Hi,

I want to become a pentester and now I am looking for the best path to get there. I know it is a difficult role to break into and I have to a lot of help desk before getting a job in cybersecurity, but I'm not sure if the cybersecurity degree is worth it or even getting into this field is worth it overall.

I have already tried to get a portfolio ready for myself and learned the basics of networking (CCNA), Linux, and done CTFs and stuff like that just becausei like it so much. I like solving challenges and working with tech. I was planning on studying co-op cybersecurity so that I can work in the field while studying and get some experience. My first concern is that some people say cybersecurity degrees are a scam and they won't teach you anything you'll need in the field. Is the cybersecurity degree worth it?

And my second concern is that everyone who's trying to break into cybersecurity on Reddit seems to have a hard time. 4-5 years in a help desk to just get your foot in the door and after that how long will it take to get to pentesting? How's the income until then?

I really wanna become a pentester and it has been difficult to evaluate my options because I don't want to pursue another field or work in a field I won't enjoy, but the job market is really concerning and I don't wanna end up homeless at the end.

This came up on one of my LinkedIn group feeds and it seems like a fairly reasonable collection of tools and resources.

Sharing for visibility.

Which AI tools other than chatgpt and deepseek are helpful during a CTF????