Penetration Tester (Ethical Hacker)

A penetration tester (or ethical hacker) is a security professional who deliberately, legally and with authorization attacks an organization’s systems, networks or applications to uncover their vulnerabilities before malicious attackers do. They use the same techniques and tools as a cybercriminal — looking for open doors, exploiting flaws, trying to bypass defences — but with permission and in a controlled way. When finished, they document each flaw found and its severity in a report, with recommendations to fix it. It is methodical work that combines deep technical knowledge of networks, systems and programming with the creativity to think like an attacker. The key that separates them from a criminal is authorization: they always act with explicit permission. It is a much sought-after role as threats grow.