Kali Linux: Assuring Security By Penetration Testing

Master the art of penetration testing with Kali Linux

Overview

• Learn penetration testing techniques with an in-depth coverage of Kali Linux distribution
• Explore the insights and importance of testing your corporate network systems before the hackers strike
• Understand the practical spectrum of security tools by their exemplary usage, configuration, and benefits

In Detail

Kali Linux is a comprehensive penetration testing platform with advanced tools to identify, detect, and exploit the vulnerabilities uncovered in the target network environment. With Kali Linux, you can apply appropriate testing methodology with defined business objectives and a scheduled test plan, resulting in a successful penetration testing project engagement.

Kali Linux – Assuring Security By Penetration Testing is a fully focused, structured book providing guidance on developing practical penetration testing skills by demonstrating cutting-edge hacker tools and techniques with a coherent, step-by-step approach. This book offers you all of the essential lab preparation and testing procedures that reflect real-world attack scenarios from a business perspective, in today’s digital age.

Starting with lab preparation and testing procedures that explain the basic installation and configuration set up, this guide then focuses on discussing types of penetration testing (black-box and white-box), uncovering open security testing methodologies, and proposing the Kali Linux specific testing process. A number of security assessment tools are discussed, including those necessary to conduct penetration testing in their respective categories, following the formal testing methodology. Each of these tools have been annotated with real-world examples in context of highlighting their practical usage and proven configuration techniques. Extra weaponry treasure is also provided, and key resources that may be crucial to any professional penetration tester are cited in this book.

What you will learn from this book

• Develop the Kali Linux environment in your test lab by installing, configuring, running, and updating its core system components
• Draw a formal Kali Linux testing methodology
• Scope your target with definitive test requirements, limitations, business objectives, and schedule the test plan
• Practically exercise a number of security tools from Kali Linux, logically divided into sub-categories of testing methodology
• Practice the processes of reconnaissance, discovery, enumeration, vulnerability mapping, social engineering, exploitation, privilege escalation, and maintaining access to target for evaluation purposes
• Document, report, and present your verified test results to the relevant authorities in a formal reporting structure
• Assess your target information system’s environment built with various technologies, such as web applications, network administration servers, workstations, Cisco devices, firewalls, load balancers, routers, switches, intrusion detection and prevention devices, and many more
• Examine and research the vulnerability in a greater detail before attempting to exploit it
• Exploit human vulnerability by wrapping yourself with an art of deception to acquire the target

Table of Contents

Part I: Lab Preparation and Testing Procedures
Chapter 1: Beginning with Kali Linux
Chapter 2: Penetration Testing Methodology

Part II: Penetration Testers Armory
Chapter 3: Target Scoping
Chapter 4: Information Gathering
Chapter 5: Target Discovery
Chapter 6: Enumerating Target
Chapter 7: Vulnerability Mapping
Chapter 8: Social Engineering
Chapter 9: Target Exploitation
Chapter 10: Privilege Escalation
Chapter 11: Maintaining Access
Chapter 12: Documentation and Reporting

Part III: Extra Ammunition
Appendix A: Supplementary Tools
Appendix B: Key Resources