Ethical hacking, or penetration testing, is a proactive cybersecurity approach where authorized experts simulate real-world cyber threats to identify and address vulnerabilities in systems, networks, or applications. Conducted with the consent of the organization, ethical hacking aims to strengthen security measures and protect against potential malicious attacks, contributing to an overall robust cybersecurity posture.
1: Introduction to Ethical Hacking
- Definition and Scope of Ethical Hacking
- Differentiating Ethical Hacking from Unethical Hacking
- Legal and Regulatory Frameworks
2: Networking Fundamentals
- Basics of TCP/IP Protocols
- Understanding Network Architecture
- Subnetting and IP Addressing
3: Information Gathering and Reconnaissance
- Passive and Active Information Gathering Techniques
- Footprinting and Fingerprinting
- WHOIS Lookup and DNS Interrogation
4: Scanning and Enumeration
- Port Scanning Techniques (e.g., Nmap)
- Service Enumeration
- Vulnerability Scanning (e.g., OpenVAS)
5: System Hacking
- Password Cracking and Hash Attacks
- Exploiting Weaknesses in Operating Systems
- Escalating Privileges
6: Malware Threats
- Types of Malware (Viruses, Trojans, Ransomware)
- Malware Analysis and Reverse Engineering
- Anti-Malware Techniques
7: Network Attacks
- Man-in-the-Middle Attacks
- Denial of Service (DoS) and Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS)
- Wireless Network Attacks
8: Web Application Security
- Common Web Application Vulnerabilities (e.g., SQL Injection, Cross-Site Scripting)
- Web Application Scanning and Testing
- Securing Web Applications
9: Social Engineering
- Psychology of Social Engineering
- Phishing Attacks and Prevention
- Physical Security Threats and Mitigation
10: Cryptography
- Encryption and Decryption
- Public Key Infrastructure (PKI)
- Cryptographic Attacks and Countermeasures
11: Incident Response and Handling
- Creating an Incident Response Plan
- Identifying and Responding to Security Incidents
- Post-Incident Analysis and Documentation
12: Security Tools and Frameworks
- Introduction to Security Tools (e.g., Wireshark, Metasploit)
- Setting Up a Virtual Lab Environment
- Practical Hands-On Labs
13: Cybersecurity Best Practices
- Secure Coding Practices
- Network and System Hardening
- Continuous Monitoring and Auditing
14: Legal and Ethical Considerations
- Ethical Hacker's Code of Conduct
- Legal Aspects of Ethical Hacking
- Reporting and Documentation
15: Capstone Project
- Real-world Ethical Hacking Scenario
- Identifying and Addressing Security Vulnerabilities
- Final Report and Presentation
Practical demonstrations and real-world scenarios enhanced the learning experience