How to become a penetration testing specialist
Official title: Penetration testing specialist
Also called: Ethical hacker, Exploitation analyst, Information and communications technology (ICT) security tester, Network security tester, System security tester, Vulnerability analyst, Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Testing Analyst, Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Testing Manager
Penetration testing specialist designs and performs tests and checks cases to determine if infrastructure components, systems and applications meet confidentiality, integrity, authentication, availability, authorisation and non-repudiation standards. He/she translates requirements into test plan, writes and executes test scripts or codes in line with standards and procedures to determine vulnerability to attacks. He/she certifies infrastructure components, systems and applications that meet security standards.
Main tasks
- Performing risk assessments and executing tests of data processing system to ensure functioning of data processing activities and security measures
Ways in
- University: Computing & IT degrees, Offered by 5 universities in Singapore
Pay · Outlook · AI and this job
- Generative AI could change some tasks in this job, by the ILO's global estimate.
Related jobs
- Cyber risk specialist
- Security operations specialist
- Digital forensics specialist
- Cybersecurity architect
- Cyber incident investigation specialist
- Threat analysis specialist
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Questions people ask
How do I become a penetration testing specialist?
Ways in include: Computing & IT degrees.
Will AI change the work of a penetration testing specialist?
Generative AI could change some tasks in this job, by the ILO's global estimate.
Sources
- International Labour Organization, Generative AI and Jobs: A Refined Global Index of Occupational Exposure (ILO Working Paper 140, Gmyrek et al.) (ILO Working Paper 140, May 2025, Annex Table A1), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 4 October 2026
Updated 4 October 2026