Tag: Careers

  • Meet the Team: Matt Mathur, Lead Penetration Tester

    Hi, I’m Matt Mathur. A few days ago, I did an interview with Jim, our marketing guru. The idea is to introduce you to Raxis through the eyes of our team, how we found our way to this profession, and to help you understand what drives our passion for penetration testing. Read on to learn more about my personal story, and if you’re interested in joining our team, check out our careers page and see if you might be a good fit.

    Jim: Tell me a little about your background. How long have you been with Raxis?

    Matt: I grew up on Long Island in New York and got my B.S. in Computer Science from Northeastern University in Boston. I now live in Philadelphia with my fiancée Natasha, who’s finishing up medical school. I joined the Raxis team last November after working on building some automated attack tools to assist in cybersecurity testing and training.

    Jim: How did you come to focus on cybersecurity?

    Matt: Well, I had some experience as a software engineer, in malware research and other security research before turning towards offensive security. I liked all those things, but the idea of offensive security – of using our hacking ability to help companies become more secure is really what excites me.

    Jim: Helping people seems to be a theme in your career and in your personal life. Is that right?

    Matt: Yeah, I think that’s really what led me to cybersecurity in the first place, helping people protect their users and important data. Outside of that, I try to volunteer at organizations such as Black Girls Hack and Women’s Society of Cyberjutsu to help empower people to succeed in cybersecurity. I’m also just inspired by Natasha, who is helping people every day.

    Jim: How does working on the Raxis team fit into that mix?

    Matt’s homemade macarons

    Matt: When we help companies remediate vulnerabilities, we’re helping them secure their users, data, and company. The team is passionate about this, and about helping other security researchers by sharing knowledge with the community.

    Jim: Help our readers and me understand what you mean by that.

    Matt: The Raxis team is fully remote, and we’re constantly updating each other on the newest attacks, tools, and vulnerabilities. On top of that, we’re encouraged to publish our findings, tools, and techniques to help others in the community remediate them too.

    Jim: Do you have an example?

    Matt: Sure, I recently published a Metasploit Module based on a new vulnerability I discovered in Microsoft’s Remote Desktop Web Access application. This module helps people detect the vulnerability, and Raxis not only gave me the time to work on this, but also actively encouraged it. The team celebrates these things, and the same is true for team members who earn new certifications, find creative ways to breach a customer’s network, or develop other tools.

    Jim: You’ve talked about a lot of advantages to being part of the Raxis team. What’s your favorite part of the job?

    Matt: Outside of being able to use offensive security to help people, I like being challenged while learning new things. Outside Raxis, I like to play strategic games like MtG, go hiking and biking, and improve my cooking and baking. These are varied, but it’s nice to get outside my cybersecurity headspace.

    With that said, my favorite part about the job is that it’s an ongoing challenge. We work with clients in various industries with vastly different networks, applications, and security postures. Even very similar companies can have entirely different tech stacks, so there’s constantly room to learn.

  • A Note from the Hacker-in-Chief

    Raxis is an amazing place to work. 

    As founder and CEO, I say that with a great deal of pride – and only one (very important) qualifier. 

    Raxis is an amazing place to work if you’re the right person for the job.

    Over the past several weeks, you’ve heard from our employees about what makes it special to be part of our team. 

    Throughout this series, they told you what it‘s like to work for Raxis, the skills needed to be a penetration tester, and how communication is key to, not only our success, but also the success of our clients. While I am very proud of what Raxis has done and how good we are at it, I am even more proud of the culture we have created. 

    At Raxis, we truly believe in fostering a culture of education. We take pride in the learning environment we have created and the continued growth of our people. We encourage our employees to constantly expand on their skills and to share as they go — when one learns, we all learn. 

    We also believe in giving our employees the freedom to do their job on their own time. With that freedom, the expectation of results is understood. Our fully remote team is made up of people who don’t need constant supervision and instruction. Instead, our team is driven by their commitment to finding results for our customers. 

    Most importantly, when it comes to fostering the Raxis culture, it comes down to teamwork. Our diverse team is composed of some of the brightest minds in the business all bringing different backgrounds and skillsets. We learn from one another, and by learning and working together, we provide amazing value for our clients. 

    Now, I’ll let you in on a little secret: What makes it special to me is all of them – the world-class team of professionals we’ve assembled. Their intellect, tech skills, experience, and personalities make each day interesting, exciting, and incredibly rewarding.

    Being part of the Raxis team is not an easy job, but it is a fun job. Again, if you’re the right person for it.

