Path 02 / Red team

Penetration tester

Find weaknesses before attackers do, with written permission, and report the fixes.

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  • CompTIAPenTest+CompTIA PenTest+
  • INEeJPTJunior Penetration Tester
  • TCM SecurityPNPTPractical Network Penetration Tester
  • OffSecOSCPOffSec Certified Professional

What the job is

0:00 / 0:24

The path

4 courses, in order

Where it leads

  1. 01Junior penetration tester or security consultant
  2. 02Penetration tester
  3. 03Senior tester or red team operator
  4. 04Offensive security lead

The tools and the pay

  • Burp Suite
  • OWASP ZAP
  • Nmap
  • Wireshark
  • Metasploit
  • BloodHound
  • OWASP Top 10
  • MITRE ATT&CK
  • CVSS
$129kMedian pay
$75k starting$200k+ top 10%
+21%Jobs by 2035

US figures, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025.

Skills you will build

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Questions

Is penetration testing legal?

Yes, when it is authorised in writing by the owner of the systems and stays inside the agreed scope. Testing anything without permission is a crime in most countries, including India under the Information Technology Act, 2000.

Can I start as a penetration tester straight away?

Some people do, but many start in IT, development or a SOC first. Knowing how systems are built and defended makes you a much better tester.

What does Root teach in this path?

Root teaches how weaknesses work and how to find and report them on lab systems built for that purpose. You never test real systems you do not own.

Become a penetration tester

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