Phase 01 · Classes 1–4
Information Security Foundations & Risk Intelligence
Build the offensive security mindset employers pay premium
for.
Start with the CIA Triad, modern threat landscape — malware,
ransomware, APTs, social engineering — and real-world breach
case studies. Then move into formal risk assessment:
qualitative, quantitative, and semi-quantitative methods,
OWASP Risk Rating, DREAD/CVSS scoring, and producing a
professional Risk Register with severity ratings and
remediation actions.
Core Activities
- CIA Triad & Offensive Security Mindset
- Modern Threat Landscape: Malware, APTs, Phishing
-
Cybersecurity Career Pathways: AI Red Teamer, Pentest,
Malware Analyst
-
Risk Identification, Likelihood-Impact Scoring &
Risk Appetite
-
OWASP Risk Rating Methodology & Formal Risk Register
Labs & Tools
- TryHackMe — Intro to Cybersecurity Room
- NIST CSF 2.0 Framework Reference
- OWASP Risk Rating Calculator
- Claude / ChatGPT — DREAD/CVSS Scoring
CIA TriadRisk AssessmentOWASPNIST CSF 2.0DREAD/CVSSRisk Register
Phase 02 · Classes 5–7
Lab Engineering & Linux Offensive Foundations
Build the hacker's workbench. Master the terminal.
Deploy Kali Linux in VirtualBox/VMware with isolated network
configurations. Learn to diagnose common Kali issues: package
conflicts, driver failures, and permission errors. Then level
up with Bash scripting for offensive task automation — port
scanning scripts, OverTheWire Bandit wargame challenges, and
AI-assisted script generation.
Core Activities
-
Kali Linux Deployment: NAT, Host-Only, Bridged Networks
- VM Snapshot Management & Lab Best Practices
-
Diagnosing Package Conflicts, Driver Failures, apt
Errors
-
Core Terminal Commands: grep, awk, sed, netstat, curl
- Bash Scripting for Offensive Task Automation
Labs & Tools
- Kali Linux (Latest Release) + VirtualBox / VMware
- OverTheWire: Bandit Wargame
-
Claude / ChatGPT — Real-Time Linux Troubleshooting
- Bash Shell — Break-Fix Lab Scenarios
Kali LinuxBash ScriptingVirtualBoxOverTheWirePort ScanningVM Snapshots
Phase 03 · Classes 8–10
Threat Intelligence, OSINT & Social Engineering
Think like a threat actor. Hunt before they strike.
Apply MITRE ATT&CK for threat hunting, build attack trees
with STRIDE & PASTA threat models, and execute live OSINT
campaigns — email harvesting, DNS recon, subdomain
enumeration, social media footprinting. Conclude with social
engineering simulation: phishing site construction,
spear-phishing, vishing, and defensive awareness strategies.
Core Activities
-
MITRE ATT&CK Framework & Cyber Kill Chain
Analysis
- STRIDE & PASTA Threat Modelling
-
OSINT: Email Harvesting, DNS Recon, Subdomain
Enumeration
-
Social Engineering Vectors: Phishing, Vishing, Smishing,
Baiting
-
Phishing Site Construction Demo & Credential
Harvesting
Labs & Tools
- MITRE ATT&CK Navigator
- Maltego Community Edition
- Spiderfoot (Open Source OSINT Automation)
- Social Engineering Toolkit (SET) & Zphisher
MITRE ATT&CKOSINTMaltegoSpiderfootSETSTRIDEPASTA
Phase 04 · Classes 11–27
Vulnerability Assessment & Penetration Testing
The core of the program. 17 classes of hands-on
exploitation.
The deepest phase — covering network, web, mobile, API, and
system pentesting. Attack a vulnerable ARM router with Nmap
& Wireshark. Exploit OWASP Top 10 on Juice Shop &
WebGoat with Burp Suite. Conduct mobile APK analysis with
MobSF. Test API security with Postman. Run Metasploit exploits
against Windows Server 2022 and Ubuntu. Perform static &
dynamic malware analysis, then close with CVE research and
structured vulnerability scanning.
