If you read my last article in which I reviewed ‘Linux Basics for Hackers’ by Occupy the Web & No Starch Press then you will know how much I LOVED the book, with this I am super happy to bring an interview with the author, the one and only Master OTW!
So who is Master OTW?
To me he is someone that the Cyber-Security and Ethical Hacking world will know a whole lot more about and deservedly so, I have as mentioned worked through his book ‘Linux Basics for Hackers’ which was released just eleven months ago and is set to keep on growing in popularity, I have also worked through a couple of his training blog posts on his site hackers-arise.com where there is an abundance of hacking tutorials on everything from Reverse Engineering to Metasploit and PowerShell for Hackers (I really enjoyed this one) to Digital Forensics.
Another reason I believe you will be seeing a hell of a lot more from him is that he has two books due to come out, before the end of the year we will see the release of ‘Getting Started Becoming a Master Hacker’ which I just CANNOT WAIT to get my hands on as it covers:-
Table of Contents (Tentative)
- Why Hacking
- Essential Skills of the Master Hacker
- The Hacking Process
- Lab Set-Up
- Network Basics
- Passive Recon
- Active Recon
- Finding Vulnerabilities
- BASH Scripting for Hackers
- Password Cracking
- Wireshark for Protocol Analysis
- Exploitation (Windows, Web App, Android and SCADA)
- Wireless Hacking
- Maintaining Access and Shellcode
- Post Exploitation (Pivoting, Web Cams, etc.)
- Covering Your Tracks
- Python Scripting for Hackers
- Exploit Development
And kind of acts as a follow-up and companion to ‘Linux Basics for Hackers’ by building upon the knowledge base established there to develop some hacking skills towards becoming a Master Hacker so I am super excited at this,
Coming in Spring 2020 is ANOTHER book to get excited about called ‘Metasploit Basics for Hackers’ that will cover the likes of Getting Started, Payloads, Reconnaissance, Armitage and more.
He also runs training courses through his site too.
When the UK’s Sputnik News wanted a hacker’s opinion of Mark Zuckerberg’s, founder of Facebook, testimony to the US Congress regarding Cambridge Analytica’s data theft, They called OTW. His primary message was “If the service is free, you are the product”. You can read and listen to the interview in its entirety at the link below.
OTW’s Interview about the Facebook breach HERE!
In addition, Master OTW made headlines around the world when he exposed a major SCADA vulnerability in Schneider Electric systems. In a Voice of America article, they wrote; Because of the potential for catastrophic damage, some hackers have long targeted ICS networks in hopes of grabbing headlines. Just last month, an anonymous hacker detailed a successful hack of a Schneider Electric system that controls building heating and cooling systems.
You can read about Master OTW’s hack of the SCADA system here at www.voa.com.
Anyways, on with the questions.
First of all, thank you for all the tutorials online, I have been working through them and find them an excellent source of information, how long have you been hacking for and do you have a full-time job as well or is it just the writing and teaching you do?
Hacking is my full-time job.
I have and am working through your book ‘Linux Basics for Hackers: Getting Started with Networking, Scripting, and Security in Kali’ but you have a new one coming out at the end of the month, what’s it about and what other subject do you think you will be writing about for the next?
My next book “Getting Started Becoming a Master Hacker” will be out any day.
Have you seen an increase in the number of people getting into Ethical Hacking and do you still believe that certificates like CEH etc are needed given the resources out there?
There are definitely more people getting involved in hacking, I do not believe in the CEH certification. That is NOT real hacking.
Your knowledge is quite incredible when it comes to Ethical Hacking, how do you keep learning yourself and keeping up to date when you are not teaching everyone else?
I keep myself up to date by constantly studying.
You’ve just announced a brand new program to help you earn your cybersecurity stripes called Hackers-Arise Subscribers, can you tell me a bit about that as it sounds pretty good and I think the readers would like to know more, how is it different from the tutorials and books?
The Hackers-Arise Subscriber program is designed to give new to intermediate aspiring hackers a place to study. You get 3 years of classes for just $500. You can attend live courses or watch the recorded courses.
If someone brand new to the whole ethical hacking scene asked your advice on which skills to learn first, what would you say to them? This question always fascinates me ?
The first skill I would recommend is networking and TCP/IP.
Do you think it is ever too old to get into all of this, I am 41 and did think I was too old possibly but I work in IT already so had a few skills to start, I do think I am too old to maybe change jobs but what do you think and does age really matter?
I certainly don’t believe 41 is too old.
How did you get started in all of this and how long now have you been at it?
I’ve been at this for over 20 years. Years ago, I got into some legal trouble for going where I should not be. Part of my sentence was to train hackers for the U.S. government. For doing so, I received no time or restitution. Since then, I have tried to stay on the right side of the law and train other hackers.
Do you enjoy teaching more than the hacking or the other way around?
I enjoy teaching and hacking, but I believe I’m a natural teacher. For many years, I was a university professor.
What does 2020 and beyond hold for Occupy the Web?
2020 holds some exciting things for Hackers-Arise and me. We will be adding more courses, more videos and more books. Getting Started Becoming a Master Hacker will be available in book stores by the end of the year, and Metasploit Basics for Hackers will be published in 2020.
Check out his site hackers-arise and give him a follow on twitter at @three_cube and if you want to look at the site and get started yourself, check out the ‘Getting Started’ page here Getting-started.