Ethical Hacking

  1. The Ethical Hacking Methodology
    1. Phase 1: Reconnaissance and Information Gathering
      1. Passive Information Gathering
        1. Open Source Intelligence
          1. Public Records Research
            1. Corporate Information
              1. Financial Data
                1. Regulatory Filings
                2. Search Engine Intelligence
                  1. Google Dorking Techniques
                    1. Advanced Search Operators
                      1. Cached Content Analysis
                        1. Image and Document Searches
                        2. Social Media Intelligence
                          1. Employee Profiling
                            1. Organizational Structure
                              1. Technology Stack Identification
                                1. Contact Information Harvesting
                                2. Domain and Network Intelligence
                                  1. WHOIS Database Queries
                                    1. DNS Record Analysis
                                      1. Subdomain Enumeration
                                        1. IP Address Range Identification
                                        2. Technical Documentation
                                          1. Job Postings Analysis
                                            1. Technical Forums
                                              1. Code Repositories
                                                1. Configuration Files
                                              2. Active Information Gathering
                                                1. Network Reconnaissance
                                                  1. Port Scanning Techniques
                                                    1. Service Version Detection
                                                      1. Operating System Fingerprinting
                                                        1. Network Topology Mapping
                                                        2. DNS Reconnaissance
                                                          1. Zone Transfer Attempts
                                                            1. DNS Brute Forcing
                                                              1. Reverse DNS Lookups
                                                                1. DNS Cache Snooping
                                                                2. Web Application Reconnaissance
                                                                  1. Directory and File Enumeration
                                                                    1. Technology Stack Identification
                                                                      1. Web Server Fingerprinting
                                                                        1. Application Framework Detection
                                                                    2. Phase 2: Scanning and Enumeration
                                                                      1. Network Discovery
                                                                        1. Host Discovery Techniques
                                                                          1. ICMP Ping Sweeps
                                                                            1. TCP SYN Ping
                                                                              1. UDP Ping
                                                                                1. ARP Ping
                                                                                2. Port Scanning Methods
                                                                                  1. TCP Connect Scan
                                                                                    1. TCP SYN Scan
                                                                                      1. TCP FIN Scan
                                                                                        1. TCP Xmas Scan
                                                                                          1. TCP Null Scan
                                                                                            1. UDP Scan
                                                                                            2. Service and Version Detection
                                                                                              1. Service Probes
                                                                                                1. Version Fingerprinting
                                                                                              2. Vulnerability Assessment
                                                                                                1. Automated Vulnerability Scanning
                                                                                                  1. Scanner Configuration
                                                                                                    1. Scan Policy Development
                                                                                                      1. Authenticated vs Unauthenticated Scans
                                                                                                        1. Scan Result Analysis
                                                                                                        2. Manual Vulnerability Testing
                                                                                                          1. Configuration Review
                                                                                                            1. Security Control Testing
                                                                                                              1. Custom Exploit Development
                                                                                                              2. Vulnerability Prioritization
                                                                                                                1. Risk Scoring Systems
                                                                                                                  1. Business Impact Assessment
                                                                                                                    1. Exploitability Analysis
                                                                                                                  2. Service Enumeration
                                                                                                                    1. SMB and NetBIOS Enumeration
                                                                                                                      1. Share Enumeration
                                                                                                                        1. User and Group Enumeration
                                                                                                                          1. Password Policy Extraction
                                                                                                                          2. SNMP Enumeration
                                                                                                                            1. Community String Testing
                                                                                                                              1. MIB Walking
                                                                                                                                1. Device Information Extraction
                                                                                                                                2. LDAP Enumeration
                                                                                                                                  1. Directory Structure Analysis
                                                                                                                                    1. User Account Enumeration
                                                                                                                                      1. Group Membership Analysis
                                                                                                                                      2. Database Enumeration
                                                                                                                                        1. Database Server Detection
                                                                                                                                          1. Database Name Enumeration
                                                                                                                                            1. Table and Schema Discovery
                                                                                                                                            2. Web Service Enumeration
                                                                                                                                              1. Web Service Discovery
                                                                                                                                                1. WSDL Analysis
                                                                                                                                                  1. API Endpoint Identification
                                                                                                                                              2. Phase 3: Gaining Access and Exploitation
                                                                                                                                                1. System Exploitation
                                                                                                                                                  1. Operating System Exploits
                                                                                                                                                    1. Kernel Exploits
                                                                                                                                                      1. Service Exploits
                                                                                                                                                        1. Buffer Overflow Exploits
                                                                                                                                                          1. Return-Oriented Programming
                                                                                                                                                          2. Application Exploits
                                                                                                                                                            1. Web Application Vulnerabilities
                                                                                                                                                              1. Client-Side Exploits
                                                                                                                                                                1. Database Exploits
                                                                                                                                                                  1. API Exploits
                                                                                                                                                                  2. Network Service Exploits
                                                                                                                                                                    1. Protocol-Specific Attacks
                                                                                                                                                                      1. Service Misconfiguration Exploitation
                                                                                                                                                                        1. Default Credential Exploitation
                                                                                                                                                                      2. Authentication Attacks
                                                                                                                                                                        1. Password Attacks
                                                                                                                                                                          1. Brute Force Attacks
                                                                                                                                                                            1. Dictionary Attacks
