New Certification: CompTIA PenTest+

NEODREAM

Sat for this a couple days ago on Tuesday, definitely one of the funner CompTIA tests. Know your tools folks, study the materials listed in the objectives PDF!

shochan

I found this book & started reading, Professional Penetration Testing: Creating and Learning in a Hacking Lab, Second Edition, by Thomas Wilhelm, ISBN: 9781597499934.

I have almost completely read the Matt Walker C|EH book - so hopefully this will tie everything together to hopefully do well on this test.

Cheers & Hi5!

josephandre

The early reviews of this test are encouraging.

Looking forward to it now

airzero

Just finish the beta exam. I have to say that it was surprisingly difficult for being a CompTIA exam. Seems they really listened to their SMEs at thier workshop for this cert. I love how much scripting they incorperated in and how well it compliments the other questions.

This definitley is better (and SHOULD replace) the CEH exam. Honestly I would put it more on the level with GPEN, but not quite as difficult. That being said it's not a open book exam like the GPEN is so I feel that ups the difficulty.

No idea if I passed or not as I'll admit some answers I flat out did not know. Mainly the web application questions as I have the least experience in that arena.Highly recommend anyone with some penetration testing experience or interest in the field try the beta and wait and try the exam when it comes out.

DntH8Me

Just signed up for it (25 April) that should give me time to get my CEH out of the way and create a few labs to practice in. Sounds like this exam is more along the lines of practical application than CEH.

JDMurray

I'm surprised nobody has posted SANS' pentesting materials: https://pen-testing.sans.org/resources/downloads

UPDATE: SANS people had a hand in this pentest info too: http://www.pentest-standard.org/index.php/Main_Page

arussnfl

Good Morning Are they only limiting this to 400 people? What happens if 400 people take the test prior to my scheduled test date?

stryder144

arussnfl wrote: »

Good Morning Are they only limiting this to 400 people? What happens if 400 people take the test prior to my scheduled test date?

I believe that when the limit is reached those who have paid for, but not taken the exam, will be refunded.

JDMurray

I'm assuming they will not allow more than 400 people to sign up for the beta. If you successfully signed up then you have a spot.

c5rookie

Hopefully this is a big win for CompTIA and points people away from the ceh. I'll let you know what my test experience is like. Earliest I can test is mid-March.

arussnfl

Good Morning, Does anyone have suggestions on books to utilize for exam preparation?

McxRisley

This is not a "read a book and pass the test" exam. You will need actual hands-on experience to pass this exam. If you have never done pentesting or haven't done quite a few CTFs, then you are more then likely going to fail it. CEH materials will not help you, no book will help you. Start doing CTFs and familiarize yourself with the pentesting process, that's the only things that will help you.

NetworkNewb

JDMurray wrote: »

I'm assuming they will not allow more than 400 people to sign up for the beta. If you successfully signed up then you have a spot.

I'm hoping for this as I have mine scheduled for March 21st... We'll see. Definitely not the biggest deal if I just get refunded though.

stryder144

McxRisley wrote: »

This is not a "read a book and pass the test" exam. You will need actual hands-on experience to pass this exam. If you have never done pentesting or haven't done quite a few CTFs, then you are more then likely going to fail it. CEH materials will not help you, no book will help you. Start doing CTFs and familiarize yourself with the pentesting process, that's the only things that will help you.

Thanks to your feedback, I have canceled my exam. I was under the false assumption that since CompTIA asked for CEH qualified individuals to help develop the exam that it would merely require a read through and maybe some hands on stuff. Your advice is definitely helpful, so thank you for that.

Now, I don't know if they will come out with a second edition of the exam, but if they do I will be prepared for it. To that end, and taking your advice a little bit further, I am going to build a few CTFs for friends and really dig deep on this one. Maybe, just maybe, when the next PenTester+ beta comes out (in three years or so?), I will be prepared and will nail it.

Cheers

NetworkNewb

McxRisley wrote: »

This is not a "read a book and pass the test" exam. You will need actual hands-on experience to pass this exam.

Isn't just a completely multiple choice test though? Hands on is definitely the best way to learn almost anything, but find it hard to believe multiple choice test questions actually "needs" hands on experience.

