Your roadmap to real skills.

Ethics and the Law (Mandatory First)

Internalise the legal frame for authorized testing before learning any technique.

What is Penetration Testing?

Understand ethical hacking, black/white/gray box testing types, and legal considerations.

Reconnaissance and Information Gathering

Use passive and active reconnaissance techniques including OSINT, Nmap, and DNS enumeration.

Scanning and Enumeration

Study port scanning and service enumeration in depth to identify potential entry points.

Exploitation Basics

Learn common exploit types and use Hydra for password attacks against practice targets.

Web Application Penetration Testing

Test web apps with BurpSuite for SQL injection and XSS using PicoCTF web challenges.

Post-Exploitation and Reporting

Learn post-exploitation concepts, privilege escalation, and write a professional pen test report.

Advanced Tools and CTF Practice

Use Wireshark and Nmap NSE scripts and complete a full CTF machine from start to finish.

Penetration Testing Resources and Next Steps

Explore curated resources, certifications (PenTest+, eJPT, OSCP, CEH), and CTF platforms.

Passion Project: HTB Starting Point Walkthrough

Complete an HTB Starting Point machine end-to-end and produce the professional pentest report.

Penetration Testing Job Readiness

Translate pentest skills into a resume, portfolio plan, and interview prep for junior pentest roles.