As the world’s reliance on technology grows, enterprises must prioritize cybersecurity to secure their data and networks from cyber threats. Penetration testing, often known as ethical hacking, is one of the most valuable skills in the cybersecurity industry. Professionals wanting to get into the profession frequently seek certifications to validate their abilities and knowledge. The Offsensive Security Certified Professional (OSCP) and Certified Penetration Testing Professsional (CPENT) are two of the most well recognized penetration testing credentials. In this blog post, we will evaluate these two credentials based on curriculum, differences, tools used, and other essential elements to help you make an informed decision about which certificate is best for you.

Introduction

As the world’s reliance on technology grows, enterprises must prioritize cybersecurity to secure their data and networks from cyber threats. Penetration testing, often known as ethical hacking, is one of the most valuable skills in the cybersecurity industry. Professionals wanting to get into the profession frequently seek certifications to validate their abilities and knowledge. The Offensive Security Certified Professional (OSCP) and Certified Penetration Testing Professional (CPENT) are two of the most well recognized penetration testing credentials. In this blog post, we will evaluate these two credentials based on curriculum, differences, tools used, and other essential elements to help you make an informed decision about which certificate is best for you.

Offsensive Security Certified Professional (OSCP)

Offensive Security offers the OSCP certification, which is widely acknowledged as the leading hands-on penetration testing certification. It focuses on teaching students about the practical components of penetration testing through real-world scenarios. The course syllabus includes:

Information collection and reconnaissance
Scan and Enumerate
vulnerability assessment
Exploitation Techniques
Post-exploitation and sustaining access
Client-side and web-based applications assaults.
Privilege Escalation
Network turning.|Active Directory Attack
Antivirus evasion and bypass.
Reporting and Documentation

Certified Penetration Test Engineer (CPENT)

The CPENT certification is issued by the International Council of E-Commerce Consultants (EC-Council) and is designed to teach students advanced penetration testing procedures. The course syllabus contains:

Information collection and OSINT
scan and enumerate
Vulnerability assessment and validation
Exploitation and Post-exploitation
Wireless Network Attacks
Web application and database attacks Network pivoting and lateral movement
IoT and OT attacks
Social engineering
Reporting and documentation

Key distinction:

Although the two certifications cover comparable themes, there are significant distinctions between them. OSCP focuses on practical skills, knowledge, and experience. In contrast, CPENT addresses a broader range of subjects, including developing areas such as IoT, OT, and cloud security.

OSCP is well-known for its rigorous 24-hour exam, in which applicants must demonstrate their talents in a real-world setting by exploiting and documenting vulnerabilities in a succession of targeted workstations. The CPENT test is divided into two parts: a 24-hour practical exam (12 hours each) and a written report, in which applicants must demonstrate both technical understanding and the ability to explain results effectively.

List of Tools:

Both certifications educate students how to use a diverse set of penetration testing tools. Some of the most commonly utilized tools in both courses are:

Nmap (network scanner)

Metasploit (exploit framework)

Burp Suite (Web Application Testing)

Wireshark (Network Analysis)

Nikto (Web Server Scanner)

SQLMap (SQL Injection Testing)

John the Ripper (Password Cracking)

Hydra (brute-force attacks)

PowerShell Empire (Post-exploitation)

Mimikatz (Credential Extraction)

However, the CPENT certification includes tools and approaches unique to IoT, OT, and cloud security that are not included in the OSCP curriculum.

Selecting the appropriate certification

A lot of what you decide between the OSCP and CPENT certifications comes down to your experience, chosen area of competence, and professional ambitions. When deciding between the two, keep the following things in mind:

Practical experience: OSCP can be the ideal option for you if you place a high value on practical knowledge and experience. It is renowned for its demanding, real-world exam, which assesses candidates’ aptitude for using their knowledge in practical situations.

Specialization: The CPENT certification may be better appropriate if you wish to focus on topics like cloud security, IoT, and OT. Professionals seeking to broaden their skill set may find CPENT to be an appealing alternative because it delves further into these cutting-edge subjects.

Industry recognition: Although both credentials are highly valued in the cybersecurity space, because of its emphasis on technical practice, OSCP is frequently recognized as the industry standard for penetration testing certifications. aptitude and challenging exam. On the other hand, CPENT is quickly becoming known for its extensive curriculum and focus on innovative approaches.

Prerequisites: Completing an APT course is required for CPENT, whereas a PWK course must be completed for OSCP. It is crucial to examine the course content and prerequisites for every certification to ascertain which one best suits your present level of expertise and understanding.

Conculsion:-

Professionals hoping to progress in their penetration testing professions will find the OSCP and CPENT certificates to be invaluable resources. CPENT covers greater ground and focuses on cutting-edge cybersecurity topics, whereas OSCP is well known for emphasizing practical knowledge and expertise. The choice between the two certifications ultimately comes down to your individual objectives, background, and preferred field of specialization. Through a thorough examination of the distinctions between OSCP and CPENT, you may select the certification that best aligns with your professional goals and elevates your level of expertise and marketability as a penetration tester.