Core Activities
-
Network Pentesting: DVAR Router, Nmap, Wireshark,
Honeypots
-
Web App: OWASP Top 10, SQL Injection, XSS, SSRF — Burp
Suite
-
Mobile APK: MobSF Static/Dynamic Analysis, OWASP Mobile
Top 10
-
API Security: BOLA/IDOR, JWT Manipulation, Postman Recon
-
System Exploitation: Metasploit, Meterpreter on
Windows/Ubuntu
-
Malware Analysis: Static (PE headers), Dynamic (Any.run
Sandbox)
-
CVE Research & CVSS Scoring with Nessus &
OpenVAS
Labs & Tools
- DVAR / tinysploitARM (VulnHub)
- OWASP Juice Shop, WebGoat, PortSwigger Academy
- Burp Suite Community Edition
-
MobSF · Postman · Metasploit · Metasploitable 2 & 3
- Any.run Sandbox · Nessus Essentials · OpenVAS
NmapBurp SuiteMetasploitMobSFPostmanNessusWiresharkOWASP Top 10CVE/CVSS
Phase 05 · Classes 28–31
System Hardening & Security Assessment
Break it, then lock it down. Offense informs defense.
Understand Windows Defender bypass and AV evasion techniques
(controlled lab). Harden Active Directory against
Kerberoasting, GPO misconfigurations, and LDAP exposure using
CIS Benchmarks. Apply Level 1 & 2 CIS controls to Windows
11 endpoints with AppLocker and BitLocker. Harden Ubuntu
Server 22.04 with AppArmor MAC profiles and validate with
OpenVAS pre/post comparison scans.
Core Activities
-
Windows Defender Architecture & AV Evasion (Lab)
-
Active Directory Hardening: Kerberoasting Mitigation,
LDAP Security
- GPO & Audit Policy Optimization
-
Windows 11 CIS Benchmark L1 & L2 Controls,
BitLocker, AppLocker
-
Ubuntu 22.04 CIS Hardening: AppArmor, SSH, Kernel Tuning
Labs & Tools
- Windows Server 2022 with Active Directory
-
CIS Benchmark — Windows Server 2022 & Windows 11
- Group Policy Management Console (GPMC)
-
Ubuntu Server 22.04 · AppArmor · OpenVAS / Greenbone
CIS BenchmarksActive DirectoryAppArmorWindows DefenderBitLockerOpenVASGPMC
Phase 06 · Classes 32–33
Artificial Intelligence & LLM Security Testing
The frontier of offensive security. Be among the first
certified to test it.
Apply the OWASP Top 10 for LLMs 2025 — prompt injection
(direct & indirect), jailbreaking, system prompt
extraction, insecure output handling, and sensitive data
leakage testing. Deploy Garak for automated LLM vulnerability
scanning. Execute a structured AI Red Teaming methodology and
produce a professional LLM Security Assessment Report with
responsible disclosure documentation.
Core Activities
-
OWASP Top 10 for LLMs 2025: Prompt Injection,
Jailbreaking
-
System Prompt Extraction & Sensitive Data Leakage
Testing
- Garak Automated LLM Vulnerability Assessment
-
Structured AI Red Teaming with Documented Findings
-
Professional LLM Security Assessment Report &
Disclosure Docs
Labs & Tools
- AImaginationLab / vulnerable-llms (GitHub)
- Garak — Open Source LLM Vulnerability Scanner
- PortSwigger LLM Attack Labs
- llm-sec.dev (Supplementary Practice)
OWASP LLM Top 10Prompt InjectionJailbreakingGarakAI Red TeamingLLM Security
Phase 07 · Classes 34–35
Container & Cloud Infrastructure Security
Containers, clouds, and the misconfigurations that make
attackers rich.
Pentest Docker containers — privileged misconfigurations, weak
images, daemon exposure, and container escape techniques in a
controlled lab using Deepce for privilege escalation. Then
survey cloud security fundamentals across AWS, Azure &
GCP: the shared responsibility model, IAM misconfigurations,
exposed S3/Blob buckets, metadata service abuse, and
real-world cloud breach case study analysis.
