OSCP - The 120 day journey

Hello!

After reading a couple of OSCP threads I guess it is time to write my own.
I guess I will start with my background.
I am 41 years old and have been working with IT since 2002 (as a technician).
Over the years I have mainly worked with Windows servers and desktops, but in the last couple of years I have used Linux VM's in the courses I have read so I would sau I have intermediate skills in Linux.

IT Security have always been a big interest of mine (since I started to work with computers).
The last few years it has almost gotten out of control with me reading blogs, twitter, viewing webcasts, reading books and taking courses in the evenings and weekends.
I also have a full time job (but no family, so I have a lot of spare time when I am not working).

I have mainly studied computer forensics and taking SANS courses (FOR408, FOR508, FOR572 and SEC 511).
I don't work with this though, mainly server administration, but I think that I can have use of these skills when it comes to Incident Response (sometime in the future...).

I have always been fascinated of "hacking" and the legal side of that is penetration testing.
When it comes to this area I have known about the tools used in the trade, like Metasploit, Nessus, Nmap and password cracking but I haven't had any practical experience with these tools (apart from Nessus).

Since I first heard of the OSCP course/exam I have had it on my list of courses to take.
Reading the posts on this forum and on blogs have made me realize that this would be the biggest challenge so far on my security journey.
The biggest thing for me is the lab network(s), to actually get the opportunity to "hack" machines in a network and get your hands dirty.
The Exam I have nothing but fear of, and I am not sure I will take it unless I feel ready for it.
I think that you should be able to hack most of the machines in the lab network(s) in order to be ready for the exam.

When I am writing this I have recently finished my 90 days of lab access and bought 30 days more (hence the title of this thread).
I am currently struggeling with the lab network, hacking my way through the machines (very slowly).

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Comments

Husam97

Muggie wrote: »

Best of luck to you and thanks for writing up this thread. I'm currently working on the lab machines - 5 down so far with 30 days left. Your guide has been very beneficial on what items I need to touch up.

Good luck buddy

kiems

Hope that you had success in your exam.

Janne4

Thanks!
Actually I failed on my first attempt, but that was kind of expected. Speed has never been one of my strenghts while I was in the Lab Network so to be able to hack 4 out of 5 Machines in less that 24 hours was a bit to hard for me.

The reports for the lab exercises and the lab network are pretty much done but I never sent them in since I already knew I had failed, those were not going to save me.
The report for the lab exercises was about 190 pages long using offsec's template ; )

I think I will do a second attempt next year, next up is a 6 week holiday in South East Asia ; )

My plan is to spend a couple of months working at my week spots (web application attacks, modifying exploits, priv esc, port direction/tunneling) and trying different kind of web attacks against Metasploitable and simular VMs.
Also need to practice on XSS client-side exploits with BeEF and MSF, had 2 Machines in the Lab Network which I couldn't own, but there was some twist with these machines as well.
Next year, in the summer when I have more time, I will buy 15 Days of Lab Access and try to get the remaining 20 Machines in the Labs and then do the exam again.