Mastering the Art of Keeping Up: A Guide to Staying Updated in the Penetration Testing World
Introduction
Penetration testing is no longer a luxury but an absolute need in today’s hyper-secure digital environment. Having a comprehensive guide on penetration testing would be incredibly beneficial. It would act as a compass in unfamiliar territory, offering vital insights and tips on how to protect resources from potential threats. Adapting to the needs of the market necessitates a proactive strategy for talent acquisition and the maintenance of organizational security.
Being vigilant stems from an insatiable curiosity, whereas empowerment is the driving force behind never-ending skill improvement. Now, let’s get into the topic.
Different ways to keep updated
To keep you informed, we have a few alternative techniques; however, their execution is contingent upon factors such as need, time, money, etc. To remain relevant and vigilant against dangers, the only thing that matters is constant learning. So that we can safeguard our resources and mitigate those hazards by addressing them sooner rather than later.
Contribution/ engagement in Community
We can develop strong penetration testing skills by actively participating in online communities, completing forms where we can share or learn from the experiences of others, and by identifying common difficulties. But just essential items should you participate in those offered challenges and offer your opinions. With this method, a cooperative atmosphere is established. It is possible that DEFCON is suitable for pentesting. This is only one example; there may be many more to follow. Look at the posting frequency, discussion quality, and amount of useful material retrieved from any community before joining.
Additionally, there is an open source community that prioritizes security, similar to OWASP. Webinars and frequent updates are always available, and anyone can participate. There, you can make a significant impact by reporting bugs, offering suggestions for code improvements or security, and generally pitching in.
Creation of personalized or subscribe to newsletter
We can keep up with the latest developments in the security industry by subscribing to several newsletters that cater to our interests. In order to stay abreast of all the content, it’s a good idea to use an RSS feed to compile it from several sources and save it in one place. In order to provide timely updates on the most recent vulnerabilities, this strategy will be quite beneficial.
Investing in a trustworthy newsletter that covers only penetration testing is a must. For the optimal experience, the user should zero in on the content and make the best choice. For example, https://thehackernews.com/ is a great resource if you’re looking for up-to-date information. You can subscribe to aws security blogs to be informed about cloud security.
Ongoing efforts or training
The best way for people to acquire this knowledge is to sign up for relevant security workshops, online courses, or certification programs. The user or student should make an effort to complete the practicals and set aside time regularly to work on skill developing tasks. For example, if you don’t practice identifying issues after observing application conditions, understanding or reading the OWASP top 10 won’t help you much. Therefore, it is essential to constantly seek out practical experiences that will aid in the acquisition of new concepts.
An excellent example of this is Hack The Box, which offers both novices and seasoned hackers the chance to practice their skills on a variety of penetration testing tasks. You can now challenge yourself and expand your knowledge according to your budget. There are free and premium versions to choose from. If you’re looking for another example to practice web application assaults, you can find one at Port Swigger Labs. It’s free and has a solution if you get stuck. Do not use your Gmail address when signing up for an account. Solving the lab and gaining useful real-world knowledge is possible on a severity scale.
Conference or meetups
Going to a conference, watching presentations made by professionals in the field, and interacting with presenters throughout sessions will greatly enhance all of your knowledge and understanding. You will learn about new dangers or a zero-day flaw that the speaker has encountered. The professional network one builds at these conferences is invaluable for future collaboration opportunities. Make it a point to attend conferences that include opportunities for practical training or workshops whenever possible. Gaining real-world experience through engaging in interactive activities will be more beneficial.
Since it covers such a wide range of topics related to cyber security and hacking, DEFCON is one of the conferences that every penetration tester wishes to attend. Although DEFCON is well-known, you should check the history and frequency of the conferences or meetings you’re considering joining before committing. An example of this is the yearly conference Black Hat USA, which draws a sizable crowd.
Conclusion
In this modern day, everyone knows that penetration testing is crucial. As a result, there is an ever-present need to acquire new knowledge or skills. Several recommendations for improvement are detailed in this blog post. People can pick and choose the ones they like best, and then stress the significance of lifelong learning.
Since the field of security is ever-evolving, it is beneficial to constantly educate oneself with new methods. Pentesting is an ever-changing field, so honing your craft requires more than just knowledge; it demands a dedication to learning new things and being flexible. Crucial is the ever-changing nature of cyber security, which allows experts to hone their craft and those interested in the field to pick up tactics. There is no such thing as easy learning; what matters most is learning from reliable sources where you won’t have to spend a fortune and won’t fall prey to phishing scams.
