The Bishop Fox Internship Program: Mexico Foxes Assemble!

In the world of cybersecurity, integrating fresh and dynamic talent isn’t merely a preference; it's a necessity to outpace the world’s most sophisticated cyber adversaries. At Bishop Fox, we're always looking forward to creating the next generation of offensive security Avengers through our innovative internship program. And this year, we’re doubling down our efforts in Mexico! Initiatives like this aren’t just a footnote in our operations—they are one of the infinity stones that adds new powers to our culture built upon continuous learning and growth.

In the same way the Avengers foster the potential of young superheroes, Bishop Fox is dedicated to recruiting junior consultants in Mexico to cultivate their talents into offensive security superheroes. In exchange for sharing their talent with the Fox Den, we’re committed to training, nurturing, and investing in our interns’ professional development.

A New Plan for 2024

In 2024, we have a new formula for expanding our internship program in Mexico. Picture this: A two-phase, 24-week adventure where interns don’t simply just dip their toes in the cybersecurity waters, but they dive in headfirst.

Throughout this journey, our interns are not lone wolves. They're part of a skulk, mentored and guided by some of the most brilliant minds in the industry. Our experienced penetration testers don't just instruct; they inspire, challenge, and support our interns every step of the way through the duration of the training program.

Phase One: A Hacker’s Ironman Suit

“That’s my secret Captain: I’m always learning!”

For the first twelve weeks, our interns embark on an exciting training journey. Think of it like Peter Parker’s internship with Tony Stark, but instead of J.A.R.V.I.S, there’s Burp Suite and the Bishop Fox Cosmos platform. Cosmos is like an Ironman suit for hackers; it gives our penetration testers extraordinary superpowers, so they can focus on solving the most challenging security problems.

Phase One lays a strong foundation in theories, practice, and hacking tools that would make any hacker's heart race with excitement. While some interns come to us with experience in CTFs and other hacking games, we’re looking to adapt those skillsets to develop real-world exploits and hone their intuition on applications and networks that aren’t intentionally vulnerable.

Phase Two: Consultants… Assemble!

Then comes the real deal, the “End Game.” Upon completing Phase One, our interns engage in a 12-week practical project phase. This is where theory meets reality, and our interns spend time in the battle trenches, applying their newly acquired skills in real-world ethical hacking scenarios. They have opportunities to contribute to business-impacting projects under the guidance of senior consultants. The experience is hands-on and immersive, thus shaping the future of their professional cybersecurity careers.

Tales From the Trenches

We believe deeply in the work we do with our interns and are so proud of their contributions to Bishop Fox and the industry!

Here are insights from interns in Mexico about their contributions in 2023:

“I am proud of my participation in HackMex 2023, a cybersecurity competition. I participated with fellow consultants from Bishop Fox (in fact, the team was called Intern Squad because we all started as interns). And although it is an event outside of daily activities, I enjoyed getting to know them better and learning with them. We finished in 1^st place in the qualifying round and in 3^rd place in the national finalist round.”
– Rodrigo Z.

“In general, I feel proud of many things I've done like finding new domains for difficult clients or participating in projects alone or with other colleagues. It is always rewarding, and I learn a lot. I am proud of my OSINT research and alternative lead generation that resulted in finding exposed files and a subsequent high finding after I passed the information to the Cosmos operators.”
– Patricia M.

“I am very proud each and every time I find a significant vulnerability during a project. By identifying these vulnerabilities before the "bad guys" do, I truly feel that I contribute something valuable to our clients; it feels good to know that my work helps protect their businesses.”
– Edgar C.

Why Internships Matter

The cybersecurity industry is notorious for being difficult to break into and having high barriers of entry. Building a scalable internship program breaks this mold for aspiring offensive security professionals in Mexico, offering a unique a chance to establish an industry foothold.

More specifically, the intern program at Bishop Fox is important because it is an integral part of meeting the following three commitments:

1. Growing Talent Pipeline:
   We firmly believe that we have some of the greatest established talent in the industry. But we also know that emerging talent brings new ideas, techniques, and perspectives to the table which is a fundamental ingredient to bring Bishop Fox service offerings to the next levels of success.
   
   
2. Skills Development:
   We believe in encouraging professional development, nurturing individual passions, championing research initiatives, cultivating groundbreaking thought leadership, the pursuit of continuous improvement, and ongoing training opportunities. These commitments equal the six infinity stones of a true entry level development gauntlet.
   
   
3. Integrating Our Culture:
   The Bishop Fox core values are deeply engrained throughout the entire company regardless of role or function. Our interns in Mexico are no exception to this. Through our training program, we ensure that the core values are understood and become the way in which interns collaborate, shine bright, and make good decisions. And face their fears of learning from the bad decisions!

Get Started

If you live in Mexico and are seeking to kickstart your ethical hacking career, we want to hear from you! Apply today: Send your resume and cover letter to [email protected].

To hear more about our Mexico Foxes and internship program, visit the following resources:

• The Foxes of Mexico: A Security Roundtable
• Internships at Bishop Fox
• Bishop Fox’s Expansion into Mexico