If you are interested in becoming a skilled penetration tester, you may consider taking the GIAC Penetration Tester (GPEN) certification exam. This certification is designed to assess your skills and knowledge in identifying, exploiting, and mitigating vulnerabilities in networked systems. In this article, we will discuss how to pass the GPEN exam, the exam objectives, exam details, who should take the exam, prerequisites, related books, and other important information related to the exam.
Exam Objectives:
The GPEN exam aims to evaluate your understanding of the following topics:
- Penetration Testing Methodologies
- Network Reconnaissance and Enumeration
- Vulnerability Identification and Assessment
- Network Exploitation Techniques
- Advanced Exploitation Techniques
- Malware and Botnets
- Web Application Exploitation
- Wireless Network Exploitation
- Report Writing and Post-Exploitation Activities
The exam format includes 82 multiple-choice and advanced questions, and the candidate has 3 hours to complete the exam. The passing score for the GPEN exam is 74% or above.
Exam Details:
The GPEN exam is available both online and in-person. The cost of the exam is $1,999, which includes two practice exams. The exam is delivered via GIAC's online platform, and the format is multiple-choice and advanced questions. The candidates have 3 hours to complete the exam.
Who should take the exam?
The GPEN certification is ideal for IT professionals who want to pursue a career in penetration testing, including ethical hackers, network security professionals, IT auditors, and security consultants. This certification is also suitable for those who want to improve their skills and knowledge of network security.
Prerequisites:
There are no specific prerequisites for the GPEN certification exam. However, candidates are recommended to have at least two years of experience in IT security and a basic understanding of TCP/IP networking, programming, and scripting languages.
Related Books:
To prepare for the GPEN certification exam, candidates can refer to the following books:
- Penetration Testing: A Hands-On Introduction to Hacking by Georgia Weidman
- The Web Application Hacker's Handbook: Finding and Exploiting Security Flaws by Dafydd Stuttard and Marcus Pinto
- The Metasploit Unleashed by Offensive Security
- Black Hat Python: Python Programming for Hackers and Pentesters by Justin Seitz
- The Hacker Playbook 2: Practical Guide To Penetration Testing by Peter Kim
In conclusion, the GPEN certification is an excellent way to demonstrate your skills and knowledge in penetration testing. By passing this exam, you can increase your career opportunities and show your commitment to the field of network security.