📚 Course Syllabus

Ethical Hacking Syllabus

Complete 12-week course outline for Ethical Hacking & Penetration Testing — from beginner to advanced.

📅 Duration

12-16 Weeks

📚 Course Title

Ethical Hacking & Penetration Testing

📋 Prerequisites

Networking · OS · Python/Bash

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Module 1: Introduction to Ethical Hacking

Understanding Ethical Hacking vs. Malicious Hacking
Roles of an Ethical Hacker
Legal and Ethical Aspects (Laws, Certifications, Compliance)
Penetration Testing Methodologies (OSSTMM, PTES, NIST)
Setting Up a Hacking Lab (Virtual Machines, Kali Linux, Metasploit)

Module 2: Footprinting & Reconnaissance

Passive vs. Active Reconnaissance
Gathering Information Using: Google Dorking, WHOIS, DNS Lookup, Reverse IP Lookup
Social Engineering & OSINT Tools (Maltego, theHarvester)
Network Scanning Techniques (Nmap, Masscan)

Module 3: Scanning & Enumeration

Network Scanning Techniques (Ping Sweeps, Port Scanning)
Vulnerability Scanning (Nessus, OpenVAS)
Enumeration (NetBIOS, SNMP, LDAP, SMB)
Banner Grabbing & Service Fingerprinting
Dirb — Web Content Scanner Tool

Module 4: System Hacking & Exploitation

Password Cracking (John the Ripper, Hashcat, Hydra)
Privilege Escalation (Windows & Linux)
Exploiting Vulnerabilities (Metasploit Framework)
Maintaining Access (Backdoors, Rootkits, Trojans)
Covering Tracks (Log Tampering, File Deletion)

Module 5: Malware Threats & Analysis

Types of Malware (Viruses, Worms, Trojans, Ransomware)
Analyzing Malware (Static & Dynamic Analysis)
Reverse Engineering Basics (Ghidra, IDA Pro)
Antivirus Evasion Techniques

Module 6: Sniffing & Session Hijacking

Packet Sniffing (Wireshark, Tcpdump)
MITM Attacks (ARP Spoofing, DNS Spoofing)
Session Hijacking (Cookie Stealing, TCP Hijacking)
SSL Stripping & HSTS Bypass

Module 7: Web Application Hacking

OWASP Top 10 Vulnerabilities
- SQL Injection (SQLi)
- Cross-Site Scripting (XSS)
- Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF)
- Broken Authentication
- Security Misconfigurations
Web App Testing Tools (Burp Suite, OWASP ZAP)
API Security Testing

Module 8: Wireless Network Hacking

Wi-Fi Encryption (WEP, WPA, WPA2, WPA3)
Cracking Wi-Fi Passwords (Aircrack-ng, Wifite)
Rogue Access Points & Evil Twin Attacks
Bluetooth Hacking (BlueBorne, BLE Exploits)

Module 9: Social Engineering & Phishing

Psychological Manipulation Techniques
Phishing Attacks (Email, SMS, Voice Phishing)
Creating Fake Login Pages (SEToolkit, GoPhish)
Defending Against Social Engineering

Module 10: Cloud Security & IoT Hacking

Cloud Security Risks (AWS, Azure, GCP)
Container & Kubernetes Security
IoT Device Exploitation (Firmware Analysis, Default Credentials)

Module 11: Post-Exploitation & Reporting

Data Exfiltration Techniques
Pivoting & Lateral Movement
Writing Professional Penetration Test Reports
Mitigation & Remediation Strategies

Module 12: Capture The Flag (CTF) & Hands-On Labs

Practical Challenges (Vulnhub, Hack The Box, TryHackMe)
Real-World Scenario Simulations
Final Project: Full-Scope Penetration Test

* You can check out Here for Ethical Hacking Programming Language *

Certification & Career Guidance

Recommended Certifications

CEH — Certified Ethical Hacker
OSCP — Offensive Security Certified Professional
eJPT — eLearnSecurity Junior Penetration Tester
PNPT — Practical Network Penetration Tester

Career Paths

Pen Tester — Find and exploit vulnerabilities
Security Analyst — Monitor and defend systems
Red Teamer — Simulate advanced attacks

Assessment & Grading

📝 Weekly Labs & Challenges 40%

📖 Mid-Term Exam (Theory + Practical) 20%

🏁 Final CTF Challenge 20%

📄 Report Writing & Documentation 20%

Recommended Tools

🐧 Kali Linux 💥 Metasploit 🌐 Burp Suite 🔍 Nmap 📡 Wireshark 🔑 John the Ripper ⚡ Hashcat 📶 Aircrack-ng 🔧 Ghidra

This syllabus provides a structured approach to learning ethical hacking, balancing theory with hands-on practice.

Would you like any modifications based on specific certifications or focus areas?