Lab Setup

• Vulnerable VMs
• Networking
• Workflow

A proper lab is the foundation of security practice
You can’t learn penetration testing on production systems (illegal) and you can’t become skilled without hands-on practice. A well-designed lab provides safe , repeatable environments for every skill level

Why a Lab?

• Legal testing environment (your playground)
• Repeatable scenarios (reset and retry)
• Multiple targets (different OS , services , configurations)
• Isolated from production (no accidental damage)
• Document your methodology (progression tracking)

Lab Design Principles

1. Isolation - Lab network should not touch production
2. Snapshots - Every VM needs clean-state snapshot
3. Documentation - Write down IPs, credentials, vulnerabilities
4. Resource Planning - RAM and disk space manage growth
5. Segmentation - Different networks for different purposes
6. Automation - Deploy and reset with scripts

Essential Lab Components

Attack Machine

• Kali Linux or Parrot OS
• All testing tools pre-installed
• Multiple network interfaces

Target Machines

• Vulnerable BY DESIGN VMs (Metasploitable, DVWA)
• Real-world OS (Windows 10, Ubuntu Server)
• Active Directory lab (Domain Controller + Workstations)

Network Infrastructure

• Router/firewall (pfsense)
• Network monitoring (Security Onion)
• Log aggregation (ELK Stack)

Hardware Requirements

Cloud Lab Options

• TryHackMe (guided rooms with infrastructure)
• HackTheBox (machines and challenges)
• Proving Grounds (PWK-style practice)
• AWS/Azure (deploy vulnerable infrastructure as code)
• DigitalOcean (for custom setups)