Principal Consultant, Offensive Security

Summary

Join Palo Alto Networks' Unit 42 Consulting team as a Principal Consultant in Offensive Security. You will assess and challenge the security posture of diverse clients, utilizing various tools and acting as a team leader. Responsibilities include penetration testing, vulnerability detection, report generation, and developing automation tools. You will also contribute to internal infrastructure design and security standard development. This role requires extensive experience in offensive security, team management, and a deep understanding of malicious software. A Top Secret/SCI security clearance is mandatory, and the position requires significant onsite work at a US military installation.

Requirements

• 6+ years of professional experience in an offensive security role, resulting in subject matter expertise in at least three core service offerings - network penetration testing, phishing, web application penetration testing, red team exercises, physical penetration tests, source code analysis, wireless penetration testing
• Experience managing a team of consultants
• Demonstrate a deep understanding of how malicious software works (i.e.-malware, trojans, rootkits, etc.)
• Ability to modify known and/or craft custom exploits in a manner that evades detection from prominent EDRs
• Strong knowledge of tools and techniques used to conduct network, wireless, and web application penetration testing
• Familiarity with web application penetration testing and code auditing to find security gaps and vulnerabilities
• Knowledge and experience in conducting cyber risk assessments using industry standards
• Experience with penetration testing, administering, and troubleshooting major flavors of Linux, Windows, and major cloud IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS providers (i.e., AWS, GCP, and Azure)
• Experience with scripting and editing existing code and programming using one or more of the following - Perl, Python, ruby, bash, C/C++, C#, or Java
• Experience with industry standard tools, including Nessus, OpenVAS, Mythic, Metasploit, Burp Suite Pro, Cobalt Strike, and Bloodhound
• Knowledge of application, database, and web server design and implementation
• Knowledge of network vulnerability assessments, web and cloud application security testing, network penetration testing, red teaming, security operations, or 'hunt
• Knowledge of open security testing standards and projects, including OWASP & MITRE ATT&CK
• Ability to scope new opportunities with prospective clients, including drafting statements of work and proposals
• Bachelor’s Degree in Information Security, Computer Science, Digital Forensics, Cyber Security, or equivalent years of professional experience or equivalent military experience to meet job requirements and expectations
• Active DoD clearance at the Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information (TS/SCI) level

Responsibilities

• Assist in the development of internal infrastructure design for research, development, and testing focused on offensive security
• Conducts periodic scans of networks to find and detect vulnerabilities
• Performs client penetration testing to find any vulnerabilities or weaknesses that might be exploited by a malicious party, using open-source, custom, and commercial testing tools
• Ability to assist in scoping engagements by clearly articulating various penetration approaches and methodologies to audiences ranging from highly technical to executive personnel
• Report generation that clearly communicates testing and assessment details, results, and remediation recommendations to clients
• Develop scripts, tools, and methodologies to automate and streamline internal processes and engagements
• Conducts IT application testing, cybersecurity tool and systems analysis, system and network administration, and systems engineering support for the sustainment of information technology systems (mobile application testing, penetration testing, application, security, and hardware testing)
• Conduct threat hunting and/or compromise assessment engagements to identify active or dormant indicators of compromise (IoCs) using Crypsis and Palo Alto Networks’ threat hunting tools (and/or client owned hunting instrumentation where applicable)
• Assist Crypsis Leadership in the development of security standards and best practices for the organization and recommend security enhancements as needed
• Able to conduct cyber risk assessments using frameworks or standards like NIST CSF, ISO 27001/2, PCI, CIS Top 20, CMMC, or other industry measurement tools
• Conduct cloud penetration testing engagements to assess specific workloads (i.e., AWS, GCP, Azure, containers, or other PaaS and SaaS instances) for vulnerabilities and subsequently attempt to exploit identified weaknesses after receiving permission from client stakeholders
• Provide recommendations to clients on specific security measures to monitor and protect sensitive data and systems from infiltration and cyber-attacks including response and recovery of a data security breach
• Ability to perform travel requirements as needed to meet business demands (on average 30%)

Preferred Qualifications

• Counterintelligence Scope Polygraph
• Close proximity to Fort Meade
• Identified ability to grow into a valuable contributor, specifically have an external presence via public speaking, conferences, and/or publications
• Have credibility, executive presence, and gravitas
• Be able to have a meaningful and rapid delivery contribution
• Have the potential and capacity to understand all aspects of the business and an excellent understanding of PANW products
• Be collaborative and able to build relationships internally, externally, and across all PANW functions, including the sales team

Benefits

• Restricted stock units
• Bonus