Noah King: From Sales to Offensive Security Engineer

About The Guest:

Noah King is a Senior Software Engineer at Horizon3.ai, specializing in offensive security and exploit development. Coming from a background in sales and with a strong expertise in web application development, Noah transitioned into cybersecurity after being inspired by his wife's journey into engineering. With a passion for breaking things rather than building them, Noah has rapidly advanced in the field, earning his OSCP certification and contributing to automating complex security attacks at Horizon3.ai.

Summary:

Noah King shares his journey from sales to offensive security. He started with a coding bootcamp and transitioned into web app development. Eventually, he joined Horizon3.ai as a senior software engineer and became interested in offensive security. He learned through hack the box and became a teaching assistant for a cybersecurity bootcamp. He obtained the OSCP certification and now focuses on offensive security at Horizon3.ai, automating attacks and finding vulnerabilities.

Takeaways

• Transitioning from a different career background is possible in offensive security.
• Obtaining certifications like OSCP and gaining experience through bug bounties are valuable.
• Learning to code or script is important for offensive security professionals.
• Automation is crucial in scaling pen testing efforts.
• Continuous learning and staying up-to-date with emerging threats is essential in offensive security.

Quotes:

• "I really wanted to be on the opposite edge of breaking."
• "Automating and making everything instead of having to pay for some pen testers to come in."
• "I do a lot with making the JavaScript, making deceptive login pages."

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction and Background

03:50 Finding Passion and Building a Foundation

10:07 Automation and Scaling in Offensive Security

15:19 The Challenges and Rewards of Offensive Security 22:59 Certifications and Experience in the Job Market

25:41 Closing Remarks

Resources:

Noah's Horizon3 Tech Talk: Journey to OSCP https://www.horizon3.ai/insights/webinars/tech-talk-journey-to-oscp/

Noah's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/noahking1/