Penetration Testing Course

What Is the Penetration Testing Course?

Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Testing (VAPT) is the service most Indian security consultancies sell. A vulnerability assessment lists weaknesses; a penetration test goes further and attempts to exploit them to demonstrate real impact. Clients such as banks, fintech companies and SaaS providers commission VAPT before go-live, during compliance audits (RBI, PCI DSS, ISO 27001) and after major changes.

This course is for learners who already understand the basics of hacking and want to work like a professional tester. You will follow a repeatable methodology, test networks, web applications, APIs and a small Active Directory environment, chain findings into attack paths and, crucially, write a report that a developer and a CISO can both act on.

If you are a beginner, begin with the Ethical Hacking Course or the full Cyber Security Course. For specialised web work see Bug Bounty & Web Application Security Course, and for the practical OffSec exam see our OSCP Preparation Course.

Penetration Testing Course at a Glance

Who Should Join This Course?

• Learners who completed an ethical hacking course and want to become VAPT consultants.
• Security analysts moving from monitoring into offensive testing.
• Developers and QA engineers who want to become application security testers.
• Freelancers who want to offer security testing services to small businesses.
• Candidates preparing for eJPT, PNPT or OSCP.

Penetration Testing Course Syllabus – Module by Module

The curriculum below is the practical sequence we follow in class. Each module ends in a lab so you can prove to yourself, and later to an interviewer, that you can perform the task rather than just describe it.

Module 1: Pentest Methodology, Scoping and Rules of Engagement

Professional testing starts with paperwork and planning. You learn how scope, timelines and legal protection are agreed.

• PTES, OWASP WSTG, NIST SP 800-115 overview
• Statement of work, NDA, scope and out-of-scope
• Black, grey and white box testing
• Test environment and evidence handling

Hands-on lab: Write a scope document and rules of engagement for a fictional bank application.

Module 2: Information Gathering and Network Mapping

Efficient testers automate recon and then analyse it manually.

• Passive/active recon pipelines
• Nmap, Masscan and service fingerprinting
• Attack surface mapping and technology stacks

Hands-on lab: Create a recon workflow that outputs a prioritised target list.

Module 3: Network Penetration Testing

You attack common network services and learn why patching and segmentation matter.

• SMB, RDP, SSH, FTP, SNMP, database service attacks
• Man-in-the-middle and credential capture
• Exploit selection, modification and safe use
• Pivoting and tunnelling with Chisel / SSH

Hands-on lab: Compromise a segmented lab network by pivoting through a dual-homed host.

Module 4: Web Application Penetration Testing

A full manual methodology with Burp Suite, beyond automated scanners.

• Authentication, session and access control testing
• Injection, XSS, SSRF, XXE, deserialisation
• Business logic flaws
• File upload, race conditions and rate-limit bypass

Hands-on lab: Complete a complete web test and map each finding to OWASP and CWE.

Module 5: API and Mobile Backend Testing

Modern products run on APIs. You test REST and GraphQL endpoints and mobile backends.

• Postman and Burp for API testing
• BOLA/IDOR, mass assignment, broken auth, rate limiting
• JWT attacks and OAuth misconfigurations
• Basic Android traffic interception

Hands-on lab: Find authorization flaws in a vulnerable API and write proof-of-concept requests.

Module 6: Active Directory Attacks

Most enterprise intrusions end in Active Directory, so you practise in a small domain lab.

• AD enumeration with BloodHound
• Kerberoasting, AS-REP roasting, password spraying
• Pass-the-hash and token abuse
• Domain privilege escalation and defences

Hands-on lab: Take over a lab domain from a standard user and list detections for each step.

Module 7: Cloud and Container Testing Basics

Introduction to misconfiguration hunting in cloud and Docker environments.

• S3/Blob exposure, IAM misconfigurations
• Metadata service abuse concepts
• Docker and Kubernetes basics for testers

Hands-on lab: Find and fix five misconfigurations in a practice cloud account.

Module 8: Privilege Escalation and Post-Exploitation

Proving impact responsibly and cleaning up.

• Linux and Windows privilege escalation checklists
• Credential dumping and lateral movement in a lab
• Proof of impact without data damage

Hands-on lab: Escalate on five systems and document each path.

Module 9: Reporting, Retesting and Client Communication

The report is the deliverable. You practise writing, presenting and retesting.

• Executive summary vs technical findings
• Risk rating, CVSS, remediation priorities
• Retest process and closure evidence
• Presenting results to developers and management

Hands-on lab: Deliver a full report and a 10-minute findings walkthrough to your trainer.

Tools and Technologies You Will Practise

Tool names on a syllabus mean little unless you have actually used them under time pressure. In this course you work with the following, mostly open-source or free-tier, tools so that you can keep practising at home after the batch ends:

• Burp Suite
• Nmap
• Metasploit
• BloodHound
• Impacket
• CrackMapExec
• Postman
• ffuf
• SQLmap
• Responder
• Chisel
• Nessus
• Docker

Projects and Capstone Work

Recruiters and clients trust evidence. These are the projects you complete and can document in a portfolio or GitHub repository:

• Internal network engagement: foothold to domain admin in a lab with evidence screenshots.
• Web and API engagement: complete test with severity ratings and fix guidance.
• Final VAPT report: a client-ready report you can show in interviews (using lab data only).

