Following previous presentations on the dangers penetration testers face in using current off-the-shelf tools and practices (Pwn the Pwn Plug and I Hunt Penetration Testers), this third presentation explores how widely available learning materials used to train penetration testers lead to inadequate protection of client data and penetration testing operations. With widely available books and other training resources targeting the smallest set of prerequisites, in order to attract the largest audience, many penetration testers adopt the techniques used in simplified examples to real world tests, where the network environment can be much more dangerous. Malicious threat actors are incentivized to attack and compromise penetration testers, and given current practices, can do so easily and with dramatic impact.
This presentation will include a live demonstration of techniques for hijacking a penetration tester's normal practices, as well as guidance for examining and securing your current testing procedures. Tools shown in this demonstration will be released along with the talk.
Wesley currently oversees and participates in penetration testing in his role of Director of Cyber Operations for HORNE Cyber Solutions. He has presented on topics of penetration testing, vulnerabilities, and malware analysis at DEF CON and Black Hat USA. He teaches a self-designed course on reverse engineering to students at Mississippi State University, using real-world, high-profile malware samples. Wesley graduated from Mississippi State University's Department of Computer Science and Engineering and previously worked at the Distributed Analytics and Security Institute. He holds a Ph.D. in computer science for his research in vulnerability analysis of SCADA HMI systems. @McGrewSecurity