In Defense of Testing Pens… (aka how to keep your soul while being a pen-tester)

A reflective essay on penetration testing practice that critiques cookie-cutter assessments, promotes a culture of pushing the envelope and rigorously adding value (even turning down misaligned work), and observes how once-arcane attacks become commoditized over time; the core message is to do the work out of passion, align company and analyst goals, and focus on meaningful, long-term impact for customers.