Absolutely! Here's a 6-month course plan for web penetration testing.

The course
will cover the essential topics, tools, and hands-on experience needed to become
proficient in the field. Each month will focus on specific skills and tools, with
ample time for practice.

Month 1: Foundation of Web Security and Pentesting Basics

Objective: Get familiar with the basics of networking, web technologies, and
ethical hacking.

Week 1-2: Networking & Web Basics

 Networking Concepts:
o Study the OSI model, TCP/IP, DNS, HTTP/HTTPS, and how web applications
communicate over the network.
o Learn how firewalls, proxies, and VPNs work.
o Understand how vulnerabilities can arise from poor network configurations.
 Web Technologies:
o Learn HTML, JavaScript, CSS, and HTTP request/response mechanisms.
o Understand how web servers (Apache, Nginx, etc.) and databases (MySQL,
PostgreSQL) work.

Week 3-4: Introduction to Ethical Hacking

 Learn about ethical hacking principles, legal boundaries, and the rules of
engagement.
 Key Topics: OSINT (Open Source Intelligence), information gathering, social
engineering basics.
 Tools to Explore: Nmap (for basic port scanning), Netcat (networking tool),
WHOIS.

Resources:

 Course: Cybrary’s Ethical Hacking for Beginners

 Book: The Web Application Hacker's Handbook (Chapter 1-3)

Month 2: Web Pentesting Tools & Initial Hands-on Practice

 Objective: Learn about key web penetration testing tools and apply them in
practice.

Week 1-2: Burp Suite & OWASP ZAP

 Burp Suite:
o Explore Burp Suite’s Proxy, Scanner, Intruder, and Repeater tools.
o Learn how to intercept and modify HTTP requests, map web applications, and look
for vulnerabilities.
 OWASP ZAP:
o Similar to Burp Suite, but open-source. Learn to use ZAP for web vulnerability
scanning and manual testing.

Week 3-4: Vulnerability Scanning & Information Gathering

 Nikto: Use Nikto to scan web servers for common vulnerabilities (e.g., outdated
software, directory listing).
 Google Dorking: Understand how to use Google for information gathering.

Resources:

 Books: The Web Application Hacker's Handbook (Chapter 4-5)

 Practical Platforms: TryHackMe (Web Application Pentesting Room)

Month 3: Exploitation Techniques and Hands-on Challenges

Objective: Learn common web application vulnerabilities and how to exploit

them.

Week 1-2: SQL Injection

 Theory: Learn how SQL injection works, types of SQLi (Union-based, Blind,
Error-based).
 Hands-on Practice: Use SQLmap and Burp Suite to identify and exploit SQL
injection vulnerabilities.
 Exploit Example: Extract data, bypass authentication.

Week 3-4: Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) & Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF)
 XSS: Learn about Stored, Reflected, and DOM-based XSS attacks. Use Burp Suite
for scanning and manual exploitation.
 CSRF: Understand how attackers exploit CSRF to perform unauthorized actions
on behalf of logged-in users.

Resources:

 Books: The Web Application Hacker's Handbook (Chapter 6-8)

 Platform: Hack The Box (Practice on web application challenges)

Month 4: Advanced Exploitation and Post-Exploitation Techniques

Objective: Dive deeper into more advanced web vulnerabilities and exploitation
techniques.

Week 1-2: Command Injection & File Inclusion

 Command Injection: Learn how to inject arbitrary commands to the system.

 File Inclusion: Understand Local File Inclusion (LFI) and Remote File Inclusion
(RFI) vulnerabilities.

Week 3-4: Remote Code Execution (RCE)

 Learn how RCE vulnerabilities allow attackers to run arbitrary code on the target
server.
 Hands-on: Practice exploiting RCE on vulnerable machines.

Resources:

 Books: Hacking: The Art of Exploitation (Chapter on exploiting system

vulnerabilities)
 Platform: TryHackMe (Advanced Web App Exploitation room)

Month 5: Real-World Application and Bug Bounty Programs

Objective: Apply your skills in real-world scenarios and explore bug bounty
programs.

Week 1-2: Bug Bounty Platforms

 HackerOne / Bugcrowd: Learn how bug bounty programs work.
 Hands-on: Start looking for bugs in open-source applications or participate in
beginner-level challenges on these platforms.

Week 3-4: Web Application Security in the Cloud

 AWS & Azure Security: Learn how web applications hosted in the cloud are
different in terms of security.
 Explore cloud misconfigurations and other vulnerabilities (e.g., insecure storage,
IAM misconfigurations).

Resources:

 Courses: Bugcrowd Academy (Bug Bounty training)

 Platform: Hack The Box (Cloud security-related challenges)

Month 6: Capstone Project & Final Review

Objective: Consolidate your learning by working on a comprehensive penetration

test project and review the topics.

Week 1-2: Capstone Project

 Choose a real-world application or web challenge and conduct a full penetration

test.
o Scope: Information gathering, vulnerability scanning, exploitation, and reporting.
o Tools: Use Burp Suite, Nikto, OWASP ZAP, SQLmap, and other tools you've
learned.

Week 3: Final Review & Report Writing

 Learn how to write comprehensive penetration testing reports. Include findings,

evidence, and remediation recommendations.

Week 4: Practice and Final Assessment

 Platform: TryHackMe, Hack The Box, VulnHub (Complete web application

pentesting challenges).
 Write and review your penetration test reports from your capstone project.
 Resources:

 Books: The Hacker Playbook 3 (Focus on creating detailed reports)

 Platform: TryHackMe (Web Pentesting Mastery path)

Course Summary & Estimated Time Commitment

 Weekly Time Commitment: 10-15 hours per week (1.5-2 hours daily).
 Tools & Platforms:
o TryHackMe, Hack The Box, VulnHub for practical challenges.
o Burp Suite, OWASP ZAP, SQLmap for hands-on pentesting.
o Books and Courses listed above for theory and deep dives.

Future Prospects and Certifications

 Certifications:
o Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH)
o OSCP (Offensive Security Certified Professional)
o GIAC Web Application Penetration Tester (GWAPT)
 Career: With consistent practice, you can start freelancing in Bug Bounty
Hunting or apply for Penetration Tester and Security Consultant roles.

Would you like additional resources or a focus on specific topics? Let me know
how I can assist further with your learning journey!