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CompTIA Pentest + (PT0-003)

Exam Code : PT0-003

The CompTIA PenTest+ certification equips you with practical, hands-on skills in ethical hacking and vulnerability assessment. It covers the full penetration testing lifecycle and is ideal for cybersecurity professionals aiming to advance in red teaming, security analysis, or ethical hacking roles.

Why Join this Program

  • Hands-On, Real-World Skills
    Gain practical experience in ethical hacking, vulnerability assessment, and penetration testing using industry tools.

  • Globally Recognized Certification
    Boost your credibility with a vendor-neutral, DoD-approved certification valued by employers worldwide.

  • Career Advancement Opportunities
    Open doors to roles like Penetration Tester, Security Analyst, and Red Team Specialist with higher salary potential.

  • Comprehensive Coverage of the Pen Testing Lifecycle
    Learn the full process—from planning and reconnaissance to exploitation, reporting, and remediation.

Corporate Training

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Program Overview

The CompTIA PenTest+ certification is designed for cybersecurity professionals who specialize in penetration testing and vulnerability management. This program focuses on assessing the security of an organization’s infrastructure through authorized simulated attacks. It covers topics such as network and web application penetration testing, vulnerability scanning, exploitation techniques, and post-exploitation analysis. PenTest+ is ideal for individuals who want to validate their skills in identifying, exploiting, and reporting on cybersecurity vulnerabilities, and it prepares candidates to handle real-world security challenges. The certification equips professionals with the tools and knowledge to perform thorough penetration tests, ensure systems are secure, and manage vulnerabilities in both cloud and traditional environments.

By completing the CompTIA PenTest+ certification, professionals gain expertise in conducting penetration tests, applying ethical hacking techniques, and managing security vulnerabilities. The program emphasizes critical skills such as risk identification, security assessment, report generation, and remediation planning. It is well-suited for roles such as penetration testers, security analysts, and network engineers, making it an essential certification for those working in cybersecurity, particularly in penetration testing and vulnerability management fields.

Key Features

  • Hands-On, Performance-Based Exam – Tests real-world penetration testing skills using scenarios and practical tasks.

  • 🔒 Covers the Entire Penetration Testing Lifecycle – Includes planning, reconnaissance, exploitation, reporting, and remediation.

  • 🧠 Aligned with Industry Frameworks – Reflects current job roles and tasks aligned with ISO, NICE, and DoD job frameworks.

  • 🌐 Covers Modern Threat Landscapes – Focuses on cloud, hybrid environments, IoT, and web application testing.

  • 💻 Tool-Based Learning – Familiarizes learners with industry-standard tools like Metasploit, Nmap, Burp Suite, and Wireshark.

  • 📄 Emphasizes Reporting & Communication – Teaches how to write professional reports and communicate findings clearly to stakeholders.

  • 🧑‍💼 Role-Based Certification – Specifically designed for penetration testers, ethical hackers, and security consultants.

  • 🔁 Covers Post-Exploitation & Cleanup – Teaches how to remove traces and restore systems after a test.

  • 🌍 Globally Recognized Certification – Trusted by employers and organizations worldwide.

  • 🧩 Bridges Red and Blue Team Skills – Provides a foundational understanding of how offensive security aligns with defensive strategies.

Learning Path

1.0 Engagement Management

Subdomains:

1.1 – Summarize pre-engagement activities.
1.2 – Explain collaboration and communication activities.
1.3 – Compare and contrast testing frameworks and methodologies.
1.4 – Explain the components of a penetration test report.
1.5 – Analyze findings and recommend remediation within a report.


2.0 Reconnaissance and Enumeration

Subdomains:

2.1 – Apply information gathering techniques.
2.2 – Apply enumeration techniques.
2.3 – Modify scripts for reconnaissance and enumeration.
2.4 – Use appropriate tools for reconnaissance and enumeration.


3.0 Vulnerability Discovery and Analysis

Subdomains:

3.1 – Conduct vulnerability discovery using various techniques.
3.2 – Analyze output from reconnaissance, scanning, and enumeration phases.
3.3 – Explain physical security concepts.

