CIS Critical Security Control 18: Penetration Testing (v8)

Course

Understanding your weaknesses is essential to improving your defenses. This course explores how CIS Critical Security Control 18 helps organizations use penetration testing to identify vulnerabilities before attackers do.

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0

H

45

M
Time

intermediate

i
Designed for learners who have no prior work experience in IT or Cybersecurity, but are interested in starting a career in this exciting field.
Designed for learners with prior cybersecurity work experience who are interested in advancing their career or expanding their skillset.
Designed for learners with a solid grasp of foundational IT and cybersecurity concepts who are interested in pursuing an entry-level security role.
Experience Level

694

Enrollees

820

XP

1

i

Earn qualifying credits for certification renewal with completion certificates provided for submission.
CEU's

Learners at 96% of Fortune 1000 companies trust Cybrary

About this course

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Skills you'll gain

Course Outline

1
Module 1: Penetration Testing
0
H
45
Min

1.1 Welcome

Free

20 XP

H

4m

1.2 Introduction and Learning Objectives

Free

200 XP

H

17m

1.3 Risks and Common Challenges

Free

200 XP

H

11m

1.4 Actionable Recommendations, Tools, and Solutions

Free

200 XP

H

7m

1.5 Case Study and Conclusion

Free

200 XP

H

4m

Module 1: CIS Control 18 - Penetration Testing
Heading
Module 1: Introduction
1
Hr
5
Min
CIS Security Control 18 - 1.1 Welcome

4m

Module 1: CIS Control 18 - Penetration Testing
CIS Security Control 18 - 1.2 Introduction and Learning Objectives

17m

Module 1: CIS Control 18 - Penetration Testing
CIS Security Control 18 - 1.3 Risks and Common Challenges

11m

Module 1: CIS Control 18 - Penetration Testing
CIS Security Control 18 - 1.4 Actionable Recommendations, Tools, and Solutions

7m

Module 1: CIS Control 18 - Penetration Testing
CIS Security Control 18 - 1.5 Case Study and Conclusion

4m

Module 1: CIS Control 18 - Penetration Testing
Course Description

CIS Critical Security Control 18: Penetration Testing (v8) focuses on evaluating security defenses through controlled testing and simulated attacks. This course examines how organizations can use penetration testing to uncover weaknesses, validate security controls, and better understand real-world attack paths.

You’ll learn about penetration testing methodologies, scope definition, testing considerations, reporting, and how findings can be used to strengthen security programs. The course highlights the difference between identifying vulnerabilities and understanding how attackers may chain weaknesses together to compromise systems. By the end, you’ll understand how to apply CIS Control 18 to improve security validation and strengthen overall cyber resilience.

‍

Start learning today.

Train Your Team

Cybrary’s expert-led cybersecurity courses help your team remediate skill gaps and get up-to-date on certifications. Utilize Cybrary to stay ahead of emerging threats and provide team members with clarity on how to learn, grow, and advance their careers within your organization.

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Included in a Path

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Instructors

Jason Edwards
Cybersecurity Principal
Read Full Bio

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is this course for?

This course is designed for cybersecurity professionals, penetration testers, security analysts, IT teams, and anyone responsible for evaluating security effectiveness.

Why should I complete this course?

Organizations need to know whether their defenses actually work against real-world attack techniques. Completing this course helps you understand how penetration testing identifies weaknesses, validates controls, and supports proactive security improvements.

What skills does this course develop?

By the end of this course, you should be able to:

  • Comprehend the importance of penetration testing
  • Distinguish between penetration testing and vulnerability assessment
  • Appreciate the complexity and risks associated with penetration testing
  • Grasp the concepts of red teaming and its distinctiveness
  • Understand the importance of scope and rules of engagement in penetration testing
Do you offer courses on the other 17 CIS Critical Security Controls?

Yes! You can find our other courses here:

‍

CIS Critical Security Control 1: Inventory and Control of Enterprise Assets

CIS Critical Security Control 2: Inventory and Control of Software Assets

CIS Critical Security Control 3: Data Protection

CIS Critical Security Control 4: Secure Configuration of Enterprise Assets and Software

CIS Critical Security Control 5: Account Management

CIS Critical Security Control 6: Access Control Management

CIS Critical Security Control 7: Continuous Vulnerability Management

CIS Critical Security Control 8: Audit Log Management

CIS Critical Security Control 9: Email and Web Browser Protections

CIS Critical Security Control 10: Malware Defenses

CIS Critical Security Control 11: Data Recovery

CIS Critical Security Control 12: Network Infrastructure Management

CIS Critical Security Control 13: Network Monitoring and Defense

CIS Critical Security Control 14: Security Awareness and Skills Training

CIS Critical Security Control 15: Service Provider Management

CIS Critical Security Control 16: Application Software Security

CIS Critical Security Control 17: Incident Response Management

Learn

Learn core concepts and get hands-on with key skills.

Practice

Exercise your problem-solving and creative thinking skills with security-centric puzzles

Prove

Assess your knowledge and skills to identify areas for improvement and measure your growth

Get Hands-on Learning

Put your skills to the test in virtual labs, challenges, and simulated environments.

Measure Your Progress

Track your skills development from lesson to lesson using the Cybrary Skills Tracker.

Connect with the Community

Connect with peers and mentors through our supportive community of cybersecurity professionals.

Success from Our Learners

"Cybrary really helped me get up to speed and acquire a baseline level of technical knowledge. It offers a far more comprehensive approach than just learning from a book. It actually shows you how to apply cybersecurity processes in a hands-on way"

Don Gates

Principal Systems Engineer/SAIC

"Cybrary’s SOC Analyst career path was the difference maker, and was instrumental in me landing my new job. I was able to show the employer that I had the right knowledge and the hands-on skills to execute the role."