McxRisley

NetworkNewb wrote: »

Isn't just a completely multiple choice test though? Hands on is definitely the best way to learn almost anything, but find it hard to believe multiple choice test questions actually "needs" hands on experience.

Once you take the exam you will see what I mean. Don't wana give away too much here.

Ertaz

NetworkNewb wrote: »

Isn't just a completely multiple choice test though? Hands on is definitely the best way to learn almost anything, but find it hard to believe multiple choice test questions actually "needs" hands on experience.

I almost want to reschedule mine for tomorrow and just go take it to see what it's like. I've got the GPEN already, so it's not like I need it.

NetworkNewb

JDMurray wrote: »

I'm assuming they will not allow more than 400 people to sign up for the beta. If you successfully signed up then you have a spot.

I asked Comptia if since my I scheduled my test does that mean I'm guaranteed a seat. Their exact response "[FONT=&amp]If 400 people take the exam prior to your test date on March 21st you will not be able to take the exam and you will be issued a refund. "

[/FONT]Debating on just canceling it as I'm not gonna waste my time studying for something that might not even happen.

JDMurray

I'm sure people will report here if their PenTest+ exam is cancelled, so we'll know when that threshold has been hit. So many people have signed up for April that our March exam dates may be safe.

dizzy_kitty

NetworkNewb wrote: »

I asked Comptia if since my I scheduled my test does that mean I'm guaranteed a seat. Their exact response "[FONT=&amp]If 400 people take the exam prior to your test date on March 21st you will not be able to take the exam and you will be issued a refund. "[/FONT]Debating on just canceling it as I'm not gonna waste my time studying for something that might not even happen.

I postponed my CompTIA Cloud+ beta exam SO many time since I was juggling work and graduate classes at the same time. I ended up scheduling it for the very last day to take the exam (I think they announced it closed Oct 27). I guess 400 people hadn't signed up for it because I was able to take it. I wouldn't worry about 400 people signing up for PenTest+.

EANx

NetworkNewb wrote: »

Isn't just a completely multiple choice test though? Hands on is definitely the best way to learn almost anything, but find it hard to believe multiple choice test questions actually "needs" hands on experience.

There are a number of exams that require hands-on in order to answer multiple-choice questions. The best one I've taken was Cisco's T-Shoot exam for the R/S CCNP. Most of the simulations had the same network and the same reported problem but you needed to find where the problem was, what technology it was with and then select the best option to fix it. Doing so required to to find the answer in the simulation. I haven't taken this exam but I expect there's a simulated component with the products mentioned and you need to find an answer using that product.

NetworkNewb

Thats true about simulations. It does say that questions are "Multiple choice and performance based" on their site too. So I'm sure you're right.

waffle cone

Hi Guys,
I wish to register for the CompTIA Pentest Beta exam, but I have a doubt. Once I attend and pass the Beta exam, will I be considered as a successful candidate and get original certification/CPT+ Certified in future OR will I be given a Beta Certified/Certification OR do I have to take the exam again once it is comes out as a full certification.
Thankyou Guys.

NetworkNewb

waffle cone wrote: »

Hi Guys,
I wish to register for the CompTIA Pentest Beta exam, but I have a doubt. Once I attend and pass the Beta exam, will I be considered as a successful candidate and get original certification/CPT+ Certified in future OR will I be given a Beta Certified/Certification OR do I have to take the exam again once it is comes out as a full certification.
Thankyou Guys.

"Beta test takers will be notified this summer – after the beta phase has concluded – whether they’ve passed he exam. Individuals who earn a passing score will become CompTIA PenTest+ certified."

waffle cone

Thanks a lot for the reply NetworkNewb.

arussnfl

Good Morning Everyone, So has anyone recently taken the beta exam? Any thoughts, opinions, etc...?

gjammer1

NetworkNewb wrote: »

They are definitely milking everything they can out of these security certs!

I concur!

spiderjericho

Cybersecurity is where the money is at. The CompTIA decision maker who authorized CASP, CSA+ and Pentest+ will either be lauded as shrewd or a failure.

Their goal seems to be CISSP, CEH and incident response equivalents.

arussnfl

So has anyone taken the test recently? If so can post some tips or hints

EnderWiggin

arussnfl wrote: »

So has anyone taken the test recently? If so can post some tips or hints

Hint: Be an expert penetration tester