With the rising age of technology, the need for IT security has not only become a necessity but a practice that every organization must follow. Penetration testing is a practice that tends to keep businesses and organizations safe from the external and internal threats such as information leakage, unauthorized access to the various resources, critical business data and much more.

Companies providing services such as penetration testing and vulnerability assessments can be thought of as a group of people paid to break into a company so that no one else can break into it. However, the word penetration testing has a completely different meaning when it comes to law enforcement agencies throughout the world.

A Penetration test comprises of various different phases starting with profiling of the target through information gathering, scanning for open entrances which are also termed as port scanning, gaining access to the systems by exploiting vulnerable entrances, maintaining access to the target and covering tracks.

Zero day exploits and advanced persistent threats have recently dominated the cyber security scene throughout the world by compromising small to large firms by leaking crucial business data. Therefore, the life of a penetration tester has become quite challenging in terms of day to day operations and it is very important for a penetration tester to keep him updated with latest tools and techniques.

In this book, you will see penetration testing covered through a completely practical approach. The author is a widely known security professional with his experience ranging from the top of the corporate security structure all the way to the ground level research and exploit writing.

There are a number of books available on penetration testing, there are many covering specific security tools in penetration testing. This book is a perfect blend of both while covering the most widely used penetration testing framework, Metasploit, using a completely hands-on approach.

Metasploit is one of the most widely used penetration testing framework used from corporate to law enforcement agencies. Metasploit comprises of over 1500+ modules that deliver functionalities covering every phase of a penetration test, making the life of a penetration tester comparatively easier. Not only it provides a comprehensive and an efficient way of conducting a penetration test but being an open source framework, it also offers an extensive approach in developing new exploits and automating various tasks that reduce tons of manual efforts and saves a great deal of time.

With the support of a large community, Metasploit is constantly updated with new tools and techniques and is so frequently updated that a particular technique might change overnight. The author undertook a massive task in writing a book on a subject, which is so frequently updated. I believe you will find the techniques covered in this book valuable and an excellent reference in all your future engagements.

Maj. Gen. J.P Singh, Shaurya Chakra (Retd.)

M.Sc, MBA, MMS, M.Phill

Sr. Director, Amity University