_Professional Penetration Testing: Creating and Operating a Formal Hacking Lab_ examines all aspects of professional penetration testing, from project management to team building, metrics, risk management, training, reporting, information gathering, vulnerability identification, vulnerability exploitation, privilege escalation, and test-data archival methods. It also discusses how to maintain access and cover one's tracks. It includes two video courses to teach readers fundamental and intermediate information-system penetration testing techniques, and to explain how to create and operate a formal hacking lab. The book is divided into three parts. Part 1 focuses on the professionals who are members of a penetration test team, the skills required to be an effective team member, and the ways to create a PenTest lab. Part 2 looks at the activities involved in a penetration test and how to run a PenTest to improve the overall security posture of the client. Part 3 discusses the creation of a final report for the client, cleaning up the lab for the next penetration test, and identifying the training needs of penetration-test team members. This book will benefit both experienced and novice penetration test practitioners. * Find out how to turn hacking and pen testing skills into a professional career * Understand how to conduct controlled attacks on a network through real-world examples of vulnerable and exploitable servers * Master project management skills necessary for running a formal penetration test and setting up a professional ethical hacking business * Discover metrics and reporting methodologies that provide experience crucial to a professional penetration tester