Chapter 8: Performing Network Penetration Testing

As an aspiring ethical hacker and penetration tester, being metaphorically thrown into the field to perform a network penetration test can be very overwhelming for many. I remembered my first time as a security professional, when I was given the responsibility to perform an internal network penetration test on an organization's network. It was a unique experience in that I knew what to do based on my knowledge and skills. However, I felt uncertain about how to get started. Nevertheless, I followed the rules and procedures that had been set within my prior cybersecurity training and developed additional strategies and tactics to achieve the goal of the penetration test, all while ensuring I stayed within the boundary that was agreed upon by the organization. The purpose of this chapter is you help you gain a clear understanding of how to discover and exploit security vulnerabilities on applications and operating systems on hosts...