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Generative AI for Penetration Testing: Red Team

This course is part of Generative AI for Cybersecurity Specialization

Instructor: LearnQuest Network

Included with

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3 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

Beginner level

No prior experience required

4 hours to complete

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

3 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

Beginner level

No prior experience required

4 hours to complete

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

What you'll learn

Use AI-powered tools to automate OSINT and reconnaissance
Discover and prioritize vulnerabilities using AI-enhanced scanning
Execute AI-assisted exploitation and persistence techniques
Design AI-generated phishing campaigns and fake personas

Skills you'll gain

Tools you'll learn

Details to know

Shareable certificate

Add to your LinkedIn profile

Assessments

9 assignments¹

AI Graded see disclaimer

Taught in English

91% of learners achieved a positive career outcome

See how employees at top companies are mastering in-demand skills

Learn more about Coursera for Business

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Build your subject-matter expertise

This course is part of the Generative AI for Cybersecurity Specialization

When you enroll in this course, you'll also be enrolled in this Specialization.

Learn new concepts from industry experts
Gain a foundational understanding of a subject or tool
Develop job-relevant skills with hands-on projects
Earn a shareable career certificate

There are 3 modules in this course

Discover how generative AI is revolutionizing penetration testing. In this hands-on course, you’ll learn how red teams are leveraging AI to streamline every phase of an attack—from information gathering to vulnerability discovery, exploitation, and social engineering. You'll gain practical experience with tools like SpiderFoot, Nmap, Burp Suite, Metasploit, and PentestGPT to automate OSINT, prioritize scan results, exploit weaknesses, and maintain access in real-world scenarios. You'll also use AI to craft phishing emails and fake identities, simulating advanced social engineering tactics. Designed for cybersecurity professionals and aspiring ethical hackers, this course combines cutting-edge AI workflows with proven penetration testing strategies. Learn to think like an attacker—and use AI to move faster, smarter, and more effectively in today’s dynamic threat landscape.

Module details

This module introduces learners to the foundational phase of penetration testing: reconnaissance. You will learn how to gather information about a target using both traditional open-source intelligence (OSINT) techniques and AI-powered automation. Emphasis is placed on the importance of obtaining clear, written client permission before any testing begins. The module covers Google Dorking, the use of cheat sheets for advanced search techniques, and the deployment of SpiderFoot, a powerful OSINT automation tool commonly found in Kali Linux. You will see how AI can help automate the collection and analysis of publicly available data to identify potential vulnerabilities and targets.

What's included

13 videos3 assignments

13 videosTotal 39 minutes

Welcome to the Red Team2 minutes
Meet the Expert: Rick Bodnar1 minute
Perform an OSINT Investigation for a Client4 minutes
OSINT and SpiderFoot5 minutes
Demo: Start with SpiderFoot4 minutes
Demo: Scan with SpiderFoot4 minutes
Demo: Scan hackthissite.org3 minutes
Active Recon: Scenario & Approach4 minutes
Active Recon: Tools5 minutes
Demo: AI-Enhanced Network Scanning 12 minutes
Demo: AI-Enhanced Network Scanning 24 minutes
Review: Reconnaissance and OSINT1 minute
What's Next: Vulnerability Discovery, Exploits & Persistence2 minutes

3 assignmentsTotal 38 minutes

AI-Powered OSINT for Target Profiling - Knowledge Check8 minutes
Isolation Forests and nmap10 minutes
Reconnaissance and OSINT20 minutes

This module moves from information gathering to vulnerability discovery. Learners will use Burp Suite, a leading web application security testing tool, to scan for common vulnerabilities, including those listed in the OWASP Top 10. The module highlights the differences between Burp Suite Community and Professional editions, especially regarding AI-powered features. Learners will practice automated and manual testing using Burp’s Scanner, Intruder, and Repeater tools, and see how AI can prioritize and analyze results.

What's included

8 videos3 assignments

8 videosTotal 40 minutes

Intro to Vulnerability Discovery3 minutes
Vulnerability Discovery with Burp Suite4 minutes
Vulnerability Discovery: Scenario & Burp6 minutes
Demo: Start with Burp Suite7 minutes
Intro to AI-Assisted Vulnerability Detection2 minutes
Burp AI Results6 minutes
Vulnerability Detection: Scenario & Strategy6 minutes
DEMO: Burp AI Intruder Results5 minutes

3 assignmentsTotal 31 minutes

Burp Suite Knowledge Check 5 minutes
Vulnerability Analysis Knowledge Check 6 minutes
Vulnerability Discovery - Exam20 minutes

In this module, learners will leverage AI to automate the exploitation of discovered vulnerabilities and maintain post-exploitation access. The focus is on using Metasploit, a widely used penetration testing framework, in combination with PentestGPT, a specialized AI for cybersecurity. Learners will receive step-by-step guidance for exploiting services such as SSH, creating and deploying payloads, and using advanced features like Meterpreter and msfvenom for custom payload generation.