Introduction to Penetration Testing (Ethical Hacking)

This hands-on penetration testing course focuses on tactics, techniques, and procedures used by both black-hat attackers and penetration testers (white-hat hackers).

The course starts with an overview of hacking incidents, trends, and attacker motivations, then progresses to penetration testing methodologies. These often overly complicated methodologies, filled with an excessive number of steps, are simplified in this course, with an emphasis on the penetration test objective. Each hacking phase of the simplified methodology is demonstrated, discussed, and practiced. 

Emphasis is placed on learning, demonstrating, and practicing the primary tactics – reconnaissance (active and passive), vulnerability discovery and identification, exploitation, and persistence. Numerous methods are covered to include server-side exploits, client-side exploits, man-in-the-middle (MITM), and social engineering. Students practice penetration testing in a fun and interactive environment with multiple live targets and CTF (capture-the-flag) exercises.