CPENTEC Council Certified Penetration Testing Professional
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What is CPENT?
The CPENT certifies penetration testing in a realistic network environment. The exam covers pentest scoping and preparation, OSINT and social engineering, web and API security, firewall evasion, attacks on Windows and Active Directory, Linux pentesting, binary analysis, lateral movement, and writing the final report, plus testing in wireless, OT and SCADA, cloud, database and mobile environments. The exam is fully practical and runs for 24 hours, optionally split into two twelve-hour sessions. Candidates scoring at least 90 percent additionally receive the Licensed Penetration Tester (Master) title.
Quick facts
Cost, prerequisites, exam & renewal
Cost over 5 years
Prerequisites
Recommended: CEH or equivalent pentest experience. No formal requirement.
Exam format
Practical-based: 24-hour exam in live network. Two 12h sessions. Passing score: 70% (CPENT), 90% (LPT).
Renewal & maintenance
Valid for 3 years. 120 ECE credits over 3 years + annual AMF (250 USD, CPENT tier).
CertMap score and matching roles
Rating
Matching NICE roles
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Personal consulting
Not sure what's next? Ask someone who knows.
Personal strategy instead of weeks of self-research. Vendor-independent, with auditable recommendations and transparent sources.
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