Penetration testing – detecting and exploiting vulnerabilities Training Course

How to Test Network and Service Security

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

Penetration Testing – Reconnaissance

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

Penetration Testing – Vulnerability Discovery

• System identification and version detection.
• Finding vulnerabilities in systems, infrastructure, and applications.
• Vulnerability assessment – "what can be exploited?"
• Exploit sources and customization capabilities.

Penetration Testing – Attack and Control Gain

• Types of attacks – how they are conducted and their consequences.
• Attacks using remote and local exploits.
• Attacks on network infrastructure.
• Reverse shell – managing a compromised system.
• Privilege escalation – becoming an administrator.
• Ready-made "hacking tools".
• Analyzing a compromised system – interesting files, stored passwords, private data.
• Special cases: web applications, WiFi networks.
• Social engineering – how to "break" a human if systems cannot be targeted?

Penetration Testing – Covering Tracks and Maintaining Access

• Logging systems and activity monitoring.
• Cleaning logs and covering tracks.
• Backdoors – how to leave an open entry point.

Penetration Testing – Summary

• Report preparation and structure.
• Report presentation and consultation.
• Verification of recommendation implementation.