Main Responsibilities and Required Skills for Penetration Tester
A Penetration Tester is responsible for performing penetration tests on computer systems, networks and applications. They identify security vulnerabilities and harden the security of internal and external systems. In this blog post we describe the primary responsibilities and the most in-demand hard and soft skills for Penetration Testers.
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Main Responsibilities of Penetration Tester
The following list describes the typical responsibilities of a Penetration Tester:
Adhere to
Adhere to policies, procedures, technology control standards and regulatory guidelines.
Adjust
Adjust positively to quickly changing priorities and shifting goals.
Advise
Advise on methods to fix or lower security risks to systems.
Analyze
Analyze processes qne toolsets, continuously identifying areas for automation & improvement.
Analyze requirements and propose design alternatives.
Analyze technical security weaknesses.
Analyze the outcome of 3rd party penetration test reports.
Answer
Answer clients' inquiries via phone or email in a professional and timely manner.
Apply
Apply established development processes and assist in process improvement.
Apply programming language structures (e.g., source code review) and logic.
Architecture
Architecture Security Analysis and Threat Modeling.
Assess
Assess, identify and escalate issues appropriately.
Assist in
Assist in security investigations and responses as necessary.
Assist in tools & dashboards development.
Assist with security incident response as needed.
Attend
Attend conferences and training events to further your career.
Build
Build scripts / code for custom exploitation.
Carry out
Carry out penetration tests, performs social engineering tests.
Carry out application, network, systems and infrastructure penetration tests.
Collaborate with
Collaborate with DHS and assessed organizations to identify and defend against common attack vectors.
Collaborate with Threat Analysts and the Incident Response Team to contain and investigate incidents.
Compile
Compile and analyze operational data and create high-level reports and metrics for management.
Complete
Complete documentation of all activities / tasks within the team's defined procedures.
Complete project work accurately and within deadlines as required.
Complete work accurately and within the deadlines required.
Conduct
Conduct initial penetration test scoping / kick off meetings with stakeholders.
Conduct open source intelligence investigation on THG and its associated brands and organisations.
Conduct penetration testing of web, mobile, web services, and thick client applications.
Conduct regular security audits from both a logical and a technical / hands-on standpoint.
Conduct social engineering tests (physical, phishing, pre-texting) of client environments.
Conduct vulnerability analysis and penetration testing as directed.
Consider
Consider the impact your ‘attack' will have on the business and its users.
Consult
Consult on regulatory compliance requirements, reporting and questions.
Contribute to
Contribute to internal activity and process review, flag windows for improvement.
Coordinate
Coordinate with applications teams on SDLC frameworks from a security testing perspective.
Create
Create new testing methods to identify vulnerabilities.
Create reports and recommendations from your findings.
Create scripting code and methodologies for new testing techniques.
Create security analysis reports and other relevant customer-faced documentation.
Define
Define process improvements in existing vulnerability management program.
Define testing plans, using well-known methodologies, creativity, and professional judgment.
Deliver
Deliver clear and coherent written reporting and remediation guidance.
Deliver concise technical work and advice to customers and other staff members.
Deploy
Deploy the testing methodology and collect data.
Develop
Develop and deliver accurate reports.
Develop and lead training for technical testers.
Develop and lead training for technical testers and development teams.
Develop and maintain effective working relationships with clients and other team members.
Develop and strategize with the team to bolster test cases and documentation.
Develop, as necessary, your own tool or portion of code to carry out testing.
Develop communications and present to key shareholders for assessments.
Develop constructive client relationships, both inside and outside of Confused.com.
Develop & execute manual & automated tests to identify vulnerabilities within the products.
Develop insights about the context of an organization's threat environment.
Develop, manage, and maintain security testing frameworks.
Develop scripts, tools and methodologies to improve STIRT processes.
Develop strategic recommendations to help customers remediate complex vulnerabilities.
Develop strategic recommendations to help customers remediate identified cloud vulnerabilities.
