How do I become a Ninja?
Summary: A Cisco Talos blog post answers a reader's question about becoming a vulnerability researcher with an 11-step manifesto from Senior Director of Vulnerability Research Matt Watchinski, covering buffer overflow practice on an old RedHat box, Windows exploit exercises up to SEH, code auditing, fuzzing with tools like FileFuzz and Peach, and buying IDA Pro. Watchinski closes by saying no reading list will make someone a researcher, that it comes down to practical experience, and that the work must consume you.
Why it matters: The post's core claim is that every tool and application you run contains vulnerabilities that can be used to own your box, and that finding them takes years of hands-on practice rather than reading - a reminder that the defenders' skill gap is measured in applied experience, not documentation.
Read the original at Cisco Talos ↗
- Topics
- Malware
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