vcc.ca
ITOP 2150: Ethical Hacking
Effective date
January 2027
Department
IT Operations
School
Continuing Studies
Description
Students will learn how to plan and execute ethical security testing in controlled environments. In this course, students will conduct reconnaissance, enumeration, vulnerability assessment, and carefully scoped exploitation activities using industry‑aligned tools and methodologies. Students will also practice post‑exploitation cleanup, document findings in a professional report, and build the analytical mindset needed to understand attacker behaviour.
Credits
4.5
Year of study
2nd Year Post-secondary
Prerequisites
ITOP 1150, ITOP 2110.
Corequisites
None
Course Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
- Plan and execute penetration tests with defined scope and rules of engagement, maintaining complete activity logs and adhering to ethical and safety standards.
- Conduct reconnaissance and enumeration on target systems using approved tools, prioritizing findings by risk and documenting methodologies.
- Perform vulnerability assessments and validate true positives, summarizing risk levels with supporting evidence in a structured report.
- Demonstrate controlled exploitation of vulnerabilities, documenting containment measures and cleanup procedures while maintaining ethical boundaries.
- Execute post-exploitation analysis to detect persistence and artifacts, restoring targets to pre-test states.
- Produce a professional penetration test report aligned with industry standards.
Prior Learning Assessment & Recognition (PLAR)
PLAR is assessed through one or more of the following methods: challenge exam, student portfolio/products, project-based asessment, or through another assessment method that is aligned with the course learning outcomes.
Hours
Lecture, Online, Seminar, Tutorial: 60
Clinical, Lab, Rehearsal, Shop, Kitchen, Simulation, Studio: 12
Total Hours: 72
Clinical, Lab, Rehearsal, Shop, Kitchen, Simulation, Studio: 12
Total Hours: 72
Instructional Strategies
Instructional strategies may include:
Knowledge checks
Lectures
Hands-on lab activities
Scenario-based activities
Demonstrations
Problem-based exercises
Discussion
Reflection
Knowledge checks
Lectures
Hands-on lab activities
Scenario-based activities
Demonstrations
Problem-based exercises
Discussion
Reflection
Grading System
Letter Grade (A-F)
Passing grade
C
Evaluation Plan
|
Type |
Percentage |
Assessment activity |
|
Project |
45-60 |
Project involving multiple components related to ethical penetration testing focused on planning and execution. |
|
Assignments |
40-55 |
Multiple hands-on lab exercises and/or assignments. |
Course topics
- Penetration Testing Scope, Rules of Engagement & Ethics Reconnaissance & Enumeration Techniques Vulnerability Assessment & Risk Validation Controlled Exploitation & Containment Post-Exploitation Analysis & Artifact Detection Professional Penetration Test Reporting
Notes:
- Course contents and descriptions, offerings and schedules are subject to change without notice.
- Students are required to follow all College policies including ones that govern their educational experience at VCC. Policies are available on the VCC website at:
https://www.vcc.ca/about/governance--policies/policies/. - To find out if there are existing transfer agreements for this course, visit the BC Transfer Guide at https://www.bctransferguide.ca.