Core Activities
-
Docker Architecture & Container Security Analysis
-
Privileged Container Misconfig, Docker Daemon Exposure
- Container Escape Techniques (Controlled Lab)
-
Cloud Models: IaaS/PaaS/SaaS, Shared Responsibility
-
IAM Misconfigs, S3/Blob Exposure, Metadata Service Abuse
Labs & Tools
- Vulhub — Vulnerable Docker Compose Stacks
- Deepce (Docker Container Privilege Escalation)
- Docker Engine & Docker Compose
-
AWS / Azure / GCP Free Tier (Conceptual Reference)
DockerDeepceVulhubAWSAzureGCPIAMCIS Docker Benchmark
Phase 08 · Classes 36–37
Prompt Engineering & AI-Powered Security Tooling
Build AI tools that do the heavy lifting — and put them in
your portfolio.
Master advanced prompt engineering techniques —
chain-of-thought, role-based, few-shot, and output structuring
— then apply them to build real AI-powered security tools. Use
prompt chaining to design multi-step security workflows.
Document everything as portfolio-ready AI Security Tools
deliverables that demonstrate operational capability to
employers.
Core Activities
-
Chain-of-Thought, Role-Based & Few-Shot Prompt
Engineering
- AI-Powered Security Tool Development
- Prompt Chaining for Multi-Step Security Workflows
- AI Security Tools Portfolio Documentation
Labs & Tools
- Claude (Anthropic)
- ChatGPT (OpenAI Free Tier)
- Real Security Datasets for Tool Validation
ClaudeChatGPTChain-of-ThoughtFew-Shot PromptingAI Tool DevSecurity Automation
Phase 09 · Class 38
Governance, Risk & Compliance (GRC)
The compliance skills that command premium salaries in
every org.
Apply COBIT 2019, NIST CSF 2.0, and ISO 27001 operationally —
not just theoretically. Understand GDPR (Europe) and CCPA
(USA) data protection obligations. Design security policies
and compliance programmes. Prepare for real audits. Use AI to
accelerate compliance gap analysis and control mapping, and
produce an Executive Governance Summary Report.
Core Activities
-
IT Governance Frameworks: COBIT 2019, NIST CSF 2.0, ISO
27001
-
GDPR (Europe) & CCPA (USA) Data Protection
Obligations
-
Security Policy Development & Compliance Programme
Design
- Audit Preparation Fundamentals
- Executive Governance Summary Report
Labs & Tools
- NIST CSF 2.0 Framework Reference Document
- ISO 27001 Control Reference
-
Claude / ChatGPT — Compliance Gap Analysis & Control
Mapping
ISO 27001NIST CSF 2.0COBIT 2019GDPRCCPAAudit Prep
Phase 10 · Classes 39–40
Career Engineering & Offensive Security Readiness
Turn 40 classes of hands-on work into a signed job
offer.
Build an ATS-optimised LinkedIn profile with keyword strategy
and skills endorsements. Create a GitHub portfolio with
pentest write-ups, scripts, and AI security projects. Draft a
professional offensive security CV. Leverage TryHackMe and
HackTheBox public profiles as employer-facing credentials.
Then execute a high-volume job search across LinkedIn, Dice,
CyberSecJobs, USAJobs — with mock technical interviews and USA
salary negotiation coaching.
Core Activities
-
LinkedIn ATS Keyword Strategy & GitHub Portfolio
Build
-
Professional Offensive Security CV & ATS Scoring
-
TryHackMe & HackTheBox as Employer-Facing
Credentials
-
Mock Technical Interviews: Pentest & AI Red Team
Questions
-
USA Cybersecurity Salary Negotiation with Benchmark Data
Labs & Tools
- LinkedIn · GitHub · TryHackMe · HackTheBox
- Jobscan / Teal / Resume Worded — ATS Optimisation
- Glassdoor · CyberSeek Career Pathway
-
Claude / ChatGPT — Resume Tailoring & Mock
Interviews
LinkedInGitHub PortfolioTryHackMeHackTheBoxATS OptimisationMock InterviewsSalary Negotiation