What Is Offensive Security Certified Professional
Baldovino Caya
The growing acceptance within the security industry of offensive security certifications reinforces the belief that ethical hacking is a respectable profession, not just a practical ability. This acceptance has created a demand for the subset of computer and network skills once pursued only by malicious actors.
There are currently two prevalent penetration testing certifications available, the Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) and the OSCP. Each fills a unique role in the cybersecurity industry, although jobs requiring one of these certifications will often accept either.
This certification is suited for non-penetration testers and people who lack detailed security knowledge as it focuses less on hands-on labs and is considered more of an entry-level certification than is the OSCP.
The OSCP certification is more hands-on and is highly focused on penetration testing using Kali Linux. It is typically recommended for more experienced information security professionals who want to make a profound and meaningful move into professional penetration testing.
OSCP candidates should be able to enumerate a machine, identify vulnerabilities, and develop solutions to produce shells. It is fair to say that the OSCP is the gold standard certification for penetration testing.
OffSec suggests that candidates should have a solid understanding of TCP/IP networking, reasonable Windows and Linux administration experience, and be familiar with basic Bash or Python scripting. Candidates take the exam as the concluding portion of the OffSec training course.
The PWK exam and its certification, the OSCP, are offered by OffSec as part of the PEN-200 training course. The PEN-200 self-guided Individual Course is $1,499. It includes 90-days of lab access and one exam attempt.
The Learn One subscription is $2,499/year and provides lab access for one year and two exam attempts. A Learn Unlimited subscription is $5,499/year and includes all OffSec Training Library courses plus unlimited exam attempts.
The exam simulates a live network in a private VPN containing a small number of vulnerable machines. Candidates have 23 hours and 45 minutes to complete the exam. Once test takers have finished the exam, they have an additional 24 hours to upload the required documentation.
Students report all of the attacks, including all steps, commands issued, and console output in the form of a penetration test report. The documentation should be thorough enough that a technically competent reader can replicate the attacks step-by-step.
The average salary for OSCP holders will vary because the certification applies to many security roles across numerous organizational types. Obtaining this certification will qualify a candidate for advancement to higher-paying positions or entitle them to additional pay in their current role.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that the job outlook for Information Security Analysts is expected to grow 33 percent from 2019 to 2029. This anticipated increase is much faster than the average rate of job growth.
The OSCP certification validates the technical skills needed to execute offensive white hat hacking. For security professionals with an established career in cybersecurity and hands-on hacking experience, becoming an OSCP is an excellent way to demonstrate their skills and expertise.
Security teams need individuals that can use information-gathering techniques to identify and enumerate targets running various operating systems and services. Analyzing, correcting, modifying, cross-compiling, and porting public exploit code are in-demand skills, and the outlook for growth in these areas is exceptional.
The OffSec PEN-200 test preparation training will equip candidates with the ability to write basic scripts and create automated tools to assist the pentesting process, conduct privilege escalation, and carry out client-side attacks.
Cyber security professionals have access many certification choices. This abundance of options is hardly surprising since there needs to be a wide variety of security measures and tools to counter the overwhelming range of cyber threats that exist.
IT professionals use penetration testing to ensure that their networks are safe from hackers and other unwelcome intruders. There are currently two prevalent penetration testing certifications available: CEH and OSCP.
Although it includes a good selection of penetration tools and testing and covers some of the same topics as CISSP, CEH is an entry-level certification ideal for non-penetration testers and people who lack detailed security knowledge. All that a neophyte CEH student needs is a solid, working knowledge of networking.
Eschewing the theoretical approach, OSCP offers a more hands-on teaching method, in tandem with a greater emphasis on self-study. OSCP is enormously popular and has become the gold standard in penetration testing.
The OSCP certification exam consists of two parts. First, an almost 24-hour pen-testing exam on five challenge machines. The applicant must then turn in a documentation report within 24 hours after the first exam is complete.
