Book Image

Python Penetration Testing Essentials - Second Edition

By : Mohit Raj
Book Image

Python Penetration Testing Essentials - Second Edition

By: Mohit Raj

Overview of this book

This book gives you the skills you need to use Python for penetration testing (pentesting), with the help of detailed code examples. We start by exploring the basics of networking with Python and then proceed to network hacking. Then, you will delve into exploring Python libraries to perform various types of pentesting and ethical hacking techniques. Next, we delve into hacking the application layer, where we start by gathering information from a website. We then move on to concepts related to website hacking—such as parameter tampering, DDoS, XSS, and SQL injection. By reading this book, you will learn different techniques and methodologies that will familiarize you with Python pentesting techniques, how to protect yourself, and how to create automated programs to find the admin console, SQL injection, and XSS attacks.
Table of Contents (11 chapters)

Python with Penetration Testing and Networking

Penetration (pen) tester and hacker are similar terms. The difference is that penetration testers work for an organization to prevent hacking attempts, while hackers hack for any purpose such as fame, selling vulnerability for money, or to exploit the vulnerability of personal enmity.

Lots of well-trained hackers have got jobs in the information security field by hacking into a system and then informing the victim of their security bug(s) so that they might be fixed.

A hacker is called a penetration tester when they work for an organization or company to secure its system. A pentester performs hacking attempts to break into the network after getting legal approval from the client and then presents a report of their findings. To become an expert in pentesting, a person should have a deep knowledge of the concepts of their technology. In this chapter, we will cover the following topics:

  • The scope of pentesting
  • The need for pentesting
  • Components to be tested
  • Qualities of a good pentester
  • Approaches to pentesting
  • Understanding the tests and tools you'll need
  • Network sockets
  • Server socket methods
  • Client socket methods
  • General socket methods
  • Practical examples of sockets
  • Socket exceptions
  • Useful socket methods