Develop test software and procedures.
Document
Document and build comprehensive reports based on test findings.
Document findings and communicate their relevance efficiently.
Engage
Engage in assessments related to risk, controls, implemented control procedures, vulnerability etc...
Enhance
Enhance and update testing methodologies, processes, and standards documentation.
Enhance existing penetration testing methodologies.
Ensure
Ensure clients are educated and aware of complementary PPS services, to ensure win-win benefits.
Ensure your voice is heard, influencing both technical and business strategies.
Ensure your voice is heard,influencing technical and business strategy.
Evaluate
Evaluate and select from a range of penetration testing tools.
Evaluate / define solutions for securing wired / wireless networks, databases and applications.
Execute
Execute and / or lead red team assessments to highlight gaps impacting organization security posture.
Execute assigned tasks as part of an on-call rotation.
Finalize
Finalize test output to ensure they meet industry standard.
Generate
Generate complete and accurate test, analysis, and recommendations documentation.
Guide
Guide the business to reduce risk.
Help
Help customers develop secure applications.
Identify
Identify customer security vulnerabilities.
Identify, prove, and report vulnerabilities that cannot be identified by scanners or tools.
Identify and exploit vulnerabilities in applications and networks.
Identify areas where improvement is needed in security education and awareness for users.
Identify new innovative ways to implement business requirements within the GRC system.
Identify systemic security issues based on the analysis of vulnerability and configuration data.
Identify upgrades that are required for existing tools.
Identify vulnerabilities that cannot be identified by scanners or automated tools.
Influence
Influence behavior to reduce risk, foster a strong technology risk management culture.
Input
Input and guidance to security related technical architecture and design decisions.
Inspire
Inspire and engage the team to retain top talent and create a high-performance culture.
Inspire a positive work environment and be a champion and innovator of team work and support.
Integrate
Integrate security risk information into penetration testing process.
Keep
Keep current on the latest security trends and developments.
Keep testing within scope and budget.
Keep up to date with latest technological developments and tools.
Keep up to date with latest testing and ethical hacking methods.
Lead
Lead highly technical application and network pentests.
Lead highly technical AWS Pentest services (once training is complete).
Liaise with
Liaise with product and system owners to scope and define penetration testing requirements.
Maintain
Maintain and compose operational process documentation regarding program execution.
Make
Make recommendations based upon your reports and 3rd party reports.
Make decisions guided by policies in non-standard situations.
Make suggestions for cyber security improvements.
Manage
Manage and provides technical guidance and oversight for technical resources.
Manage and provide technical guidance and oversight for technical resources.
Manage relationships with other technology / business / corporate / control functions.
Manage the team of penetration testers.
Meet
Meet / exceed defined contribution goals for services you deliver.
Mentor
Mentor junior members of staff.
Mentor other team members in technical and business settings.
Participate
Participate in Security Assessments of networks, systems and applications.
Perform
Perform analysis of client security organizations, policies and procedures.
Perform application, web, mobile and network penetration tests.
Perform Cyber Investigations and maintain forensic evidence as needed.
Perform manual & automated analysis on applications using open source and custom tools.
Perform network, Web, and mobile application penetration testing.
Perform penetration testing against many different types of applications and networks.
Perform penetration testing against web environments.
Perform penetration tests on computer systems, networks and applications.
Perform physical security assessments of networks and computer systems.
Perform required audit related tasks from internal audit, SOX and PCI activities.
Perform security analysis to identify potential security risks & vulnerabilities.
Perform security testing and assessments for our clients.
Perform security testing in accordance with our methodology.
Perform testing using defined methodologies and a combination of automated and manual tools.
Pinpoint
Pinpoint methods and entry points that attackers may use to exploit vulnerabilities or weaknesses.
Plan
Plan and create penetration methods, scripts, and tests.
Prepare
Prepare summary security review reports which quantify and communicate the risk of the vulnerabilities.
Present
Present your findings, risks, and conclusions to both technical and non-technical audiences.
