What does a Penetration Tester do

Question

What all are the things that a Penetration Tester does as his job?

Answer 1

If you think your life as a Penetration Tester will be like that of a hacker in movies, I'm sorry to disappoint you but you live your life like that only a few days a week. As a Penetration tester, you'll have to do more of documentation. Here are the task you could basically do:

• Perform formal penetration tests on web-based applications, networks and computer systems
• Conduct physical security assessments of servers, systems and network devices
• Design and create new penetration tools and tests
• Probe for vulnerabilities in web applications, fat/thin client applications and standard applications
• Pinpoint methods that attackers could use to exploit weaknesses and logic flaws
• Employ social engineering to uncover security holes (e.g. poor user security practices or password policies)
• Incorporate business considerations (e.g. loss of earnings due to downtime, cost of engagement, etc.) into security strategies
• Research, document and discuss security findings with management and IT teams
• Review and define requirements for information security solutions
• Work on improvements for security services, including the continuous enhancement of existing methodology material and supporting assets
• Provide feedback and verification as an organization fixes security issues

To know more about it, it is recommended to take the Masters in Cyber Security Program today.

Answer 2

A penetration tester can also be called as an Ethical Hacker or a White Hat hacker. Penetration testers find vulnerabilities in the network or the application. A penetration tester is hired by a company and then asked to test a certain network or application for vulnerabilities which can be exploited by a Hacker. A penetration tester runs various tests and reports if any vulnerabilities are found. Then this report is submitted to the concerned person who further works on solving the problems. A penetration tester may also suggest the organization how the network or system security can be made more secure.

Answer 3

Hi Vidhyut, some of the responsibilities of a Penetration Tester are:

• Perform penetration tests on computer systems, networks, and applications

• Create new testing methods to identify vulnerabilities

• Pinpoint methods and entry points that attackers may use to exploit vulnerabilities or weaknesses

• Review and provide feedback for information security fixes

• Establish improvements for existing security services, including hardware, software, policies, and procedures

• Identify areas where improvement is needed in security education and awareness for users

• Stay updated on the latest malware and security threats