Meet the Penetration Testing Team

Kieran – Head of Penetration Testing

How I got into pen testing:

I’ve been a penetration tester for 10 years now, having previously worked on government projects and within financial institutions throughout Europe.

My intrigue for penetration testing started in college, and once I discovered it was an ‘actual job’ my mind was set and I enrolled in the world’s first ethical hacking degree at Abertay University.

What I enjoy about pen testing:

I’ll admit that sometimes pen testing can be like banging your head against a wall, but when you finally have that breakthrough and make a real impact for a business, it’s worth the struggle.

My advice for businesses:

The advice I’d give for businesses is that the key first step in penetration testing is to get a good handle on what assets you have and the risks associated. That way you’ll be in a better position to make informed decisions.

Jordan – Senior Penetration Tester

How I got into pen testing:

I’ve been a pen tester for almost 4 years now, although it doesn’t feel that long at all – time has flown!

I’d always enjoyed web development and the challenge of finding vulnerabilities, as it always felt like a great achievement finding them.

I studied an ethical hacking course at Abertay University and then joined a graduates programme before joining Bulletproof a few years later.

What I enjoy about pen testing:

Everyday is different and I never stop learning, which I love. My day typically starts with a strong dose of coffee, some planning and then a large amount of hacking!

My advice for businesses:

Client communication is also a big part of the role, as it’s important that clients fully understand the issues we raise for their remediation efforts. Having a dedicated point of contact for the duration of your penetration test, and for discussing your report findings, will make the whole process a lot smoother.

James – Junior Penetration Tester

How I got into pen testing:

I chose to pursue a career in pen testing as I believe that technology is now such an integrated part of modern life, and without effective security it could all come to a halt.

I actually started out in Bulletproof as a SOC analyst. I enjoyed the proactive mindset and technical competence required to be an attacker, so chose to become a penetration tester.

To obtain some of skills I needed, I completed the Offensive Security Certified Practitioner Certification and I also regularly compete with Hack the Box challenges.

What I enjoy about pen testing:

The life of a pen tester is varied, as each client brings new software and hardware to be tested, but web and mobile application testing interests me the most. It’s an area of technology that is integral in day-to-day life, and will only continue to get more prevalent, so it’s great to put it to the test.

My advice for businesses:

One piece of advice I’d give to businesses is to implement an effective patch policy. Many vulnerabilities are caused by out of date systems which are easily detectable and exploitable. They’re also fairly simple to fix so there is no excuse not to do it!