Penetration Testing with Kali Linux OffSec

Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory. Tactics without strategy 
is the noise before defeat. – Sun Tzu 
In the most basic sense, we can think of 
strategy
as being a long-term vision, while 
tactics
are the 
short-term, immediate actions that we take. Strategy is the map, and tactics are the steps. 
For learners in a formal school structure, the strategy and tactics of study are often built into the 
school structure itself. A student’s schedule and the topics of study, and even how that student 
will approach the learning material, are all dictated by the school district or the instructor. 
In the absence of that rigid school structure, a common mistake of adult learners is to approach 
their studies casually, without thinking about either tactics or strategy. We might know, for 
example, that it’s important to “take notes”, but what exactly should we be writing down? And 
what should we do with those notes? 
This Learning Unit will present a series of specific tactics for learners to choose from. The 
Learning Unit that follows will discuss a few strategies that we can use to approach our studies. 
The tactics that follow are not intended as a complete or prescriptive list. What works for one 
learner may not work for others. Students should take ideas and determine for themselves what 
might work for them. 
This Learning Unit covers the following Learning Objectives: 
1.
Understand one potential note taking method called Cornell Notes 
2.
Learn about Retrieval Practice 
3.
Understand Spaced Practice 
4.
Explore the SQ3R and PQ4R Method 
5.
Examine the Feynman Technique 
6.
Understand the Leitner System 
While each student will learn at their own pace, this Learning Unit should take about ten minutes 
to complete. 
Since this Learning Unit is intended as a reference list of tactics, we will not provide challenge 
questions at the end as we have with other Learning Units in this Module. 

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Penetration Testing with Kali Linux
PWK - Copyright © 2023 OffSec Services Limited. All rights reserved. 
78 
4.5.1
Cornell Notes 
There are many different note taking systems. Let’s briefly examine one called 
Cornell Notes
,
164
which was developed by a Cornell University Professor named Walter Pauk in the 1950s. This 
method involves using a pen and paper, which helps with dual encoding. 
The first step is to divide the page into three areas. These are the 
cue
(on the left hand side of the 
page), the 
notes
(the large area on the right hand side of the page), and the 
summary
(several 
lines of space at the bottom of the page). 
Figure 3: An Illustration of Cornell Notes 
The cue might be questions we have about the text or key words or phrases. To illustrate an 
example, let’s discuss a topic like password hashing. This topic might have key terms to learn 
such as 
one-way encryption
, 
salting
, and 
cracking passwords
. We might also have a question, for 
example, “Are some hashing methods better than others?” 
The notes section for that page should be directly related to the items in the cue section. For 
example, near where we’ve written one-way encryption, we might write a long form definition of 
what is meant by this term. 
164
(Cornell University, 2022), https://lsc.cornell.edu/how-to-study/taking-notes/cornell-note-taking-system/ 

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Penetration Testing with Kali Linux
PWK - Copyright © 2023 OffSec Services Limited. All rights reserved. 
79 
Finally, we will complete the summary section as we review our notes. To continue the example, 
we might write “hashing a password = additional protection. Interested in more about cracking.” 
The content here does not need to necessarily be directly related to the material - this is an 
opportunity to reflect on our own interest, knowledge, and the study experience itself as well. 
Later in this Module, we will explore how self-reflection can be helpful. 
4.5.2
Retrieval Practice