                                                                                                                                                                              1. Hybrid Attacks
                                                                                                                                                                                1. Rule-Based Attacks
                                                                                                                                                                                2. Hash Attacks
                                                                                                                                                                                  1. Hash Cracking Techniques
                                                                                                                                                                                    1. Rainbow Table Attacks
                                                                                                                                                                                      1. Pass-the-Hash Attacks
                                                                                                                                                                                      2. Kerberos Attacks
                                                                                                                                                                                        1. Kerberoasting
                                                                                                                                                                                          1. ASREPRoasting
                                                                                                                                                                                            1. Golden Ticket Attacks
                                                                                                                                                                                              1. Silver Ticket Attacks
                                                                                                                                                                                            2. Privilege Escalation
                                                                                                                                                                                              1. Local Privilege Escalation
                                                                                                                                                                                                1. Kernel Exploits
                                                                                                                                                                                                  1. Service Exploits
                                                                                                                                                                                                    1. Scheduled Task Abuse
                                                                                                                                                                                                      1. Registry Manipulation
                                                                                                                                                                                                      2. Domain Privilege Escalation
                                                                                                                                                                                                        1. Active Directory Attacks
                                                                                                                                                                                                          1. Group Policy Abuse
                                                                                                                                                                                                            1. Trust Relationship Exploitation
                                                                                                                                                                                                            2. Post-Exploitation Techniques
                                                                                                                                                                                                              1. Credential Harvesting
                                                                                                                                                                                                                1. Token Impersonation
                                                                                                                                                                                                                  1. Process Injection
                                                                                                                                                                                                              2. Phase 4: Maintaining Access and Persistence
                                                                                                                                                                                                                1. Persistence Mechanisms
                                                                                                                                                                                                                  1. Registry Persistence
                                                                                                                                                                                                                    1. Run Keys
                                                                                                                                                                                                                      1. Service Creation
                                                                                                                                                                                                                        1. WMI Event Subscriptions
                                                                                                                                                                                                                        2. File System Persistence
                                                                                                                                                                                                                          1. Startup Folders
                                                                                                                                                                                                                            1. DLL Hijacking
                                                                                                                                                                                                                              1. Binary Replacement
                                                                                                                                                                                                                              2. Scheduled Task Persistence
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                1. Task Scheduler Abuse
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  1. Cron Job Manipulation
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  2. Network Persistence
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    1. Backdoor Services
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      1. Remote Access Tools
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        1. Covert Channels
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      2. Lateral Movement
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        1. Network Propagation
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          1. Credential Reuse
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            1. Pass-the-Hash Techniques
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              1. Remote Service Exploitation
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              2. Pivoting Techniques
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                1. Port Forwarding
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  1. Tunneling
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    1. Proxy Chains
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    2. Living off the Land
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      1. PowerShell Abuse
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        1. WMI Abuse
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          1. Built-in Tool Exploitation
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      2. Phase 5: Analysis and Reporting
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        1. Evidence Collection
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          1. System Artifacts
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            1. Log Files
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              1. Registry Entries
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                1. File System Changes
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                2. Network Evidence
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  1. Traffic Captures
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    1. Connection Logs
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      1. DNS Queries
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      2. Memory Analysis
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        1. Process Dumps
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          1. Memory Forensics
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            1. Volatile Data Collection
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          2. Impact Assessment
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            1. Data Exposure Analysis
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              1. Sensitive Data Identification
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                1. Data Classification
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  1. Regulatory Impact
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  2. System Compromise Assessment
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    1. Administrative Access
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      1. Service Disruption
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        1. Data Integrity Issues
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        2. Business Impact Analysis
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          1. Financial Impact
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            1. Operational Impact
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              1. Reputational Impact
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            2. Report Development
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              1. Executive Summary
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                1. Risk Overview
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  1. Business Impact
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    1. Recommendations Summary
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    2. Technical Findings
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      1. Vulnerability Details
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        1. Exploitation Steps
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          1. Evidence Documentation
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          2. Risk Assessment
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            1. Risk Rating Methodology
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              1. Vulnerability Scoring
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                1. Risk Prioritization
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                2. Remediation Guidance
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  1. Technical Recommendations
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    1. Process Improvements
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      1. Strategic Recommendations

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