What I’ve Used 02/2020

I started this book before finishing the class I took for Cyber Attack and Defense in which in pairs we had to work through penetration testing methodology on a machine chosen from Vulnhub. I just finished it a few days ago, not because it is in any way dense or hard to follow, but because of time management.
Regardless of my shortcomings, this book is exactly as the cover states: The basics.
This book is highly recommended a beginner guide for anyone who is new to hacking or penetration testing. The penetration testing methodology that I spoke of in a recent post is clearly laid out in this book and chapter by chapter Engebretson, walks-through these steps and explains the tools to use and the basic ways in which to use them. There are also chapters that delve into Web Application Hacking and a brief touch on Social Engineering with SET (Social Engineering Toolkit) which were very informative.
I found myself highlighting throughout this book to come back to quickly for my next CTF. It’s a good start into learning these tasks and is excellent in that it sticks with emphasizing a structured approach to penetration testing and hacking. It wouldn’t be good for people who have been doing these tasks for any length of time, but for the intended audience it is definitely worthwhile.

5/5