However, the only way to know if your defenses will hold is to test them. This course looks at one of the most important skills of any IT security professional: penetration testing. Penetration testing is the process to check if a computer, system, network, or web application has any vulnerabilities. Cybersecurity expert Lisa Bock reviews the steps involved in performing a worthwhile penetration test, including auditing systems, listing and prioritizing vulnerabilities, and mapping out attack points a hacker might target. She also defines the various types of "pen" tests-such as black, grey, and white box; announced vs. unannounced; and automated vs. manual testing-and the techniques and blueprints a pen tester should use to test everything from Wi-Fi to VoIP. Finally, she discusses how to choose and work with an outsourced pen-testing organization, which can bring a valuable outsider's perspective to your IT security efforts.

Topics include:

Auditing security mechanisms
Locating vulnerabilities
Exploring types of penetration testing
Pen testing techniques
Following a pen-testing blueprint
Testing physical, wireless, website, database, and email security
Outsourcing penetration testing