Ethical Hacking & Penetration Testing: Expanded Project Guides

Ethical Hacking & Penetration Testing: Expanded Project Guides

This directory contains comprehensive, expanded guides for each project in the Ethical Hacking & Penetration Testing learning path. Each guide is designed to provide everything you need to complete the project while building deep understanding of offensive security concepts.

Project Index

#	Project	Difficulty	Focus Area	Status
1	Network Reconnaissance Toolkit	Beginner-Intermediate	Network Security, TCP/IP	Ready
2	Web Application Vulnerability Scanner	Intermediate	Web Security, OWASP Top 10	Ready
3	Complete CTF Challenges	Progressive	Binary Exploitation, Forensics, RE	Ready
4	C2 (Command & Control) Framework	Intermediate-Advanced	Malware Analysis, Networking	Ready
5	Vulnerable Lab Network	Advanced	Network Security, Active Directory	Ready
6	End-to-End Penetration Test (Capstone)	Advanced	Full Methodology	Ready

Learning Path Overview

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                    ETHICAL HACKING LEARNING PATH                         │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

FOUNDATION (Weeks 1-4)
├── Project 1: Network Reconnaissance Toolkit
│   ├── TCP/IP fundamentals
│   ├── Port scanning implementation
│   ├── DNS enumeration
│   └── Service fingerprinting
│
├── Project 3: CTF Challenges (Start parallel)
│   ├── TryHackMe beginner paths
│   ├── OverTheWire Bandit
│   └── PicoCTF fundamentals

EXPLOITATION (Weeks 5-8)
├── Project 2: Web Vulnerability Scanner
│   ├── OWASP Top 10 deep dive
│   ├── SQL injection mechanics
│   ├── XSS exploitation
│   └── Automated scanning design
│
├── Project 3: CTF Challenges (Continue)
│   ├── Hack The Box easy machines
│   └── Web-focused CTF competitions

POST-EXPLOITATION (Weeks 9-12)
├── Project 4: C2 Framework
│   ├── Beacon/callback architecture
│   ├── Encrypted communications
│   ├── Persistence mechanisms
│   └── Command execution
│
├── Project 5: Vulnerable Lab Network
│   ├── Multi-tier network design
│   ├── Active Directory attacks
│   ├── Lateral movement
│   └── Privilege escalation

PROFESSIONAL (Weeks 13-16+)
└── Project 6: Capstone - Full Penetration Test
    ├── Complete methodology
    ├── Professional reporting
    ├── Risk communication
    └── Portfolio deliverables

The Penetration Testing Kill Chain

Each project maps to specific phases of the Cyber Kill Chain:

RECONNAISSANCE ──────────────────────► Project 1: Network Recon Toolkit
    │
    ▼
WEAPONIZATION ───────────────────────► Project 4: C2 Framework
    │
    ▼
DELIVERY ────────────────────────────► Projects 2 & 3: Web Scanner + CTFs
    │
    ▼
EXPLOITATION ────────────────────────► Projects 2, 3, 5: Scanner + CTFs + Lab
    │
    ▼
INSTALLATION ────────────────────────► Project 4: C2 Framework
    │
    ▼
COMMAND & CONTROL ───────────────────► Project 4: C2 Framework
    │
    ▼
ACTIONS ON OBJECTIVES ───────────────► Projects 5 & 6: Lab + Capstone

Key Resources

Primary Books

1. “Penetration Testing” by Georgia Weidman - Complete methodology reference
2. “Bug Bounty Bootcamp” by Vickie Li - Web vulnerability deep dive
3. “Black Hat Python” by Justin Seitz - Tool development
4. “Windows Security Internals” by James Forshaw - Active Directory attacks

Practice Platforms

• TryHackMe - Guided learning
• Hack The Box - Challenge-based
• PortSwigger Academy - Web security
• VulnHub - Offline vulnerable VMs

Reference Materials

• OWASP Testing Guide
• HackTricks - Privilege escalation
• PayloadsAllTheThings
• PTES Technical Guidelines

Legal & Ethical Notice

CRITICAL: Only practice on systems you own or have explicit written permission to test.

Unauthorized access to computer systems is a federal crime (CFAA in the US, similar laws elsewhere). Safe practice options include:

• Your own VMs and home lab
• CTF platforms designed for practice
• Bug bounty programs with defined scope
• Employer-authorized security testing

Building these skills ethically makes you valuable to organizations defending against the same techniques.

Expected Outcomes

After completing all projects, you will:

1. Understand attack methodology - Not just how to use tools, but why they work
2. Build custom security tools - Port scanners, vulnerability scanners, C2 frameworks
3. Master web application security - Complete OWASP Top 10 exploitation and defense
4. Conduct professional penetration tests - Full methodology with portfolio-quality reports
5. Demonstrate job-ready skills - Technical depth plus communication ability

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These expanded guides are part of the Learning Journey project-based curriculum.