Course

This course provides students with a comprehensive foundation in network security and penetration testing, combining theoretical principles with practical application. Learners will explore threats, vulnerabilities, and attacker methodologies including reconnaissance, scanning, exploitation, and post-exploitation. In a controlled lab environment, students gain hands-on experience with ethical penetration testing while upholding legal and professional responsibilities.

Topics include, network architectures, secure protocols, encryption, defensive technologies (firewalls, IDS/IPS, VPNs) malware, phishing, DoS/DDoS, and ransomware. Students also examine cloud, web, Linux/Windows, and container vulnerabilities. Labs use industry-standard tools (Nmap, Wireshark, Metasploit, Burp Suite).

Emphasis is placed on documentation and reporting, requiring students to present findings in professional security reports. By course end, students will be able to identify vulnerabilities, implement defenses, and contribute effectively to incident handling and recovery.