Penetration Testing Foundations

Penetration Testing Foundations: Reconnaissance, Web Hacking & Methodology

Many penetration testing courses jump straight into tools, but real pentesters succeed because they understand methodology, reconnaissance, and vulnerability discovery first.

This course gives you the structured foundation needed before moving into exploitation. Instead of randomly running tools, you will learn how professional penetration testers approach engagements in a logical, ethical, and systematic way.

You will learn how penetration testing actually works in real environments — from reconnaissance and scanning to identifying vulnerabilities and testing web applications. We begin by exploring the ethics and professional standards required in offensive security, including scope definition and responsible testing practices.

Inside this course, you will learn:

• The ethics and methodology of penetration testing
• Active and passive reconnaissance techniques
• How network services and protocols affect attack surfaces
• How to use Nmap for discovery and scanning
• How vulnerabilities are identified, analyzed, and researched
• How web applications are explored and tested
• How tools like Burp Suite help analyze and intercept web traffic

This course is designed for beginners and aspiring penetration testers who want to build a strong technical foundation before learning exploitation techniques. It is ideal for IT professionals transitioning into offensive security roles or students preparing for more advanced hands-on labs.

This is Part 1 of the Forward Edge Penetration Testing Career Path.

After completing this course, continue with Forward Edge's Penetration Testing Hands-On: Metasploit, Exploitation & Post-Exploitation course to move into practical exploitation and post-exploitation techniques.