How to Become an OSCP [Full Guide]

Compared to other occupations, the future employment of information security professionals is predicted to grow significantly.

Any certification in cyber security or IT security would be advantageous.

What is an Offensive Security Certified Professional (OSCP)?

A cybersecurity expert who has proven they possess the technical know-how and information required to conduct complex security assessments is an Offensive Security Certified Professional (OSCP).

The OSCP-certified expert needs a specific set of talents, such as identifying and exploiting security flaws, documenting findings, and putting effective remedies in place.

Given its high standard and widespread recognition, it is a desirable certificate for anyone looking to pursue a lucrative career in cybersecurity.

A person who has earned the OSCP certification can configure, install, and troubleshoot a wide range of security systems and identify and respond to security-related problems.

In this article, we’ll look at in-depth details of the OSCP (Offensive Security Certified Professional) certification, the most thorough and in-demand security credential in the field. Peers, employers, and other industry professionals all hold it in high regard.

What is an OSCP Certification?

One of the most esteemed certificates in the Cyber industry is the Offensive Security Certified Professional (OSCP) certification in ethical hacking, issued by the company Offensive-Security.

It is a comprehensive and practical certification that shows competence in security assessment, vulnerability analysis, and exploitation.

The OSCP certification is intended to verify a person’s proficiency in penetration testing and is regarded as the gold standard in the industry for doing so.

Candidates for the certification must complete a practical penetration test in a time-restricted setting and exhibit their understanding of the course material. The OSCP certification is widely regarded and accepted worldwide.

Passing the challenging exam for the OSCP certification demands a combination of knowledge and skills. Enumeration, scanning, and exploitation are a few of the methodologies, tools, and toolsets used in penetration testing that must thoroughly understand.

OSCP holders have a degree of practical expertise in ethical hacking, making them extremely valuable in the cybersecurity industry, in addition to the knowledge they have learned from the course and their certification.

What Exactly Does OSCP Certify?

An OSCP is a professional with proven knowledge, experience, and technical expertise in penetration testing and cyber security.

It certifies individuals’ ability to use their knowledge and talents to detect security vulnerabilities and develop solutions to mitigate the risks, demonstrating a deep awareness of ethical hacking principles.

A challenging exam requiring in-depth knowledge of ethical hackers’ tools, strategies, and procedures makes it a demanding certification.

A basic level of confidence that someone is educated about offensive security and is competent to detect and address security vulnerabilities in any network environment is provided by passing the OSCP certification exam.

It indicates a person’s capacity to effectively evaluate and take advantage of operational networks and systems while utilizing various instruments, methods, and strategies.

Additionally, OSCP certification can show prospective employers that you comprehend the foundations of ethical hacking.

Who Issues OSCP Certification (PEN-200), and What are the Eligibility Criteria?

An Offensive Security Certified Professional (OSCP) is an individual who has completed the most rigorous certification offered by Offensive Security.

In the field of information security, the Offensive Security Certified Professional (OSCP) certification is one of the most sought-after credentials. Offensive Security, the top cyber security training and certification source, created this practical penetration testing certification course.

The certification is intended for IT professionals proficient in network and system administration with a fundamental understanding of offensive security concepts. To pass the exam, you must possess a high level of technical expertise and real-world experience.

Note: The training course you need to take on penetration testing with Kali Linux is the most incredible resource to help you pass this exam.

Certification Prerequisites

Though there are no mandatory prerequisites to appear for the certification, having a few specific skills would help students pass the certification.

Knowledge and working experience in TCP/IP networking
Understanding and experience in Windows and Linux system administration
Knowledge of basic Bash and Python scripting

The below professionals can opt for OSCP certification

IT professionals planning to enter into penetration testing
Security Professionals
Network administrators
Other system administrators planning to gain knowledge about Cyber security

What is the Exam Outline to Get a PEN-200 Certification?

After passing the practical, rigorous, and well-known Penetration Testing with Kali Linux training provided by the Offensive Security Company, one becomes an Offensive Security Certified Professional (OSCP).

It requires a challenging exam and a 24-hour lab assessment, which attest to the candidate’s proficiency in using ethical hacking techniques to find and fix security flaws in a network environment.

Let’s see some specific Exam outlines for PEN-200 Certification.

Exam Structure:

A private VPN simulates a live network with a few vulnerable workstations for the OSCP certification exam. Two sections make up the exam, one of which involves a 24-hour lab evaluation and a later document upload.

Types of Questions:

Three standalone devices can reach up to 60 marks. For a total of 20 points per machine, each standalone machine awards 10 points for low-level access and 10 points for privilege escalation.

For the entire domain set exploit chain, 40 points are given. Only for the domain’s complete exploit chain are points given.

Exam Duration: 23 hours and 45 minutes are allotted for the exam’s completion.
Mode: Proctored (Online)
Total Marks: 100 (Passing score is 70)

Final Step:

The last phase requires you to provide a professional report outlining your exploitation strategy for each target. A penetration test report should be used to detail each stage of your attacks, along with any commands you sent and console output.

Validation of Certification:

You own your OSCP certification once you’ve received it. There are no criteria to requalify with Offensive Security regarding subscriptions, renewals, membership fees, or other things.

What Are the Paths to Gaining the PEN-200 Certification?

Have you decided to take up PEN-200 certification? Then let’s see what the ways to attain it are:

Offensive Security offers three ways to appear for this certification:

Individual Course: This is a self-study course with 90 days of lab access and one exam attempt. It is for those who want to study independently, use only practice labs, and appear for the examination.
Learn One: This package contains content to prepare for the examination, 365 days of lab access, and two exam attempts.
Learn Unlimited: This course is suitable if you want unlimited exam attempts. It also provides content and 365 days of lab access.

