COMPTIA Pentest+

From COMPTIA:

The CompTIA PenTest+ will certify the successful candidate has the knowledge and skills required to plan and scope a penetration testing engagement including vulnerability scanning, understand legal and compliance requirements, analyze results, and produce a written report with remediation techniques.

COMPTIA Pentest+ Exam Details

Exam details and objectives can be found here.

Why will you need a notes system?

You could be actively working as a security analyst or a security consultant or you could be preparing and studying for a certification exam such as COMPTIA Pentest+. In both cases, a set of notes maintained in your repository where you can search for commands, concepts or use cases that could aid you in the task you are performing is necessary for a productive studying and/or working.

Who Are These Notes For?

  • Cybersecurity students preparing for COMPTIA Pentest+ Exam.

The COMPTIA Pentest+ Study Notes PDF

This is the CompTIA Pentest+ Study Notes Version one that includes all exam objectives and the subjects surrounding them in a brief fashion so that you can study them quickly and efficiently.

When you buy this booklet, you will be entitled to receive content updates for 3 months on it with the same original price that you paid for.

Table of Contents:

– Penetration Testing

– The CompTIA Penetration TestingProcess

– Planning and Scoping

– Information Gathering and VulnerabilityScanning

– Vulnerability Management

– Server and Endpoint Vulnerabilities

– Standard Frameworks

– Vulnerability Exploitation

– Common Post Exploitation Attacks

– Persistence and Evasion

– Exploiting Network Vulnerabilities

– Exploiting Windows Services

– Password Attacks

– Web and Application Exploitation

– Authentication Vulnerabilities

– Wi-Fi Exploitation

– Physical Penetration Testing

– Common Secure Coding Practices,Tools and Concepts

– Linux Privilege Escalation

– Windows Privilege Escalation

– Attacking Cloud, Virtual Machinesand Containers

– Mobile Device Penetration Testing

– Communication and Reporting

– Programming Concepts

Page count: 146

Format: PDF

COMPTIA Pentest+ Notes
COMPTIA Pentest+ Notes
CompTIA Pentest+ Notes

Testimonials (LinkedIn)

How to buy the booklet?

You can buy the booklet directly by clicking on the button below

Buy COMPTIA Pentest+ Study Notes in PDF

After you buy the booklet, you will be able to download the PDF booklet along with the markup files if you want to import them to Obsidian software.

How to pass COMPTIA Pentest+

Understand the Exam Structure

The CompTIA PenTest+ (PT0-002) exam covers several domains related to penetration testing and vulnerability assessment. Familiarize yourself with the exam structure:

  • Number of Questions: 85 questions.
  • Question Types: A mix of multiple-choice and performance-based questions (PBQs). PBQs involve real-world simulations where you need to perform tasks like scanning, exploiting vulnerabilities, and analyzing results.
  • Time: 165 minutes.
  • Passing Score: 750 out of 900.
  • Prerequisites: CompTIA recommends you have CompTIA Security+ certification and at least 3-4 years of hands-on experience in security.

Exam Objectives:

  1. Planning and Scoping (14%)
  2. Information Gathering and Vulnerability Identification (22%)
  3. Attacks and Exploits (30%)
  4. Reporting and Communication (18%)
  5. Tools and Code Analysis (16%)

Create a Study Plan

A well-structured study plan is essential for consistent progress. Here’s how to organize it:

  • Study Duration: Aim for 8-12 weeks of preparation depending on your familiarity with penetration testing.
  • Daily Study Commitment: Allocate at least 2-3 hours a day, focusing on theory, practice labs, and exam simulations.
  • Weekly Practice: Dedicate time on weekends to hands-on practice, tools, and revisiting weak areas.

Study Materials

The PenTest+ exam tests both theoretical knowledge and practical skills. Utilize a mix of textbooks, video courses, and labs.

Recommended Study Resources:

  • CompTIA PenTest+ Study Guide by Mike Chapple and David Seidl
  • COMPTIA Pentest+ Study Notes by Motasem Hamdan
  • CompTIA PenTest+ Cert Guide by Omar Santos
  • Official CompTIA PenTest+ Certification Study Guide (PT0-002) from CompTIA itself

Online Learning Platforms:

  • Cybrary: Offers PenTest+ video courses that cover the exam objectives and practical labs.
  • Udemy: Courses like “CompTIA PenTest+ (PT0-002) Complete Course” provide video lectures and quizzes.
  • Pluralsight: Another great option for comprehensive PenTest+ tutorials.

Understand the Domains and Key Concepts

Domain 1: Planning and Scoping (14%)

  • Scope of Engagement: Understand how to define engagement scope, rules of engagement (RoE), legal and compliance considerations.
  • Agreements: Learn about Statements of Work (SoW) and Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs).
  • Risk Analysis: Recognize how to analyze organizational assets and risk tolerance levels before a penetration test.

