Introduction:
Ethical hacking and penetration testing are essential practices for identifying vulnerabilities and weaknesses in computer systems, networks, and applications. As cyberattacks become more sophisticated, organizations need to proactively identify and fix security flaws before malicious hackers can exploit them. This course provides participants with the knowledge and skills needed to perform ethical hacking and penetration testing. Participants will learn how to use common hacking tools, exploit vulnerabilities, and assess the security of systems in a controlled and legal environment. By the end of the course, participants will be prepared to conduct penetration tests and report findings effectively.

Objectives:
By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

• Understand the principles of ethical hacking and the legal aspects of penetration testing.
• Identify and exploit common vulnerabilities in systems, networks, and applications.
• Perform network and web application penetration testing using industry-standard tools and techniques.
• Assess system security and write clear, actionable penetration testing reports.
• Understand advanced penetration testing techniques, including social engineering and wireless network attacks.
• Use tools like Kali Linux, Metasploit, Burp Suite, Wireshark, and others for penetration testing.

Who Should Attend?
This course is designed for IT professionals and security enthusiasts looking to learn ethical hacking and penetration testing. It is suitable for:

• Network security professionals and penetration testers.
• Security analysts, system administrators, and IT professionals responsible for securing systems and networks.
• Developers interested in understanding vulnerabilities in their applications.
• Anyone pursuing ethical hacking certifications like CEH (Certified Ethical Hacker), OSCP (Offensive Security Certified Professional), or CompTIA Security+.
• Security researchers and enthusiasts interested in penetration testing.

Day 1: Introduction to Ethical Hacking and Penetration Testing

Morning Session:

• What is Ethical Hacking?

  • Defining ethical hacking and penetration testing.
  • Differences between ethical hackers and malicious hackers.
  • The role of penetration testing in cybersecurity.
  • Legal and ethical issues in penetration testing: Authorization, laws, and regulations.

• Penetration Testing Methodologies

  • Phases of penetration testing: Reconnaissance, scanning, exploitation, post-exploitation, and reporting.
  • Types of penetration testing: Black-box, white-box, and gray-box testing.
  • Common penetration testing frameworks: OWASP, PTES, NIST, and OSSTMM.

Afternoon Session:

• Setting Up the Testing Environment
  • Introduction to Kali Linux and other penetration testing distributions.
  • Installing and configuring penetration testing tools: Metasploit, Burp Suite, and Nmap.
  • Creating and configuring a vulnerable environment using Virtual Machines (VMs) and platforms like Hack The Box or TryHackMe for practice.
• Hands-On Lab: Installing Penetration Testing Tools
  • Participants will set up Kali Linux, configure Metasploit, and practice basic scanning using Nmap and Netcat.
  • Hands-on exercises will focus on identifying live hosts and open ports on the target systems.

Day 2: Reconnaissance and Scanning Techniques

Morning Session:

• Reconnaissance and Information Gathering

  • Active vs. passive reconnaissance: Techniques for collecting information on targets without alerting them.
  • Using tools for reconnaissance: Whois, NSLookup, and Google dorks.
  • Identifying open services and system information using banner grabbing.

• Network Scanning Techniques

  • Understanding scanning: Ping scans, port scans, OS fingerprinting, and vulnerability scanning.
  • Using Nmap for network discovery: Host discovery, port scanning, version detection, and scripting engine.
  • Introduction to vulnerability scanning tools: Nessus, OpenVAS, and Nikto.

Afternoon Session:

• Hands-On Lab: Reconnaissance and Scanning
  • Participants will use Nmap to scan targets for open ports, services, and potential vulnerabilities.
  • Conducting a vulnerability assessment with Nessus or OpenVAS.
  • Using Google dorks for passive information gathering and uncovering hidden files or directories.

