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Ethical Hacking & Cyber Security for Dummies

Ethical Hacking & Cyber Security: Concepts and Tools


Course Title: Ethical Hacking & Cyber Security for Dummies

Target Audience: Beginners to intermediate learners interested in understanding ethical hacking and cyber security principles, tools, and practices.


Module 1: Introduction to Cyber Security

Session 1: What is Cyber Security?

  • Objective: Understand the importance and fundamental concepts of Cyber Security.

  • Concepts:

    • Cyber Security: The practice of protecting systems, networks, and programs from digital attacks, damage, or unauthorized access.

    • Key Principles of Cyber Security: Confidentiality, Integrity, Availability (CIA Triad).

    • Types of Cyber Threats: Malware, Phishing, Denial of Service (DoS), Insider Threats, Advanced Persistent Threats (APT).

  • Tools:

    • Firewall: A network security system that monitors and controls incoming and outgoing network traffic.

    • Antivirus: Software designed to detect and destroy computer viruses.

Session 2: Types of Cyber Attacks

  • Objective: Learn the various types of cyber threats and attacks.

  • Concepts:

    • Phishing: Attempt to acquire sensitive information by pretending to be a trustworthy entity.

    • Malware: Malicious software designed to damage or exploit systems, including viruses, worms, and Trojans.

    • Denial of Service (DoS): Attacks aimed at overwhelming and shutting down a system or network.

    • Man-in-the-Middle (MitM): Attacks where an attacker intercepts and potentially alters communication between two parties.

  • Tools:

    • Wireshark: A network protocol analyzer used for capturing and analyzing network packets.

    • Snort: An open-source intrusion detection system (IDS) for network monitoring.


Module 2: Introduction to Ethical Hacking

Session 3: What is Ethical Hacking?

  • Objective: Understand the role of ethical hackers in protecting systems and networks.

  • Concepts:

    • Ethical Hacking: The process of legally and ethically hacking into systems to identify vulnerabilities and weaknesses.

    • Difference between Ethical Hacking and Black Hat Hacking: Ethical hackers work with organizations to improve security, while black hat hackers exploit vulnerabilities for malicious purposes.

    • Phases of Ethical Hacking: Reconnaissance (footprinting), Scanning, Gaining Access, Maintaining Access, and Clearing Tracks.

  • Tools:

    • Kali Linux: A Linux distribution packed with security tools for penetration testing.

    • Metasploit: A framework for developing and executing exploit code against a remote target machine.

Session 4: Key Concepts in Ethical Hacking

  • Objective: Explore core ethical hacking concepts.

  • Concepts:

    • Penetration Testing (Pen Test): The simulated attack on a system to find vulnerabilities.

    • Reconnaissance: Gathering information about the target, both active (scanning) and passive (research).

    • Exploit: Taking advantage of vulnerabilities to gain unauthorized access.

    • Post-Exploitation: Maintaining access to a compromised system and covering tracks.

  • Tools:

    • Burp Suite: A web vulnerability scanner used for testing web applications.

    • Nmap: A network scanning tool to discover hosts and services on a computer network.


Module 3: Cyber Security Fundamentals

Session 5: Network Security

  • Objective: Learn about securing networks from potential threats.

  • Concepts:

    • Firewalls: Protecting networks from unauthorized access.

    • Intrusion Detection and Prevention Systems (IDPS): Detect and block intrusions in a network.

    • VPN (Virtual Private Network): Secures a user’s internet connection by creating a private, encrypted tunnel over the public internet.

    • Segmentation: Dividing a network into smaller parts to limit damage if a breach occurs.

  • Tools:

    • Wireshark: For analyzing network traffic.

    • pfSense: A firewall and router distribution for securing networks.

Session 6: Cryptography and Data Protection

  • Objective: Understand the principles of cryptography and protecting data.

  • Concepts:

    • Encryption: The process of converting data into an unreadable format to protect its confidentiality (e.g., AES, RSA).

    • Digital Signatures: Used for validating the authenticity of data and its sender.

