From: Stephen Mullins (steve.mullins.workgmail.com)
Date: Thu Jun 18 2009 - 01:10:30 CDT

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Hello Rob,

While I cannot answer your questions directly as I do not work in the
Pen Testing specialty, I can provide some useful information.

Check out this interview Slashdot did with Fyodor (creator of nmap).

http://interviews.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=03/05/30/1148235&startat=&threshold=4&mode=nocomment&commentsort=3&op=Change

Look at his answer to question #4. There is a lot of good advice
there, advice I myself have followed.

I would emphasize his comments on hands on experience. There simply
is no substitute. Books and college style learning are next to
worthless in this case. You need to basically teach yourself and just
"hack" your way through problems until you have legitimate skills.

Best of luck,

Steve Mullins

On Mon, Jun 15, 2009 at 8:00 PM, Rob<wiaignoranceisbliss.info> wrote:
> Hello all.
>
> I am sure you all have seen many of these questions posed on this list, as
> well as others.  I am aware of the typical answers of, write a program,
> compile a new LiveCD, etc.  But I was hoping to try something a little bit
> different.
>
> I have found myself in a precarious situation.  I have been in between
> jobs since October and am now finding myself able to attend some
> schooling.  On this path to schooling, I was posed with a very interesting
> question.
>
> "How did the others that do what I want to do, get there?"
>
> I want to be a pen-tester.
>
> I have been working with computers for over fifteen years - eight of those
> professionally (Help Desk, SysAdmin, InfoSec Admin).  I am fluent in
> Windows and can get done what I need to in Linux.  I am good at just about
> everything, with the exception of databases, coding and routing.  I am
> almost entirely self-taught and simply have not done that type of work,
> yet...  I did attend a class at a school that I will not name (they have
> earned no plugs through me), though many of you have heard of it.  I also
> certified afterwords.  It is a certification that is very similar to a
> CISSP, though is is more technically based.
>
> So, to all of you pen-testers out there, if I could please ask you for
> 10-15 minutes of your valuable time.  If you could either reply privately
> to the questions below - allowing me one reply with any questions that you
> may have invoked.  Or if you would prefer to be contacted via phone - a
> private message with a number and the best time to be contacted, would be
> appreciated.  If unsure, please choose the first choice.
>
> My questions:
>
> I am trying to discover the best path, to get me from here to there.  What
> was it that you did to get there?
>
> What do you think are the good parts of the job?
>
> What do you think are the bad parts of the job?
>
> What is it about pentesting that keeps you coming back?
>
> Do you have any recommendations on what to watch out for?
>
> If you were able to do it all over again, would you go back into pentesting?
>
> --
>
> Thank you so much for your time.  It is very much appreciated.
>
> Rob Thompson
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> This list is sponsored by: Information Assurance Certification Review Board
>
> Prove to peers and potential employers without a doubt that you can actually do a proper penetration test. IACRB CPT and CEPT certs require a full practical examination in order to become certified.
>
> http://www.iacertification.org
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>

------------------------------------------------------------------------
This list is sponsored by: Information Assurance Certification Review Board

Prove to peers and potential employers without a doubt that you can actually do a proper penetration test. IACRB CPT and CEPT certs require a full practical examination in order to become certified.

http://www.iacertification.org
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