CYSE 450

Ethical Hacking and Penetration Testing

CYSE 450 introduced me to the fundamental concepts, terminology, tools, and techniques used in ethical hacking and penetration testing. Throughout the course, I worked with Kali Linux and explored vulnerabilities in computer systems and networks using industry-relevant tools and frameworks.

The course provided hands-on experience with identifying vulnerabilities, understanding how attacks occur, and learning how cybersecurity professionals can use offensive security techniques ethically to identify and address weaknesses before they can be exploited by malicious actors.

What I Learned

By completing this course, I developed a stronger understanding of:

  • Network security concepts and terminology
  • The motivations behind attacks against computers and networks
  • The roles and responsibilities of cybersecurity professionals
  • Ethical hacking principles and the difference between hacking myths and facts
  • Denial-of-Service (DoS) attacks and their causes
  • The evolution of programming exploits
  • Web server vulnerabilities
  • Incident identification and response processes
  • Vulnerability assessment and penetration testing techniques

Key Topics

Throughout the semester, I explored a broad range of cybersecurity topics, including:

  • Ethical Hacking and Cracking
  • Reconnaissance and Scanning
  • Network Sniffing
  • TCP/IP Vulnerabilities
  • Encryption and Password Cracking
  • Spoofing
  • Session Hijacking
  • Network Device Security
  • Trojan Horses
  • Denial-of-Service Attacks
  • Buffer Overflows
  • Programming Exploits
  • Vulnerability Identification

Skills Developed

One of the most valuable aspects of CYSE 450 was developing practical knowledge of how attackers identify and exploit vulnerabilities. Working with penetration-testing tools helped me better understand the relationship between vulnerabilities, exploits, and security controls.

I also gained experience approaching cybersecurity from an offensive-security perspective. Rather than only learning how to defend systems, I learned how security professionals can ethically simulate attacks to identify weaknesses and improve an organization’s overall security posture.

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