Professional Penetration Testing: Creating and Learning in a Hacking Lab

Professional Penetration Testing: Creating and Learning in a Hacking Lab, Third Edition walks the reader through the entire process of setting up and running a pen test lab. Penetration testing―the act of testing a computer network to find security vulnerabilities before they are maliciously exploited―is a crucial component of information security in any organization. Chapters cover planning, metrics, and methodologies, the details of running a pen test, including identifying and verifying vulnerabilities, and archiving, reporting and management practices. The material presented will be useful to beginners through advanced practitioners.

Here, author Thomas Wilhelm has delivered penetration testing training to countless security professionals, and now through the pages of this book, the reader can benefit from his years of experience as a professional penetration tester and educator. After reading this book, the reader will be able to create a personal penetration test lab that can deal with real-world vulnerability scenarios. "...this is a detailed and thorough examination of both the technicalities and the business of pen-testing, and an excellent starting point for anyone getting into the field." –Network Security

• Helps users find out how to turn hacking and pen testing skills into a professional career
• Covers how to conduct controlled attacks on a network through real-world examples of vulnerable and exploitable servers
• Presents metrics and reporting methodologies that provide experience crucial to a professional penetration tester
• Includes test lab code that is available on the web

Thomas Wilhelm has been involved in Information Security since 1990, where he served in the U.S. Army for 8 years as a Signals Intelligence Analyst, Russian Linguist, and a Cryptanalyst. His expertise in the field of Information Security has led him to speak at prominent security conferences across the United States, including DefCon, HOPE, and CSI.

Thomas has contributed significantly to the field of professional penetration testing and information security. In his capacity as both a practice director and a managing director, he has played a pivotal role in executing offensive and defensive security initiatives for Fortune 100 companies and leading research and tool development that has influenced the security industry. Presently, he serves as a managing director at Redstone Securities and possesses master’s degrees in both Computer Science and Management.

His influence also extends to education where he formerly held the position of Associate Professor at Colorado Technical University. Thomas has also written various publications, including magazines and books. Through Pentest.TV, he continues to provide advanced security training and has obtained numerous certifications over the years, including the ISSMP, CISSP, CCNP Security, AWS Cloud Solutions Architect, AWS Cloud Security Specialist, and multiple Solaris certifications as well.