Preface

This book is intended for anyone who wants to learn how to perform hacking/penetration testing. It is designed to start from scratch, assuming no prior knowledge, and takes you all the way to a strong intermediate level in the subject. The book is highly practical but it will not neglect the theory. It starts with some basic terminology; then you'll learn how to set up a penetration-testing lab and install all the necessary software. The remainder of the book is divided into a number of sections, each covering a penetration testing field—from networks, servers, and websites to client-side attacks and social engineering. In each of these sections, you'll learn how a target system works, the weaknesses in the system, how to exploit those weaknesses and hack the system, and how to secure the system from the discussed weaknesses. By the end of the book, you'll have a strong base and a good understanding of hacking/penetration testing, so you'll be able to combine the techniques shown and tailor them to suit different scenarios.