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Being a security consultant involves rather less hacking then you might think it does. I'd strongly suggest talking to Thomas or whatnot and ask what goes into
by patio11 13y ago
Being a security consultant involves rather less hacking then you might think it does. I'd strongly suggest talking to Thomas or whatnot and ask what goes into selling and delivering an engagement. Just like you shouldn't buy a restaurant just because you like cooking, don't get into security consulting just because you like the idea of doing security research.
Also, SQL scanner on a site you have no relationship with is both a) really freaking obnoxious, b) potentially dangerous, and c) potentially civilly and criminally actionable.
If you want practice on doing security research, the Stripe and Matasano CTFs are really good. Other options include "Pick the 2nd or 3rd most popular OSS application in your favorite ecosystem and start reviewing the code for the top 10 OWASP vulnerabilities." Spend two weeks on that and you will find Horrible Things.
- int3 13y agoIf two weeks is sufficient, why aren't more people finding these things? Isn't there a big incentive to make sure that e.g. popular web frameworks are secure?
- ScottBurson 13y agoYes, first you need to read up on security vulnerabilities: the major types and what causes them. Then, as patio11 suggests, spend some time looking for them. Figuring out how to actually exploit them can be fun, but I tend to think it's of secondary importance. If the elements of a vulnerability are there, chances are someone can figure out how to exploit it. On the other hand, actual exploits tend to be what get you mentioned in the press, which can be valuable for a consultant.
- yaur 13y agoCTF looks really interesting and at least gives me something to do while I'm (impatiently) waiting for the crypto challenge to arrive in my inbox.