What I Learned Working Against the Systems: How Carding Experience Makes You a Better Defender

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A Professional's Reflection: Which Skills Transfer to Legal Cybersecurity and Which Don't

Introduction: From Shadow to Light​

I spent years underground — not out of malice, but out of curiosity. I wondered, "How does it work? Where are the weak points? Why does the system react this way?"

It wasn't rebellion — it was deep research. And over time, I realized: true power doesn't come from circumventing the system, but from understanding it so well that you can strengthen it.

In this article, I'll share my honest reflections:
- Which skills acquired in carding are valuable in legitimate cybersecurity;
- Which are dangerous and useless;
- And how to turn your past into a professional advantage, not a liability.

Part 1: Skills That Are Really Valuable​

1. Deep understanding of fraud engines​

When you spend years analyzing Forter, Sift, and Riskified, you start to think like them. You know:

• How do they evaluate device fingerprinting?
• How to construct behavioral graphs,
• How do they react to geo-inconsistencies?

Transfer to legality:
This expertise makes you an ideal fraud analyst. Companies pay $80,000–$120,000/year for people who can predict an attack before it starts.

2. Practical knowledge of vulnerabilities​

You didn't read about AVS or 3D Secure problems in textbooks — you encountered them in combat. You know:

• Why Brazil Non-VBV sometimes works,
• How preauth reveals contact with the bank,
• Why Session Depth is more important than 100 cookies.

Transferring to legality:
This knowledge is critical for payment systems (Stripe, Adyen, PayPal). They are looking for engineers who understand attacks from the inside.

3. Experience with online anonymity​

Configuring RDP, proxies, and anti-detection browsers isn't just about "bypassing protection." It's a deep understanding:

• TCP/IP fingerprinting,
• TLS JA3,
• WebRTC leaks.

Transfer to legality:
These skills are directly applicable to red teaming and penetration testing. Certifications like OSCP value practical experience.

4. Explorer's mentality​

The most important thing is that you have learned to ask the right questions:

• "Why does this work?"
• "What will change if I do this?"
• "How will the system accept my action?"

Transferring to legality:
This mentality is the foundation of secure system design. The best security engineers are those who think like a carder but act like a defender.

Part 2: Skills that don't transfer (and are even harmful)​

1. The habit of working around rather than solving​

In carding, you learned to work around the problem, not fix its root cause.
— Instead of fixing a vulnerability, you concealed it.
— Instead of understanding the system, you exploited it.

The problem is legality:
In cybersecurity, the goal is to eliminate risk, not hide it. Teams don't want "hackers" who "get around" — they want engineers who build.

2. Distrust of processes​

In carding, you learned to ignore the rules because they got in the way.
- No documentation,
- No code review,
- No standards.

The problem is legality:
Corporate security is about processes, compliance, and reporting. Without these, there's chaos. Your "freedom" will become a risk for the team.

3. Focus on short-term gain​

Carding teaches: "Make money quickly, disappear".
- No long-term planning,
- No investment in training,
- No reputation building.

The problem is legality:
A career in cybersecurity is a marathon. Certifications, reputation, networking — all of it takes time and patience.

Part 3: How to Legitimize Your Experience​

Step 1: Stop Calling Yourself a "Hacker"​

— In your resume, write: “Payment systems researcher”.
— At the interview, say: “I studied the behavior of fraud engines to understand their logic”.

Rule:
Don't tell what you did, tell what you learned.

Step 2: Obtain Formal Recognition​

Certificate	Price	Why is it needed?
eJPT	$200	Demonstrates practical skills
CEH	$1,200	Recognized in the corporate world
CompTIA Security+	$400	Basic standard for analysts

Tip:
Start with eJPT — it's cheap, practical, and respected in the industry.

Step 3: Focus on a Narrow Niche​

Your background gives you unique expertise in:

• Payment security,
• Fraud analysis,
• Behavioral biometrics.

Target roles:

• Fraud Analyst (Stripe, PayPal, Revolut),
• Payment Security Engineer (Adyen, Visa),
• Threat Intelligence Analyst (Forter, Sift).

Part 4: Real-World Transition Examples​

Case Study 1: From Carding to Analytics in Shopify​

• Past: 3 years in carding, focus on Steam/Razer,
• Actions:
  • Received eJPT,
  • Got a job as an intern at a fintech startup,
  • A year later - fraud analyst at Shopify ($95,000 CAD/year).
• Quote:
  

  "My knowledge of how to bypass AVS and 3DS now helps me block real cheaters".

Case 2: From Fraud to Penetration Testing at EY​

• Past: Working with anti-detection browsers, phishing,
• Actions:
  • Passed OSCP,
  • Found vulnerabilities in the bug bounty,
  • Got a job at EY ($120,000/year).
• Quote:
  

  "Now I get paid to break systems - legally."

Part 5: Ethical Reflection​

What I realized too late:​

• Freedom is not about being outside the law, it's about having a choice.
• True strength comes not from beating the system, but from respecting it.
• The best way to beat the system is to join it and improve it from within.

Final thought:
Your past isn't a crime. It's data.
And if you learn to interpret it correctly, it will become your greatest asset.

Conclusion: Build, don't destroy​

Carding teaches us a lot - but the main lesson is this:

True security is not a wall, but a bridge.
And the best bridge builders are those who once tried to destroy them.

If you're ready to stop being a shadow and start building, the world of cybersecurity awaits you.

Stay curious. Stay ethical.
And remember: true freedom begins with responsibility.