This course will introduce students to professional penetration testing by teaching offensive tactics along with the appropriate methodologies and responsibilities it takes to ethically attack systems. The majority of time will be spent in hands-on labs performing reconnaissance, discovering vulnerabilities, developing exploits, and carefully penetrating targets.

Syllabus

https://api.heinz.cmu.edu/courses_api/course_detail/95-883/

Class format

Lecture and project-based

Home department

Heinz

Target audience

Students interested in security and/or penetration testing.

Background required

Students will be required have a basic understanding of networking concepts (TCP/IP) and will be expected to put in the additional time to research solutions on their own. This course will utilize the Kali Linux platform so basic Linux command line knowledge will be required. Networking and Linux skills will NOT be taught during the course. Students are expected to already possess this knowledge.

Learning objectives

• Learn: Offensive tactics along with the appropriate methodologies and responsibilities it takes to ethically attack systems.
• Immerse: Use what you learn in a diverse, sandboxed, intentionally vulnerable environment.
• Get frustrated: Research and critical thinking is a must.
• Evolve: Use what you learn to become a better security professional.

Faculty and instructors who have taught this course in the past

Mike Cook, Justin Forbes, Derrick Spooner