How to become a penetration tester

Studying Computer Science

A degree in computer science is a good basis. There are some providers of advanced training and courses for penetration testers on the market, but these require in-depth prior IT knowledge. There are a few persons that have dealt with hacking autodidactically starting from a very young age, but this is not the rule. There is no getting around in-depth basics, and there is more to penetration testing than just being able to use a few hacking tools like Metasploit. The vast majority of professional penetration testers have studied computer science and you can find a computer science degree as a prerequisite in job advertisements or public tenders. The best basis for a career in penetration testing is a degree in computer science.

Advanced training courses for penetration testers

Typically, you have studied computer science, worked in IT for a few years and specialize more and more in the direction of IT security. Now it can definitely make sense to invest in further education or training on the subject of penetration testing in order to have penetration testers on your business card the next time you change jobs.