Penetration Testing mailing list archives
Ethical hacker/penetration tester skills and certifications
From: "Steve Fletcher" <safletcher () insightbb com>
Date: Fri, 29 Dec 2006 00:19:03 -0600
I am working on a magazine article on the job roles of ethical hackers. It is supposed to include what an ethical hacker does, the skills and certifications that might be required, and the typical career path. I wanted to see if anyone on the list could provide some useful information. Here is what I have so far. Skills: Knowledge of a number of programming languages, such as C, C++, Perl, and Python Intimate knowledge of networking protocols, especially the TCP/IP suite The ability to think out of the box Certifications: CEH, ECSA, and LPT from EC-Council - I also mention that the validity of these certifications has been questioned recently Certified Pen Testing Specialist (CPTS) from mile2 OSSTMM Professional Security Tester Accredited Certification (OPST) from ISECOM Background: I wasnt really sure here. Im sure that ethical hackers/penetration testers come from a variety of backgrounds in the IT field. I specifically mention programmers and network administrators. Career Opportunities: This is another area I am not real sure on. I mention penetration tests as the primary job role with a penetration test defined as trying to gain illicit access to a network for purposes of finding and resolving problems before the bad guys. (Im trying to keep it simple.) Of course, most often a penetration tester would either be an independent contractor or work for a security service provider. I am extremely concerned with making sure that I provide accurate information in this article, so any corrections or additions to what I have here would be greatly appreciated. Depending on the response I get, I might quote the reply in the article, with the permission of the author. Thanks, Steve Fletcher MCSE (NT4/Win2k), MCSE: Security (Win2k), HP Master ASE, CCNA, Security+ Email: safletcher () insightbb com Web: http://safletcher.home.insightbb.com
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- Ethical hacker/penetration tester skills and certifications Steve Fletcher (Dec 29)