Here’s a comprehensive list broken into:
🧨 Vulnerable network labs/systems
🌐 Online platforms for hands-on training
🧭 Structured learning paths
🧨 Vulnerable Labs for Network Penetration Testing
What it is: A deliberately vulnerable VM built for network exploitation.
Covers: Open ports, weak services, misconfigurations, buffer overflows.
Great for: Practicing with Nmap, Metasploit, manual exploits.
2. VulnHub Machines
What it is: A huge archive of vulnerable VMs (CTF-style and realistic).
Use for: Local/offline network attacks, pivoting, privilege escalation.
Many scenarios: Windows, Linux, Active Directory.
3. Active Directory Labs (e.g., Attack-Defense AD Lab)
Great for: Practicing internal network attacks, password spraying, Kerberoasting, etc.
Options:
TryHackMe - Attacktive Directory Room
Pentester Academy AD Lab (paid)
4. De-ICE Pen Test Live CDs
What it is: Bootable ISO targets designed to simulate real networks.
Scenario-based: Simulates corporate networks you can attack from a separate machine.
5. Security Onion Practice Setup
What it is: Network monitoring platform that you can use to analyze attacks.
Reverse engineering + detection + blue teaming side of pentesting.
You can attack it or analyze captured network traffic.
Absolutely — here’s even more vulnerable labs, tools, and resources specifically for network penetration testing , with a focus on enterprise-level simulation , protocol-specific testing , and realistic attack chains (including pivoting, lateral movement, and post-exploitation). Let’s take it up a level.
🧨 More Vulnerable Network Environments & Labs
6. PurpleLabs by TCM Security
What it is: A full-scale Active Directory lab you can deploy locally.
Great for: AD enumeration, password attacks, lateral movement, bloodhound.
Runs on: VMware or VirtualBox
7. Red Team Attack Lab (by RangeForce / GitHub community)
Enterprise-style internal network simulation.
Includes:
Windows domain controller
Vulnerable services like SMB, RDP, and misconfigured GPOs
Good for: Credential abuse, Golden Ticket, Kerberoasting
8. Proving Grounds (by Offensive Security)
Hosted vulnerable machines maintained by OffSec (creators of OSCP).
Machines vary in difficulty and realism.
Comes with Kali + in-browser console.
9. Amun Honeypot or Dionaea (Defensive but useful)
Use these to simulate services like SMB, HTTP, FTP and then attack them yourself.
Good for creating a bait network to practice detection evasion.
10. DetectionLab by Chris Long
Full enterprise logging lab with Splunk, Winlogbeat, and preconfigured AD.
Great for learning both attack and detection.
Attack Tools: RDP, PowerShell abuse, LLMNR, etc.
🧠 Protocol-Specific Labs & Practice Areas
Protocol
Resource to Practice
VulnHub: "SickOs", THM: "Ignite"
Metasploitable 2, VulnHub: "Bashed"
TryHackMe: "AD Lab", HTB: "Forest"
THM: "DNS Enumeration", HTB: "Resolute"
HTB: "Blue", Proving Grounds
Metasploitable, De-ICE CDs
📦 Pre-Built Attack & Lab Environments
🔹 AttackBox (TryHackMe)
Browser-based Kali Linux instance
Good for quick-start labs — no local VM setup required
🔹 Kali Linux + Vagrant Lab Setup
Set up a lab with vulnerable VMs using a single command:
vagrant up metasploitable
vagrant up windows-server-2016
Bonus: Combine with VPN or host-only network to practice real lateral movement
🔹 pwnbox (HackTheBox)
In-browser Kali environment with tools preinstalled
Ideal for corporate firewalled environments or portable testing
Network scanning, service detection, vuln detection
Port listening, reverse shells
Network sniffing, packet analysis
Brute force login attacks (FTP, SSH, RDP)
Exploitation, post-exploitation
Advanced AD exploitation: smbclient, secretsdump, etc.
LLMNR poisoning and credential relay attacks
Swiss army knife for Active Directory
Enum4linux / smbclient / rpcclient
Burp Suite (for proxying internal web apps)
Labs for all levels : Basic enumeration to AD attacks.
More realistic than THM , used for OSCP prep.
Includes:
Retired machines for practicing with walkthroughs
Active Directory networks
"Pro Labs" like Offshore and Dante for enterprise-grade simulations
🔹 RangeForce / CyberDefenders / Blue Team Labs
Mostly blue teaming but useful for understanding detection and logging.
Great for Red vs Blue scenarios.
🔹 Immersive Labs (Enterprise)
Scenario-based labs that include recon, scanning, privilege escalation, and report writing.
🔹 Pentester Academy (now INE)
Paid platform with great labs for AD exploitation, packet analysis, and network attacks.
🧭 Structured Roadmap: Beginner to Advanced Network Pentesting
🔹 Phase 1: Recon & Scanning
Nmap, netcat, ping, traceroute, Wireshark
THM: Network Services, VulnHub
🔹 Phase 2: Service Enumeration
smbclient, ftp, ssh, enum4linux, rpcclient
HTB easy machines, DVWA (network exposed)
Metasploit, manual exploits, brute force
Metasploitable 2/3, THM: Daily Bugle
🔹 Phase 4: Lateral Movement
CrackMapExec, Impacket, NTLMRelayX
THM: Attacktive Directory, HTB: Forest
🔹 Phase 5: Post-Exploitation
Privilege escalation, pivoting, data exfil
LinPEAS/WinPEAS, PowerUp, BloodHound
🔹 Phase 6: Reporting & Cleanup
Evidence collection, logs, screenshots
TryHackMe: Final Challenge Rooms
Last updated 6 months ago
