Re: "Free" pen-test

[miguel.dilaj () pharma novartis com]

Hi Pete

I can tell you how *I* approach similar cases.
I'll go to Mr. Director and say "pay me now, or pay me later" (you can use 
"hire me now, or hire me later"). This wonderful piece of wisdom was told 
to me aeons ago by Mr. Mike Harris, of Linux fame (Mike, if you're reading 
this: HI!).
The meaning of later is "after you've been cracked" ;-)
If they're willing to hire and pay you now, you will detect and solve 
problems now, when it's easier and cheaper to do that.
If they call you after a successful crack, they'll be in an emergency, 
they'll be willing to pay a lot more money, and you'll be in the position 
to be paid for your 2am work in their NOC ;-)
Business are business... doing pen-tests can be wonderful, but if I'm not 
going to be paid for that, I prefer to practice in my lab or in some other 
people's honeynet.
Cheers,

Miguel
aka Nekromancer






"Pete" <pen_test_list () petesmithcomputers com>
19/06/2003 10:53

 
        To:     <pen-test () securityfocus com>
        cc: 
        Subject:        "Free" pen-test


{snip}

Well. Fred is keen to keep going. But I reckon that someone who is
"not worried" that his web server could have been taken down in about
4 hours is not worth wasting time on. Needless to say, the cunning
plan was to sell him a pile of stuff once he was scared enough.

My question is this: how do white-hatters usually approach these
things?

Grateful for any tips (and thanks for reading if you got to here)



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