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Penetration Testing Courses Online

Master penetration testing for cybersecurity. Learn to identify vulnerabilities, perform security assessments, and mitigate threats.

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Explore the Penetration Testing Course Catalog

  • Status: New
    New
    Status: Free Trial
    Free Trial
    B

    Board Infinity

    Software Quality Assurance and Testing

    Skills you'll gain: Test Automation, Performance Testing, Software Quality Assurance, Security Testing, Regression Testing, User Acceptance Testing (UAT), Maintainability, Development Testing, Continuous Delivery, Code Review, Scalability, Automation, DevOps, Software Design, Technical Communication, Test Execution Engine, Application Programming Interface (API), Integration Testing, Waterfall Methodology, Agile Methodology

    Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months

  • Status: Free Trial
    Free Trial
    I

    IBM

    Penetration Testing, Threat Hunting, and Cryptography

    Skills you'll gain: Cyber Threat Hunting, Cyber Threat Intelligence, Threat Modeling, Penetration Testing, Threat Detection, MITRE ATT&CK Framework, Cryptography, Security Testing, Application Security, Encryption, Cybersecurity, Vulnerability Scanning, Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP), Vulnerability Assessments, Exploitation techniques, Test Planning

    4.6
    Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
    ·
    2.5K reviews

    Intermediate · Course · 1 - 3 Months

  • Status: Free Trial
    Free Trial
    E

    EC-Council

    Ethical Hacking Essentials (EHE)

    Skills you'll gain: Penetration Testing, Threat Modeling, Cloud Security, Vulnerability Assessments, Network Security, Threat Detection, Security Awareness, Cybersecurity, Cloud Computing, Intrusion Detection and Prevention, Cyber Attacks, Application Security, Web Applications, Mobile Security, Internet Of Things, Authentications, Encryption, Wireless Networks

    4.6
    Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
    ·
    575 reviews

    Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months

  • Status: Free Trial
    Free Trial
    Status: AI skills
    AI skills
    I

    IBM

    IBM Cybersecurity Analyst

    Skills you'll gain: Operating System Administration, Cyber Threat Hunting, Incident Response, IT Service Management, Identity and Access Management, Cloud Computing, Governance Risk Management and Compliance, Information Technology Infrastructure Library, Endpoint Security, Malware Protection, Penetration Testing, Computer Security Incident Management, Linux Commands, Database Management, Network Security, Networking Hardware, Cybersecurity, Cyber Threat Intelligence, Interviewing Skills, Cyber Security Assessment

    Build toward a degree

    4.6
    Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
    ·
    27K reviews

    Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months

  • Status: Free Trial
    Free Trial
    P

    Packt

    CompTIA PenTest+ (PT0-002)

    Skills you'll gain: Penetration Testing, Vulnerability Scanning, Cyber Security Assessment, Exploitation techniques, Vulnerability Assessments, MITRE ATT&CK Framework, Intrusion Detection and Prevention, Threat Detection, Application Security, Technical Communication, Infrastructure Security, Network Security, Distributed Denial-Of-Service (DDoS) Attacks, Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN), Payment Card Industry (PCI) Data Security Standards, Scripting, Technical Writing, NIST 800-53, Automation, Technical Consulting

    4.7
    Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
    ·
    16 reviews

    Intermediate · Specialization · 1 - 3 Months

  • Status: New
    New
    Status: Free Trial
    Free Trial
    I

    IBM

    Exploitation and Penetration Testing with Metasploit

    Skills you'll gain: Penetration Testing, Exploit development, Network Security, Vulnerability, Cybersecurity, Vulnerability Assessments, Information Systems Security, Software Installation, Virtual Machines

    3.9
    Rating, 3.9 out of 5 stars
    ·
    13 reviews

    Intermediate · Course · 1 - 3 Months

What brings you to Coursera today?

