This week, I read about the skills and proficiencies needed to be a hacker throughout modern history, starting from the 90s. It was very interesting to see the progression of needed knowledge in this timeline, with some skills becoming unneeded and some newer ones being applied in newer practices.
I decided to compose a list of the needed skill set for a modern ethical hacker in 2022 (atleast in my opinion).
Networking
The first one should be networking. You have to understand how packets travel, IP addresses, routing, subnets and so on. Not even focusing on the hacking/exploit side, but realizing how the Internet works on a deeper level is a huge plus. If you understand these principles, learning about the vulnerabilities will be much more easier as you get the bigger picture.
Operating systems
Increasing your skills with operating systems is another step. This is the base to getting certifications and acquiring knowledge on the popular OSes. While the average home user will use Windows, a large portion of the servers run on UNIX systems, and the knowledge from Windows systems can't easily be carried over without prior experience. So to be proficient in your field, you should have experience in all of them.
Programming
Depending on your path, you should be proficient in reading, analyzing and writing code in multiple languages related to it. Python, C/C++ and BASH are popular ones that can give you a better understanding when analyzing source codes, documentations and vulnerabilities.
Penetration testing
Obviously, any hacker needs to be good at penetration testing. But not in the way you think. I would advocate for understanding the tools and methods deeper than just opening and using Metasploit. It would be the equivalent of getting a driving license without knowledge on how the engine operates and why we need the differential. You will feel much more comfortable by having the step-by-step experience in how pentest tools affect and impact the systems you will be using them on.
Willpower and passion
And lastly, an unusual point. You have to have the fire and passion inside you to go down this path. We have all had moments in our lives where time just flies by doing something, we enjoy the actions so much without ever looking at the clock, taking a break or having a pause. If hacking is a passionate topic to you, then all the steps above will just be pieces of the puzzle and connecting them will become much easier.
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