Penetration testing – detecting and exploiting vulnerabilities Training Course

How to Test Network and Service Security

• Penetration testing – what is it?
• Penetration test vs. audit – similarities, differences, and what is appropriate?
• Practical problems – what can go wrong?
• Test scope – what do we want to check?
• Sources of best practices and recommendations.

Penetration Testing – Reconnaissance

• OSINT – obtaining information from open sources.
• Passive and active network traffic analysis methods.
• Identification of services and network topology.
• Security systems (firewalls, IPS/IDS systems, WAF, etc.) and their impact on testing.

Penetration Testing – Vulnerability Discovery

• Identification of systems and their versions.
• Searching for vulnerabilities in systems, infrastructure, and applications.
• Vulnerability assessment – i.e., "where does it hurt"?
• Exploit sources and the possibility of customizing them.

Penetration Testing – Attack and Taking Control

• Types of attacks – how they are conducted and their outcomes.
• Attacks using remote and local exploits.
• Attacks on network infrastructure.
• Reverse shell – how to manage a compromised system.
• Privilege escalation – i.e., how to become an administrator.
• Ready-made "hacking tools."
• Analyzing the compromised system – interesting files, saved passwords, private data.
• Special cases: web applications, Wi-Fi networks.
• Social engineering – i.e., how to "break" a person if the systems cannot be breached.

Penetration Testing – Erasing Traces and Maintaining Access

• Logging and activity monitoring systems.
• Cleaning logs and erasing traces.
• Backdoor – i.e., how to leave yourself an open entry point.

Penetration Testing – Summary

• Report preparation and its structure.
• Report delivery and consultation.
• Verification of recommendation implementation.