Penetration Testing Courses

Penetration Testing Courses

The job of a Penetration Tester, or as they are sometimes known – Pen Tester or Ethical Hacker – is vital to todays businesses and organisations seeking of course to secure their IT systems from hackers. Penetration Testing Courses are especially relevant for those working a Pen Testers.

Indeed, the explosion in the number of daily hacking attempts across the globe has lead to a similar increase in Pen Testers countering their hacking attempts.

Today’s penetration testers are seeking to prevent hackers from exploiting any IT security vulnerabilities within their organisations networks and information systems. To perform their role effectively they must keep their knowledge of hacking exploits up to date, often by attending penetration testing focused courses. There are many courses available at this level such as CEH (Certified Ethical Hacker). CREST accredited training courses, CompTIA and CISMP (Certificate in Information Security Management Principles) all provide great training modules.

A comprehensive knowledge of hacking techniques in general will see ethical hackers carrying out their duties effectively.

Learning new technology will always prove to be a winner, especially for pen testing experts at the coal face of protecting their company or organisation from any unwanted attentions from cyber criminals and their ilk!

How to become a Pen Tester

Becoming a penetration tester often develops on from individuals that have learnt their various hacking techniques out on the street! You may think of them as reformed characters that have moved over from the dark side of the hacking black hatters to the white hat world!

This role necessitates keeping hacking skill-sets as up to date as possible, which is why it is vital for ethical hackers to attend courses regularly, learning as they go along.

Introducing to Courses relevant to Penetration Testers

To understand the mind of a criminal hacker it is best to have experience as one yourself! It is good to learn something new every day, this is very true in the world of hacking, because practitioners really have no choice in this if they are to be effective! Here, we will take a look at the types of courses that will keep white hat hackers on top of the black hat world! Knowledge is power they say, that’s absolutely right in todays hacker infested world!

Penetration Testing focused courses

1) Ethical Hacking

CEH (Certified Ethical Hacker) course will provide pen-testing experts, working in a career in information security, with the basic skills they need to do their job professionally. In our fast moving world, hacking techniques are continually changing, a criminals and black hat hackers seek to probe and penetrate IT systems across the globe. This means those working to protect systems from them must adapt their defences to lock their systems down. Certified Ethical Hacker training provides white hat hackers with the ability to investigate today’s devious hacking techniques forearmed with the knowledge that they will learn on a CEH course.

Courses are often accredited, by organisations such as CREST, who approve many CEH training courses. CREST approved members include both large and small training providers such as Symantec Ltd, BAE Systems and Nettitude Group in the UK.

2) CompTIA

CompTIA are run as a non-profit Information Technology (IT) Association, they allow systems security professionals, such as Pen Testers, to achieve security industry recognised qualifications. Their students are helping to make the cyber world a safer place for us all. This organisation operates a variety of certification programs, suitable for students at any level of their IT career. CompTIA certification provides students with both the InfoSec skills to do the job and, of course, confirmation to employers that the student is suitable for further training within a cyber security career.

The information security certification course programs they run follow the following coursework pathways: –

CompTIA Fundamentals

Training in the fundamental skills that are needed to work in an IT information security role.

CompTIA A+

This is also foundation level InfoSec skill training. It covers networks, operating systems, security and mobile devices.

CompTIA Network+

Here the organisation provides vendor neutral network skills, relating to design, configuration, troubleshooting and management of IT networks.

CompTIA Security+

This module provides comprehensive skills necessary for their SYO-401 exam

CompTIA Linux+

Offering the foundation level skills that are necessary for Linux system administration in one training module. It covers configuration, management and troubleshooting of Linux (Unix based) systems.

CompTIA Server+

Here the course includes the planning, securing and maintaining of a wide variety of server and storage equipment.

CompTIA Cloud+

As we all move into the Cloud, this course module provides new skills relating to the maintenance and optimisation of todays cloud based infrastructure solutions and services. Everything needed to sit their CVO-002 exam is included.

3) CISMP Courses for Penetration Testers

Penetration Testing professionals can gain a good overall grounding in information security with Certification from Information Security Management Principles (CISMP). The CISMP courses are geared towards staff managing information security on a daily basis. Their information security certifications are widely regarded across the globe. They are good as an introduction to the subject matter or refresher for those that need to get their key skill in IT Security up to date. CISMP certification also helps those seeking to take more advanced exams such as CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional) or CISM (Certified Information Security Manager).

4) CISSP Courses for Pen testing professionals

The comprehensive CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional) certification offers a real step up in education for those working in information security management. They are suitable for more experienced ethical hackers, providing deep learning skills in today’s complex and varied IT and information systems security environments.

5) CISM Courses – management level training

CISM (Certified Information Security Manager) certification offers much deeper knowledge of IT and information security. CISM certified graduates, once qualified, will ne able to effectively manage even the most complex of information security related environments. CISM is globally recognised with ANSI (American National Standards Institute) accredited to ISO/IEC 17024:2012.

The training and skills that a Penetration Tester needs:

• Ability to perform penetration tests on computer systems, networks or web-based implementations. Pen Testing Courses will provide white hat hackers with the skills they need to do their job well.
• Designing penetration testing tools and techniques.
• Identifying methods that hackers use, Identifying vulnerabilities and potential exploits.
• Reporting on information security related findings in formal reports, presenting penetration-testing findings to all interested parties.
• Isolate newly discovered IT security flaws. Training staff and suggesting InfoSec Courses where necessary.
• Develop a process of regular penetration and vulnerability testing.
• Verifying that remedial actions taken are effective in blocking hackers.