PentesterLab is a comprehensive platform designed for application security engineers focused on identifying weaknesses, vulnerabilities, and areas for improvement in real-world codebases. By working through the labs, you’ll develop the skills and confidence needed to excel in your role.

Learning to Read Code Early: The Essential Badge

For instance, early in your learning journey, the Essential Badge includes detailed code review videos for most labs. These videos offer valuable insights into identifying vulnerable patterns, understanding real-world issues, and thinking critically as a security reviewer. This ensures you gain perspective on both sides of the puzzle: black-box and white-box testing. Learning code review is not an afterthought, it is part of the journey.

The Challenge and Reward of Code Review

Code review on PentesterLab is challenging but immensely rewarding. The progression from snippets to patches to full codebases builds resilience and expertise over time. These labs go beyond simply finding vulnerabilities; they focus on uncovering weaknesses and proposing improvements—a realistic approach that mirrors the responsibilities of application security engineers. It’s not about only locating exploitable vulnerabilities, the next vulnerability in your chain, or creating serialization gadgets; it’s about identifying security issues commonly found in real-world codebases. The full codebases you will audit in the badge are actually based on real projects from GitHub I reviewed to find vulnerabilities.

 

Building Tools and Hands-On Learning

PentesterLab provides a deep hands-on learning experience. You’ll create your own tools and exploits, such as generating JWT tokens from scratch using OpenSSL, JSON, and Base64. Rather than relying on libraries or pre-built hacking tools, you’ll learn to write your own tools. This will allow you to audit protocols and formats for which a library or a hacking tool may not be available. The goal isn’t to teach you how to run ./pwn but to empower you to write the next pwn.

Mastering Cryptographic Vulnerabilities

For cryptography enthusiasts, and also because it is a key aspect of an application security engineer’s role, you’ll explore vulnerabilities in application leveraging ECB, CBC, CBC-MAC, and GCM for encryption. This helps you develop a strong foundation for analyzing cryptographic protocols. This hands-on approach ensures you’re well-prepared for complex security challenges.

Accessible for All Learners

Whether you’re a subscriber or exploring the free labs, PentesterLab has something for everyone. PRO subscribers should aim to complete all the badges, as even the introductory ones contain valuable tricks and techniques. Free users can make significant progress with our free ISOs, free labs of the month (rotated every month), and our free Recon badge.

More Than a Platform: A Resource for Growth

PentesterLab is more than just a platform; it’s a resource to help application security engineers build a robust foundation in secure coding and code review. It enables you to identify and remediate weaknesses in real-world applications while gaining practical, hands-on experience.

PentesterLab is the platform I wish I had when I learned to be an application security engineer and when I trained security engineers.

Start your journey today and elevate your application security skills with PentesterLab!