Information Gathering and Vulnerability Scanning for CompTIA Pentest+ from Pluralsight

Reconnaissance is one of the most important phases in a penetration testing engagement. This course will teach you how to perform information gathering and vulnerability scanning needed for the CompTIA Pentest+ certification.

With the pentest plan and scope defined, your next step it to gather information about your target as well as perform vulnerability scans to understand the potential attack vectors that can be exploited. In this course, Information Gathering and Vulnerability Scanning for CompTIA Pentest+, you’ll learn how to gather personal and technical information about your target that will be later used during the exploitation phase. First, you’ll explore how to gather technical information about your target. Next, you’ll discover how to harvest information about the employees of a company. Finally, you’ll learn how to perform vulnerability scans to identify potential vulnerabilities. When you’re finished with this course, you’ll have the skills and knowledge of Information Gathering and Vulnerability Scanning needed for the CompTIA Pentest+ Certification (PT0-002).

What's inside

Syllabus

Course Overview

Technical Information Gathering

People Information Gathering

Performing Vulnerability Scans

Domain Summary

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Taught by Ricardo Reimao, who are recognized for their work in Pentest+

Examines information gathering, which is highly relevant for Pentest+

Examines vulnerability scanning, which is highly relevant for Pentest+

Develops the skills and knowledge of Information Gathering and Vulnerability Scanning needed for the CompTIA Pentest+ Certification (PT0-002)

This course explicitly requires that this course be taken in serial with others as part of a series

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Information Gathering and Vulnerability Scanning for CompTIA Pentest+ with these activities:

Read 'The Art of Reconnaissance'

Show steps

Gain in-depth knowledge and insights into reconnaissance techniques from a leading expert in the field.

View The Art of Deception: Controlling the Human... on Amazon

Show steps

Read the book thoroughly.
Take notes and highlight important concepts.
Discuss the book with a mentor or fellow student.

Review Reconnaissance Overview

Show steps

Reinforce your understanding of basic reconnaissance concepts to prepare for the technical sections of the course.

Browse courses on Technical Information Gathering

Show steps

Read the syllabus.
Review your notes from previous courses.
Take a practice quiz on reconnaissance fundamentals.

Study Group on Reconnaissance Techniques

Show steps

Deepen your understanding of reconnaissance techniques by engaging in discussions and sharing knowledge with fellow students.

Browse courses on Reconnaissance

Show steps

Form a study group with other students taking the course.
Meet regularly to discuss course materials and practice reconnaissance techniques.
Collaborate on projects and provide peer feedback.

Five other activities

Expand to see all activities and additional details

Show all eight activities

Practice with nmap and netcat

Show steps

Gain hands-on experience with essential reconnaissance tools to enhance your understanding of the course materials.

Browse courses on Nmap

Show steps

Find a tutorial on using nmap and netcat.
Follow the tutorial and practice using the tools.
Use the tools to scan your own network.

Contribute to Open Source Intelligence Projects

Show steps

Enhance your reconnaissance skills and contribute to the cybersecurity community by participating in open-source intelligence projects.

Browse courses on Open Source Intelligence

Show steps

Identify open-source intelligence projects related to reconnaissance.
Join the project and contribute in areas such as data collection and analysis.
Collaborate with other contributors and share your knowledge.

Identify Vulnerabilities with Nessus

Show steps

Strengthen your vulnerability scanning skills through practical exercises to improve your ability to identify potential risks.

Browse courses on Vulnerability Scanning

Show steps

Download and install Nessus.
Configure Nessus and run a scan.
Interpret the scan results and identify potential vulnerabilities.

Build a Reconnaissance Toolkit

Show steps

Create a customized toolkit tailored to your reconnaissance needs to enhance your efficiency during penetration testing engagements.

Show steps

Research and identify essential reconnaissance tools.
Configure and integrate the tools into a single platform.
Test and refine your toolkit.

Develop a Reconnaissance Plan

Show steps

Synthesize your knowledge gained throughout the course by creating a comprehensive plan that outlines your approach to reconnaissance.

Browse courses on Reconnaissance

Show steps

Define the scope and objectives of your reconnaissance mission.
Identify and prioritize potential targets.
Develop a strategy for gathering information and assessing vulnerabilities.
Create a report that outlines your plan and findings.

Career center

Learners who complete Information Gathering and Vulnerability Scanning for CompTIA Pentest+ will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

IT Auditor

An IT Auditor reviews an organization's IT systems and processes to ensure that they are secure and compliant with regulations. This course may help build a foundation for this role by teaching you how to gather personal and technical information about your target, and perform vulnerability scans to identify potential vulnerabilities.

