A typical day as a cyber security reasearcher

Table of contents

• Work in cyber security begins with morning coffee and the first threat check
• Analysis phase: reverse engineering and debugging
• Building the Proof of Concept (PoC)
• Responsible Disclosure or bug bounty?
• Testing on virtualized environments and isolated infrastructures
• Communication with the community and continuous updating
• End of day and technical report
• Final thoughts: digital heroes in the shadows

In the hyper-connected world of cyber security , the role of the cyber security researcher has become essential. Often invisible, these professionals work behind the scenes to identify security issues that can be exploited by cybercriminals , helping to make cyberspace a safer place.

But what really happens during a typical day of a cyber security researcher? In this article I will take you on a realistic and technical journey inside one of the most fascinating and complex professions of the digital age.

Work in cyber security begins with morning coffee and the first threat check

Like any IT professional, the day begins in front of a cup of coffee and a turned-on monitor. The first activities involve checking RSS feeds, specialized mailing lists and vulnerability disclosure platforms, such as Exploit-DB, CERT and Feedly.

This is where the latest cyber threats emerge, potential zero-days , or new reports of cyber vulnerabilities already registered in the CVE (Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures) database.

Example
A morning might start with an urgent notification about a new proof-of-concept (PoC) exploit for a widely used application. The PoC, shared on GitHub, could demonstrate how a security flaw in an XML parsing module enables an XML External Entity (XXE) attack . This discovery puts millions of users at risk.

Analysis phase: reverse engineering and debugging

After identifying a potential attack vector, the researcher starts the most delicate phase: vulnerability analysis. Often the software is closed-source and the source code is not available. In these cases, reverse engineering is used , using tools such as IDA Pro, Ghidra or Radare2.

Example
A suspicious proprietary library. After loading it into IDA Pro, the researcher analyzes the functions to identify weaknesses such as buffer overflows, race conditions, or use-after-free. This can be a very long and complex step, but it is essential to understand how a software vulnerability can be exploited in a cyber attack.

OllyDbg or x64dbg are used to monitor the program execution in real time, looking for security bugs and anomalous behavior.

Building the Proof of Concept (PoC)

Once the flaw has been identified, the next step is to write a proof of concept, that is, a fragment of code that demonstrates the presence and exploitability of the software vulnerability. The goal is not only to prove the theory, but also to highlight how the security of the system is compromised.

Here is a simplified Python example of an exploit for a command injection vulnerability:

import requests

target_url = "http://targetsite.com/vulnerable"

payload = "test; cat /etc/passwd"

r = requests.post(target_url, data={"input": payload})

print(r.text)

This type of code is used to demonstrate to developers and IT managers what security measures need to be taken immediately.

Responsible Disclosure or bug bounty?

After completing the PoC, comes one of the most delicate moments of the day: deciding how to disseminate the discovery. There are many options:

• Responsible Disclosure
  Contact the company that owns the software directly, explain the problem, and allow time for the patch before release.
• Bug Bounty
  If the company has an active program, the researcher may receive financial compensation for reporting.
• Full Disclosure
  Publicizing the vulnerability immediately, often in response to a lack of cooperation from the company.

Each option carries ethical and legal responsibilities. Many cybercriminals exploit newly published vulnerabilities to target unsuspecting users. This is why most professionals follow the responsible disclosure model.

Testing on virtualized environments and isolated infrastructures

Before carrying out real tests, researchers must be extremely cautious : a poorly configured test can compromise sensitive information or systems in production. For this reason, they almost always work on virtual sandboxes : simulated and controlled environments that faithfully replicate the behavior of the target computer system.

Tools like VirtualBox, VMWare and Docker allow you to create isolated infrastructures where you can test exploits. In ICS/SCADA or embedded environments, architecture emulators like QEMU are also used.

Communication with the community and continuous updating

In the afternoon, the researcher can be engaged in meetings with other experts to discuss shared vulnerabilities. Forums such as Reddit (r/netsec), Stack Overflow and community Slack become valuable spaces for discussion.

In parallel, many devote time to continuous study : reading new publications, attending conferences (e.g. Black Hat, DEF CON), contributing to open source projects. Cyber security is an ever-evolving field, and the life cycle of vulnerabilities is getting shorter and shorter.

End of day and technical report

In the late afternoon or evening, the researcher compiles the technical report. This document includes:

• description of the vulnerability
• affected software version
• potential impact
• PoC technical details
• Mitigation tips

The report is sent to security teams or vendors, or uploaded to platforms like HackerOne or Bugcrowd. Sometimes it is also published on Medium or personal blogs, in compliance with responsible disclosure.

Final thoughts: digital heroes in the shadows

The figure of the cyber security researcher is as strategic as it is little known. Through the study of source code, the analysis of computer vulnerabilities, the simulation of cyber threats, these professionals protect the security of the system , often without any public recognition.

It’s work that challenges the balance between privacy and transparency, profit and security, but it’s driven by strong ethics and a desire to prevent vulnerabilities from being exploited by those with malicious intent.

Questions and answers

1. What is a typical day of a cyber security researcher?
   It consists of threat monitoring, vulnerability analysis, PoC development, and community interaction.
2. What are computer vulnerabilities?
   Weaknesses in the code or configuration of a system that can be exploited by attackers to compromise it.
3. What tools does a researcher use?
   IDA Pro, Ghidra, Burp Suite, Wireshark, OllyDbg, Docker, VirtualBox, among others.
4. What is a PoC?
   A proof of concept is a practical example of an attack that demonstrates the presence of a vulnerability.
5. How does responsible disclosure work?
   The researcher informs the company privately and gives them time to fix the bug before publication.
6. What is a zero-day exploit?
   A vulnerability that is not yet known to the vendor and for which there is no patch.
7. What ethical dilemmas does a researcher face?
   Deciding whether to disclose now or wait, whether to seek rewards or contribute anonymously.
8. Is it legal to reverse engineer?
   It depends on the jurisdiction, but it is often legitimate for security or research purposes.
9. Where are the most common vulnerabilities found?
   Outdated software, poorly protected APIs, legacy components, and misconfigurations.
10. Who are the cybercriminals exploiting these vulnerabilities?
    Hacktivists, cyber gangs, state-run APTs, or script kiddies looking to compromise sensitive information.