  • Status: New
    New
    Status: Free Trial
    Free Trial
    E

    EDUCBA

    Kali Linux: Ethical Hacking & Pentesting

    Skills you'll gain: Distributed Denial-Of-Service (DDoS) Attacks, Metasploit, Penetration Testing, Malware Protection, Exploitation techniques, Database Management, Security Testing, Cyber Threat Intelligence, Vulnerability Assessments, Cyber Security Assessment, Cryptography, Cybersecurity, Vulnerability Scanning, Hardening, Threat Detection, Data Import/Export, Public Key Infrastructure, MySQL, Linux, Linux Administration

    Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months

  • Status: Free Trial
    Free Trial
    U

    University of Minnesota

    Software Testing and Automation

    Skills you'll gain: Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP), Cucumber (Software), Software Testing, Selenium (Software), Gherkin (Scripting Language), JUnit, Verification And Validation, Test Automation, Unit Testing, Security Testing, Regression Testing, Test Case, Testability, Behavior-Driven Development, Code Coverage, Performance Testing, Development Testing, Test Planning, Acceptance Testing, Software Quality Assurance

    4.3
    Rating, 4.3 out of 5 stars
    ·
    981 reviews

    Intermediate · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months

  • Status: New
    New
    Status: Free Trial
    Free Trial
    E

    EDUCBA

    Advanced Penetration Testing with Kali Linux

    Skills you'll gain: Penetration Testing, Vulnerability Assessments, Cyber Security Assessment, Exploitation techniques, Malware Protection, Mobile Security, Cyber Operations, Scripting, Android (Operating System), Command-Line Interface, Authentications, Network Analysis, Automation, Virtual Environment

    Mixed · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

  • Status: New
    New
    P

    Pearson

    Strategic Software Testing

    Skills you'll gain: Software Testing, Test Automation, Test Planning, Acceptance Testing, Test Case, Functional Testing, Scenario Testing, Unit Testing, Integration Testing, Regression Testing, User Acceptance Testing (UAT), Performance Testing, Usability Testing

    Intermediate · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

  • Status: New
    New
    Status: Preview
    Preview
    C

    Coursera Instructor Network

    Playwright Power Techniques: Fast and Reliable Web Testing

    Skills you'll gain: Software Testing, Test Automation, Regression Testing, Continuous Integration, Performance Testing, CI/CD, Test Engineering, Browser Compatibility, Continuous Deployment, Continuous Delivery, Test Execution Engine, Debugging, Test Case, User Interface (UI), Scalability, Authentications

    Advanced · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

  • Status: Preview
    Preview
    U

    University of Leeds

    Foundations of Software Testing and Validation

    Skills you'll gain: Test Case, Software Testing, Software Quality Assurance, Quality Assurance, User Acceptance Testing (UAT), Test Planning, Verification And Validation, Acceptance Testing, System Testing, Unit Testing, Functional Testing, Usability Testing, Integration Testing, Performance Testing, Software Development Life Cycle, Software Development

    4.6
    Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
    ·
    401 reviews

    Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

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1234…148

In summary, here are 10 of our most popular pen testing courses

  • Software Quality Assurance and Testing: Board Infinity
  • Penetration Testing, Threat Hunting, and Cryptography: IBM
  • Ethical Hacking Essentials (EHE): EC-Council
  • IBM Cybersecurity Analyst: IBM
  • CompTIA PenTest+ (PT0-002): Packt
  • Exploitation and Penetration Testing with Metasploit: IBM
  • Kali Linux: Ethical Hacking & Pentesting: EDUCBA
  • Software Testing and Automation: University of Minnesota
  • Advanced Penetration Testing with Kali Linux: EDUCBA
  • Strategic Software Testing: Pearson

Skills you can learn in Computer Security And Networks

Cybersecurity (33)
Google (25)
Google Cloud Platform (17)
Internet (17)
Cryptography (16)
Network Security (16)
Linux (12)
Software Testing (12)
Information Security (10)
Application Programming Interfaces (8)
Kubernetes (8)
Web (8)

Frequently Asked Questions about Pen Testing

Penetration testing, commonly referred to as pen testing or “ethical hacking,” is the process of conducting a simulated cyberattack on an organization’s computer system. Pen testing is an important technique used by cybersecurity professionals for exposing database vulnerabilities and network security flaws that could be exploited by hackers. With so much of today’s critical business as well as personal information accessible through the internet, cyberattacks can be incredibly costly or even dangerous, making this process of identifying vulnerabilities essential.

