I suppose there are several questions that may be running through your head as you contemplate reading this book: Who is the intended audience for this book? How is this book different from book ‘x’ (insert your favourite title here)? Why should I buy it? Because these are all fair questions and I am asking you to plunk down your hard-earned cash, it is important to provide some answers to these questions. For people who are interested in learning about hacking and penetration testing, walking into a well-stocked bookstore can be as confusing as searching for “hacking” books at amazon.com. Initially, there appears to be an almost endless selection to choose from. Most large bookstores have several shelves dedicated to computer security books. They include books on programming security, web application security, rootkits and malware, penetration testing, and, of course, hacking. However, even the hacking books seem to vary in content and subject matter. Some books focus on using tools but do not discuss how these tools fit together. Other books focus on hacking a particular subject but lack the broad picture.