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The cybersecurity industry, like many others, suffers from biases in hiring—whether due to age, appearance, or personality. However, the field thrives on skills, adaptability, and hands-on expertise. Below, we explore practical ways to break through these barriers and prove your worth in cybersecurity.
You Should Know:
1. Build a Strong Cybersecurity Portfolio
A well-documented portfolio showcasing real-world projects, bug bounty reports, or CTF (Capture The Flag) achievements speaks louder than perceived flaws.
Commands to Showcase Your Skills:
- Extract HTTP headers for security analysis:
curl -I https://example.com
- Scan for open ports (ethical hacking practice):
nmap -sV -T4 example.com
- Check for vulnerabilities using Nikto:
nikto -h example.com
2. Automate Reconnaissance to Demonstrate Skills
Automating repetitive tasks proves efficiency. Below is a Python script for subdomain enumeration:
import requests
from bs4 import BeautifulSoup
def find_subdomains(domain):
url = f"https://crt.sh/?q=%.{domain}&output=json"
response = requests.get(url)
if response.status_code == 200:
data = response.json()
subdomains = {entry['name_value'] for entry in data}
return sorted(subdomains)
return []
print(find_subdomains("example.com"))
3. Practice Incident Response (Ransomware Drill)
Since ransomware attacks are prevalent, knowing recovery steps is crucial.
Linux Commands for Ransomware Analysis:
- Check suspicious processes:
ps aux | grep -i "crypt|encrypt|ransom"
- Isolate infected systems (network disconnect):
ifconfig eth0 down
- Log analysis for attack patterns:
grep -r "encrypted" /var/log/
Windows Commands for Ransomware Defense:
- Check recent file changes (PowerShell):
Get-ChildItem -Path C:\ -Recurse | Where-Object { $_.LastWriteTime -gt (Get-Date).AddHours(-24) } - Disable suspicious services:
Stop-Service -Name "MaliciousService"
4. Engage in Bug Bounty Platforms
Platforms like HackerOne, Bugcrowd, and Open Bug Bounty allow you to showcase skills regardless of background.
What Undercode Say:
The cybersecurity field rewards competence over conformity. By mastering hands-on skills—whether in penetration testing, incident response, or automation—you can bypass biased hiring filters. Continuous learning and public contributions (GitHub, write-ups) solidify credibility.
Prediction:
As AI-driven hiring tools evolve, bias may reduce, but technical proof (code, reports, certifications) will remain the ultimate differentiator.
Expected Output:
- A GitHub repo with security scripts.
- A blog post detailing a solved vulnerability.
- Certifications (OSCP, CEH, CISSP).
- Participation in ransomware drills (like Druva’s Workshop).
IT/Security Reporter URL:
Reported By: Activity 7336964337774809089 – Hackers Feeds
Extra Hub: Undercode MoN
Basic Verification: Pass ✅