Domain 2: Information Gathering and Vulnerability Identification (22%)

  • Footprinting and Reconnaissance: Master passive and active reconnaissance techniques like DNS enumeration, port scanning (Nmap), WHOIS lookups, and network mapping.
  • Scanning: Know how to perform vulnerability scanning using tools like Nessus, OpenVAS, or Nikto.
  • Analyzing Scan Results: Learn how to analyze vulnerability reports and interpret findings from scanning tools.

Domain 3: Attacks and Exploits (30%)

  • Exploitation: Learn how to exploit vulnerabilities in web apps, networks, and systems. Focus on buffer overflows, SQL injection, cross-site scripting (XSS), and privilege escalation.
  • Password Attacks: Familiarize yourself with password cracking, brute force, and dictionary attacks using tools like John the Ripper or Hashcat.
  • Social Engineering: Understand different social engineering techniques, such as phishing and physical attacks.

Domain 4: Reporting and Communication (18%)

  • Writing Penetration Test Reports: Know how to prepare and communicate findings in reports, including providing remediation recommendations for vulnerabilities found.
  • Risk Rating: Understand how to prioritize vulnerabilities using CVSS (Common Vulnerability Scoring System).
  • Post-Engagement Activities: Be aware of post-engagement activities, such as evidence retention and client debriefing.

Domain 5: Tools and Code Analysis (16%)

  • Penetration Testing Tools: Familiarize yourself with tools like:
    • Nmap (for network scanning)
    • Metasploit (for exploitation)
    • Burp Suite (for web application testing)
    • Wireshark (for packet analysis)
    • Hydra (for password attacks)
    • Nikto (for vulnerability scanning)
  • Scripting: Be comfortable with basic scripting using Python, Bash, and PowerShell. This is essential for automation during penetration tests.

Practice with Tools and Labs

The CompTIA PenTest+ exam is hands-on, so you’ll need plenty of practice with penetration testing tools and techniques.

Recommended Labs:

  • TryHackMe: Offers beginner-friendly and advanced penetration testing labs.
  • Hack The Box: Provides virtual machines (VMs) to practice attacking and exploiting vulnerabilities. Look for “easy” or “medium” boxes for PenTest+ style machines.
  • VulnHub: Hosts downloadable vulnerable machines for offline practice.
  • Practice with Metasploitable: A purposely vulnerable machine by Rapid7, great for practicing Metasploit, privilege escalation, and web exploitation techniques.

Practice Performance-Based Questions (PBQs)

PBQs simulate real-world scenarios, requiring you to apply your skills rather than just answer multiple-choice questions. Here’s how to prepare:

  • Kali Linux: Make sure you’re comfortable using Kali Linux, which is widely used for PenTest+ PBQs.
  • Hands-On Practice: Practice tasks like performing scans with Nmap, exploiting vulnerabilities with Metasploit, and analyzing traffic using Wireshark.
  • Capture the Flag (CTF) Challenges: Platforms like TryHackMe and Hack The Box can help you simulate the PBQ experience.

Take Practice Exams

Taking multiple practice exams will help you familiarize yourself with the question format and manage time effectively.

  • MeasureUp: Provides official CompTIA practice exams.
  • Examcompass and Whizlabs: Offer free and paid PenTest+ practice questions.
  • CompTIA PenTest+ CertMaster Practice: CompTIA’s official practice exam tool.

As you go through practice exams, focus on:

  • Time Management: You have 165 minutes for 85 questions. Practice managing your time efficiently.
  • Review Weak Areas: After each practice exam, review your incorrect answers and revisit those topics.

Time Management on Exam Day

On exam day, time management is crucial:

  • PBQs First: Consider starting with the PBQs, as they can take longer to solve than multiple-choice questions.
  • Mark for Review: If you’re unsure about a question, mark it for review and return to it later.
  • Don’t Rush: Take your time to carefully read each question and scenario. Make sure you understand what is being asked before answering.

Day Before the Exam

  • Rest: Get a good night’s sleep and avoid cramming the night before.
  • Review Notes: Do a light review of your notes, focusing on weak areas or key concepts.
  • Mental Preparation: Stay calm and confident. A clear mind will help you think through the questions logically.

What about the notes updates?

if you have been watching my YouTube Channel, you definitely know that those who subscribe to the second tier of my channel membership they instantly get access to a vast catalog of cybersecurity, penetration testing, digital marketing, system administration and data analytics notes catalog for 10$ along with the ability to receive all notes updates as long as they are subscribed so what does that mean?

This means if you want to stay up to date with the changes and updates to the notes and get access to other categories, I encourage to join the channel membership second tier instead. However, if you are fine with downloading the current version of this section of the notes then you can buy this booklet instead for a one-time payment.

Will the prices of this booklet change in the future?

Once another version of this booklet is released, which it will, the price will slightly change as the booklet will include more contents, notes and illustrations.

Free COMPTIA Pentest+ Training

Checkout the playlist below on my YouTube channel for free COMPTIA Pentest+ Training