OSCC-SECOffSec CyberCore Certified - Security Essentials
Created per CertMap methodology · About the editorial team → · Official page ↗
▾ Jump to …5 sections
What is OSCC-SEC?
OSCC-SEC (OffSec CyberCore Certified) is the entry-level certification for the SEC-100 course (Cybersecurity Essentials, launched June 2024), aimed at career starters and switchers into IT security. Unlike pure knowledge tests, OffSec examines hands-on here too: six proctored hours in three sections (Attack, Defend, Build) worth up to 30 points each, passing at 60 of 90 points, with results immediately after submission. Content is a broad foundation from the CIA triad and NIST/ISO 27001 basics through network, Windows and Linux fundamentals to introductory pentesting. Strength: practical exam format at entry level. Limitation: a young title with limited market recognition so far; valid for three years with a CPE requirement.
Suitable for
Quick facts
Cost, prerequisites, exam & renewal
Cost over 5 years
Prerequisites
No formal prerequisites. Recommended: basic computer literacy and familiarity with operating systems.
Exam format
Six hours, proctored. Three sections (Attack, Defend, Build) worth up to 30 points each (90 maximum), passing score 60 points. Results immediately after submission, no final report.
Renewal & maintenance
OSCC-SEC is valid for three years. Renewal via the OffSec CPE program (120 CPE per cycle plus an annual maintenance fee of 145 USD, one fee covering all expiring OffSec certifications), by retaking the exam, or by passing one of the numerous qualifying exams (including OSCC-SJD, OSCP, OSTH, OSIR).
CertMap score and matching roles
Rating
Matching NICE roles
No NICE roles assigned.
More certifications
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.
From the knowledge base
View all articles →CISSP or CISM? Two Careers, One Decision
Both require five years of experience, both cost roughly the same at first glance. Yet CISSP and CISM lead to different professions. The comparison with the numbers that course providers don't show.
CISM or CISA? Two ISACA paths, one directional decision
Both come from ISACA, both require five years of experience, and both cost almost the same. The difference is not the price but the role: managing or auditing. The comparison with the numbers and the role mapping.
CC or Security+? The Free Entry Point and the Job-Market Classic
Both are entry-level certifications with no admission barrier, both cover the fundamentals of cybersecurity, and yet they stand for different strategies: one as a low-threshold, temporarily free start, the other as an established credential with weight in the job market. The comparison with the numbers and the opposing cost logic.