    Do you have what it takes to be part of our team? Please make sure to watch all the videos in this series. Honestly assess your ability to thrive in an environment where we value accountability far more than control. Where freedom and flexibility bring out our absolute best work. And where we’re as excited about tomorrow’s challenges as today’s victories. 

    If that sounds like your ideal work environment – and you’ve got the skills to hit the ground running – then let us hear from you.

     

  • A Culture of Freedom with an Expectation of Results

    When it comes to choosing a job, there are so many things to consider – benefits, responsibilities, leadership, and of course pay — to name just a few.

    But for many, a company’s culture is near the top of that list. In fact, an Indeed survey found that 72 percent of job seekers say that it is extremely or very important to see details about company culture in job descriptions. The survey also found that 46 percent of job seekers said they would not apply to a job if they did not believe it would be a good culture fit for them. That’s pretty eye opening.

    At Raxis, we look for talented people we know will work well with our unique culture. If you think that makes us very selective when hiring, I’d say that’s accurate. But here’s why: We give our employees a great deal of freedom about when and how to get their jobs done. With a fully remote team, we hire people who don’t need constant supervision and instruction. Instead, they are driven by a powerful desire to get results for our customers, and we hold them accountable for doing just that.

    Not everyone works well in that type of environment — and that’s okay. There are lots of tech jobs with an abundance of structure and routine. But if you’re the type who thrives outside a rigid environment, and you do your best work independently, check out the video below (and others in the series).

    Raxis lead penetration tester Scottie Cole talks about the freedom he has as a Raxis team member and the tremendous responsibility that comes along with it.

    We know how important culture is to prospective employees. It’s just that important to Raxis, too. If you’re a talented cybersecurity pro who values flexibility and is committed to results, you’re the kind of person we want to hear from.

    For more information, check out our careers page and the rest of our website to see what we offer.

    Want to learn more? Take a look at the first part of our Working at Raxis discussion.

  • Change is Growth in the Pen Testing Field

    Ask most of us at Raxis what we do, and we’ll tell you we’re penetration testers or ethical hackers or simply that we work for a cybersecurity company. But if you ask what that means – what we really do on a day-to-day basis – you’ll likely get a variety of fun stories about sneaking into buildings, bluffing our way past security guards, using high-tech equipment and special software to hack into networks . . . you know, the usual things.

    That’s partly because the field of penetration testing requires us to try many different approaches to breach a customer’s defenses, which means the more skillsets we bring to the job, the better our chances. But it’s also because Raxis is a company where those additional talents are rewarded with opportunities to grow.

    In this week’s video, Adam Fernandez explains how his journey at Raxis has taken him from pen tester to his current role as our Lead Developer. 

    Adam is a great example of the unique talent we have at Raxis and the type of multifaceted professionals we look for to join our team. His professional growth is helping our company grow and in turn opening up new opportunities for all of us.

    Are you the kind of person who brings more than one set of skills to the job? Are you looking for a team where flexibility and adaptability are appreciated and rewarded? If so, take a look at the other articles in this series and let us hear from you.

    Want to learn more? Take a look at the next part of our Working at Raxis discussion.

  • Client Success is Raxis’ Success

    At Raxis, we find communication with our clients is one of the most critical and key components of our service. 

    Throughout the penetration testing process we are communicating with our clients through daily updates, at the end we provide not only a debriefing call but also a full report describing what we found, what it means for them, and steps they can take to resolve any issues uncovered throughout the process. 

    In the video above, Raxis Senior Manager of Operations and Customer Delivery Tim Semchenko explains how critical the after-action reporting is for our clients.

    It is undeniable that finding network security vulnerabilities and helping our clients shore up those weak spots is a huge component of what we do. However, the key to a successful engagement between us and the client is all about the communication. Our penetration testers must be able to not only find security flaws but also to accurately communicate these issues with the client as well as detail how to remedy them. 

    We could simply drop a report on your desk showing what we found and what to do to fix it, but that just isn’t who we are. We want our clients to feel that Raxis is a trusted partner who respects them and is there to help them understand every aspect of their report.

    By treating customers like partners, we ensure our success is based on your success. 

    Here are some other posts you might enjoy:

    Want to learn more? Take a look at the next part of our Working at Raxis discussion.

  • At Raxis, Learning and Improving are Constants

    In today’s video, you’ll hear from Lead Penetration Tester Matt Dunn, the newest member of our team, about why he appreciates the learning environment we’ve created and continue to nurture at Raxis. 