Day 3: Exploitation and Privilege Escalation

Morning Session:

• Exploitation Basics

  • The concept of exploitation: Gaining unauthorized access to systems or networks.
  • Exploiting vulnerabilities in services: Buffer overflow, SQL injection, and cross-site scripting (XSS).
  • Introduction to Metasploit Framework: Exploiting known vulnerabilities.

• Privilege Escalation Techniques

  • Understanding local vs. remote privilege escalation.
  • Techniques for escalating privileges on Linux and Windows systems.
  • Exploiting weak configurations, misconfigurations, and unpatched systems for privilege escalation.

Afternoon Session:

• Hands-On Lab: Exploitation and Privilege Escalation
  • Participants will exploit a vulnerable web application using Metasploit and gain unauthorized access.
  • Practice privilege escalation techniques in Linux and Windows environments to gain root/admin access.
  • Using post-exploitation modules in Metasploit for further system compromise.

Day 4: Web Application Penetration Testing

Morning Session:

• Introduction to Web Application Security

  • Common web application vulnerabilities: OWASP Top 10 (SQL Injection, XSS, CSRF, etc.).
  • Understanding HTTP, HTTPS, and the request-response lifecycle.
  • Web application security testing tools: Burp Suite, OWASP ZAP, and Nikto.

• Testing for Web Application Vulnerabilities

  • Identifying and exploiting SQL Injection (SQLi) and Cross-Site Scripting (XSS).
  • Brute-forcing login forms and bypassing authentication mechanisms.
  • Understanding and testing Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) attacks.

Afternoon Session:

• Hands-On Lab: Web Application Penetration Testing
  • Participants will use Burp Suite to perform web application vulnerability scanning.
  • Simulating SQL Injection, XSS, and CSRF attacks on vulnerable web applications.
  • Analyzing and exploiting web vulnerabilities to gain access or manipulate application data.

Day 5: Wireless Networks and Post-Exploitation Techniques

Morning Session:

• Wireless Network Attacks

  • Understanding wireless network security protocols: WEP, WPA, WPA2, WPA3.
  • Attacking and cracking Wi-Fi networks: Deauthentication attacks, packet sniffing, and dictionary attacks.
  • Wireless network monitoring and security tools: Aircrack-ng, Kismet, and Wireshark.

• Post-Exploitation Techniques

  • Maintaining access and covering tracks: Creating backdoors, tunneling, and persistence.
  • Data exfiltration techniques: Using DNS, HTTP, and other covert channels.
  • Identifying and mitigating traces left during penetration testing.

Afternoon Session:

• Hands-On Lab: Wireless Network Testing and Post-Exploitation
  • Participants will use Aircrack-ng and Wireshark to capture and crack Wi-Fi passwords.
  • Simulating post-exploitation activities like creating backdoors, stealing data, and maintaining access to the compromised systems.
  • Discussing and implementing techniques to erase traces of attacks and maintain stealth.

Day 6: Reporting and Legal Aspects of Penetration Testing

Morning Session:

• Reporting Penetration Testing Findings

  • The importance of clear, actionable reporting in penetration testing.
  • How to document findings, including vulnerabilities, exploitation steps, and mitigation strategies.
  • Writing executive summaries and technical reports for different audiences.

• Ethical and Legal Considerations in Penetration Testing

  • Understanding the laws and regulations surrounding penetration testing (e.g., Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, GDPR, HIPAA).
  • Obtaining proper authorization for penetration testing.
  • Ethical considerations in hacking: Responsible disclosure, privacy, and legal liabilities.

Afternoon Session:

• Hands-On Lab: Writing a Penetration Testing Report

  • Participants will write a report summarizing their findings from the practical labs and exercises.
  • Presenting their findings and remediation strategies to an executive or technical audience.

• Final Q&A, Course Review, and Certification Exam

  • Recap of key concepts, tools, and techniques learned throughout the course.
  • Open Q&A session to clarify any remaining questions.
  • Certification exam to assess participants’ knowledge of ethical hacking and penetration testing.
  • Awarding certificates to successful participants.