During a PenTest you generally follow these six steps:

1. Pre-Engagement: Planning & Scope
2. Recon: Information Gathering
3. Scanning
4. Exploitation
5. Post-Exploitation
6. Post-Engagement: Report

Most important out of the six:

1. Recon (info gathering)
2. Scanning & Enumeration

• If you do those two right and well, you should have no problem getting to where you need to go.
• Therefore, if you are having problems getting to where you need to go, you probably missed something in your scanning and enumeration.

All enumeration means is “build a list.” You enumerate throughout this process; enumeration is essential for a successful hack.

Here are some frameworks, methodologies, standards, and examples to use when you build out your own PetTesting process:

1. The MITRE ATT&CK Framework: Adversarial Tactics, Techniques & Common Knowledge
   • The most comprehensive free database of hacking information (concepts and practices) available.
   • It is not a pentesting standard or outline. It is a knowledge base of descriptions, definitions, and examples.
2. OWASP: Open Web Application Security Project
   • Provides pentesting guides for web security, mobile security, and firmware.
   • Also provides advice on how to use other testing methodologies and standards.
3. PTES: Penetration Testing Execution Standard
   • One of the most complete modern and openly available pentesting standards.
   • Includes pre-engagement interactions (scoping, questions for clients, details on dealing with third parties, etc.).
   • Provides a full range of pentesting techniques and concepts.
4. OSSTMM: Open Source Security Testing Methodology Manual (outdated)
5. NIST: National Institute of Standards and Technology (outdated)
6. ISSAF: Information Systems Security Assessment Framework (outdated)

VulnHub has a lot of practice machines you can download.

• VulnHub machines are virtual machines (VMs) and are built for VMWare.
• Debian 10 (Buster) runs VMWare Workstation fine. Debian 11 (Bullseye)… not so much.

List of VulHub machines similar to OSCP:

• https://www.abatchy.com/2017/02/oscp-like-vulnhub-vms

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