Ethical Hacking & Penetration Testing

This module will allow the student to understand, analyze and manage the ethical hacking process by learning the concepts, techniques and processes through videos, practical exercises and laboratories.

Key Details

This module is delivered in hybrid format, as a combination of online, in-person and self-learning activities. The module uses innovative hybrid learning methods that combine live (synchronous) and self-paced (asynchronous) activities, with particular focus on practical activities and real-world scenarios connected to cybersecurity. Expert tutors guide students through the material, ensuring a comprehensive learning experience.

This module will allow the student to understand, analyze and manage the ethical hacking process by learning the concepts, techniques and processes through videos, practical exercises and laboratories. Toward this goal, the module employs continuous evaluation throughout the semester.

• Time commitment:
  Online activities: 14 hours
• In-person activities: 14 hours
• Self-learning: 28 hours
• Individual, team and guided projects and activities: 69 hours
• Total: 125 hours

Credit points: 5 ECTS

Grading:

• Continuous evaluation: 50%
• Exam: 50%

Subjects covered

Ethical hacking fundamentals (history & main concepts)

Operating systems vulnerabilities & attack vectors

Network vulnerabilities & attack vectors (IT, IoT, OT)

Web vulnerabilities & attack vectors

Cloud vulnerabilities & attack vectors

Pentesting methodologies

Footprinting and reconnaissance

Vulnerability analysis and exploitation tools

Ethics and legislation in ethical hacking

Ethical Hacking certification roadmap

Learning objectives

Identify threats and attack methodologies during the develop of and ethical Hacking audit.

Analyse the security posture of systems by identifying vulnerabilities and distinguishing between different types of cyber-attacks.

Manage the technical and executive reports for taking decisions level.

Manage ethical hacking audit processes by selecting specific attacks according to the results we need to obtain.

Plann and manage the ethical hacking process.

Elaborate results reports after Ethical Hacking process, for the taking decision level

Module leaders

Alexandru Văduva is a Lecturer in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at the National University of Science and Technology POLITEHNICA Bucharest (UNSTPB). He obtained his Ph.D. in 2020, with a specialization in Security in Automotive Linux, focusing on the security of vehicle internal architectures.

His research interests include automotive cybersecurity, host intrusion detection systems, source code and binary analysis, embedded devices, and operating systems. He has contributed to national and international research projects such as POCU/993/6/13-153178: Research Performance and Digital Twins for Complex Infrastructures and Urban Ecosystems.

He has professional experience in the automotive and telecommunications industries, having worked for companies such as Luxoft, Enea, Mentor Graphics, and Siemens. These roles enabled him to stay closely connected with cutting-edge technologies and to collaborate with major automotive OEMs.

His teaching portfolio includes courses on operating systems, computer networks, microcontroller design, computer engineering, embedded systems, and embedded systems security. He is the author of over 15 scientific articles presented at national and international conferences, two books, and is actively involved in open-source initiatives focused on standardizing secure Linux integration in automotive environments.