Cory

Cybersecurity analyst/

"I was able to earn my CISSP certification within 60 days of signing up for Cybrary Insider Pro and got hired as a Security Analyst conducting security assessments and penetration testing within 120 days. This certainly wouldn’t have been possible without the support of the Cybrary mentor community."

Mike

Security Engineer and Pentester/

"Cybrary really helped me get up to speed and acquire a baseline level of technical knowledge. It offers a far more comprehensive approach than just learning from a book. It actually shows you how to apply cybersecurity processes in a hands-on way"

Don Gates

Principal Systems Engineer/SAIC

"Cybrary’s SOC Analyst career path was the difference maker, and was instrumental in me landing my new job. I was able to show the employer that I had the right knowledge and the hands-on skills to execute the role."

Cory

Cybersecurity analyst/

"I was able to earn my CISSP certification within 60 days of signing up for Cybrary Insider Pro and got hired as a Security Analyst conducting security assessments and penetration testing within 120 days. This certainly wouldn’t have been possible without the support of the Cybrary mentor community."

Mike

Security Engineer and Pentester/

"Becoming a Cybrary Insider Pro was a total game changer. Cybrary was instrumental in helping me break into cybersecurity, despite having no prior IT experience or security-related degree. Their career paths gave me clear direction, the instructors had real-world experience, and the virtual labs let me gain hands-on skills I could confidently put on my resume and speak to in interviews."

Cassandra

Information Security Analyst/Cisco Systems

"I was able to earn both my Security+ and CySA+ in two months. I give all the credit to Cybrary. I’m also proud to announce I recently accepted a job as a Cyber Systems Engineer at BDO... I always try to debunk the idea that you can't get a job without experience or a degree."

Casey

Cyber Systems Engineer/BDO

"Cybrary has helped me improve my hands-on skills and pass my toughest certification exams, enabling me to achieve 13 advanced certifications and successfully launch my own business. I love the practice tests for certification exams, especially, and appreciate the wide-ranging training options that let me find the best fit for my goals"

Angel

Founder,/ IntellChromatics.

Begin CIS Critical Security Control 18: Penetration Testing (v8) for Free Today.

Test and strengthen your security defenses today. Enroll in Cybrary’s CIS Critical Security Control 18: Penetration Testing (v8) course to learn how to identify weaknesses, validate protections, and improve your organization’s security posture.

Enroll Today
https://app.cybrary.it/browse/course/cis-critical-security-control-18-penetration-testing
courses

CIS Critical Security Control 18: Penetration Testing (v8)

Understanding your weaknesses is essential to improving your defenses. This course explores how CIS Critical Security Control 18 helps organizations use penetration testing to identify vulnerabilities before attackers do.

5
Share
Start CourseSubscribe for UpdatesNeed to train your team? Learn more
Start Course for FreeNeed to train your team? Learn more
0
H 
45
M
Time
intermediate
difficulty
1
ceu/cpe

Course Content

Course Description

CIS Critical Security Control 18: Penetration Testing (v8) focuses on evaluating security defenses through controlled testing and simulated attacks. This course examines how organizations can use penetration testing to uncover weaknesses, validate security controls, and better understand real-world attack paths.

You’ll learn about penetration testing methodologies, scope definition, testing considerations, reporting, and how findings can be used to strengthen security programs. The course highlights the difference between identifying vulnerabilities and understanding how attackers may chain weaknesses together to compromise systems. By the end, you’ll understand how to apply CIS Control 18 to improve security validation and strengthen overall cyber resilience.

‍

Start learning today.

This course is part of a Career Path:
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Instructed by

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Certification Body
Certificate of Completion

Complete this entire course to earn a CIS Critical Security Control 18: Penetration Testing (v8) Certificate of Completion

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Purpose Statement

Cybrary Career Paths are comprehensive training programs designed to prepare you for the most in-demand roles in the cybersecurity workforce. Each path follows a Learn, Practice, Prove model and includes different activity types aligned to key topics within the path’s security domain. As you progress through the path, your progress will be measured in real time using Experience Points (XP) that serve as a comprehensive capability score for each topic. Upon completing all of the requirements for a path, you will be rewarded with a shareable digital badge via Credly.
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Overview

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Frequently Asked Questions
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What Will I Learn?
Foundations
Focused on the core IT competencies that cybersecurity professionals need to succeed in any career path.
Defensive Security
Focused on trying to find the bad guys. Topics such as threat intelligence, threat hunting, network monitoring, incident response. Defensive security is a reactive measure taken once a vulnerability is found through prevention, detection, and response.
Engineering and Operations
Focused on building and operating information systems.
Governance, Risk, and Compliance
Focused on the core IT competencies that cybersecurity professionals need to succeed in any career path.
Leadership and Management
Focused on program design and oversight. Covers project and program management.
Offensive Security
Focused on validating security controls by trying to break them (i.e. penetration testing or ethical hacking). Topics such as Kali Linux, metasploit, scanning, and privilege escalation. Offensive security seeks out the problem or vulnerability through ethical hacking and finds a solution to disable the operation.
Offensive Security
Focused on the core IT competencies that cybersecurity professionals need to succeed in any career path.
Path Outline

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Course Outline

What Our Learners Are Saying

Join 3 million+ users, including 96% of Fortune 1000 companies who use our platform to upskill their teams. See what the buzz is about - start learning for free!

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