How to Think Like a Security Researcher

Introduction: What Is a Security Researcher

1. Hacker vs. Security Researcher
2. Why Mindset Matters More Than Tools
3. Ethics as a Foundation

The Researcher Mindset

1. 1. Curiosity as a Skill
2. 2. Thinking in Layers
3. 3. Questioning Assumptions
4. 4. Seeing Systems as Moving Parts

How to Analyze Any System

1. 1. Map the Components
2. 2. Identify Trust Boundaries
3. 3. Understand Data Flow
4. 4. Find Weak Points

How Vulnerabilities Are Born

1. 1. Human Mistakes
2. 2. Design Flaws
3. 3. Implementation Errors
4. 4. Misconfigurations

Thinking Like an Attacker (Ethically)

1. 1. Threat Modeling
2. 2. Attack Surfaces
3. 3. Entry Points
4. 4. Escalation Paths

How to Simulate Attacks Safely

1. 1. Use a Controlled Environment
2. 2. Build a Simple Lab
3. 3. Safe Testing Practices
4. 4. Learn From Each Attempt

How to Document Findings

1. 1. Write Clear Steps
2. 2. Explain the Impact
3. 3. Provide Evidence
4. 4. Responsible Disclosure

Building Your Researcher Identity

1. 1. Daily Habits
2. 2. Learning Paths
3. 3. Staying Ethical
4. 4. Avoiding Burnout

Conclusion: The Mindset That Lasts

Writing in Markua

1. Section One
2. Including a Chapter in the Sample Book
3. Links
4. Images
5. Lists
6. Page Breaks
7. Code Samples
8. Tables
9. Math
10. Headings
11. Block quotes, Asides and Blurbs
12. Good luck, have fun!