Oct 01, 2025  
GRCC Curriculum Database (2025-2026 Academic Year) 
    
GRCC Curriculum Database (2025-2026 Academic Year)
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CIS 278 - Pen Testing


Description
This course develops students’ understanding of effectively protecting various computer systems and networks (mobile, traditional, and cloud) through the use of the assessment and exploitation of vulnerabilities. It focuses on the tools and techniques used by defenders of networks and their adversaries. This course supplies an overview of the legal framework surrounding “computer hacking,” intrusion detection, and penetration testing.

This course prepares students for the CompTIA Pentest+ certification.


Credit Hours: 3
Contact Hours: 3
Prerequisites/Other Requirements: CIS 178  (C or Higher)
English Prerequisite(s): None
Math Prerequisite(s): None
Course Corequisite(s): None
Academic Program Prerequisite: None
Consent to Enroll in Course: No Department Consent Required
Dual Enrollment Allowed?: Yes
Number of Times Course can be taken for credit: 1
Programs Where This Course is a Requirement:
CyberSecurity, Certificate
General Education Requirement:
None
General Education Learner Outcomes (GELO):
NA
Course Learning Outcomes:
  1. Plan and scope penetration tests.
  2. Conduct passive reconnaissance.
  3. Perform non-technical tests to gather information.
  4. Conduct active reconnaissance.
  5. Analyze vulnerabilities.
  6. Penetrate networks.
  7. Exploit host-based vulnerabilities.
  8. Test applications.
  9. Complete post-exploit tasks.
  10. Analyze and report penetration test results.
  11. When communicating, use language that is appropriate to the audience. 
  12. Complete work accurately, with attention to detail. 

Course Outline:
I. Penetration Testing Overview

II. Planning and Scoping Penetration Tests

III. Information Gathering

IV. Vulnerability Scanning

V. Analyzing Vulnerability Scans

VI. Exploit and Pivot

VII. Exploiting Network Vulnerabilities

VIII. Exploiting Physical and Social Vulnerabilities

IX. Exploiting Application Vulnerabilities

X. Exploiting Host Vulnerabilities

XI. Scripting for Penetration Testing 

XII. Reporting and Communication 


Approved for Online and Hybrid Delivery?:
No
Instructional Strategies:
Lecture: 25-50%

Lab: 25-50%

Group Discussion: 25-50%
Mandatory Course Components:
None
Equivalent Courses:
None


Name of Industry Recognize Credentials: CompTIA Pentest+

Course-Specific Placement Test: None
Mandatory Department Assessment Measures:
Pentest+ Exam related assment (Test prep tool, or Certification Test)
Course Type:
Program Requirement- Offering designed to meet the learning needs of students in a specific GRCC program.
Course Format:
Lecture - 1:1
Total Lecture Hours Per Week: 3
People Soft Course ID Number: 105035
Course CIP Code: 11.9999
Maximum Course Enrollment: 24
Course Software Utilized: Oracle Virtual Box
School: School of STEM
Department: Computer Information Systems
Discipline: CIS
First Term Valid: Fall 2020 (8/1/2020)
1st Catalog Year: 2020-2021
Faculty Credential Requirements:
Certification/License Requirement (list below), Master’s Degree (GRCC general requirement), Professionally qualified through work experience in field (Perkins Act or Other) (list below)
Faculty Credential Requirement Details:
CompTIA Pentest+ Certification
Related MS degree CyberSecurity / Information Security.
Course Review & Revision Year: 2024-2025



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