If you don't feel like you can be a professional security researcher, why not settle for being a hobbyist? It sounds like you still enjoy the subject matter an

If you don't feel like you can be a professional security researcher, why not settle for being a hobbyist? It sounds like you still enjoy the subject matter and it sounds like you know a lot more about this than the average developer. I've considered a senior developer and I've never done what you were describing. I've suffered from impostor syndrome in the past - and I still do to an extent - but I've never found another hobbyist to be hostile about my knowledge or lack thereof.