Table of Contents
CompTIA PenTest+ Quick Facts
The CompTIA PenTest+ certification empowers you to showcase advanced penetration testing and vulnerability assessment skills while validating your ability to secure systems against real-world threats. This overview provides everything you need to navigate the exam domains with confidence and clarity.
How does the CompTIA PenTest+ certification strengthen your cybersecurity expertise?
The CompTIA PenTest+ is a globally recognized certification designed for cybersecurity professionals who want to specialize in penetration testing and vulnerability management. It verifies your ability to plan and scope engagements, conduct reconnaissance, exploit vulnerabilities, and ultimately provide clear reports and recommendations that drive stronger security postures for organizations. Whether you’re aiming to advance as a penetration tester, red team specialist, or security consultant, this certification highlights your ability to think like an attacker and defend like a strategist.
Exam Domains Covered (Click to expand breakdown)
Exam Domain Breakdown
Domain 1: Engagement management (13% of the exam)
Planning and scoping: defining rules of engagement, testing windows, and target selection.
Summary: This section emphasizes the importance of framing penetration test engagements clearly and effectively. You will learn to define parameters such as testing boundaries, allowed attack surfaces, and scheduling considerations that align with business objectives while minimizing disruption. This section ensures you know how to communicate scope and expectations in a way that builds trust with stakeholders.
Additionally, understanding structured planning and scoping provides the foundation for a mature penetration test lifecycle. These skills ensure that every test has clearly established objectives from start to finish, which translates into more reliable results and actionable findings.
Legal and ethical compliance: ensuring authorization letters, mandatory reporting, and adherence to regulations.
Summary: This part of the domain focuses on working within the boundaries of the law and professional ethics. It covers how to secure proper authorization before testing, maintain compliance with applicable regulations, and document everything responsibly. By mastering this, you demonstrate that penetration testing is not just about technical brilliance but about professionalism and integrity.
This guidance reinforces that ethical considerations are a core part of penetration testing. Building confidence with clients and businesses starts with respect for legal agreements, and it establishes you as a trusted professional capable of handling sensitive data and environments responsibly.
Collaboration and communication: aligning with stakeholders through peer reviews, escalation paths, and risk articulation.
Summary: Collaboration is key in penetration testing, and this section highlights how testers must integrate with business stakeholders. It includes effective peer review processes, communication standards, and escalation protocols to ensure smooth handoffs and clarity throughout an engagement.
This ensures that your findings are not siloed but rather shared in ways that leadership, IT staff, and other teams can understand and act upon. Communicating effectively allows for technical discoveries to become actionable risk insights that strengthen the organization.
Penetration test reports: creating reports with executive summaries, findings, and remediation recommendations.
Summary: Reporting is the culmination of your penetration test, turning technical findings into actionable recommendations. You will learn to present results in both executive-friendly summaries and detailed technical explanations, accompanied by remediation suggestions.
This ensures your work has a tangible impact and provides clear direction for reducing risk. Strong reporting bridges the gap between technical excellence and business decision-making, demonstrating the real-world value of penetration testing.
Domain 2: Reconnaissance and enumeration (21% of the exam)
Active and passive reconnaissance: gathering information using open-source intelligence (OSINT), network sniffing, and protocol scanning.
Summary: This section covers the art of collecting information before launching attacks. You’ll practice different methods of gathering intelligence, from non-intrusive OSINT to more direct measures like protocol scanning. Reconnaissance is about gaining insight without alerting defenders prematurely.
Understanding these approaches ensures you can determine target environments accurately while remaining stealthy. These skills are key to uncovering useful entry points and laying the groundwork for a successful penetration test.
Enumeration techniques: performing DNS enumeration, service discovery, and directory enumeration.
Summary: Enumeration provides deeper insight into target systems by actively identifying resources, users, and services. You’ll learn classic techniques such as DNS discovery, service scanning, and directory enumeration to locate potential vulnerabilities.
These techniques transform raw reconnaissance data into actionable intelligence. With enumeration, penetration testers can pinpoint exploitable systems and services, making it an essential step in testing methodology.
