Ethical Hacking: System Hacking
System breaches cost organisations £4.29m on average—and most start with basic hacking techniques your team needs to understand. This course walks you through real attack vectors, exploitation methods, and the defensive mindset that separates reactive security from proactive resilience.
AIU.ac Verdict: Ideal for security professionals, penetration testers, and infrastructure teams who need hands-on system hacking knowledge to test defences and build credibility in ethical hacking. The 3h 54m format is tight—expect practical labs over theory, though you’ll need foundational networking knowledge to keep pace.
What This Course Covers
You’ll explore system-level attack methodologies including privilege escalation, credential harvesting, lateral movement, and post-exploitation techniques. Dale Meredith covers both Windows and Linux environments, with emphasis on real-world attack chains that mirror what threat actors actually execute. Each module pairs theory with Pluralsight’s hands-on labs, so you’re not just watching—you’re exploiting vulnerabilities in sandboxed systems.
The course bridges the gap between vulnerability discovery and system compromise. You’ll learn how attackers chain techniques together, how to identify weak configurations, and crucially, how to document findings for remediation. This practical grounding makes you dangerous in a penetration test and invaluable when advising teams on hardening.
Who Is This Course For?
Ideal for:
- Penetration Testers & Security Consultants: Need current system hacking techniques to execute credible assessments and demonstrate real-world attack paths to clients.
- Infrastructure & Systems Administrators: Want to understand attacker methodology to harden their own environments and anticipate breach scenarios before they happen.
- Security Operations Centre (SOC) Analysts: Benefit from understanding attack execution to better detect and respond to system-level threats in their monitoring and incident response workflows.
May not suit:
- Absolute Beginners: Requires working knowledge of networking, operating systems, and basic command-line proficiency. Start with foundational cybersecurity courses first.
- Compliance-Only Audiences: Focused on hands-on hacking rather than audit frameworks or policy—if you need GDPR/ISO 27001 guidance, this isn’t the fit.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does Ethical Hacking: System Hacking take?
3 hours 54 minutes of video content. Plan for additional time if you’re repeating labs or testing techniques in your own environment.
Do I need prior hacking experience?
No, but you’ll need solid foundational knowledge: TCP/IP networking, Windows and Linux command-line basics, and general security concepts. This is intermediate-level material.
Can I use this for penetration testing certifications?
Yes—it covers techniques relevant to CEH, OSCP, and GPEN exams, though it’s not a dedicated cert prep course. Use it alongside official exam guides.
What makes Pluralsight’s labs different?
Pluralsight provides sandboxed environments where you execute real attacks without legal risk. You’re hacking actual systems, not watching someone else do it.
Course by Dale Meredith on Pluralsight. Duration: 3h 54m. Last verified by AIU.ac: March 2026.
