A Day in the Life of an Ethical Hacker

When we think of ethical hackers, the mind might wander to action-packed scenes of code-cracking and high-stakes digital espionage. While there’s some truth to the excitement, the real day-to-day life of an ethical hacker involves a mix of strategic planning, technical execution, and yes—a fair amount of documentation. To get an insider's view, we spoke with Jack Haynes and Clinton Carpene of Palo Alto Networks, who shared a closer look at what makes up a typical day in this dynamic field. 

The Morning: Planning and Admin 

A day in ethical hacking doesn’t always start with jumping into code or testing security systems. Like many professionals, ethical hackers kick off their day with meetings and planning. “You may have internal and/or client meetings related to delivery, reporting, or other miscellaneous admin tasks,” Jack explains. These early discussions set the tone for the day, providing a roadmap of objectives and ensuring alignment with clients or internal teams on project goals and timelines. 

In some cases, these meetings are essential for scoping out the needs of a client. Whether it’s a red team operation simulating an adversarial attack or a penetration test checking for system vulnerabilities, these sessions allow ethical hackers to plan the most effective approach. 

Getting into the Tech: Infrastructure Setup and Maintenance 

The technical heart of an ethical hacker’s day revolves around setting up and maintaining infrastructure—critical for running successful penetration tests and red team exercises. Having the right toolkit at the ready makes all the difference in efficient and accurate testing. “Infrastructure setup and maintenance is a big part of successful red team / pentesting operations,” says Jack. Reliable systems for activities like port or service scanning, as well as command-and-control (C2) for managing compromised systems, are essential. 

For ethical hackers, maintaining these toolkits presents ongoing challenges, especially when it comes to preserving operational security. In red team operations, the need for OPSEC—keeping one’s activities hidden from the defensive team—is critical. Any detection could alert the internal team to the simulated threat and disrupt the test. 

The Challenges of Defence Evasion 

One of the evolving tasks for ethical hackers today is defence evasion. With advanced tools like Extended Detection and Response (XDR) now commonly used by enterprises, ethical hackers must work even harder to bypass these defences. Clinton recalls a time when hackers could disregard defensive technology during an attack, but now, “common enterprise XDR tools now provide organisations with much greater detection and response capability”. Ethical hackers often find themselves working to evade these defences to more accurately simulate real-world attack scenarios. 

Documentation and Data Analysis 

Despite the technical excitement, one of the less glamorous yet equally essential parts of the job is documentation - “note-taking and data analysis is probably every ethical hacker's biggest gripe”. Properly documenting each step, from initial access points to vulnerabilities discovered, is critical. Clinton emphasizes the importance of having a reliable, frictionless note-taking system, admitting that while he’s tried numerous platforms, he often falls back to simple markdown files and spreadsheets. Effective documentation enables ethical hackers to create clear, accurate reports for clients, which remain useful long after the ethical hacker’s access to the system has ended. 

Jack and Clinton’s experience underscores the importance of simplicity in documentation. A system that’s too complicated or involves extra steps can create friction, leading to gaps in records—a potential risk when detailing security vulnerabilities. 

Looking Ahead: The Skills Ethical Hackers Need to Succeed 

Being an ethical hacker requires much more than technical prowess; it’s about developing strategies to stay ahead in an environment where defensive technologies are constantly evolving. Ethical hackers are, in essence, problem-solvers who need the agility to adapt as security tools and defensive measures become more sophisticated. 

As Jack and Clinton have shown, a typical day in ethical hacking is a balancing act between technical challenges, strategic thinking, and meticulous documentation. It’s a field that demands resilience, creativity, and a passion for constant learning—a career path that’s as rewarding as it is challenging. 

For anyone interested in joining this field, remember, as with any career in tech, adaptability and a commitment to continuous learning are the keys to long-term success.