This capstone project demonstrates a full cybersecurity assessment combining Vulnerability Assessment & Penetration Testing (VAPT) with Digital Forensic Evidence Collection & Analysis in a simulated corporate lab network of TechShield.
The objective was to emulate realistic cyber-attacks, ethically exploit system and web vulnerabilities, and then perform forensic validation to ensure evidence integrity and traceability.
Core Focus Areas
- Network & web application security testing
- Ethical exploitation to validate vulnerabilities
- Password security testing
- Forensic image verification & hidden evidence recovery
TechShield observed repeated test-environment security incidents due to:
- Weak system and application configurations
- Outdated operating systems & unpatched services
- Weak password practices
- Limited forensic readiness for incident investigation
Goal: Conduct a structured VAPT engagement integrated with forensic procedures to strengthen security posture and improve incident response capability.
| Category | Tools |
|---|---|
| Recon & Scanning | Netdiscover, Nmap, Greenbone/OpenVAS |
| Web Exploitation | DVWA (SQLi, XSS, File Upload, Reverse Shell) |
| Password Attacks | Hydra |
| System Exploitation | Metasploit (MS17-010 / EternalBlue) |
| Digital Forensics | Autopsy, md5sum |
Tools and platforms used
- Reconnaissance — Host discovery, port scanning, service enumeration
- Target Assessment — Vulnerability scanning & password checks
- Exploitation & Validation — Ethical exploitation to confirm risks
- Forensic Analysis — Evidence integrity validation & recovery of hidden files
Four-phase testing methodology
58 security vulnerabilities identified
- 16 High
- 38 Medium
- 4 Low
Successfully exploited outdated Windows machine (MS17-010 / EternalBlue)
Cracked weak passwords using Hydra
Administrator: P@ssw0rd
student: P@ssw0rd
Exploited DVWA vulnerabilities
- SQL Injection
- Stored XSS
- File upload to remote command execution
- Reverse shell access
Digital Forensics Success
- Verified forensic image integrity with MD5 hashes
- Recovered 5 hidden evidence files
- Detected disguised image files & potential obfuscation
- Maintained proper chain of custody
| Area | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Patch Management | Upgrade unsupported OS & apply critical patches |
| Authentication | Strong password policy, MFA, lockout policy |
| Network Security | Disable SMBv1, restrict SMB/RDP access |
| Web Security | Input validation, secure file upload controls, WAF |
| Forensic Readiness | Standardize forensic processes, SIEM logging & alerting |
- Vulnerability Assessment & Reporting
- Penetration Testing & Exploitation
- Web Application Security Testing
- OS & Network Security Analysis
- Password Security & Brute-force Attacks
- Digital Forensics & Evidence Handling
- Documentation & Chain-of-Custody Procedures
Nmap results
OpenVAS scan findings
SQLi & XSS exploits
Reverse shell terminal evidence
Hash verification screenshots
Recovered forensic images
This project demonstrates hands-on ability to:
- Identify and exploit real-world security weaknesses
- Analyze and secure networks and web applications
- Perform forensic integrity checks and evidence recovery
- Produce structured, professional reporting and recommendations
It reflects a comprehensive understanding of both offensive security and digital forensic practices, essential for modern cybersecurity roles.