Ethical Hacking Course - Part 1

Ethical Hacking Course - Part 1

Active Learning
Kali Linux Cybersecurity Pentesting Networking

Overview

This project documents my journey through the first part of a comprehensive ethical hacking course, focusing on the fundamentals of penetration testing, networking concepts, and reconnaissance techniques. The course provides a structured approach to understanding the mindset and methodologies used by ethical hackers to identify and address security vulnerabilities.

Course Structure

The first part of this ethical hacking course covers essential topics that form the foundation of penetration testing knowledge:

  • Introduction to ethical hacking and the day-to-day life of penetration testers
  • Effective notekeeping and documentation practices
  • Networking fundamentals (IP addresses, MAC addresses, TCP/UDP, ports and protocols)
  • The OSI model and network communication
  • Subnetting and network segmentation
  • Kali Linux setup and essential commands
  • Bash scripting and Python programming for security
  • The 5 stages of ethical hacking (reconnaissance, scanning, exploitation, maintaining access, covering tracks)
  • Passive reconnaissance techniques
  • OSINT (Open Source Intelligence) gathering methodologies

Key Learning Outcomes

Understanding the Ethical Hacker's Mindset

One of the most valuable aspects of this course has been learning to think like a hacker. The course emphasizes that effective security professionals must understand the tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) used by malicious actors to properly defend against them. This involves:

  • Adopting a methodical approach to identifying and exploiting vulnerabilities
  • Understanding the importance of thorough reconnaissance and information gathering
  • Recognizing that security is a process, not a product or end state
  • Learning to prioritize vulnerabilities based on risk and exploitability

Passive Reconnaissance Techniques

The course provides in-depth coverage of passive reconnaissance, which involves gathering information about a target without directly interacting with their systems:

  • Discovering email addresses and employee information through public sources
  • Identifying potential security breaches by searching for leaked credentials
  • Using open source tools to analyze targets without leaving traces
  • Understanding how information can be weaponized in social engineering attacks

Technical Infrastructure Fundamentals

The course builds a solid foundation of technical knowledge necessary for effective penetration testing:

  • Understanding IPv4/IPv6 addressing and subnetting for network reconnaissance
  • Working with the Linux command line for security operations
  • Learning about network protocols and how they can be exploited
  • Setting up a professional penetration testing environment using virtualization

Technical Implementation

Throughout the course, I've implemented several technical setups and exercises:

Setting Up the Penetration Testing Environment

  • Configured UTM (on Silicon Mac) for secure, isolated testing environments
  • Installed and configured Kali Linux with essential penetration testing tools
  • Created a systematic methodology for documentation and note-taking
  • Implemented secure networking configurations for lab environments

Reconnaissance Workflow

  • Developed a structured approach to information gathering
  • Implemented OSINT techniques to discover potentially vulnerable assets
  • Created scripts to automate data collection from various sources
  • Established a methodology for tracking and organizing discovered information

Key Insights and Takeaways

Methodical Approach Understanding that successful penetration testing requires structured methodology rather than random tool usage
Information Value Learning how seemingly innocuous information can be leveraged to gain unauthorized access
Documentation Discipline Recognizing the critical importance of thorough documentation throughout the penetration testing process

Ongoing Learning

As I continue through the course, I'm maintaining comprehensive notes in a GitHub repository, which includes:

  • Detailed explanations of each topic covered in the course
  • Command references and usage examples
  • Scripts and tools developed during the learning process
  • Methodologies and frameworks for various security testing scenarios

The second part of the course will build on these foundations, focusing on more advanced techniques including exploitation, post-exploitation, and reporting methodologies.

View Notes Repository →