Modern Penetration Testers, how are they different?
Cybercrime is one of the fastest-growing threats. Many companies are now making business strategies in accordance with cybersecurity norms to prevent and mitigate cyberattacks. On one side, despite various measures, organizations are constantly facing cyber threats. Whereas, on another hand, many people continue to fall for phishing attacks because of their ignorance of advanced cybercrimes. With hackers getting more sophisticated with their attacks, it is no longer enough to simply respond to cyberattacks. This is why organizations are looking for proactive solutions like modern penetration testing methods to identify vulnerabilities and recommend mitigating risks.
| Cybercrimes has accounted for $2 trillion in 2019 – Juniper Research
By 2027, global spending on cybersecurity is estimated to reach $10 billion – Cybersecurity Ventures |
Penetration testing has become a vital element of a modern cybersecurity management team. Attackers around the world are trying to intrude networks of every organization. The attacker’s act is not restricted to government agencies or corporate sector, but businesses of all sizes.
Difference between traditional and modern penetration testing
| “Penetration testing is a bizarre activity. It’s a vocation for good individuals with the capacity to accomplish terrible things. You break into organizations through their technology and afterward give them where their shortcomings lie so they can fix them” – Nikhil Agarwal, Manager – Cyber Risk Advisory, Deloitte.
Nikhil Agarwal shares how you can improve in penetration testing from ground level to higher level. He also talks about the growth of penetration testing from traditional to modern approach: |
Skills of a modern penetration tester
1. Proficient with social engineering penetration testing
Almost 62% of cyberattacks comprises of phishing & social engineering attacks. The modern penetration testers are aware of the various attacks that hackers stimulate using social engineering methods.
2. Manual and automated penetration testing
A modern penetration tester has the efficiency of using both, automated and manual penetration testing tools. Not all penetration testing tools are automated. There are many manual tools that are sophisticated and require expert skills to exploit them.
3. Expertise of working on various platforms
Cyberattacks are not restricted to webpages or network anymore. Therefore, a modern penetration tester has the ability to pentest different platforms like mobile phones, IoTs, wireless devices, cloud, database, etc.
4. Structured work process
As the cyberspace is indefinitely connected, the scope of penetration testing should be defined. To achieve desired results, a modern penetration tester sets the scope of penetration testing and structures the work process.
5. Strong reporting skills
The effectiveness of penetration testing cannot be felt unless it is documented. A modern penetration tester brings strong writing skills that can help in drafting reports. Reports are sellable in penetration testing and a good report describing the findings of the test justifies the efforts of the penetration tester.
Do you want to be a modern penetration tester?
Modern penetration testing is complex and therefore, the skills required should be of the same calibre. A comprehensive penetration testing program updated with the latest tools and technologies can enable a penetration tester to perform advanced tests. EC-Council Certified Security Analyst (ECSA) is a more advanced penetration testing program that enables the students to learn all the required skills of being a modern penetration tester. ECSA certification is updated with the latest curriculum that matches the industry-recognized penetration testing methodology. The program covers different penetration testing requirements across different verticals. The penetration testing certification is mapped to NICE Framework that creates higher job prospects for the student.
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