Job Category: Cybersecurity & Information Security
Job Title: Ethical Hacker / Penetration Tester
Experience: Entry Level to Senior
Location: Hyderabad, Telangana, India
Job Type: Full-Time
Work Mode: On-Site, Hybrid or Remote, depending on employer and project requirements
Job Overview
Ethical Hackers and Penetration Testers help organisations identify security weaknesses before they can be exploited by malicious attackers. The role involves authorised security testing of applications, networks, APIs, cloud environments, systems and other technology assets.
Ethical Hacker jobs in Hyderabad may involve penetration testing, vulnerability assessment, web application security, API security, network security, mobile security, cloud security and security validation.
Candidates should understand security testing methodologies, common vulnerabilities, networking, operating systems and security tools while following defined authorisation and testing boundaries.
Key Responsibilities
- Perform authorised penetration tests across applications, networks, APIs and infrastructure.
- Identify, validate and document security vulnerabilities.
- Conduct vulnerability assessments and security testing based on defined scope.
- Analyse application and network behaviour to identify potential security weaknesses.
- Perform web application security testing.
- Test APIs for authentication, authorisation and input-validation weaknesses.
- Conduct network and infrastructure security assessments.
- Support mobile application security testing where required.
- Assess cloud configurations and security controls.
- Analyse security findings and determine potential business impact.
- Prepare technical penetration testing reports with evidence and remediation guidance.
- Work with development, infrastructure, cloud and security teams to validate fixes.
- Perform vulnerability retesting after remediation.
- Maintain clear testing documentation and evidence.
- Follow responsible disclosure, security policies and approved testing procedures.
Web Application Security
Experience with web application security is important for many Ethical Hacker roles.
Candidates may assess applications for common weaknesses such as:
- SQL Injection
- Cross-Site Scripting (XSS)
- Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF)
- Broken Access Control
- Authentication weaknesses
- Session management issues
- Insecure direct object references
- Security misconfigurations
- File upload vulnerabilities
- Input validation weaknesses
- Server-side request issues
- Sensitive information exposure
- API security weaknesses
Knowledge of the OWASP Top 10 and secure application development concepts is valuable.
API Security Testing
Modern applications rely heavily on APIs, making API security an important area of penetration testing.
Relevant testing areas include:
- REST APIs
- GraphQL
- Authentication
- Authorisation
- JWT
- OAuth
- API keys
- Session handling
- Rate limiting
- Input validation
- Parameter manipulation
- Access control
- API data exposure
- Business logic vulnerabilities
Tools such as Burp Suite, Postman and API testing utilities may be used depending on the engagement.
Network Security Testing
Ethical Hackers may perform authorised assessments of enterprise networks and infrastructure.
Relevant knowledge includes:
- TCP/IP
- DNS
- HTTP/HTTPS
- VPN
- Firewalls
- Network segmentation
- Routing
- Ports and services
- Proxies
- IDS/IPS
- Wireless security
Testing may include identifying exposed services, weak configurations, insecure protocols and other network security weaknesses within the approved scope.
Security Tools
Candidates may work with security testing and assessment tools such as:
- Burp Suite
- OWASP ZAP
- Nmap
- Wireshark
- Metasploit
- Nessus
- OpenVAS
- Nikto
- sqlmap
- Gobuster
- ffuf
- Kali Linux
Tool selection should always follow the authorised scope, testing methodology and security policies of the organisation.
Operating Systems
Strong knowledge of operating systems is useful for penetration testing.
Linux
- Kali Linux
- Ubuntu
- Debian
- File permissions
- Processes
- Services
- Networking
- Shell commands
- Bash scripting
- Package management
- System logs
Windows
- Windows security fundamentals
- PowerShell
- Active Directory
- Windows services
- Authentication
- Group Policy
- Event logs
- File permissions
Active Directory Security
Enterprise penetration testing roles may require knowledge of Microsoft Active Directory.
Relevant areas include:
- Domain environments
- Users and groups
- Kerberos
- LDAP
- NTLM
- Group Policy
- Privilege management
- Authentication
- Access control
- Service accounts
- Security configuration reviews
Experience with Active Directory security assessment is useful for infrastructure and internal network testing roles.
Cloud Security
Cloud security testing is increasingly relevant to penetration testing roles.
Candidates may work with:
AWS
- IAM
- S3
- EC2
- VPC
- Security Groups
- CloudTrail
Microsoft Azure
- Entra ID
- Virtual Networks
- Storage
- Virtual Machines
- RBAC
- Network Security Groups
Google Cloud
- IAM
- VPC
- Compute services
- Storage
- Cloud logging
Cloud security testing may include reviewing identity permissions, exposed services, storage configurations, network controls and other approved security controls.
Mobile Application Security
Some Ethical Hacker positions may include Android and iOS security assessments.
Relevant areas include:
- Android application testing
- iOS application testing
- Mobile API testing
- Authentication
- Local data storage
- SSL/TLS configuration
- Certificate validation
- Application permissions
- Reverse engineering fundamentals
Tools such as MobSF and Burp Suite may be used depending on the assessment.
Scripting & Programming
Programming and scripting skills can improve the effectiveness of security testing.