See salaries and explore the career path for IT Auditor

Information Security Analyst

An Information Security Analyst implements and maintains measures to identify, prevent, and defend against cybersecurity threats to computer systems, networks, programs, and data. This course may help build a foundation for this role by teaching you how to gather personal and technical information about your target, and perform vulnerability scans to identify potential vulnerabilities.

See salaries and explore the career path for Information Security Analyst

Security Analyst

A Security Analyst monitors and analyzes security data to detect and respond to threats, vulnerabilities, and incidents. This course may help build a foundation for this role by teaching you how to gather personal and technical information about your target, and perform vulnerability scans to identify potential vulnerabilities.

See salaries and explore the career path for Security Analyst

Incident Responder

An Incident Responder investigates and resolves security incidents, such as data breaches, malware attacks, and unauthorized access. This course may help build a foundation for this role by teaching you how to gather personal and technical information about your target, and perform vulnerability scans to identify potential vulnerabilities.

See salaries and explore the career path for Incident Responder

Cybersecurity Engineer

A Cybersecurity Engineer designs, implements, and maintains cybersecurity systems to protect an organization from unauthorized access or malicious activity. This course may help build a foundation for this role by teaching you how to gather personal and technical information about your target, and perform vulnerability scans to identify potential vulnerabilities.

See salaries and explore the career path for Cybersecurity Engineer

Penetration Tester

A Penetration Tester simulates attacks on a computer system or network to identify vulnerabilities that could be exploited by malicious actors. This course may help build a foundation for this role by teaching you how to gather personal and technical information about your target, and perform vulnerability scans to identify potential vulnerabilities.

See salaries and explore the career path for Penetration Tester

Malware Analyst

A Malware Analyst investigates and analyzes malware to identify how it works, how it spreads, and how to protect against it. This course may help build a foundation for this role by teaching you how to gather personal and technical information about your target, and perform vulnerability scans to identify potential vulnerabilities.

See salaries and explore the career path for Malware Analyst

Chief Information Security Officer (CISO)

A CISO is responsible for developing and implementing an organization's cybersecurity strategy. This course may help build a foundation for this role by teaching you how to gather personal and technical information about your target, and perform vulnerability scans to identify potential vulnerabilities.

See salaries and explore the career path for Chief Information Security Officer (CISO)

Vulnerability Manager

A Vulnerability Manager identifies, assesses, and prioritizes vulnerabilities in an organization's systems and networks. This course may help build a foundation for this role by teaching you how to gather personal and technical information about your target, and perform vulnerability scans to identify potential vulnerabilities.

See salaries and explore the career path for Vulnerability Manager

Ethical Hacker

An Ethical Hacker uses their skills to identify and exploit vulnerabilities in a computer system or network with the permission of the owner. This course may help build a foundation for this role by teaching you how to gather personal and technical information about your target, and perform vulnerability scans to identify potential vulnerabilities.

See salaries and explore the career path for Ethical Hacker

Cybersecurity Manager

A Cybersecurity Manager is responsible for managing an organization's cybersecurity program. This course may help build a foundation for this role by teaching you how to gather personal and technical information about your target, and perform vulnerability scans to identify potential vulnerabilities.

See salaries and explore the career path for Cybersecurity Manager

Threat Intelligence Analyst

A Threat Intelligence Analyst collects and analyzes information about cybersecurity threats to identify and assess the risks to an organization. This course may help build a foundation for this role by teaching you how to gather personal and technical information about your target, and perform vulnerability scans to identify potential vulnerabilities.

See salaries and explore the career path for Threat Intelligence Analyst

Cyber Risk Analyst

A Cyber Risk Analyst assesses the risks to an organization's cybersecurity and develops strategies to mitigate those risks. This course may help build a foundation for this role by teaching you how to gather personal and technical information about your target, and perform vulnerability scans to identify potential vulnerabilities.

See salaries and explore the career path for Cyber Risk Analyst

SOC Analyst

A SOC Analyst monitors and analyzes security data to detect and respond to threats, vulnerabilities, and incidents in a Security Operations Center (SOC). This course may help build a foundation for this role by teaching you how to gather personal and technical information about your target, and perform vulnerability scans to identify potential vulnerabilities.

See salaries and explore the career path for SOC Analyst

Forensic Examiner

A Forensic Examiner investigates and analyzes digital evidence to uncover facts about computer crimes. This course may help build a foundation for this role by teaching you how to gather personal and technical information about your target, and perform vulnerability scans to identify potential vulnerabilities.

See salaries and explore the career path for Forensic Examiner