Individuals who ethically and lawfully use their skills in the field of cybersecurity to identify and address vulnerabilities in computer systems and networks are often referred to as “White Hats” Their work and purposes are crucial for security researchers in strengthening cybersecurity by proactively finding weaknesses and reporting them to the respective organizations, enabling them to fix the issues before malicious hackers exploit them.
Mr. Wu’s expertise and achievements at WooYun (literal translation: “Dark Cloud,” referring to security risks the community faces) contributed significantly to safeguarding global internet security. He played a leading role in the transformation of WooYun from a niche security community with fewer than 2,000 members into the largest white-hat platform with over 20,000 registered members. More importantly, through the platform, several significant security incidents were discovered and disclosed; therefore, the enterprises and individuals were able to prevent further damage.
Recently, we had the privilege of interviewing the CEO of Huoxian Security Platform – Wudi, conducting a deep dive into the current state and future of AI tools in the security industry. Here are some of the Q&A segment:
Q1: Mr. Wu, can you share with us the current focus of the Huoxian Security and its future development directions?
Wudi: Recently, our focus is to continue optimizing our platform to serve as an effective tool assisting white hats in performing penetration tests more proficiently. In the future, we are aiming to explore and implement technological innovations further, providing more support and assistance to white hats.
Q2: Do you think AI automation tools can completely replace white hats in conducting penetration tests?
Wudi: For now, AI tools can serve as aids in certain stages or steps, but replacing white hats entirely is still quite challenging. Machine learning is good at learning from a large amount of data, but novel penetrations often involve minority behavior. In this regard, AI cannot fully replace white hats. Penetration testing is a multi-level, multi-step process, and AI tools currently have certain limitations.
Q3: You mentioned that AI tools can assist in penetration testing; can you elaborate on
that? Wudi: Yes, security experts use various tools at each stage, combined with their own expertise. From this perspective, AI agents can coordinate and execute tasks at each stage and help security experts improve the efficiency of the entire process, which is a direction we are actively researching.
Q4: For white hats, is penetration testing a daunting task?
Wudi: Indeed. Penetration testing is a task that requires continuous exploration of the unknown, and it is quite likely to encounter many difficulties and challenges during this process. White hats need to persist and hone their skills, and we hope to provide them with more support through our platform.
Q5: The career span of white hats usually lasts 3-5 years; what do you think causes this
situation?
Wudi: The brief career span might be due to the grueling nature of penetration testing jobs and the uncertainty of the outcomes. It’s a job where input might not correspond proportionally to the output, so it’s not easy for white hats to persevere in the long run. Most people who stay in the field for 5 years or more are often driven by interest.
Q6: How does the Huoxian Security Platform “empower” white hats?
Wudi: Our goal is to create a platform that assists white hats in conducting penetration tests more effectively. By offering various tools and resources, such as the previously mentioned AI agents, we hope to help them enhance their work efficiency and effectiveness. We are also researching the security of AI models, expecting to offer more help to the community in this regard.
Q7: In collaborating with white hats, what would you consider the most ideal outcome?
Wudi: The ideal situation would be a win-win for clients, white hats, and the platform. We hope our platform can better connect and facilitate cooperation between both parties.
Q8: What are your expectations and future prospects for the Huoxian Security Platform?
Wudi: We have many innovative ideas and plans, especially as the rapid development of AI presents many opportunities. For now, we are more focused on concrete actions rather than mere words. We look forward to surprising everyone in the future.
Q9: For young people who wish to join the security industry, what advice do you have?
Wudi: The security industry is a constantly evolving and innovative field. I suggest that young people maintain a mindset of continuous learning and research, while also having the patience and perseverance to face the challenges of this industry.
Q10: What advantages does the FireLine Security Platform offer to attract and retain
white hats?
Wu Di: Our platform provides not only a series of efficient tools and resources but also aims to create a friendly, cooperative environment for white hats. We hope our efforts can help white hats better realize their value.
Q11: In the current market environment, what do you think is the biggest challenge facing the FireLine Security Platform?
Wu Di: Currently, our biggest challenge is adapting to the development of AI. On one hand, we wonder if we can fully utilize AI technology to provide more “copilot” capabilities to the community. On the other hand, we are contemplating whether we can perform deeper research into the security of AI itself, as this will determine if AI technology can achieve safe and sustainable development worldwide.