Useful technologies include:
- Python
- Bash
- PowerShell
- JavaScript
- SQL
- PHP
- Java
Candidates should understand how to read code, automate repetitive security testing tasks, analyse application behaviour and identify common programming-related vulnerabilities.
Vulnerability Assessment & Reporting
Ethical Hackers should be able to communicate technical findings clearly.
Typical activities include:
- Vulnerability identification
- Validation
- Risk classification
- Evidence collection
- Technical impact analysis
- Business impact documentation
- Remediation recommendations
- Retesting
- Final reporting
Reports may include vulnerability descriptions, affected assets, evidence, severity, remediation guidance and references to recognised security standards.
Security Standards & Methodologies
Knowledge of recognised security practices and testing methodologies can be valuable.
Relevant areas include:
- OWASP
- OWASP Web Security Testing Guide
- NIST
- PTES
- MITRE ATT&CK
- CWE
- CVE
- CVSS
- Secure SDLC
Candidates should understand the difference between vulnerability discovery, validation, exploitation and remediation verification.
Experience Levels
Entry-Level Ethical Hacker
Entry-level candidates may have:
- Basic understanding of cybersecurity and penetration testing.
- Knowledge of networking and TCP/IP.
- Familiarity with Linux and Windows.
- Understanding of web application fundamentals.
- Basic knowledge of OWASP Top 10.
- Exposure to tools such as Nmap, Burp Suite, Wireshark or OWASP ZAP.
- Basic Python, Bash or PowerShell skills.
- Understanding of vulnerability assessment concepts.
- Security labs, academic projects or practical cybersecurity projects.
- Relevant cybersecurity certifications can be beneficial.
Mid-Level Ethical Hacker / Penetration Tester
Mid-level professionals may be expected to:
- Conduct authorised web and API penetration tests.
- Perform network and infrastructure security assessments.
- Identify and validate vulnerabilities.
- Use Burp Suite, Nmap and vulnerability scanning tools effectively.
- Analyse authentication and access-control mechanisms.
- Perform vulnerability retesting.
- Prepare detailed technical security reports.
- Communicate findings with developers and infrastructure teams.
- Understand cloud and Active Directory security fundamentals.
- Support security assessments across multiple environments.
Senior Ethical Hacker / Penetration Tester
Senior professionals may handle complex security assessments and technical responsibilities.
Typical responsibilities include:
- Lead penetration testing engagements within approved scope.
- Develop testing strategies and assessment methodologies.
- Perform advanced web, API, network, cloud or infrastructure assessments.
- Analyse complex vulnerabilities and attack paths.
- Conduct threat-informed security assessments.
- Review security findings and remediation approaches.
- Mentor junior penetration testers and security analysts.
- Work with security architects, developers, DevOps and infrastructure teams.
- Validate remediation and provide detailed technical guidance.
- Contribute to security testing standards, methodologies and reporting processes.
Certifications
Relevant certifications may include:
- CompTIA Security+
- CompTIA PenTest+
- Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH)
- eJPT
- OSCP
- OSWE
- GIAC certifications
- Other recognised penetration testing and cybersecurity certifications
Certification requirements vary according to the employer, role and level of responsibility.
Education
Candidates may have a degree or equivalent qualification in:
- Cybersecurity
- Information Security
- Computer Science
- Information Technology
- Network Security
- Computer Engineering
- Software Engineering
- Related technical disciplines
Practical security projects, labs, certifications and demonstrable technical skills can also be relevant.
Hyderabad Job Locations
Ethical Hacker and Penetration Tester opportunities may be available across Hyderabad, including:
- Hyderabad
- HITEC City
- Madhapur
- Gachibowli
- Kondapur
- Financial District
- Nanakramguda
- Secunderabad
Work arrangements may vary by employer and project.
Industries Hiring Ethical Hackers
Cybersecurity professionals may find opportunities across:
- Software & IT Services
- FinTech
- Banking
- Healthcare Technology
- E-Commerce
- Telecom
- Insurance
- Cloud & SaaS
- Product Engineering
- Consulting
- Manufacturing
- Enterprise Technology
Common Job Titles
Relevant openings may be advertised as:
- Ethical Hacker
- Cybersecurity Ethical Hacker
- Penetration Tester
- Penetration Testing Engineer
- Security Testing Engineer
- Application Security Tester
- Web Application Security Tester
- API Security Tester
- Network Penetration Tester
- Security Consultant
- Cybersecurity Consultant
- Offensive Security Engineer
- Red Team Security Engineer
- Senior Penetration Tester
Candidate Profile
Employers may look for candidates with a combination of cybersecurity fundamentals, networking knowledge, penetration testing skills, scripting ability and practical security testing experience.
Candidates should highlight relevant tools, certifications, security labs, penetration testing projects, vulnerability findings and experience with web, API, network, cloud or infrastructure security.
Apply for Ethical Hacker Jobs in Hyderabad
Candidates looking for Ethical Hacker jobs in Hyderabad can explore opportunities ranging from entry-level cybersecurity and security testing positions to experienced Penetration Tester, Security Consultant and Offensive Security roles.
Submit an updated CV highlighting your penetration testing experience, security tools, programming skills, certifications, vulnerability assessment work and practical cybersecurity projects for suitable opportunities in Hyderabad.