Complete beginner to entry-level ethical hacker in 17 stages. No shortcuts, no time caps — just mastery-focused, hands-on penetration testing education built for people who want to do this professionally.
What You'll Learn
Curriculum — 17 Stages
No time caps. Each stage is complete before you advance. Deliverables verify mastery.
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00▾Course Overview & FoundationsOrientation, lab setup, prerequisites, methodology introduction
Set up your lab environment, understand the course structure, and get oriented on ethical hacking as a profession. By the end, you'll have a working Kali + Metasploitable lab and a clear picture of the road ahead.
Lab setupKali + MetasploitableCareer pathsCourse structureDocumentation standards -
01▾Ethical Hacking FundamentalsLegal framework, methodologies, and professional conduct
The CFAA, international law, bug bounty rules, penetration test types, and what separates ethical from criminal. You'll build your first Rules of Engagement template and personal methodology guide.
CFAABlack/white/gray boxPTESOWASPNISTRules of engagementBug bounty -
02▾Networking for Penetration TestersOSI, TCP/IP, protocols, and packet-level understanding
Deep networking from a hacker's perspective. Every protocol you'll target in later stages gets covered here at the packet level. If you can't see the network, you can't attack the network.
OSI modelTCP/IPSubnettingDNSHTTP/HTTPSSMBWireshark -
03▾Reconnaissance & Information GatheringOSINT, passive recon, and target profiling
The most underrated phase of a pentest. Master OSINT techniques, passive information gathering, and building a complete target profile before you touch a single system.
OSINTGoogle dorkingtheHarvesterShodanDNS reconMaltegoLinkedIn OSINT -
04▾Scanning & EnumerationNmap, service enumeration, and attack surface mapping
Map the attack surface completely before attempting exploitation. Learn every Nmap scan type, enumerate services, users, and shares, and document everything with professional precision.
NmapPort scanningService enumerationSMB enumerationSNMPLDAPBanner grabbing -
05▾Vulnerability AnalysisFinding and classifying weaknesses before exploitation
Automated scanners find issues. Skilled practitioners understand them. Learn vulnerability assessment methodology, CVE research, CVSS scoring, and how to distinguish a critical finding from a false positive.
NessusOpenVASCVE/CVSSNVDExploit-DBRisk prioritization -
06▾System HackingPassword attacks, exploitation, and privilege escalation
Initial access against systems. Password cracking, hash attacks, Metasploit exploitation, and privilege escalation on both Linux and Windows — all in your authorized lab environment.
Password crackingHashcatJohn the RipperMetasploitLinux privescWindows privesc -
07▾Web Application SecurityOWASP Top 10, Burp Suite, and web exploitation
Web apps are the most common attack surface in modern engagements. Master Burp Suite, cover every OWASP Top 10 vulnerability hands-on, and practice on intentionally vulnerable targets like DVWA and WebGoat.
OWASP Top 10SQL injectionXSSIDORBurp SuiteDVWAWebGoat -
08▾Exploitation FundamentalsBuffer overflows, shellcode, and custom exploits
Go deeper than script-based exploitation. Understand the mechanics of buffer overflows, how shellcode works, and how to modify and adapt public exploits for your specific targets.
Buffer overflowsStack exploitationShellcodemsfvenomExploit adaptationDebugging basics -
09▾Post-ExploitationPersistence, pivoting, lateral movement, and exfiltration
What a real attacker does after they're in. Maintain access, move through the network, harvest credentials, and document everything for your final report.
MeterpreterPersistence mechanismsCredential harvestingPivotingTunnelingData exfiltration -
10▾Professional Practice & ReportingWriting pentest reports that actually get read
The skill that separates hired professionals from skilled hobbyists. Learn to write executive summaries, technical findings, and risk-based remediation guidance — then build your portfolio and prepare for job applications.
Report structureExecutive summariesFinding write-upsCVSS scoringPortfolioCareer prep -
11▾Wireless HackingWPA2 cracking, rogue APs, and wireless attack methods
Wireless networks remain a huge attack surface in real engagements. Learn WPA2 cracking with aircrack-ng, evil twin attacks, deauth attacks, and how to assess wireless security professionally.
WPA2 crackingaircrack-ngEvil twinDeauth attacksWPS attacksWireless assessment -
12▾Mobile & IoT SecurityAndroid/iOS vulnerabilities, IoT attack surface
Mobile apps and IoT devices are on every network you'll assess. Learn Android app testing, certificate pinning bypass, IoT firmware analysis, and the tools the industry uses for mobile security assessments.
Android testingAPK analysisMobSFFridaIoT firmwareOWASP Mobile Top 10 -
13▾Cloud SecurityAWS/Azure misconfigurations and cloud attack paths
Almost every modern organization runs in the cloud. Learn to identify misconfigured S3 buckets, IAM privilege escalation, cloud metadata attacks, and how to conduct authorized cloud security assessments.
AWS misconfigsS3 bucket testingIAM privescMetadata attacksScoutSuitePacu -
14▾CryptographyHow encryption works and where it fails
You can't attack what you don't understand. Learn symmetric and asymmetric encryption, hashing, PKI, common cryptographic failures, and how to identify and exploit weak cipher implementations.
AES/RSAHashing algorithmsPKI & certificatesSSL/TLS testingCrypto failuresRainbow tables -
15▾Malware & Attack VectorsMalware types, analysis basics, and delivery methods
Understand the tools attackers use — trojans, RATs, keyloggers, ransomware — and how they're delivered. Learn static and basic dynamic analysis to understand what malware actually does.
Malware typesTrojans & RATsStatic analysisDynamic analysisSandbox analysisPayload delivery -
16▾Social EngineeringPhishing, pretexting, and the human attack surface
The most effective attacks target people, not systems. Learn phishing campaign design, vishing, pretexting, physical security testing basics, and how to include social engineering in a professional engagement scope.
Phishing campaignsGoPhishVishingPretextingPhysical securitySET (Social-Engineer Toolkit)
Who This Course Is For
Prerequisites
- ✓ Basic computer and internet literacy
- ✓ A machine capable of running VMs (recommended: 16GB RAM, SSD)
- ✓ Commitment to completing every stage — no skipping
- Recommended but not required: complete Kali Linux Zero to Job Ready first for deeper Linux foundation
Go from zero to ethical hacker.
17 stages, no shortcuts. Founding Members get full access for $9/month — locked forever.
Become a Founding Member — $9/mo →Price locked forever. Cancel anytime. Secure checkout by Lemon Squeezy.