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A smarter way to learn with interactive, real-time conversations that help you test your knowledge, challenge assumptions, and deepen your understanding as you progress through the course.

In this course, you'll explore the world of ethical hacking and cybersecurity through practical, hands-on lessons. You'll gain the skills needed to understand and address various cyber threats, including malware, ransomware, phishing, and network vulnerabilities. By the end, you'll have a strong foundation in the tools and techniques used by security professionals.

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A smarter way to learn with interactive, real-time conversations that help you test your knowledge, challenge assumptions, and deepen your understanding as you progress through the course.

In this course, you'll explore the world of ethical hacking and cybersecurity through practical, hands-on lessons. You'll gain the skills needed to understand and address various cyber threats, including malware, ransomware, phishing, and network vulnerabilities. By the end, you'll have a strong foundation in the tools and techniques used by security professionals.

The course begins with a thorough introduction to the core principles of cybersecurity. You'll learn about essential concepts like the CIA and DAD triads, key vulnerabilities, and how to protect systems from common threats. From there, you’ll move into practical topics such as network security, the installation and use of Kali Linux, and common hacking tools.

As you progress, you’ll delve into specialized areas, such as phishing attacks, password cracking, and SQL injection. Each lesson is carefully crafted to build on the previous one, ensuring you understand the theory and gain hands-on experience with industry-standard tools like NMAP, Burp Suite, and Maltego.

This course is ideal for beginners looking to break into the field of cybersecurity. No prior experience is necessary, though an understanding of basic computer operations will be helpful. The content is designed to provide a comprehensive overview of hacking techniques and defensive measures, setting you up for success in real-world security challenges.

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What's inside

Syllabus

Introduction to the Course
In this module, we will introduce the fundamentals of cybersecurity and explore why it is a critical field today. We will discuss cybersecurity as a career path, the risks associated with poor security practices, and set the stage for the skills you will develop throughout the course.
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Learners who complete Practical Cyber Hacking Skills for Beginners will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Reading list