Prioritize
Prioritize and handle multiple tasks and projects simultaneously.
Propose
Propose solutions proactively.
Provide
Provide all assigned responsibilities as part of an on-call rotation.
Provide an exciting startup environment where each person matters and their impact is felt.
Provide clear, coherent written reports as well as remediation guidance based on an overview of risk.
Provide consultation on appropriate remediation actions.
Provide cyber security technical expertise and analysis for new technologies and configurations.
Provide guidance and leadership as it relates to Application Pen Testing.
Provide guidance, mentorship and oversight in delivering cloud pentest services to customers.
Provide guidance, mentorship and oversight in delivering pentest services to customers.
Provide input and evaluation of new technologies and products.
Provide input to architecture, design, and code reviews.
Provide mentoring and training to junior members of attack surface management team.
Provide mentoring to newer team members.
Provide mentorship for associate pentesters as requested.
Provide pragmatic recommendations to clients that align to their business needs.
Provide simple and reusable hunt tactics and techniques.
Provide task breakdowns and accurate estimates for project planning.
Provide technical coaching to junior team members.
Provide technical leadership opportunity, with ownership of cloud pentest processes.
Provide training and mentorship for associate cloud security pentesters.
Receive
Receive work assignments and timelines from the Practice Lead.
Recognize
Recognize and safely utilize attacker tools, tactics, and procedures.
Report
Report on findings to a range of stakeholders.
Report on progress / test findings, assess security risks and raise issues as required.
Research
Research and keep up to date on application security emerging threats, techniques, tools, and trends.
Research, document and discuss security findings with management and product management teams.
Research emerging security topics and new attack vectors.
Research more advanced and complex attempts / efforts to compromise security protocols.
Research threats and vulnerabilities and provides mitigation and remediation recommendations.
Research, evaluate, document and discuss findings with IT teams and management.
Research evaluate new security technologies and countermeasures.
Review
Review and define requirements for information security solutions.
Review and identify false positives generated by scanners or tools.
Review and provide feedback for information security fixes.
Review physical security and perform social engineering tests where appropriate.
Search
Search for weaknesses in common software, web applications and proprietary systems.
Set
Set appropriate expectations on work products and manage those expectations accordingly.
Stay up to date
Stay up to date on the latest exploits and security trends.
Stay updated on the latest malware and security threats.
Stay up to date on current tools, technologies, and vulnerabilities.
Stay up to date on information technology trends, security standards, and IT security news.
Support
Support Project Managers in providing customers a high level of care and technical quality.
Support the SDLC Program and Process.
Understand
Understand how team efforts are aligned with organizational objectives and priorities.
Understand the basics of penetration testing – network, web application, application / code review.
Upgrade
Upgrade, maintain and recommend security tools to support testing.
Use
Use physical security and social engineering testing methodologies to identify areas of weakness.
Use social engineering to identify improvement for security awareness and education.
Utilize
Utilize network mapping, host enumeration and scanning tools when necessary.
Work
Work in a team environment while maintaining confidentiality of investigation information.
Work independently to meet customer and project deadlines.
Work with the development team and product management to determine their requirements from the tests.
Most In-demand Hard Skills
The following list describes the most required technical skills of a Penetration Tester:
Information Security
Powershell
Metasploit
Scripting Languages
CEH
Nmap
Secure Code Reviews
Security
AWS
Bash
Gpen
Nessus
Owasp
Windows
Osce
Perl
Mobile
Nist
Most In-demand Soft Skills
The following list describes the most required soft skills of a Penetration Tester:
Written and oral communication skills
Self-motivated
Presentation
Analytical ability
Collaborative nature
Consultative
High "self-expectation”
Leadership
Perform public speaking
Self –disciplined
Self-aware
Self-governed
Self-improving
Sense of humour
Work with clients in a consulting environment
Take on roles of increasing responsibility
Attention to detail
Integrity
Organizational capacity
Problem-solving attitude