Reconnaissance tools: using tools like Nmap, Wireshark, and Shodan for information gathering.
Summary: This section emphasizes tool-based reconnaissance, ensuring you’re proficient with industry-standard platforms like Nmap, Wireshark, and Shodan. Tools streamline OSINT and active reconnaissance efforts, enabling deeper visibility into networks and hosts.
Proficiency in these tools allows penetration testers to operate more efficiently while broadening their discovery capabilities. This demonstrates professional competence in handling practical testing situations.
Script modification: customizing Python, PowerShell, and Bash scripts for reconnaissance and enumeration.
Summary: In addition to off-the-shelf tools, testers need the ability to adapt or write scripts for specific reconnaissance scenarios. This includes modifying existing Python, PowerShell, or Bash scripts for collecting unique datasets.
By mastering customized scripting, you gain flexibility to handle unusual or advanced testing cases. This capability allows you to work beyond tool defaults and deliver more tailored reconnaissance results.
Domain 3: Vulnerability discovery and analysis (17% of the exam)
Vulnerability scans: conducting authenticated, unauthenticated, static application security testing (SAST) and dynamic application security testing (DAST).
Summary: Vulnerability discovery is about identifying weaknesses with different scanning strategies. You’ll use authenticated and unauthenticated scans to analyze systems, alongside both SAST and DAST for applications.
This knowledge ensures you choose the right methodology based on the system’s needs, providing accurate insights into where actual flaws lie. By aligning scanning type with context, you maximize effectiveness.
Result analysis: validating findings, troubleshooting configurations, and identifying false positives.
Summary: This section shifts focus to interpreting scan outputs. Not every reported vulnerability represents a true risk, so testers must validate results, resolve misconfigurations, and rule out false positives.
This ability ensures the results you deliver are meaningful and actionable. By refining your findings, you help organizations focus time and resources on real weaknesses instead of noise.
Discovery tools: using tools like Nessus, Nikto, and OpenVAS for vulnerability discovery.
Summary: Practical knowledge of recognized tools like Nessus, Nikto, and OpenVAS anchors this part of the domain. These tools provide comprehensive coverage across networks, web applications, and servers.
By mastering these discovery tools, testers can quickly and thoroughly identify vulnerabilities across varied environments. This shows competence in managing a modern penetration testing toolkit.
Domain 4: Attacks and exploits (35% of the exam)
Network attacks: performing VLAN hopping, on-path attacks, and service exploitation.
Summary: This section introduces complex network-based exploits. You’ll learn to manipulate network protocols, execute VLAN hopping, and perform on-path attacks. These techniques test whether networks are resilient against advanced attacks.
Mastering these approaches highlights your ability to uncover weaknesses at multiple layers of a network. They demonstrate true attacker thinking within controlled penetration testing scenarios.
Authentication attacks: executing brute-force attacks, pass-the-hash, and credential stuffing.
Summary: Authentication attacks challenge how organizations protect access to accounts and systems. You’ll gain experience with brute-force methods, credential stuffing, and advanced attacks like pass-the-hash.
This reinforces the importance of strong identity management systems. Penetration testers use these methods responsibly to modernize defenses in real-world environments.
Host-based attacks: conducting privilege escalation, process injection, and credential dumping.
Summary: Once inside a system, host-based exploits help testers escalate from standard access to administrative control. This includes techniques such as privilege escalation and credential dumping.
These skills ensure testers can accurately demonstrate the severity of compromised hosts while documenting clear risks. They show both breadth and depth of exploitation.
Web application attacks: performing SQL injection, cross-site scripting (XSS), and directory traversal.
Summary: Web-focused attacks are one of the most visible risks for businesses today. This section dives into common application-level exploits such as SQL injection, XSS, and directory traversal.
Testing web applications ensures an organization’s public-facing presence is resilient against real-world attacks. These skills keep data-driven businesses secure while protecting sensitive user information.
Cloud-based attacks: exploiting container escapes, metadata service attacks, and identity and access management (IAM) misconfiguration.
