CompTIA PenTest+ is a certification for intermediate level cybersecurity professionals who are tasked with penetration testing to identify, exploit, report, and manage vulnerabilities on a network.

CompTIA PenTest+ joins CompTIA Cybersecurity Analyst (CySA+) at the intermediate-skills level of the cybersecurity career pathway. Depending on your course of study, PenTest+ and CySA+ can be taken in any order but typically follows the skills learned in Security+. While CySA+ focuses on defense through incident detection and response, PenTest+ focuses on offense through penetration testing and vulnerability assessment.

Although the two exams teach opposing skills, they are dependent on one another. The most qualified cybersecurity professionals have both offensive and defensive skills. Earn the PenTest+ certification to grow your career within the CompTIA recommended cybersecurity career pathway.

CompTIA PenTest+ is the only penetration testing exam taken at a Pearson VUE testing center with both hands-on, performance-based questions and multiple-choice, to ensure each candidate possesses the skills, knowledge, and ability to perform tasks on systems. PenTest+ exam also includes management skills used to plan, scope, and manage weaknesses, not just exploit them.

PenTest+ is unique because our certification requires a candidate to demonstrate the hands-on ability and knowledge to test devices in new environments such as the cloud and mobile, in addition to traditional desktops and servers.

About the exam 

  • CompTIA PenTest+ assesses the most up-to-date penetration testing, and vulnerability assessment and management skills necessary to determine the resiliency of the network against attacks.    
  • Successful candidates will have the intermediate skills required to customize assessment frameworks to effectively collaborate on and report findings.    
  • Candidates will also have the best practices to communicate recommended strategies to improve the overall state of IT security.


CompTIA PenTest+ meets the ISO 17024 standard. Regulators and government rely on ANSI accreditation because it provides confidence and trust in the outputs of an accredited program. Over 1.3 million CompTIA ISO/ANSI-accredited exams have been delivered since January 1, 2011.

Requirements For This Course

  • It’s recommended to be familiar with the information in the CompTIA Network+ and Security+ exams

  • There are no requirements to take this course, nor are there any requirements to sit for the CompTIA PenTest+ exam, however, basic familiarity with networks and network security is suggested

  • Minimum of 3-4 years of hands-on information security or related experience.

What Skills Will You Learn?

  • PLANNING & SCOPING

    Explain the importance of planning and key aspects of compliance-based assessments

  • INFORMATION GATHERING & VULNERABILITY IDENTIFICATION

    Gather information to prepare for exploitation then perform a vulnerability scan and analyze results

  • ATTACKS & EXPLOITS

    Exploit network, wireless, application, and RF-based vulnerabilities, summarize physical security attacks, and perform post-exploitation techniques

  • PENETRATION TESTING TOOLS

    Conduct information gathering exercises with various tools and analyze output and basic scripts (limited to: Bash, Python, Ruby, PowerShell)

  • REPORTING & COMMUNICATION

    Utilize report writing and handling best practices explaining recommended mitigation strategies for discovered vulnerabilities

Included In This Course

  • Includes Over 95 Training Videos

  • Icon & text

    Use an icon and text to communicate the value proposition and share the specific benefits of your offering. What makes it unique in your market?

  • Icon & text

    Use an icon and text to communicate the value proposition and share the specific benefits of your offering. What makes it unique in your market?

Organizations that have contributed to the development of PenTest+

Jobs That Use CompTIA PenTest+

  • Penetration Tester

  • Vulnerability Tester

  • Security Analyst (II)

  • Vulnerability Assessment Analyst

  • Network Security Operations

  • Application Security Vulnerability

Communicate With Your Instructor

  • Each course has a discussion Forum where you can chat with fellow students as well as the instructor.
  • Have a question about this course?  Call and speak to your instructor directly 5 days a week.
  • Email your instructor 24/7.
  • Every week all student taking this course can participate in a live video group chat with your instructor.

Course Curriculum

    1. Welcome To The CompTIA PenTest+

    2. About The CompTIA PentTest+

    1. Planning And Scoping

    2. Penetration Testing Methodology

    3. Planning a Penetration Test

    4. Rules Of Engagement

    5. Legal Concepts

    6. Testing Strategies

    7. White Box Support Resources

    8. Types of Assessments

    9. Threat Actors

    10. Target Selection

    11. Other Scoping Considerations

    1. Information Gathering and Vulnerability Identification (Overview)

    2. Information Gathering

    3. Reconnaissance With CentralOps (Demo)

    4. Scanning And Enumeration

    5. Fingerprinting

    6. Scanning and Enumeration (Demo)

    7. Cryptographic Inspection

    8. Eavesdropping

    9. Eavesdropping

    10. Decompiling and Debugging

    11. Open Source Research

    12. Vulnerability Scanning

    13. Scanning Considerations

    14. Application And Container Scans

    15. Analyzing Vulnerability Scans

    16. Leverage Information for Exploit

    17. Common Attack Vectors

    18. Weaknesses In Specialized Systems

    1. Attacks And Exploits (Overview)

    2. Social Engineering

    3. Motivation Factors

    4. Physical Security Attacks

    5. Lock Picking (Demo)

    6. Network-based Vulnerabilities

    7. Wireless-based Vulnerabilities

    8. Wireless Network Attack (Demo)

    9. Application-Based Vulnerabilities

    10. Local Host Vulnerabilities

    11. Privilege Escalation (Windows)

    12. Privilege Escalation

    13. Privilege Escalation (Demo)

    14. Lateral Movement

    15. Persistence

    16. Covering Your Tracks

    17. Covering Your Tracks

    1. Penetration Testing Tools (Overview)

    2. Nmap Usage

    3. Nmap Usage (Demo)

    4. Use Cases for Tools

    5. Scanners

    6. Credential Testing Tools

    7. Password Cracking (Demo)

    8. Debuggers

    9. Software Assurance

    10. OSINT

    11. Wireless

    12. Web Proxies

    13. Social Engineering Tools

    14. 6Remote Access Tools

    15. Networking Tools

    16. Mobile Tools

    17. Miscellaneous Tools

    18. Intro to Programming

    19. Programming Concepts

    20. Programming Concepts

    21. BASH Script Example

    22. Python Script Example

    23. PowerShell Script Example

    24. 71.Ruby Script Example

    1. Reporting and Communication (Overview)

    2. Pentest Communications

    3. Report Writing

    4. Mitigation Strategies

    5. Post-Report Activities

    6. Pentest Report Example

About this course

  • Free
  • 81 lessons
  • 8.5 hours of video content

All Students Will Receive A Certificate Of Completion

All students will receive a certificate of completion in CompTIA PenTest+

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