Zac Davis interviews Stephen Bondurich at SEVN-X and finds out how well a 6'4'' penetration tester fits in a ceiling.
Episode Summary
In Episode 2 of War Stories, host Zac Davis talks with SEVN-X penetration tester Stephen Bondurich about how he got into offensive security, the homemade tool he reaches for on physical engagements, and a bank job that ended with him climbing into a drop ceiling.
Stephen's path into security started at a Penn State career fair, where he met SEVN-X CEO Matt Barnett and landed an internship. His favorite tool is a small magnet-and-wire device that fits in the palm of a hand and helps testers get through badge-controlled doors without cloning credentials.
The war story comes from one of his first physical penetration tests: a daytime engagement against the corporate back office of a financial institution, with the server room as the goal. The team tailgated into a badge-locked stairwell, used the magnet tool and a little social engineering to get through a second badge door, then hit a locked door with tolerances too tight to bypass and a lock that would not pick. The way through was a janitor's closet, a tall shelf, a ceiling tile, and a mop.
In This Episode
- Stephen Bondurich's path from a Penn State career fair to penetration tester
- A homemade magnet-and-wire tool for bypassing badge-controlled doors
- Tailgating and blending in during a daytime physical security test
- Testing the back office of a financial institution and targeting the server room
- Improvising when lock picking fails, including drop ceilings and a janitor's closet
Could Someone Walk Into Your Server Room?
SEVN-X runs physical security assessments and penetration tests for banks, credit unions, and other regulated organizations that need to know what an attacker could reach. Talk with our team about scoping a test for your organization.
