The ‘Elite’ Hacker Wannabes: A Chitchat on Social Media Pressure

Ever scrolled through your social media feed and stumbled upon those profiles? You know the ones. The ‘self-proclaimed’ cybersecurity gurus, the ’ethical hackers’ who somehow only post screenshots of Kali Linux terminals, and the ‘dark web’ explorers whose biggest exploit is probably finding a free Wi-Fi hotspot. They’re everywhere, and frankly, they’re giving us all a good laugh… and sometimes, a bit of an eye-roll.

The Pressure Cooker of ‘Hacker’ Social Media

It’s a strange world out there, especially for beginners trying to dip their toes into the vast ocean of cybersecurity. You’re excited, you’re learning, maybe you’ve just figured out how to ping an IP address (go you!). Then you see ‘The Hacker’ on your feed, posting about their latest ‘zero-day exploit’ that sounds suspiciously like they just ran a basic Nmap scan. Suddenly, you feel like you’re not doing enough, that your progress is minuscule, and that you’ll never be ’elite’ enough to join their ranks.

But let’s be real for a second. Most of these ‘hackers’ are about as skilled as a squirrel trying to open a safe. They’ve probably watched one too many Hollywood movies and decided that typing furiously on a keyboard while wearing a hoodie makes them a cybersecurity prodigy. The reality? They’re probably just running pre-made scripts they barely understand, or worse, just faking it for the likes.

The ‘I’m In’ Moment (When All You Did Was Reset the Router)

Remember that classic meme? The one with the guy looking intensely at a toy laptop, with the caption ‘I’m In’? That’s basically the spirit of these social media ‘hackers’. They’ll make a huge fuss about ‘breaching’ a network, when in reality, they probably just reset their router and got a new IP address.

Or perhaps they’re boasting about their Linux skills, as if using a different operating system automatically grants them superpowers.

It’s all about the show, isn’t it? The dramatic screenshots, the cryptic messages, the vague threats of ‘unleashing’ their skills. It’s less about actual hacking and more about building a persona that screams ‘I’m a super cool, super mysterious hacker, fear me!’

Gain skills, not just knowledge

Some of these self-inflicted “skills gaps” for those starting out are due to role expectations after being certified. These are the same people failing tech interviews when it is time to perform. In the modern tech world it is no longer acceptable to just read a book, do a CompTIA exam and wing it until someone shows you mercy for employment.

You must be more practical by not only learning theory of specialized security subjects, but you must actually PUT IT INTO PRACTICE! Being well-versed in theory will get you to a lot places but in the security space we do more than just discuss these matters, we must implement the solutions.

Reiteration: Congrats on your recent certification, but this field can not truly solve issues with multiple choice tests. What can you do?

Don’t Fall for the Hype, Young Padawan!

To all the aspiring cybersecurity enthusiasts out there, don’t let these social media charlatans get you down. True skill in cybersecurity comes from dedication, continuous learning, and a genuine passion for understanding how systems work. It’s not about how many ‘I’m In’ memes you can post, or how many times you can type sudo apt-get update.

Focus on your journey. Celebrate your small victories, whether it’s understanding a new concept, solving a challenging problem, or even just successfully installing a new tool. The real hackers, the ones who are actually making a difference, are usually too busy doing actual work to be constantly broadcasting their ’exploits’ on social media.

So, next time you see one of these self-proclaimed ’elite’ hackers, just smile, maybe chuckle a little, and remember that true mastery is built on substance, not on social media theatrics. Keep learning, keep growing, and most importantly, keep it real. The cybersecurity world needs genuine talent, not just good meme creators.

Stay curious, stay ethical, and happy hacking (the real kind!).