Goal-Based Penetration Testing

Everything starts with a goal to achieve.  Remember, there are only two types of people, those who get hacked and those who hack. Therefore, in this chapter, we will discuss the importance of goal-based penetration testing and also how vulnerability scans (Vscans), penetration tests (pentests), and Red Team Exercises (RTEs) typically fail in the absence of a goal. This chapter also provides an overview of security testing and setting up a verification lab, and focuses on customizing Kali to support some advanced aspects of penetration testing. By the end of this chapter, you will have learned about the following:

• Security testing
• Classical failures of vulnerability scanning, penetration testing, and red teaming exercises
• Updating and organizing Kali
• Using Bash scripts to customize Kali
• Setting up defined targets
• Building a verification lab