Why Learn Penetration Testing Course in 2026?

Regulatory pressure in banking, insurance, payments and healthcare makes periodic VAPT mandatory, which keeps consultancies and in-house red teams hiring. Product startups also test before enterprise sales, because customers ask for pentest reports during vendor security reviews.

Pentesting rewards depth. Testers who can chain small issues into a convincing attack path and explain remediation clearly progress faster to senior and consulting roles with higher pay.

Career Roles and Indicative Salary After This Course

The table lists roles that this skill set maps to. Salary figures are indicative market ranges for India expressed in lakhs per annum (LPA); actual offers depend on your city, prior experience, practical skill demonstrated in interviews and the hiring company. They are not a guarantee or promise of placement.

Certifications and Exams This Course Prepares You For

• eJPT / PNPT: accessible practical certifications that fit this syllabus.
• OSCP (OffSec): advanced 24-hour practical exam; see OSCP Preparation Course.
• CEH Practical: EC-Council’s hands-on credential.

Certification exams are conducted by their respective owners (EC-Council, CompTIA, ISC2, OffSec, ISACA and others). We are an independent training provider; exam fees are paid directly to the certifying body and we do not claim any official partnership.

What You Will Be Able to Do After the Penetration Testing Course

Learning outcomes should be observable. By the end of this program you will be able to demonstrate the following, each backed by a lab or assignment you complete during the course:

• After Pentest Methodology, Scoping and Rules of Engagement you can: write a scope document and rules of engagement for a fictional bank application.
• After Information Gathering and Network Mapping you can: create a recon workflow that outputs a prioritised target list.
• After Network Penetration Testing you can: compromise a segmented lab network by pivoting through a dual-homed host.
• After Web Application Penetration Testing you can: complete a complete web test and map each finding to OWASP and CWE.
• After API and Mobile Backend Testing you can: find authorization flaws in a vulnerable API and write proof-of-concept requests.
• After Active Directory Attacks you can: take over a lab domain from a standard user and list detections for each step.
• After Cloud and Container Testing Basics you can: find and fix five misconfigurations in a practice cloud account.
• After Privilege Escalation and Post-Exploitation you can: escalate on five systems and document each path.

How the Penetration Testing Course Compares With Related Courses

Choosing between neighbouring courses is easier with a side-by-side view. The table compares this program with the options learners most often consider alongside it.

Checklist: Are You Ready to Join?

• Prerequisites: basic networking and Linux; ethical hacking fundamentals recommended.
• A laptop with 8 GB RAM (16 GB recommended for virtual machine labs) and stable internet.
• About 10 hours per week for live classes, labs and practice.
• An ethical mindset: all techniques are practised only in authorised lab environments.
• Curiosity about how systems fail, and patience to debug when a lab does not work the first time.

If you meet most of these, you are ready; if not, the free demo will tell you which foundation course to take first.

Career Growth Path After This Course

A first role is rarely the destination. Learners who complete the Penetration Testing Course typically begin as penetration Tester or similar and progress towards red Team Operator and security Consultant roles over the following years. Growth depends less on the number of certificates and more on documented work: lab write-ups, a GitHub or blog portfolio, contributions to capture-the-flag teams and clear communication during interviews. Re-skilling every year is part of the profession, so we also share a post-course learning plan and recommend the next logical courses.

How the Online Penetration Testing Course Training Works

Every class is delivered live by a working trainer over video, so you can ask questions the moment they come up, share your screen when a lab breaks and get an answer on the spot. Sessions are recorded and shared with the batch for revision, which matters if you are a working professional who occasionally misses a class. Lab access is provided on a hosted practice environment, so you do not need an expensive laptop; a basic machine with 8 GB RAM and a stable internet connection is enough for most exercises, and we guide you through the virtual machine setup in the very first week.

The expected duration for this program is About 4 months (weekday or weekend batches), and the pace is designed for people who are studying or working at the same time. Each week combines concept sessions, guided labs, an assignment and a doubt-clearing session. In the final weeks you complete a capstone exercise and go through resume, LinkedIn and mock-interview preparation so that your skills are visible to recruiters.

Batch Timings, Free Demo and How to Register

A new batch for Penetration Testing Course starts every week, with weekday evening, weekend and fast-track options depending on trainer availability. The simplest way to begin is the free demo class: you join a live session, see the lab platform, review the syllabus with the trainer and ask any question about fees, schedule or career outcomes before you decide.

1. Fill the enquiry form on this page or message us on WhatsApp at +91 81888 77720.
2. We call you back, understand your background and suggest the right course and batch.
3. Attend the free demo class and review the complete syllabus.
4. Confirm your seat for the upcoming batch and receive lab and class access.

Courses That Pair Well with Penetration Testing Course

Most learners combine this program with one more track. Popular pairings are Ethical Hacking Course, Bug Bounty & Web Application Security Course, OSCP Preparation Course and Cloud Security Course. You can also compare every track on our all cyber security courses page, or read the fees guide and complete syllabus overview before choosing.

Join From Any City in India

Because the training is fully online, learners join from every state. Popular cities include Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Noida, Gurugram, Lucknow and Jaipur. See the complete list of states and cities or find the nearest option through our cyber security training near me guide.