Pentester qualifications can also be obtained thanks to the EC-Council program, which prepares people for CEH ( Certified Ethical Hacker ) certification. It is also worth looking for an internship, during which there is a chance to work in a company on a real project, preferably in the company and under the supervision of qualified, experienced pentesters.

Pentester - requirements

Patient, systematic, inquisitive, passionate about communicating his observations, who additionally knows how the network works at the infrastructure level - this is what the ideal pentester looks like in a nutshell. Courses and various trainings in the subject of cybersecurity are also always something that is undoubtedly worth getting interested in to improve your qualifications and have something to boast about during the interview for the pentester position.

How much does a pentester earn ?

A beginner pentester can count on a net salary of PLN 6.5-7 thousand. A more experienced specialist can earn 4 or even 5 times as much. The pentester earnings are not low. Why? Because companies and corporations from many industries invest really large sums on practical IT solutions. However, as years of experience show, many software producers focus primarily on the functionality and quality of applications, unfortunately treating security issues a bit neglectfully. What is the effect? Deplorable. Because in the event of a hacker attack, the company using such software may suffer huge financial losses. That is why many companies realize that the role of a pentester cannot be overestimated.

As you can see, the game is worth the proverbial candle. Do you see yourself in the role of a pentester? You don't know how to start your adventure in cybersecurity? Let us know, we'll be happy to recommend proven courses to get you started.