My learning experience with Simplilearn was enriching and valuable. It will undoubtedly help me to transition into my new chosen field of Cybersecurity. I liked the live virtual classes as well as the recorded sessions.
A quality CISSP certification course gives students the expertise needed to define IT architecture, and design, build, and oversee a secure IT business environment, employing globally approved information security standards. The CISSP course covers industry best practices and prepares you for the CISSP certification exam held by (ISC).
Teaches a well-rounded curriculum of skills related to different aspects of cyber security such as cloud security, cryptography, mobile testing, penetration testing, and IoT testing. You have access to an instructor.
The answer depends on your ultimate career goals and how cyber security fits into them in general. The fastest way to get cyber security certification is to gain some working knowledge of computer networking, then take the CEH certification course. There are no set prerequisites needed before taking the CEH certification course, so the only thing you need to worry about is having that network experience nailed down.
Depending on how easily you grasp the fundamentals of networking, you could be certified in cyber security in just a few weeks. You can then build off your CEH knowledge and go to either OSCP or CISSP. Perhaps even both. But if you decide on both, take the OSCP certification first, then move on to CISSP.
Simplilearn can help you achieve this dream thanks to its CEH (v10) - Certified Ethical Hacking course. The ethical hacking course provides you with the hands-on training you need to master the tricks and techniques that hackers use to crack into network systems, and then use that knowledge to defend your system against intrusion. The course is aligned with the latest CEH v10 by EC-Council and will help you boost your blue team skills.
Whether you select the Blended Learning option or choose corporate training, you will receive 40 hours of learning in 20 current security domains, study materials from EC-Council, six months of free access to CEHv10 labs, and your certificate upon passing the exam.
According to Payscale, a certified ethical hacker can earn an annual average of USD 92,196. So long as criminals and troublemakers keep trying to break into networks and systems, there will be a need for white-hat hackers to foil them. Consider this well-paying and exciting career and let Simplilearn help you on your way!
LinkedIn and 3rd parties use essential and non-essential cookies to provide, secure, analyze and improve our Services, and to show you relevant ads (including professional and job ads) on and off LinkedIn. Learn more in our Cookie Policy.
Hands-On Learning: OSCP is an extremely hands-on certification that requires you to solve real-world hacking challenges on a virtual lab environment. You'll learn how to perform ethical hacking and penetration testing in a safe and controlled environment.
Difficulty Level: OSCP is not an easy certification to obtain. The exam is designed to test your skills and knowledge in a way that closely simulates real-world scenarios. You'll need to be prepared to put in a lot of hard work and practice to pass the exam.
Industry Recognition: OSCP is highly recognized in the cybersecurity industry as a benchmark of knowledge and skill. Employers often look for OSCP certification when hiring penetration testers and other cybersecurity professionals.
Career Advancement: Obtaining OSCP certification can open up a world of opportunities for career advancement. With the growing demand for cybersecurity professionals, having an OSCP certification can make you a highly sought-after candidate in the job market.
Continuing Education: OSCP certification is not a one-and-done deal. To maintain your certification, you'll need to earn Continuing Professional Education (CPE) credits and re-certify every three years. This ensures that OSCP-certified professionals stay up-to-date with the latest technologies and best practices in the field.
If you're interested in pursuing a career in cybersecurity and want to prove your skills and knowledge, OSCP certification is an excellent way to do so. Start preparing today and join the ranks of the world's top cybersecurity professionals. #OSCP #Cybersecurity #PenetrationTesting #EthicalHacking #careeradvancement #letsconnect
Offensive Security certification exams are more than a test of technical prowess. They are clearly a test of endurance as well. The stamina that it takes to complete 24-hour, 48-hour, or 72-hour hands-on security testing means that Offensive Security Certification is not for everyone. The exams are proctored online by video.
Network security is one of the most important aspects of information technology. That's because there are so many bad guys who don't mind infiltrating and pilfering vulnerable networks if they can. Security certifications like Offensive Security, which focuses on ethical hacking, arose in response to the growing worldwide threats to IT infrastructure.