In today’s digital world, with rapid computers and internet usage, enhancing security on networks and interconnected systems is paramount. Organizations are trying every means; they are striving to protect valuable data and ensure no unauthorized hands can access it. Notably, the Information Technology team requires the necessary tools to avoid missing threats and vulnerabilities which could lead to cyber-attacks. Hence, with distinctive cybersecurity testing approaches, an IT professional will offer an extra level of protection that will keep data safe and secure. Remember that as time passes, there is much digitalization in many operations and processes; thus, no one should underestimate the risks and data exposure caused by technological advancements.

Hackers are training daily, gaining skills to exploit an existing IT infrastructure. These criminals can open an entrance into an internal network, have access to critical data and cause a major downfall to an organization. Notably, to mitigate such risks and avoid the cost of cyber attacks, there is a need to perform security assessments regularly using different approaches, tools, and techniques. In this post, let’s discuss penetration testing as one of the best security testing tools that protects and prevents cyber attacks and the top-notch books you should use to become an expert in this field. 

What is Penetration Testing?

 In other words, pentest is a simulated attack in a controlled platform, carried out by IT security specialists that employ techniques used by cyber attackers. Penetration testing is a real-world scenario that shows whether your current defenses can withstand a cyber attack. It reveals if your computer systems, servers, networks, or applications can resist a fierce attack. Pen testing effectively identifies vulnerabilities and questions whether they can lead to exploitation or intrusion. If so, what should the IT team or organization do to strengthen their overall computer security? 

Reasons Why Penetration Testing is Necessary

• Identify vulnerabilities: Penetration testing is one of the best ways to explore the weaknesses and vulnerabilities of the existing system, applications, or network infrastructure.
•  Business continuity: No one wants their businesses to fail. Thus business continuity is a significant concern in any organization. But some issues would prevent the companies from reaching their prime productivity.
•  Risk mitigation and management: After identifying which applications, networks, or systems are susceptible to attacks, organizations understand the risk associated with their IT infrastructure.
•  Build Trust: Penetration testing does a good job guarding a company’s reputation. An organization well-known for its security review and data safety will likely attract many clients, suppliers, or partners. Customers are always pleased, and their confidence and loyalty are boosted when they are sure their data is safe.

Need for Mastering Kali Linux Penetration Testing

Kali Linux is a powerful and widely used Linux distribution operating system. It is known for its benefits in penetration testing and ethical hacking. Kali Linux has plenty of pen testing tools and follows the rolling release model, ensuring that every tool is always up to date. Using this OS, learning and practicing penetration testing will arm you with a deep understanding of the various hacking techniques and common or complex security vulnerabilities.

Best Kali Linux Penetration Testing Books

Let’s jump straight into the books you should consider purchasing to acquire your dream skills in penetration testing:

1. Kali Linux Penetration Testing Bible

Information Technology skills are essential in today’s evolving data-driven world. Whether you are a student or a seasoned professional, it is vital to keep strengthening your skills and expertise. If you are an aspiring pen tester or a pro in penetration testing, go ahead and skill up using Kali Linux Penetration Testing Bible. Make your career smooth and enjoyable by learning Kali Linux tools and how you can apply them in penetration testing. Gus Khawaja is a fantastic author who simplifies everything and takes you through the topics succinctly and beautifully. He provides a technical-deep dive and the best option for technical people who dislike wordy chapters and prefer seeing commands and straight-to-the-point content.

 Kali Linux Penetration Testing Bible is a well-known book in the market and famous amongst IT professionals considering it covers all aspects of the art and science of penetration testing. By diving straight into the topics, you will gain hands-on skills to assist you in maneuvering pen testing using Kali Linux. Don’t forget that it is a good fit for beginners and established pen tester with learning materials that starts from basics to complex concept. Gus specializes in IT security and ethical hacking and is determined to guide you through your learning journey. He fills the practical gaps with real-world examples and will assist you as your career progresses. Become valuable while actively exercising your duties and roles as a pen tester, and acquire coveted certifications by digging deep into this book.

Some of the topics you will cover in the Kali Linux Penetration Testing Bible include:

• Building a modern dockerized environment
• Discovering the fundamentals of the bash language in Linux
• Learn how to use a variety of practical techniques to find vulnerabilities (OSINT, Network Scan, and more)
• Analyzing your findings and identifying false positives, and uncovering advanced subjects, such as  buffer overflow, lateral movement, and privilege escalation
• How to apply practical and efficient pen testing workflows
• Learn more about Modern Web Application Security Secure SDLC
• Explore automating your penetration testing with Python;

2. The Ultimate Kali Linux Book

Hacking has become common in this era of rapid data usage and transmission. Penetration testing is an important exercise required to identify vulnerabilities and weaknesses in a system and secure them against hackers with malicious intentions. Suppose you are interested in ethical hacking or pen testing. In that case, Kali Linux is the best operating system, as it has various tools and features that make it unique for these exercises. You must use suitable learning materials to excel in this field and equip yourself with your dream skills. The Ultimate Kali Linux Book is a comprehensive guide allowing you to learn penetration testing using Kali Linux.