4.0 Attacks and Exploits

Subdomains:

4.1 – Analyze output to prioritize and prepare attacks.
4.2 – Perform network attacks using appropriate tools.
4.3 – Perform authentication attacks using appropriate tools.
4.4 – Perform host-based attacks using appropriate tools.
4.5 – Perform web application attacks using appropriate tools.
4.6 – Perform cloud-based attacks using appropriate tools.
4.7 – Perform wireless attacks using appropriate tools.
4.8 – Perform social engineering attacks using appropriate tools.
4.9 – Explain common attacks against specialized systems.
4.10 – Use scripting to automate attacks.


5.0 Post-exploitation and Lateral Movement

Subdomains:

5.1 – Perform tasks to establish and maintain persistence.
5.2 – Perform tasks to move laterally throughout the environment.
5.3 – Summarize concepts related to staging and exfiltration.
5.4 – Explain cleanup and restoration activities.

What Skills Will You Learn?

  • Planning and Scoping Engagements
    Learn how to define scope, rules of engagement, and client expectations while considering legal and compliance requirements.

  • Passive and Active Reconnaissance
    Gain the ability to gather intelligence using open-source tools and techniques without detection.

  • Vulnerability Scanning and Enumeration
    Identify system weaknesses using scanning tools, and enumerate systems, networks, and services.

  • Exploiting Vulnerabilities
    Perform attacks on networks, web applications, wireless systems, and local hosts to exploit security flaws.

  • Social Engineering Techniques
    Understand and simulate attacks involving human manipulation, including phishing, impersonation, and physical access.

  • Post-Exploitation Techniques
    Learn to maintain access, pivot within networks, and extract valuable data after a successful exploit.

  • Analyzing and Reporting Results
    Develop detailed penetration test reports that include findings, risk levels, and remediation strategies.

  • Scripting and Code Review Fundamentals
    Review scripts or code to identify vulnerabilities—basic scripting knowledge (e.g., Python, Bash) is covered.

  • Using Penetration Testing Tools
    Gain hands-on experience with tools like Metasploit, Nmap, Burp Suite, Wireshark, and more.

  • Communicating Findings to Stakeholders
    Translate technical test results into business-relevant insights for technical and non-technical audiences.

Jobs You Can Land with the CompTIA Pentest +  Certification:

  • Planning and Scoping – Learn how to plan and scope penetration testing activities, including understanding legal and compliance requirements, defining engagement scope, and identifying target systems.

  • Information Gathering and Vulnerability Identification – Gain expertise in performing reconnaissance and enumeration, as well as identifying vulnerabilities using tools and techniques.

  • Attacks and Exploits – Develop hands-on skills in exploiting network, wireless, application, and cloud vulnerabilities to gain access and escalate privileges.

  • Reporting and Communication – Learn how to analyze and report findings effectively, write impactful reports, and communicate results to both technical and non-technical audiences.

  • Tools and Code Analysis – Understand how to use a variety of penetration testing tools and analyze scripts or code for vulnerabilities, helping to automate tasks or discover weaknesses.

Exam Details

Course NameCompTIA Pentest + 
Course Number:PT0-003 
Required examPT0-003 
Number of QuestionsMaximum of 90 questions 
Type of QuestionsMultiple-choice and performance-based 
Length of Test165 Minutes 
Passing Score750 (on a scale of 100-900) 
RetirementUsually three years after launch 
LanguagesEnglish

Exam Preparation

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On-Demand

CompTIA PenTest+ (PT0-002)

CompTIA PenTest+ (PT0-002)

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CompTIA Pentest+ e-Book

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CompTIA Pentest+

Self study package includes - Platinum

Self study package includes - Platinum
On-demand training (1 Year single user /individual license)

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Self study package includes - Gold

Self study package includes - Gold
On-demand training (1 Year single user /individual license)

Self Study Notes
CompTIA Exam Voucher
Practice Exam
Mock Exam
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Self study package includes - Silver

Self study package includes - Silver
On-demand training (1 Year single user /individual license)

Self Study Notes
CompTIA Exam Voucher
Practice Exam
Mock Exam
Flashcards

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