Professional Penetration Testing: Creating and Operating a Formal Hacking Lab

An invaluable book and DVD package, "Professional Penetration Testing: Creating and Operating a Formal Hacking Lab" is designed to replicate the experience of in-classroom, instructor-led, penetration testing training, which costs the typical security professional (or their employer) $1,000 or more for the courses alone, plus T&E, and days upon days of non-billable hours. Expert author Thomas Wilhelm has delivered exactly this type of penetration testing training to countless security professionals and, for the first time, provides his years of experience, training, expertise, labs, and real-world vulnerability scenarios in a single book/DVD retail product. Penetration testing is the act of testing one's own network (or that of a client) to find security vulnerabilities before these exact same holes are found and more importantly exploited by phishers, digital piracy groups, and almost countless other organized or individual malicious hackers. Addressing the profession holistically and practically, the material presented in this book targets all levels of hacking skills, benefiting both management and engineers in the trenches. This book bridges the gap between theoretical and hands-on knowledge of professional hacking techniques, targeting information systems and networks. It includes everything required to establish a secure hacking lab, learn methodologies, conduct attacks, and use real-world examples of vulnerable and exploitable servers. This unique book and DVD package delivers for the first time the art and science of penetration testing in a retail product. Its focus on establishing a formal penetration testing laboratory bridges the gap between a talented hacker and a professional who can turn those skills into an actual career. Integration of project management workflow in penetration testing gives security managers the knowledge and skillset necessary for running a formal penetration tests and setting up a professional ethical hacking business. Details on metrics and reporting provide experience crucial to a professional penetration tester with actual clients, an area in which many amateur hackers have no knowledge or other means for learning. The DVD includes instructional videos to replicate classroom instruction and live, real-world vulnerability simulations of complete servers with known and unknown vulnerabilities to practice hacking skills in a controlled lab environment.

About the Author :
Thomas Wilhelm has been in involved in Information Security since 1990, when he served in the Army for eight years as a Signals Intelligence Analyst, Russian Linguist, and Cryptanalyst. A speaker at security conferences across the U.S., he is employed by a Fortune 500 company to conduct Risk Assessments, participate and lead in external and internal Penetration Testing efforts, and manage Information Systems Security projects. Wilhelm is also a doctoral student, holding a Masters degree in both Computer Science and Management, and has obtained the following certifications: ISSMP CISSP SCSECA SCNA SCSA IAM. Wilhelm dedicates some of his time as an Adjunct Professor at Colorado Technical University and contributes to multiple publications in his spare time, including Hakin9 magazine. His latest contributions include multiple chapters in the Syngress title Netcat Power Tools, his third book contribution to Syngress.

Review :
""Wilhelm has created the ultimate handbook for becoming a pen tester. This is going to help launch many a career."" - Richard Stiennon, Chief Research Analyst, IT-Harvest """Professional Penetration Testing "covers everything from ethical concerns, to advance concepts, to setting up your own custom laboratory. It is the most comprehensive and authoritative guide at penetration testing that I have seen. Tom Wilhelm is a true expert in the field who not only is in the trenches on a daily basis, but also takes the time to instruct others on the ways and means of pen testing."" Frank Thornton, Owner, Blackthorn Systems