Pen tests may use a variety of methods to execute a cyberattack, including brute force attacks, SQL injection, phishing, or even hardware devices. In order to simulate real-world cyberattacks as closely as possible, a “single-blind” test is typically carried out by an outside cybersecurity or IT security analyst with no prior knowledge of the network security systems in place, and in a “double-blind” test the company’s own IT and cybersecurity team is not given advance notice. Pen testing procedures also vary depending on whether the organization wants to simulate an external attack from an outside hacker or an internal attack from a disgruntled employee.‎

Pen testing is an essential part of the toolkit of IT security analysts and cybersecurity consultants, who are responsible for helping companies protect their computer networks and systems against malicious cyber attacks. Unknown network security vulnerabilities can lead to incredibly costly data breaches, potentially exposing private information of an organization, its employees, and its customers, making the identification of these flaws a critically important part of cybersecurity.

Given the elevated and increasing importance of cybersecurity today, professionals in this field are highly sought after. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, information security analysts earned a median annual salary of $99,730 in 2019, and these jobs are expected to grow by 31% between 2019 and 2029 - much faster than average job growth across the rest of the economy.‎

Certainly. Coursera offers many opportunities to learn about penetration testing and other cybersecurity topics, including individual courses and Specializations spanning multiple courses. You can learn from top-ranked schools like University of California Davis, University of Maryland College Park, University of Colorado, and the University of London, or you can take courses from IBM to earn a professional certificate in cybersecurity. Regardless of where you want to learn from, Coursera lets you view course materials and complete coursework on a flexible schedule so that you can add these important cybersecurity skills to your resume while continuing to pursue your other schoolwork or existing career.‎

Because penetration testing isn't a beginner-level skill, you should have a solid technical background in basic Unix commands, software development, and using Linux. Without this experience and skill set, you'll likely struggle with learning pen testing. You should also have a good foundation in the basics of coding, particularly full-stack skills, including Python, JavaScript, CSS, and HTML. Some classes may have other prerequisites, such as having an understanding of TCP/IP, networking, and/or Bash scripting.‎

If you have a strong drive to understand how things work and to beat hackers at their own game, then learning penetration testing might be the ideal subject for you. As a pen tester, you'll be tasked with finding and fixing vulnerabilities, including ones that were previously unknown. You'll also discover how an attack would impact a business and assess how effectively organizations are able to respond and detect attacks. If working on the front lines in the war against hackers and those who threaten cybersecurity sounds exciting, learning pen testing will get you on your way to creating a career doing just that.‎

Although you don't need a degree to build a career in penetration testing, gaining a formal education in computer science or computer security can help you develop some of the skills you'll need. Common undergraduate degrees for people interested in this field include information security, computer engineering, cybersecurity, and math. Some penetration testers go on to earn their master's degree in cybersecurity or a related field while others go on to work as a network or systems administrator before pursuing certification. Some of the most common certifications include the Certified Ethical Hacker or the Licensed Penetration Tester Master from the EC-Council, the Certified Expert Penetration Tester from the Information Assurance Certification Review Board, and the CompTIA Security+ credential.‎

Any organization within any industry can benefit from pen testing, but some of the industries most likely to hire pen testers include those that are highly regulated, like health care, banking and finance companies, and service providers. Pen testers can use their skills to test for compliance with regulations. For example, pen testers might perform an audit of a medical device company, hospital, or health care information exchange to ensure it's HIPAA-compliant. Other places rely on pen testing to reveal vulnerabilities in their websites, networks, and systems to remain more secure and enact policies to stay that way.‎

Online Pen Testing courses offer a convenient and flexible way to enhance your knowledge or learn new Pen Testing skills. Choose from a wide range of Pen Testing courses offered by top universities and industry leaders tailored to various skill levels.‎

When looking to enhance your workforce's skills in Pen Testing, it's crucial to select a course that aligns with their current abilities and learning objectives. Our Skills Dashboard is an invaluable tool for identifying skill gaps and choosing the most appropriate course for effective upskilling. For a comprehensive understanding of how our courses can benefit your employees, explore the enterprise solutions we offer. Discover more about our tailored programs at Coursera for Business here.‎

This FAQ content has been made available for informational purposes only. Learners are advised to conduct additional research to ensure that courses and other credentials pursued meet their personal, professional, and financial goals.

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