    • Hashing: A technique used to map data of arbitrary size to fixed-size values (e.g., MD5, SHA-256).

  • Tools:

    • OpenSSL: A toolkit for implementing cryptographic protocols.

    • Hashcat: A password recovery tool used to crack hashed passwords.


Module 4: Tools Used in Ethical Hacking

Session 7: Popular Hacking Tools and Techniques

  • Objective: Explore the primary tools and techniques used by ethical hackers.

  • Concepts:

    • Reconnaissance Tools: Used to gather information about the target before launching an attack.

    • Exploitation Tools: Tools to exploit vulnerabilities found in the reconnaissance phase.

    • Post-Exploitation Tools: Tools used to maintain access to a system after a successful attack.

  • Tools:

    • Nmap: Network mapping and scanning tool.

    • Hydra: A password cracking tool that supports many protocols.

    • Nikto: A web server scanner for finding vulnerabilities in web applications.

    • Aircrack-ng: A tool used for breaking WEP and WPA-PSK encryption on Wi-Fi networks.

Session 8: Vulnerability Assessment Tools

  • Objective: Learn how to assess the security posture of a system.

  • Concepts:

    • Vulnerability Scanners: Automated tools that scan systems for known vulnerabilities.

    • Risk Assessment: Evaluating the potential risks associated with vulnerabilities and their exploitation.

  • Tools:

    • Nessus: A comprehensive vulnerability scanning tool.

    • OpenVAS: An open-source vulnerability scanner for network assessment.

    • Qualys: A cloud-based vulnerability management platform.


Module 5: Advanced Ethical Hacking Techniques

Session 9: Web Application Security

  • Objective: Dive into securing web applications and identifying common web vulnerabilities.

  • Concepts:

    • OWASP Top 10: A list of the most critical web application security risks (e.g., SQL injection, Cross-Site Scripting (XSS), Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF)).

    • SQL Injection: An attack that allows attackers to execute arbitrary SQL code on a web database.

    • Cross-Site Scripting (XSS): Attackers inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by users.

  • Tools:

    • OWASP ZAP: A penetration testing tool for web application security.

    • Burp Suite: An integrated platform for testing web application security.

Session 10: Wireless Network Security

  • Objective: Learn to secure wireless networks and identify potential vulnerabilities.

  • Concepts:

    • WEP, WPA, WPA2: Wireless encryption protocols, and the vulnerabilities they may have.

    • WPA Cracking: Techniques to break weak wireless encryption using brute force or dictionary attacks.

  • Tools:

    • Aircrack-ng: Used for cracking Wi-Fi encryption keys.

    • Kismet: A wireless network detector, sniffer, and intrusion detection system.


Module 6: Cyber Security Best Practices and Career Pathways

Session 11: Cyber Security Best Practices

  • Objective: Understand and implement best practices for enhancing cyber security.

  • Concepts:

    • Regular Updates and Patching: Keep software up-to-date to fix vulnerabilities.

    • Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Adds an additional layer of security.

    • Secure Coding Practices: Writing secure code to prevent common vulnerabilities.

    • Incident Response: Having a plan in place for responding to cyber incidents.

  • Tools:

    • Splunk: A security information and event management (SIEM) tool used to monitor, search, and analyze security events.

    • Wireshark: For continuous network monitoring and threat detection.

Session 12: Career Pathways in Cyber Security

  • Objective: Explore career options and certifications in the cyber security field.

  • Certifications:

    • Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH): A certification demonstrating knowledge of ethical hacking and penetration testing.

    • Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP): A certification for experienced professionals in information security.

    • CompTIA Security+: A foundational certification for cybersecurity professionals.

  • Tools:

    • TryHackMe: An online platform offering hands-on cyber security challenges and learning paths.

    • Hack The Box: A platform where users can practice ethical hacking in a controlled environment.


Course Summary

This course provides a comprehensive overview of ethical hacking and cyber security, from understanding the basics of network security to applying advanced techniques. By the end of the course, you will have a strong grasp of key concepts, tools, and practical skills used by ethical hackers to protect systems and networks from cyber threats.

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