The prices are different for all three courses, which can be accessed from the Offensive Security pricing section.

Future of OSCP Certified Professionals

Information security jobs are expected to grow at a rate of 35% between 2021 and 2031, which is significantly faster than the average for all other occupations.

There will continue to be a high requirement for security specialists in the future, given the increasing demand for cybersecurity positions.

Even though we typically only learn about cyberattacks on high-profile targets, any firm or person with an internet presence is susceptible to them. Attacks are only increasing in frequency and severity.

To conclude, OSCP certification and other cyber security certifications such as CISSP, CISA, CEH, CISM, SSCP, CASP, etc., provide an edge for professionals carrying it in the future.

OSCP vs. CEH

OSCP and CEH certifications are two of the most widespread cybersecurity certifications in the industry.

A comprehensive course, OSCP teaches students how to find and exploit vulnerabilities. Contrarily, CEH, which stands for Certified Ethical Hacker, teaches students how to stop and identify malicious activities within a company’s infrastructure.

Although both certifications give students the knowledge and abilities they need to work in cybersecurity, the emphasis of each program varies significantly.

The CEH offers an in-depth analysis of ethical hacking and covers a variety of subjects, including malware threats, systems, network hacking, cryptography, and more.

While CEH is more appropriate for individuals who want to become ethical hackers and know how to protect networks from dangerous assaults, OSCP targets those who wish to become professional penetration testers.

The CEH certification is intended for security professionals who prefer a more theoretical approach. In contrast, the OSCP certification is for individuals who want hands-on practical experience.

Both certificates are helpful for cyber security experts, and both call for study and practice.

However, because it necessitates a practical demonstration of skill to be recognized, the OSCP certification is often more highly regarded in the industry.

Resources

The Complete Linux Privilege Escalation Course 2022 – OSCP

This Complete Linux Privilege Escalation Course is designed for beginners to professionals who want to learn theory and gain practical experience to appear for the OSCP exam.

The course structure covers everything from fundamental File Permissions and NFS to Cron Jobs, Kernel Exploits, SUID/SGID Executables, Automatic Tools, etc. This course comes with a free online privilege escalation hacking lab to practice.

By the end of this course, you will have grasped the foundations of Linux Privilege Escalation and be able to confidently take on any Linux privilege escalation challenge on a CTF competition, an exam, or a real-life scenario.

People taking the OSCP exam, ethical hackers, or penetration testers can enroll in this course.

Linux Privilege Escalation Examples from Zero to Hero – OSCP

The course Linux Privilege Escalation Examples is intended to teach students how to prevent privilege escalation. Privilege escalation arises when a hacker locates a bug in a design fault, application, or operating system and tries to obtain privileges to access data.

The course covers the fundamentals, such as how Linux operates and how to establish users, as well as more advanced topics, like how to execute and avoid privilege escalation in Linux and how to set up a Linux server in Virtual Box.

This course is suitable for students pursuing the OSCP, students seeking the ethical hacker certification, or anyone interested in learning how to do privilege escalation.

OSCP Online Training and Certification

PassYourCert is a significant source of security and technology training offering various IT security courses. OSCP Online Training and Certification course will end your search for comprehensive instruction if you want to obtain OSCP certification.

According to the OSCP certification’s framework, the course offers a thorough curriculum.

Penetration testing is emphasized heavily in this course. In this course, you’ll learn how to uncover vulnerabilities, construct and use exploits, and be prepared to elevate privileges to test your information system defenses. These techniques range from the most basic to the most advanced.

Preparing for the OSCP Exam

This YouTube channel will give you helpful information if you’re looking for a free resource to help you prepare for your OSCP certification. How to approach the exam, course materials and exercises, labs, reporting, and enumeration and exploitation advice are all covered in the video.

The last three most important things are also covered – How to schedule the exam, mental preparation, and—most importantly—report writing. In short, the video provides a complete learning tool for OSCP.

Linkedin

The IT security certification: OSCP course by LinkedIn will provide a better overview of the IT security career path if you want to comprehend it. It includes IT security marketplaces, certifications, job advancement, etc.

Finally, career guidance is offered. It also introduces IT security concepts, cybersecurity threats, and, most significantly, job options and how a career path can be created. Whether you subscribe annually or monthly, LinkedIn offers a one-month free trial.

Books to Refer

If you are looking for literature to go through while preparing for OSCP certification, then the following few books will guide you in this direction.

The Hacker Playbook 2: Practical Guide to Penetration Testing by Peter Kim

Penetration Testing: A Hands-on Introduction to Hacking covers core penetration testing skills and techniques by Georgia Weidman.

The Web Application Hacker’s Handbook: Finding and Exploiting Security Flaws by Dafydd Stuttard and Marcus Pinto

Now, let’s check out some of the free resources for the OSCP exam.

Free Resources

Some essential knowledge and skills required to attend and pass the OSCP exam are stated below, with free accessible sources.

Final Words

Anyone working in IT security might benefit from the OSCP certification, which clarifies the methods and thoughts of attackers. This aids in your comprehension of the threats and attack methods you must avoid and how to spot exploitation attempts.

Also, OSCP certified professional knows coordinated attacks in a controlled, concentrated manner and assists with strengthening a workplace’s defense capabilities by minimizing the likelihood of an exploit succeeding.

Next, you can check privilege escalation attacks, prevention techniques, and tools.

Career, Certification, Learning, Security

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