VAPT is one of most demanding and interesting topic in cyber security domain. So, in this we will discuss about VAPT and how to get started.
What is VAPT?
VAPT stands for “Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Testing.” It is a comprehensive cybersecurity process that involves assessing and identifying vulnerabilities in a computer system, network, or application (Vulnerability Assessment) and then attempting to exploit those vulnerabilities to determine their potential impact (Penetration Testing). VAPT helps organizations proactively identify and address security weaknesses to protect their digital assets from cyber threats.
Why VAPT is essential?
The importance of vapt can be understood by following points:
- VAPT helps organizations proactively identify vulnerabilities and weaknesses in their IT systems, networks, and applications. This is crucial because attackers often target these vulnerabilities to gain unauthorized access or compromise sensitive data.
- By identifying and addressing vulnerabilities before they are exploited by malicious actors, VAPT helps reduce the overall risk of security breaches, data leaks, and cyberattacks.
- Many industries and sectors are subject to regulatory requirements and compliance standards that mandate regular security assessments. VAPT helps organizations meet these requirements and demonstrate their commitment to security best practices.
- VAPT helps protect sensitive data, such as customer information, financial records, and proprietary data. Preventing data breaches and leaks can save organizations from reputational damage, legal liabilities, and financial losses.
- Fixing vulnerabilities and addressing security issues after a breach can be far more expensive than preventing them in the first place. VAPT helps organizations minimize the financial impact of security incidents.
How to start Learning VAPT?
There are few common things to learn, it doesn’t matter either you are going for VAPT, SOC, or Digital Forensics etc., these are mentioned below with free resources:
- Computer Networks:
It will help you to understand connection and communication between the computers, network architecture, protocols, configurations and many more. Understanding these things are necessary because if we do not understand the how things work then how we are supposed to exploit it.
Materials:
Professor Messer
CISCO
Bitten Tech(Hindi)
JavaTPoint
GeeksForGeeks
Cybrary - Linux:
Linux gives more access to its users, it’s open-source, less prone to malware, lightweight, portable, and very compatible with multiple hacking tools.
Learning Materials:
Linux by Cyber Mentor
Linux Essentials For Hackers
JavaTPoint
Cybrary
For Practise:
OverTheWire
TryhackMe - Web Application Working:
Understanding of Web Application working will help in finding the loopholes, if you have proper understanding how client interact with server, what is the role browser in it and its protocol, then you will able to find vulnerabilities in it.
Materials:
Web Working from developers perspective
Web Server Concepts
Internet working to Web working Explained
Browser Working from Engineers side
What happens when you type google.com?
Having difficulty to sleep, try watching this (How browser works)
Now, it’s time to go deep towards VAPT. Here you go:
- Solve all labs on Portswigger
- For making your basic concept clear you go through TryhackMe in between.
- Hacker 101, also has amazing resources for VAPT and BugBounty.
- Got bored with reading, try watching Cyber Mentor Videos.
- List of labs for Practise.
- Feeling Confident, try solving HackTheBox labs
Bonus Resources:
- Pentesting, OSINT, Pentest tools many more…. it has everything, its worth visiting.
- Awesome penetration testing and offensive cybersecurity resources
Few tips from my side, use twitter follow famous hackers (like GodfatherOrwa ), hashtags, you will get latest news, resources , tips and tricks from those and it will definitely help you to advance in your goal. You can also follow some youtube channels like Nahamsec, HackerSploit, InsiderPhD, RedTeamVillage etc. and apart from this always read blogs.
Thank you for reading, hope it was helpful!!!
