Penetration Testing mailing list archives
RE: What is being a pen tester really like?
From: Mark Teicher <mht3 () earthlink net>
Date: Wed, 2 Aug 2006 07:42:04 -0400 (GMT-04:00)
I don't know the difference either, but again, I still can't compile scanrand or get my DNS servers to stream audio.. -----Original Message-----
From: "Arian J. Evans" <arian.evans () anachronic com> Sent: Aug 1, 2006 3:57 PM To: pen-test () securityfocus com Subject: RE: What is being a pen tester really like? Was this post a successful troll, or is the level of technical competence in the pen-testing space so commoditized that "nor does it require deep technical skill" == 2006 pen testing? Wow. I struggle regularly to explain the difference between a "vulnerability assessment" and a pen test, due to the fact that too many folks pimp pen test offerings that are just automated VA with a personal touch, like Paul described. That, however, is the problem, not the answer. It is not pen-testing if there is no penetration. </charlatan> Forgive me, mom, for that sentence, -ae-----Original Message----- From: Paul Melson [mailto:pmelson () gmail com] Sent: Friday, July 28, 2006 2:28 PM To: rahul.joshi2 () googlemail com Cc: pen-test () securityfocus com Subject: RE: What is being a pen tester really like? -----Original Message----- Subject: What is being a pen tester really like? rahul.joshi2 () googlemail com wrote:I am currently a Java developer but I'm seriously thinkingof changing paths toa career in security and pen testing. What I would like to know is what is being a pen tester really like?Despite what you may have heard, being a successful pen-tester (meaning, you get hired and make a living at it) is not very hard, nor does it require a lot of very deep technical skill. What it really requires is good verbal and written communication skills, the ability to work well with clients, and the ability to explain security (even inaccurately) in terms of business value. Do those things, and you can be successful. The dirty truth about pen testers is that most of them have a handful of tools and scripts (like Nessus and Retina) and run them with the same configs against every customer and have the same canned recommendations based on the results that their tools spit out. Hell, most vuln scanners spit out their own remediation recommendations for the pen tester to simply hand over to their customers. Additionally, for a pen test to have the appearance of being successful, it only needs to find some of the vulnerabilities present on a network or in an application. Unlike being a network engineer or an sysadmin where your work has to stand up to the 24/7 scrutiny of a live environment, being a pen tester means only needing to be right more often than you're wrong. Not to take away from the skills or experience of any individual pen testers out there. There are some Mario Andretti's out there driving school busses, if I may. PaulM -------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------- This List Sponsored by: Cenzic Concerned about Web Application Security? Why not go with the #1 solution - Cenzic, the only one to win the Analyst's Choice Award from eWeek. As attacks through web applications continue to rise, you need to proactively protect your applications from hackers. Cenzic has the most comprehensive solutions to meet your application security penetration testing and vulnerability management needs. You have an option to go with a managed service (Cenzic ClickToSecure) or an enterprise software (Cenzic Hailstorm). Download FREE whitepaper on how a managed service can help you: http://www.cenzic.com/news_events/wpappsec.php And, now for a limited time we can do a FREE audit for you to confirm your results from other product. Contact us at request () cenzic com for details. -------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This List Sponsored by: Cenzic Concerned about Web Application Security? Why not go with the #1 solution - Cenzic, the only one to win the Analyst's Choice Award from eWeek. As attacks through web applications continue to rise, you need to proactively protect your applications from hackers. Cenzic has the most comprehensive solutions to meet your application security penetration testing and vulnerability management needs. You have an option to go with a managed service (Cenzic ClickToSecure) or an enterprise software (Cenzic Hailstorm). Download FREE whitepaper on how a managed service can help you: http://www.cenzic.com/news_events/wpappsec.php And, now for a limited time we can do a FREE audit for you to confirm your results from other product. Contact us at request () cenzic com for details. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------ This List Sponsored by: Cenzic Concerned about Web Application Security? Why not go with the #1 solution - Cenzic, the only one to win the Analyst's Choice Award from eWeek. As attacks through web applications continue to rise, you need to proactively protect your applications from hackers. Cenzic has the most comprehensive solutions to meet your application security penetration testing and vulnerability management needs. You have an option to go with a managed service (Cenzic ClickToSecure) or an enterprise software (Cenzic Hailstorm). Download FREE whitepaper on how a managed service can help you: http://www.cenzic.com/news_events/wpappsec.php And, now for a limited time we can do a FREE audit for you to confirm your results from other product. Contact us at request () cenzic com for details. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Current thread:
- Re: What is being a pen tester really like?, (continued)
- Re: What is being a pen tester really like? Diarmaid McManus (Aug 08)
- Re: What is being a pen tester really like? Dotzero (Aug 08)
- Re: What is being a pen tester really like? Diarmaid McManus (Aug 09)
- RE: What is being a pen tester really like? Omar A. Herrera (Aug 09)
- Re: What is being a pen tester really like? Diarmaid McManus (Aug 09)
- Starting Out Lyndon Barry (Aug 09)
- Re: Starting Out John Skinner (Aug 10)
- Re: What is being a pen tester really like? Christine Kronberg (Aug 09)
- RE: What is being a pen tester really like? Richard Feist (Aug 02)
- Re: What is being a pen tester really like? Tim (Aug 08)