Glen D. Singh is an experienced cybersecurity professional who enjoys teaching and mentoring students and has written this book to help learners to acquire the knowledge they desire in penetration testing. There is high usage of real-world scenarios, and you are taken through setting up a lab while exploring the core penetration testing concepts. In this informative book, you will focus on discovering different vulnerabilities using tools bundled in Kali Linux.  If you are trying to break into cybersecurity roles, this book is the perfect choice for you as you get started with penetration testing and more. It can also act as your handy reference when exercising ethical hacking due to the tools and techniques Glen covers. Notably, the available topics are well explained, and the step-by-step approach and visuals will assist you in creating your working skillset in pen testing.

Glen will take you through the following :

• How to install and configure Kali Linux
• Exploring  the fundamentals of ethical hacking
• Learn how to perform asset and network discovery techniques
• It helps you focus on how to perform vulnerability assessments
• Learn how to exploit the trust in Active Directory domain services
• Performing  advanced exploitation with Command and Control (C2) techniques
• Implementing advanced wireless hacking techniques
• How to become well-versed in exploiting vulnerable web applications

3. Mastering Kali Linux for Advanced Penetration Testing

To some extent, online working and internet usage have encouraged cyber criminals to access unauthorized data shared on a network or available online. There is a need for experts who can master the sophisticated tactics used by hackers and use that knowledge to beat them in their own game. Becoming a pro in this field is possible through suitable learning materials.  Mastering Kali Linux for Advanced Penetration Testing isamong the most popular books you can use to gain penetration testing skills and perfect your career in cyber security. As a pen tester, use this book to explore the practical guide on how to test the IT infrastructure using Kali Linux while taking note of the weaknesses and vulnerabilities.

Vijay Kumar Velu and Robert Beggs are experts in Information Security, and they have written this book passionately and are determined to help learners achieve their maximum potential in pen testing. Elevate your career by digging deep into the reconnaissance, exploitation, vulnerability assessment, privilege escalation, and post-exploitation activities applied by pen testers. Hands-on skills are essential in penetration testing, and to acquire them, go through the topics on setting up a laboratory environment and using pen testing tools and techniques in the real world. Become a pro in your field and gain the confidence to delve into practical aspects by testing the client’s and end-user systems and protecting them from cyber-attacks. As you study using this book, you will learn more approaches and techniques for pen testing in complex and tightly secured environments. Make your purchase to enjoy the practical walk to penetration testing.

Prepare to learn the following from this book:

• How to configure the most effective Kali Linux tools to test infrastructure security
• Learn to leverage Kali Linux to avoid detection in a controlled infrastructure
• Exploiting networks and data systems using wired and wireless networks as well as web services
• Identifying and downloading valuable data from target systems
• Learn to maintain access to compromised systems
• Understand how to use social engineering to compromise the weakest section in a network (the end users)

4. Learning Kali Linux: Security Testing, Penetration Testing, and Ethical Hacking 

Kali Linux is your number one Linux distribution, famous in the penetration testing sector. Get to experience its tagline and backtrack, which is “the quieter you become, the more you can hear,” displayed in most of its backgrounds. Kali has over 600 tools, and Learning Kali Linux is a comprehensive book with specific penetration testing tools. Sometimes, going through a learning material is overwhelming, trying to find the content that matches your interest. However, Ric Messier has reduced the confusion by providing topics on penetration testing, security testing, and ethical hacking. It is an excellent recommendation for those who want to explore Kali Linux and get a taste of its benefits in IT security. Also, it has in-depth explanations and easy-to-understand content; thus, beginners and professionals in the cybersecurity industry will learn smoothly.

It is a top-rated book that strikes a balance between value and price. Ric makes the topics worthwhile as he teaches you the pen testing method, techniques, and best practices. It is a proper way to elevate your career and become a reputable person in your organization or actively play your role in penetration testing without much struggle. You have the most incredible opportunity to learn how to conduct tests on networks, web applications, password vulnerability, wireless security, and more. Make your purchase today to discover more knowledge on Kali Linux penetration testing.

More topics covered in this fantastic book include:

• Master tools for stress testing network stacks and applications
• Learn to perform network reconnaissance to determine what is available to attackers
• How to execute penetration tests with automated exploit tools such as Metasploit
• Using cracking tools to see if passwords meet complexity requirements
• Testing wireless capabilities by injecting frames and cracking passwords
• Assessing web application vulnerabilities using automated or proxy-based tools
• Creating advanced attack techniques by extending Kali tools or developing your own

5. Learn Kali Linux 2019

Penetration testing involves simulating a network infrastructure, web application, or computer system for vulnerabilities and weaknesses. Some vulnerabilities include unpatched software, insecure password, and anything an attacker could use to access systems. If you are wondering how to elevate your career in pen testing, consider using Learn Kali Linux 2019. Here is a well-written book that takes you through performing penetration testing with the Kali Linux tool. Gen has an incredible way of authoring and making the book easy to follow and understand. He walks you through the concepts, assuming the readers have no prior experience. You will appreciate the real-world examples, illustrative flowcharts, and actual commands that will help you in your penetration testing career journey.

