Chapter 2: Setting Up Our Lab

Given the robust and technical nature of the work that a security researcher or penetration tester indulges in, it is vitally important that you practice and test your hacking skills in a safe and isolated virtual environment to avoid causing damage to public systems, computers, or networks. The art of setting up a virtual hacking lab is an essential skill for a penetration tester, as it allows for the rapid deployment, testing, and exploitation of systems without having to target public systems or network infrastructures.

It is, therefore, vitally important to know how to set up a virtualized environment that can be used for practicing your penetration testing skills legally. Having a personal virtual hacking lab allows you to test out new attacks, exploits, and tools, and this, in turn, will enhance your learning process and will consistently build up your skill set making you a more competent hacker. Similarly, in this chapter, you will learn how...