Security Testing and Auditing

Course Description

CET2662C – Security Testing and Auditing provides students with the fundamental knowledge and hands-on skills needed to perform security testing, ethical hacking, vulnerability assessment, and auditing of computer systems and networks. The course provides the fundamental knowledge necessary for a student to become proficient in understanding the techniques of computer hacking and how to respond to hacking related incidents, and is designed to prepare the student to respond to Zero-day exploits where vendor services such as virus scanning and intrusion detection are rendered useless. The course covers the origin and history of hacking, examines in detail the techniques used by early hackers, and then shifts to today's vulnerabilities and concerns in an attempt to predict and prepare the student for tomorrow's exploits. The combined lecture/laboratory format (denoted by the "C" suffix) allows students to apply concepts immediately in a controlled lab environment.

Learning Outcomes

Required Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Apply the principles of industry-standard security penetration testing.
• Perform network analysis to identify hosts, services, and vulnerabilities.
• Evaluate the security posture of a computer facility.
• Recognize the existence of a malware or spyware infection and mitigate its effect.
• Understand the effects of a Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack and apply mitigating methods for dealing with an attack.
• Identify controls, and associated assessments, needed to operate a Security Operations Center (SOC).
• Conduct a structured security audit using accepted frameworks (NIST, ISO 27001, CIS Controls).
• Document findings and produce professional penetration-test and audit reports.

Optional Outcomes

• Use Command Line Utilities from the DOS/Windows operating system to support penetration testing.
• Recognize the process used by malware authors to implement some of the most devastating attacks on the Internet community in recent years.
• Utilize the information and techniques learned to protect a network or computer facility using Intrusion Detection Systems.
• Audit web application security using OWASP Top 10 methodology.
• Perform wireless network security assessments.
• Apply scripting (Python/Bash/PowerShell) to automate security testing tasks.

Major Topics

Required Topics

• Introduction to Ethical Hacking & Auditing – history of hacking, threat actors, legal/ethical considerations
• Reconnaissance & Footprinting – passive and active information gathering
• Scanning & Enumeration – port scanning, service identification, vulnerability scanning
• System Hacking – password attacks, privilege escalation, maintaining access
• Malware Threats – viruses, worms, Trojans, ransomware, rootkits
• Network Attacks – sniffing, spoofing, man-in-the-middle, Distributed Denial of Service attacks
• Incident Response & Handling – preparation, detection, containment, eradication, recovery, lessons learned
• Security Auditing Fundamentals – risk management and compliance with applicable requirements, policies, standards, and laws
• Vulnerability Assessment – tools, methodology, reporting
• Penetration Testing Methodology – PTES, NIST SP 800-115, rules of engagement

Optional Topics

• Web application testing and OWASP Top 10
• Wireless network security testing
• Cloud security auditing
• Social engineering and physical security testing
• Mobile device security assessment
• Red team exercises and purple team collaboration
• Cryptographic auditing and PKI review

Resources & Tools

Typical lab tools used in this course include:

• Kali Linux / Parrot OS – penetration testing distributions
• Nmap – network discovery and port scanning
• Metasploit Framework – exploitation
• Wireshark – packet capture and analysis
• Burp Suite / OWASP ZAP – web application testing
• Nessus / OpenVAS – vulnerability scanning
• John the Ripper / Hashcat – password auditing
• Virtualization platforms – VMware, VirtualBox, or Hyper-V for isolated lab environments

Career Pathways

This course supports entry-level and intermediate roles in cybersecurity. The Associate in Science (A.S.) in IT Security at FSCJ prepares individuals for careers in computer and network security through hands-on training in digital forensics, intrusion detection, penetration testing, scripting, and networking. Common job titles include:

• Junior Penetration Tester / Ethical Hacker
• Security Analyst / SOC Analyst
• Vulnerability Assessment Analyst
• IT Security Auditor
• Incident Response Technician
• Information Assurance Technician

According to the Bureau of Labor, Florida is the #4 state in the country for information security jobs.

Special Information

Certification Preparation: The content of this course aligns with the objectives of several widely recognized industry certifications, including:

• EC-Council Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH)
• CompTIA PenTest+
• CompTIA Security+ (overlapping objectives)
• EC-Council Ethical Hackers Associate (EHA)
• GIAC Penetration Tester (GPEN) – introductory exposure

Course Designation: The "C" suffix on CET2662C indicates a combined lecture/laboratory course; the "C" represents a combined lecture and laboratory course that meets in the same place at the same time.

Articulation: This course is part of Florida's Statewide Course Numbering System (SCNS). Courses that have the same academic content and are taught by faculty with comparable credentials are given the same prefix and number and are considered equivalent courses, and equivalent courses are guaranteed to transfer to any other institution participating in the SCNS.

Ethical/Legal Notice: All testing techniques are taught for defensive and authorized-assessment purposes only. Students are expected to abide by federal and Florida computer crime laws (including the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act and Florida Statute Chapter 815) and to perform offensive techniques only within sanctioned lab environments or with written authorization.