Introduction
For the past several years, we’ve posted annual blogs on how to become an ethical hacker. Given that these blogs have been well received, we have brought back yet another edition. So, without further ado, let’s chat about how you can break into the field of ethical hacking in 2025.
A Few Things Before We Begin…
Before jumping into the resources, there are a few things we need to address. First, it’s crucial to build a strong foundation in IT before diving into the cool, hacky stuff. Think of your hacking career like building a house—if you throw it up on a weak foundation, it won’t stand for long. The same goes for hacking: if you skip over essential IT fundamentals, you’ll likely find yourself overwhelmed and lost, which could derail your journey altogether. Mastering networking, system administration, and security basics might not seem glamorous, but without them, even the best exploit techniques won’t get you far.
Second, let’s be real—ethical hacking is an exciting field. You get paid to legally break into networks, applications, and even physical buildings (how awesome is that?). On top of the fun, it pays very well. But here’s why: not everyone has the drive or skills to succeed in this space. High demand and a small talent pool create the opportunity for lucrative careers. But if your only motivation is the paycheck, you’re setting yourself up for frustration.
We’ve seen it too many times—people jump into hacking because it sounds cool or because they’re chasing the money. That mindset won’t get you far. Hacking is a grind. Breaking into the field is tough, and even after you’ve made it, you have to keep learning to stay relevant. New exploits and defenses are constantly emerging, and if you stop sharpening your skills, your peers will leave you behind.
The key takeaway? Choose this field because it excites you, because it sparks your curiosity, and because you want to be a lifelong learner. The money is a fantastic bonus, but it can’t be your only motivation. If you put in the work and commit to constant learning, you’ll not only be well-compensated—you’ll have a blast along the way.
If you are interested, we go into more detail and why you should (and should not) be an ethical hacker in this video.
Lastly, it’s important to mention that this article is brought to you by TCM Security, a training and certification company dedicated to building the next generation of cybersecurity professionals. While you may find our training mentioned throughout, our goal here is to provide honest, unbiased recommendations to help you on your path. We’re committed to giving you real value, whether that’s through our resources or those we genuinely believe will set you up for success. Being a hacker in 2025 is all about skills, knowledge, and community—and this article is designed to guide you, no matter where you decide to start or continue your journey. We will mark any references to TCM Security in this article as self-promotion as to be as transparent as possible when we are mentioning a training provided by our company.