    Matt actually came to Raxis with several certifications under his belt and another now in progress. That proactive quest for knowledge was a good sign that he would be a great fit on our team and was among the reasons we hired him. As it turns out, we were right: Not only has he done excellent work as a penetration tester, Matt has also published his first Metasploit Module. (For the uninitiated, that is a very big deal in the pen testing world.)

    To be clear, it is certainly possible to be an outstanding penetration tester without professional certifications. Likewise, I’m sure there are bad testers out there with walls full of them. As with Matt, however, taking the initiative and making the effort suggests that you are willing and able to learn – and that is a key differentiator for both pen testers and the companies that employ them.

    Why? Because the threat landscape is constantly evolving, and our knowledge and skills have to keep pace. That means the pros that make up our team have to be smart enough to hit the ground running and humble enough to continue learning once they’re on board. 

    Listen to Matt describe his experience, and you’ll get an idea of what this means in practice.

    At Raxis, we foster a learning environment, not just through research and certification training, but also through open communication among our team members. This group includes people from diverse backgrounds who each bring unique skills to the table. When we hire, we look for individuals who are both willing to share their talents with us and also able to learn from the other accomplished professionals on our team.

    Do you thrive in a learning culture? If so, Raxis might just be for you. Be sure to check out our other videos in this series and see if Raxis is the opportunity you’ve been looking for. 

    Here are some other videos you may find interesting:

    Want to learn more? Take a look at the next part of our Working at Raxis discussion.

  • Why Teamwork is Key to the Raxis Culture

    As individuals, the members of the Raxis team are among the most talented and accomplished people in the field of information security. They are super-smart high performers who have been or could be successful in many different lines of work. Yet, they have chosen to be a part of Raxis.

    Why? For one thing, the job is interesting and rewarding. Knowing that we’re giving business owners and corporate leaders peace of mind and allowing them to focus on their priorities is a very satisfying experience. And it’s hard to beat the sense of accomplishment that comes from solving the ‘puzzles’ that CTO Brian Tant discussed in a previous post.

    An even more important benefit, however, is the sense that, as Raxis, we’re part of something bigger than ourselves. That’s because effective teamwork creates a multiplier effect. We get the benefit of more minds working on tough problems and we have opportunities to learn and teach each other as we do. 

    The diversity of our team means that there’s always someone we can turn to who brings a different background and skillset to bear. As they do, we all gain new perspectives. The beautiful part is that the learning and improvement is continuous in the Raxis environment.

    As you might expect, this makes us very protective of our culture and very particular about who we ask to join us. Big talent is welcome. Big egos need not apply. It’s sometimes hard for us to find the right person only because it’s so hard to be the right person.

    Is that person you? Take a look at the video above and hear Brad Herring, our VP of Business Development, explain why teamwork truly is our special sauce. Also, check out our other videos in this series and see if Raxis looks like a good fit. 

     

    Want to learn more? Take a look at the next part of our Working at Raxis discussion.

  • What’s it Like to Work at Raxis?

    One of the great things about being a penetration tester is explaining what we do to people inside andoutside the world of cybersecurity. Having done this work myself and now managing others, I can’t imagine a more fascinating job. However, I also can’t imagine doing this job for any company other than Raxis.

    That’s because we’ve assembled a team of outstanding professionals with wildly diverse backgrounds that range from film and television to law enforcement to web design to IT administration and software development. We are, of course, expert hackers, but working for Raxis means that we all bring much more to the table.

    Over the next several weeks, we’ll be offering up a series of videos that will show you what our company and our work is truly like. These videos will likely be helpful if you’re interested in penetration as a career. They must-watch material if you want a career at Raxis.

    In addition to an advanced skillset, we expect an incredibly high degree of integrity. The nature of our works means that we only bring on people who have held positions of trust and who have proven themselves worthy of ours. 

    Integrity is essential, but it’s only one part of the larger picture that is culture. Beginning with our founder, we’ve brought on people who work well together, naturally. We have created a culture that places a high value on creative thinking, problem-solving, and above all, teamwork. 

    Please take a look at our inaugural video above. Raxis’ chief technology officer Brian Tant and I will explain how each penetration test demands presents different issues and opportunities. If you think you have what it takes to join our ranks, keep watching in the weeks ahead as other members of the Raxis team discuss different aspects of life in our world.

    Also, keep an eye on our careers page. Occasionally, we have openings for people with the right skills, determination, and attitude to join our team.

    Want to learn more? Take a look at the next part of our Working at Raxis discussion.