⚔️ OSCP
Offensive Security Certified Professional

🧠 1. Certification Name and Issuing Body

  • Full name: Offensive Security Certified Professional (OSCP)

  • Issuing organization: Offensive Security (OffSec)

  • Reputation and global recognition: Considered one of the most prestigious hands-on penetration testing certifications; widely respected in the cybersecurity industry and often required in red team and pentesting job roles.

📚 2. Curriculum and Skills Covered

  • Covered domains:

    1. Information gathering and scanning

    2. Vulnerability analysis

    3. Buffer overflows (32-bit)

    4. Privilege escalation (Windows/Linux)

    5. Exploitation and web application attacks

    6. Password attacks and tunneling

    7. Active Directory basics

    8. Post-exploitation and reporting

  • Depth of content: Very hands-on and technical; emphasizes real-world hacking and manual exploitation over automation

  • Technologies and tools included: Kali Linux, Nmap, Burp Suite, Metasploit, Netcat, Mimikatz, custom scripts (Python, Bash), etc.

  • Relevance in the current job market: Extremely high in pentesting, bug bounty, offensive security, and red teaming roles

  • Mapping to frameworks: Aligns with MITRE ATT&CK (exploitation and post-exploitation), partially with NICE framework and NIST SP 800-115

🧩 3. Prerequisites and Recommended Level

  • Prior certifications or experience required?: Not mandatory, but networking, Linux, and basic scripting experience highly recommended

  • Expected skill level: Intermediate to advanced

  • Required knowledge: TCP/IP, web app fundamentals, scripting (Bash, Python), enumeration, privilege escalation, buffer overflows

💵 4. Cost

  • Total cost:

    • 30-day lab access + exam: $1,599 USD

    • 60-day and 90-day options available ($1,849 / $2,099)

  • Study materials or lab access included?: Yes – includes full PDF courseware, videos, and access to the PWK labs

  • Discounts: Occasionally available via educational institutions or resellers

⏳ 5. Estimated Preparation Time

  • Recommended study hours: 150–250+ hours (depends on prior experience)

  • Self-paced or instructor-led: Self-paced

  • Learning modes: PDF + video + extensive lab-based learning and self-practice

🎯 6. Target Roles and Career Path

  • Job roles: Penetration Tester, Ethical Hacker, Red Teamer, Vulnerability Analyst, Security Consultant

  • Career goals: Excellent entry point for offensive security professionals aiming to prove real-world capabilities

  • Type: Technical and hands-on, focused on manual exploitation skills

🧪 7. Exam Format and Difficulty

  • Is the exam online or in-person?: Online, proctored (24-hour exam + 24 hours for report writing)

  • Theoretical, hands-on, or both?: 100% hands-on

  • Proctored exam or testing center?: Proctored via webcam and screen monitoring

  • Length and number of questions: Practical exam with 5 machines to exploit, scoring at least 70 out of 100 points

  • Difficulty level or average pass rate: High; requires strong technical endurance, methodology, and reporting under pressure

📜 8. Validity and Renewal

  • Does it expire?: No – lifetime certification

  • Renewal process: Not required; however, OffSec encourages further training and cert progression

🧰 9. Study Resources Available

  • Official documentation: PWK (Penetration Testing with Kali Linux) course

  • Recommended books: The Hacker Playbook, Privilege Escalation in Windows/Linux, HackTricks, Red Team Field Manual

  • Online labs or platforms: OffSec PWK Labs, Hack The Box, TryHackMe, Virtual Hacking Labs

  • YouTube channels, community guides: IppSec, TCM Security, John Hammond

  • Online communities: Reddit r/oscp, Discord groups, 0day.rocks, OffSec forums

💼 10. Industry Value and Demand

  • Is it frequently mentioned in job postings?: Yes – almost a standard in offensive security job listings

  • Does it boost your profile with recruiters?: Definitely – often seen as a benchmark for technical pentesters

  • Is it recognized by top companies or certain countries?: Yes – global recognition across all industries

  • What’s the average salary?: $95,000–130,000 USD/year depending on location, experience, and role

🧭 11. Related Certifications and Progression

  • Is it part of a larger learning path?: Yes – leads into OSWE (web), OSEP (advanced AD), OSED (exploit dev), OSCE3

  • What can you study after completing it?: Specialize in areas like web (OSWE), red teaming (OSEP), or exploit development (OSED)

  • How does it compare or complement other certs?: More technical than CEH or Pentest+, complementary with CRTP, GPEN, or OSWE for broader coverage