Chapter 13. Approaching a Penetration Test Using Metasploit

"In God I trust, all others I pen-test" - Binoj Koshy, cyber security expert

Penetration testing is an intentional attack on a computer-based system with the intention of finding vulnerabilities, figuring out security weaknesses, certifying that a system is secure, and gaining access to the system by exploiting these vulnerabilities. A penetration test will advise an organization if it is vulnerable to an attack, whether the implemented security is enough to oppose any attack, which security controls can be bypassed, and so on. Hence, a penetration test focuses on improving the security of an organization.

Achieving success in a penetration test largely depends on using the right set of tools and techniques. A penetration tester must choose the right set of tools and methodologies in order to complete a test. While talking about the best tools for penetration testing, the first one that comes to mind is Metasploit. It is considered...