Myth Busting
Claims about pentesting that get shared a lot online, compared with what actually happens on the job. Each one gets a plain verdict and the honest answer.
“You need a degree to get into pentesting”
I didn’t have one when I started, and I still don’t.
Myth“You need to learn ten programming languages first”
Being able to read code matters far more than writing it.
Myth“You can’t get hired without OSCP”
Some want certs, some want experience — practical ability wins.
It depends“Pentesting is like the movies”
It’s patience and dead ends, not fast typing and instant access.
Myth“Using automated tools is cheating”
Rely only on them and it’s just vuln scanning. Verify everything by hand.
It depends“You need a huge, expensive home lab”
Mine cost nothing and ran on a £100 laptop.
Myth“Kali Linux is what makes you a hacker”
Kali’s handy, but it’s just a toolbox — and sometimes Windows wins.
Myth“It’s all exploitation and no paperwork”
The biggest myth of the lot. Report writing comes with every test.
Myth“You have to be a maths genius”
I suck at maths.
Myth“Bug bounty is easy money”
It’s hard-won. Some people do it full time for a reason.
Myth“AI is going to replace pentesters”
Not yet — humans still spot the errors AI misses.
It depends