OSCP Prep day 1: What is OSCP?

On 6/26/2021(yesterday), I started the OSCP journey. The Offensive Security team emailed me with links to various course resources (Textbooks & Videos) and the lab connection pack. I purchased the 60-day course ($1199) with one exam attempt since I was afraid that the 30-day program was not long enough and the 90-day one was a bit too long.

What is OSCP?

If you are reading this blog, I’m sure you have some interest towards penetration testing/ethical hacking or other security related topics. The OSCP (Offensive Security Certified Professional) certification course (PEN-200) / exam is created and managed by the Offensive Security. Offensive Security is known for being the developer of the Kali Linux distribution as well as the company who manages the ExploitDB.

OSCP is a life-long certification(never expires!) and is an entry-level penetration testing certification. Even though it is considered as an entry-level cert, it is also known to be one of the hardest ethical hacking tests in the world.

During the exam, a test taker is given a simulated network and asked to hack into some machines and write a comprehensive report on it within a 24 hour period. During the time, you are allowed to take naps or eat, but the time management is the key.

In order to take the certification exam, you need to complete Offensive Security’s training program called, “PWK.” PWK provides students their extensive textbook and training videos as well as an access to their labs.

For more information about the OSCP, visit Offensive Security’s official site.