Additionally, you will gain hands-on skills from the demonstrations and by setting up a lab to practice and explore the concepts of pen testing. Prepare to get up to speed with discovering vulnerability assessment tools bundled in Kali Linux 2019. Spare your time to elevate your skillset by mastering the best practices when performing complex penetration testing in highly secure environments. Remember that you are taught to effectively use Linux commands as an ethical hacker and gain control of a particular IT infrastructure. Those determined to start or grow their career in penetration testing should feel free to use this book and understand various security breaches.

Learn Kali Linux 2019 educates you on the following:

• Exploring the fundamentals of ethical hacking
• How to install and configure Kali Linux
• Getting up to speed with performing wireless network pen testing
• How to gain insights into passive and active information gathering
• Master web application pen testing
• How to decode WEP, WPA, and WPA2 encryptions with a variety of methods, including the fake authentication attack, the dictionary attack, and the ARP request replay attack

6. Kali Linux Hacking

With the high rise of hacking and data breaches, it is essential to pen-test an environment. However, to master the techniques and tools used in penetration testing, you need proper guidance and compelling learning materials. Kali Linux Hackingis a book that digs deep into the fundamentals of cyber security, hacking, and penetration hacking. Ethem Mining, the author, is passionate and willing to equip you with your dream skillset. He introduces you to ethical hacking and essential tools used in penetration testing in Kali Linux. It is a good choice for proficient specialists in IT security, and it is designed for those aspiring to grow their cybersecurity careers.

From this book, you will review the content to help you level up your skills and become a better pen tester in any given environment. Ethem Mining uses practical and real-world examples and top-notch techniques; thus, you will gain hands-on experience and confidence to handle real-world scenarios. Keeping in mind that the topics are well-explained and plain and simple English is used to make the readers comfortable while reading. Kali Linux Hacking book starts from scratch, assuming the learners have no prior experience, then advances to more complex topics to build up your skills in Kali Linux; let you learn the tips behind an incredible penetration test. Get ready to master identifying vulnerabilities and prevent cyber criminals from accessing unauthorized environments.

Learn the following from the Kali Linux Hacking guide:

• A precise introduction to the concept of “hacking” and Kali Linux
• Understand the 8 hacker types in today’s cyberspace
• Learn the different types of hacking, starting from session hijacking and SQL injection going all the way to phishing and DOS attacks.
• Discover why Kali Linux is the platform of choice for many amateur and professional hackers.
• Step-by-step instructions for setting up and installing Kali Linux on a computer
• Master the Linux terminal and fundamental Linux commands needed by pen testers.
• Learn how to stay anonymous while hacking attacks or penetration testing effectively.
• Master using Nmap to understand, detect and exploit vulnerabilities
• Using Bash and Python Scripting to Become a better hacker

7. Hands-On AWS Penetration Testing with Kali Linux

AWS, Amazon Web Service, is popularly known as a comprehensive cloud computing platform that provides various cloud-based services. Many organizations have moved their workload and data into the cloud. Thus, penetration testing is highly recommended to help identify weaknesses and vulnerabilities in the infrastructure and mitigate any risk caused by cyber-attacks. Learning using Hands-On AWS Penetration Testing with Kali Linux book will let you hone your skills as a pen tester. Remember that the future is online, and learning to navigate AWS and protect critical data is one of the best ways to get a reputable job.

Karl Gilbert and Benjamin Caudill are the talented authors of this book. They will walk you through the tools and techniques needed to perform penetration testing on an AWS infrastructure using Kali as the operating system. Pen testers and seasoned system administrators should utilize this book which consists of a hands-on approach to penetration testing on public cloud instances. Also, beginners will smoothly interact with this book since it focuses on building a practice lab and how to refine penetration testing in the cloud using Kali. By the end of the topics, you will learn to set up a pen-testing environment in the private cloud and apply Kali Linux to perform a white-box assessment. From the available content, you will gain incredible skills in identifying possible vulnerable areas and securing an AWS cloud environment.

Prepare to cover the following topics in the Hands-On AWS Penetration Testing with Kali Linux:

• Familiarize yourself with and pentest the standard external-facing AWS services
• Audit an infrastructure and identify weaknesses, flaws plus loopholes
• Maintaining stealth and persistence within a compromised AWS account
• Demonstrate the procedure of lateral and vertical movement through a partially compromised AWS account
• Explore a hands-on approach to pen-testing
• Discovering several automated tools to ease the process of continuously assessing and enhancing the security stance of an AWS infrastructure

Final Thought

Hacking has become sophisticated as technology continues to advance. Companies, organizations, or individuals are scrambling to protect their data, computer systems, and digital assets from cyber-attacks, keeping in mind that these systems need to be checked regularly to keep them safe and untampered. Pen testers are professionally trained to routinely check on the system, find and exploit vulnerabilities and provide ways to secure data. Organizations are looking for skilled pen testers with hands-on experience in penetration testing using Kali Linux. Consider learning more to earn a high salary in a reputable role. If you have scoured the internet, searching for suitable learning materials but become overwhelmed by plenty of disjointed info, this article is for you. Buff up your resume by purchasing any of the above books, going through the provided content, and achieving your dream skillset.