What is the salary of a pen tester?

Salary and Career Outlook for Penetration Testers As of September 2021, PayScale reported a typical base salary of nearly $87,000 per year for pen testers. At the low end (bottom 10\%), pentesters earn about $59,000 per year. At the high end (top 10\%), they make up to $138,000 per year.

Do you have to be smart to be a pen tester?

Having good technical skills is important, but it is more important to be able to think on your feet and approach a test a little bit like a game, “like capture the flag, where you are trying to get into an organization as opposed to being a really smart, astute technical person,” Vogel says.

What is the role of pen tester?

As a penetration tester, you will perform authorised tests on computer systems in order to expose weaknesses in their security that could be exploited by criminals. You can choose to specialise in manipulating a particular type of system, such as: networks and infrastructures.

What is a pen test in regards to information security?

A penetration test, also known as a pen test, is a simulated cyber attack against your computer system to check for exploitable vulnerabilities. In the context of web application security, penetration testing is commonly used to augment a web application firewall (WAF).

How long does it take to learn Pentesting?

How Long Does It Take to Learn Penetration Testing? Like any subject, the time it takes to learn pen testing will depend on the person. But if you are a beginner, then it will likely take you eight to nine months to start running successful security tests.

How long does it take to become a pen tester?

Pen testing roles usually require 1-4 years of information security experience, while higher-level positions require 3-10 years’ experience related to vulnerability assessment or Network penetration testing.

Do pen testers work from home?

Freelance pentesters have the liberty of working from wherever they want, unless they get subcontracted to work on on-site jobs that require them to travel. Otherwise, they can work from the comfort of their homes if they have reliable Internet connections, or from cafes or malls.

What degree is a pen test?

Most often, you’ll need at least a bachelor’s degree to become a penetration tester. At many universities that takes around 4 years. However, at WGU many students finish coursework more quickly and earn their degrees sooner.

What is a pen test plan?

A pentest program is a series of pentests designed to systematically identify and remediate vulnerabilities in one or more assets or asset groups.

Why would a pen tester use exploit modification?

Penetration testing, sometimes called pen testing, is the process of attempting to find and exploit vulnerabilities in your environment. Penetration testing is done to give you an idea of not only the vulnerabilities that exist, but more importantly, what damage could be done if these vulnerabilities were exploited.