I'm a serial entrepreneur, penetration tester, security researcher, speaker, trainer, and author. Doing all of these things have prepared me well for founding a startup - as a solo founder, I've had to do literally everything that my company needs.
CAREER
Penetration Testers
Overview
Salary Median (2020)
$95,270
Projected Job Growth (2019-2029)
+10.1% (faster than the average)
Career
Roadtrip Nation Leaders in This Career
What Penetration Testers Do
Evaluate network system security by conducting simulated internal and external cyberattacks using adversary tools and techniques. Attempt to breach and exploit critical systems and gain access to sensitive information to assess system security.
Other Job Titles Penetration Testers May Have
How Leaders Describe a Typical Day at Work
My team, IBM X-Force Red, finds the ways to hack businesses before the bad guys. I specialize in network, application, physical, and device penetration testing as well as vulnerability research. I also occasionally do public speaking or media events on subjects relating to security testing and incident response.
Tasks & Responsibilities May Include
- Assess the physical security of servers, systems, or network devices to identify vulnerability to temperature, vandalism, or natural disasters.
- Collect stakeholder data to evaluate risk and to develop mitigation strategies.
- Conduct network and security system audits, using established criteria.
- Configure information systems to incorporate principles of least functionality and least access.
- Design security solutions to address known device vulnerabilities.
Education
Level of Education Attained by Penetration Testers
No data currently available.
Stay tuned! We’ll update this section as soon as data is available.Additional Skills & Experiences That Can Help You Excel
You can't be an expert on everything, especially in cybersecurity. Learn what you can to keep up, but don't put pressure on yourself.
You need to be able to do the research and stay on the cutting edge by always being up to date on what is coming next. Always be willing to chart a new direction.
Getting Started
Recommended First Step for:
High School Students
While getting a degree is helpful for getting that first job and checking the HR boxes, practical skills are way more important in computer hacking than education. So I would recommend higher education but, if you are already computer literate, major in what you what. Don't get stuck in the idea you have to do only computer science if you are interested in other things.
Independent study is key to succeeding in cybersecurity. Learn how to code, but don't worry about being great at it.
Everyone
This page includes information from theO*NET 26.1 Databaseby the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under theCC BY 4.0license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