We've selected 50 books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Practical Cyber Hacking Skills for Beginners.
This official guide from the Nmap project provides a comprehensive overview of Nmap, covering its features, usage, and best practices for network discovery and security auditing.
Provides a comprehensive overview of cybersecurity, covering the threats, risks, and challenges facing governments and businesses. It is written by two former Secretaries of Homeland Security and provides insights from their experience in leading the nation's cybersecurity efforts.
Comprehensive guide covering the entire incident response lifecycle, from preparation to analysis and remediation. It's a foundational text, offering insights into creating incident response plans and handling various incident types. The inclusion of real-world case studies makes it highly practical for understanding incident handling and resolution. It is considered a classic in the field and is often recommended for those seeking a broad understanding.
A comprehensive guide to ethical hacking, covering advanced techniques and methodologies used by professional penetration testers.
A comprehensive textbook on computer security, covering fundamental concepts, cryptography, and ethical hacking.
Dives into advanced penetration testing techniques, including password cracking, and provides real-world case studies, making it a valuable resource for experienced security professionals.
A practical guide to implementing security best practices, covering a wide range of topics from network security to incident response.
Provides a practical guide to cybersecurity for businesses. It covers a wide range of topics, including risk assessment, threat intelligence, and incident response. It is written by a cybersecurity expert with over 15 years of experience.
By Kevin Mitnick, a former hacker and convicted felon, provides a comprehensive overview of social engineering techniques and how to protect against them.
A comprehensive guide to penetration testing, with a focus on practical techniques and real-world scenarios.
A more in-depth exploration than 'Network Security Essentials,' this book delves into the theory and practice of cryptography and network security. It covers a wide range of topics, from encryption algorithms to network security applications. comprehensive resource often used as a textbook for undergraduate and graduate-level courses.
Known as the 'Blue Team Bible,' this handbook offers tactical advice and procedures for incident response. It covers various frameworks, detailed detection and analysis steps, and recovery processes. Its concise format makes it a valuable quick reference during actual incidents, helping analysts respond swiftly and effectively.
A practical guide to advanced penetration testing techniques and methodologies using Kali Linux, covering topics from web application testing to social engineering. Suitable for experienced security professionals looking to enhance their penetration testing skills.
Practical guide to building and operating a network security monitoring (NSM) capability. It covers data collection, detection techniques, and analysis. It's an essential resource for security analysts and anyone responsible for monitoring network traffic for malicious activity.
Delves into theoretical concepts alongside attacker motivations and techniques. It provides information on preparation and action during a security incident. Topics covered include memory analysis, disk analysis, and log collection and analysis, offering a deeper dive into practical incident response methodologies.
Emphasizes the importance of integrating threat intelligence into incident response to better understand and outwit adversaries. It discusses the F3EAD (Find, Fix, Finish, Exploit, Analyze, and Disseminate) model and highlights how CTI drives better IR outcomes.
Focuses on integrating threat intelligence and threat hunting into the incident response cycle. It covers developing incident response capabilities, plans, and playbooks, and aligning them with business continuity. It's a valuable resource for understanding how intelligence can drive more effective incident response.
Offers a practical introduction to penetration testing and ethical hacking. It guides readers through the process of identifying and exploiting vulnerabilities in networks and systems. It hands-on guide suitable for those interested in offensive security and understanding how attackers operate.
Based on real bug bounty reports, this book offers practical insights into finding vulnerabilities in web applications. It's a valuable resource for aspiring bug bounty hunters and those interested in learning about common web security flaws through real-world examples.
A practical guide to ethical hacking, focusing on the tools and techniques used by white hat hackers.
This handbook starts with a broad overview of vulnerability assessment and penetration testing. It then dives into specific vulnerability detection and assessment techniques and steps, such as scanning, enumeration, vulnerability exploitation, and post exploitation. can serve as a good foundational book for understanding vulnerability assessment and penetration testing.
By Richard Ford examines the human factor in information security and how social engineering attacks can exploit vulnerabilities in human behavior.
Provides a deep understanding of memory forensics, a specialized but critical area in incident response for detecting and analyzing malware and threats. It covers fundamentals and offers hands-on guidance across multiple operating systems.
Given that malware common element in cyber intrusions, understanding malware analysis is vital for incident responders. teaches readers how to create secure analysis environments and utilize key analysis tools with practical examples and real-world malware dissections.
Aimed at beginners, this book provides a detailed introduction to digital forensics and incident response, covering core concepts and principles. It guides readers through setting up a lab, exploring operating systems and storage, and using tools like FTK Imager and Volatility. It incorporates industry frameworks like NIST, SANS, and MITRE ATT&CK.
Provides a practical introduction to modern encryption, focusing on the algorithms and techniques used in real-world applications. It strikes a balance between theoretical concepts and practical implementation, making it suitable for students and practitioners interested in the cryptographic foundations of network security.
Covers advanced Python techniques used in penetration testing, including network programming, web scraping, and data analysis. is suitable for intermediate and advanced users looking to enhance their Python skills for security testing.
Covers the usage of Metasploit, a powerful framework for penetration testing and vulnerability assessment. is suitable for intermediate and advanced users looking to enhance their Metasploit skills.
By CERT provides a comprehensive guide to system and network security practices, including vulnerability assessment. It good book for learning about vulnerability assessment from a security best practices perspective.
By NIST provides a guide to computer security incident handling, including vulnerability assessment and incident response. It good book for learning about vulnerability assessment from an incident response perspective.
Focuses on the essential tasks and responsibilities of a blue team, which are central to incident response. It equips professionals with tools, techniques, and strategies for defending against cyberattacks, covering various tools used by blue teams, such as SIEM platforms and EDR tools.
Although not specifically about social engineering, this book by Robert Cialdini explores the principles of persuasion and how they can be applied to influence behavior.
Is specifically aimed at SOC analysts and focuses on investigating various threats and attacker techniques using security logs. It provides practical guidance for a key aspect of incident response: the initial investigation and analysis of security events.
While focused on the SOC analyst role, this book is highly relevant to incident response as SOC analysts are often the first responders. It covers core responsibilities, challenges, and methodologies for detecting and responding to cyber threats, providing a strong foundation for those entering the field.
Understanding the Security Operations Center (SOC) is crucial for effective incident response. provides guidance on establishing and managing a SOC, which is the central hub for detecting and responding to security incidents. While not solely focused on IR, it provides essential context for the environment in which most IR takes place.
Focuses on network security assessments including vulnerability assessment of networks and network devices, such as routers and switches. It provides a good understanding of network security and how to find and exploit security flaws in networks.
Provides a guide to using open source tools for penetration testing, including vulnerability assessment tools. It good book for learning about open source tools for vulnerability assessment.
Although not about social engineering, this book by Simon Baron-Cohen provides insights into manipulative behavior that can be relevant to understanding social engineering techniques.
Considered a classic in the field, this book provides a detailed look at cryptographic protocols and algorithms. While some of the algorithms may be dated, the principles and many of the protocols remain relevant. It valuable reference for understanding the underlying cryptographic concepts used in network security.
Focuses on the management aspect of incident response and forensics teams. It provides a handbook for security professionals on conducting successful investigations from a team management perspective, covering policies and procedures. This is particularly relevant for those in leadership or management roles within an IR team.
Provides a comprehensive overview of computer security. It covers a wide range of topics, from basic security principles to advanced topics such as cryptography and network security. It is written by a renowned cybersecurity expert with over 40 years of experience.
Covers the fundamentals of Nmap and its advanced features, including script writing, vulnerability scanning, and network forensics.

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