To get the most out of this book
The first part of the book does not require software or tools. What is needed is an open mind to learn about the importance of penetration testing and red teaming, and why and how to establish and grow an offensive security program within your organization. The examples to do with creating attack team dashboards and performing Monte Carlo simulations were created using Microsoft Office.
The second part will dive into a wider set of programs, tools, scripts, and code for Windows, Linux, and macOS. To follow along with every example in the book, all three major desktop operating systems are required. Some examples focus on one platform, but the reader will be able to get the same results (although with possibly slightly different workflows and steps) using any other operating system that supports the software. Some tools and software are very specific and not available on all platforms.
The second part of the book is not for beginners, as tools/scripts might need debugging and research for you to take full advantage of them and ensure that they work for your scenarios. Always do your own research before using something during a red-team operation or in a production setting.
The following table shows the majority of the tools and software that we will cover, discuss, or leverage throughout the book:
If you are using the digital version of this book, we advise you to type the code yourself or access the code via the GitHub repository (link available in the next section). Doing so will help you avoid any potential errors related to copy/pasting of code.
Regarding the versions of the software, the current version as of publication will suffice to follow along, and as stated the technical part of this book will require knowledge in troubleshooting and debugging skills.