Summary: As organizations embrace cloud computing, testers must address new attack vectors. This includes container escapes, metadata service exploitation, and IAM configuration flaws.
These topics ensure penetration testers remain relevant in modern enterprise ecosystems. Strengthening cloud defenses has become a centerpiece of professional penetration testing.
AI attacks: explaining prompt injection and model manipulation against artificial intelligence systems.
Summary: AI introduces a new frontier of threats. This section covers prompt injection and attempts to manipulate models directly, showcasing risks in modern environments.
Understanding AI exploitation provides unique insight into the future of testing. As artificial intelligence adoption grows, these skills become increasingly valuable.
Domain 5: Post-exploitation and lateral movement (14% of the exam)
Post-exploitation activities: establishing persistence, performing lateral movement, and cleaning up artifacts.
Summary: After gaining entry, testers may attempt to remain inside securely. This involves persistence techniques, lateral movement across systems, and removing attack traces afterward.
These actions replicate the behavior of advanced attackers, helping organizations see how resilient they are against long-term threats. This highlights risks beyond the initial breach.
Documentation: creating attack narratives and providing remediation recommendations.
Summary: The final portion of the exam emphasizes translating post-exploitation activities into strong documentation. This means creating coherent attack narratives and delivering recommendations that inform remediation.
This ensures penetration work provides more than proof-of-concept exploits. It creates actionable insights organizations can use to mitigate risks and strengthen resilience.
Who should pursue the CompTIA PenTest+ certification?
The CompTIA PenTest+ certification is an excellent choice for IT and cybersecurity professionals who want to specialize in penetration testing and vulnerability management. It is particularly well suited for individuals who already have some hands-on experience but want to validate and expand their skills in a recognized, industry-standard way.
Ideal candidates include:
- Security Analysts looking to grow into offensive security roles
- Penetration Testers eager to validate their expertise with a recognized credential
- Security Architects and Engineers strengthening their ability to defend against real-world threats
- IT Professionals transitioning into cybersecurity from IT operations or networking-focused roles
- Consultants who need to demonstrate credibility when assessing client environments
Even if you’re earlier in your security journey, pursuing CompTIA PenTest+ can level up your practical knowledge and open the door to advanced career opportunities in ethical hacking and penetration testing.
What is the latest version of the CompTIA PenTest+ exam?
The latest version of the CompTIA PenTest+ exam is exam code PT0-003 (also referred to as PenTest+ V3). This version reflects modern penetration testing practices and includes coverage of cloud security, APIs, IoT systems, and even artificial intelligence exploitation scenarios.
By keeping the content updated, CompTIA ensures PenTest+ remains relevant for today’s security landscape, enabling you to master the latest offensive security techniques and methodologies.
How much does the CompTIA PenTest+ exam cost?
The PenTest+ certification exam is priced at $425 USD. This investment not only gets you access to an internationally recognized certification but also demonstrates to employers that you are serious about advancing your penetration testing career.
Depending on your employer or training provider, you may also find vouchers or exam bundles that combine training courses with the exam cost for added value.
How many questions are included in the CompTIA PT0-003 exam?
The PenTest+ exam includes up to 90 questions. These questions feature a mix of multiple-choice and performance-based items. Performance-based questions simulate real-world penetration testing tasks in a virtual environment, giving you the chance to prove your hands-on abilities.
Unlike purely theoretical exams, PenTest+ ensures that your practical, operational knowledge of penetration testing tools and procedures truly shines.
How much exam time do I have for the CompTIA PenTest+ test?
You are given 165 minutes (just under 3 hours) to take the exam. This timeframe provides plenty of opportunity to carefully consider multiple-choice items and to work through more technical performance-based questions.
Strong time management during the exam is key. Allocate more time to the simulation exercises, as they reflect the kind of real-world tasks you’ll be expected to perform in your penetration testing career.
What is the passing score for CompTIA PenTest+?
The minimum passing score for CompTIA PenTest+ is 750 on a scale of 100 to 900. This scaled scoring ensures fairness across different versions of the exam, where specific question sets might vary slightly in difficulty.
It’s important to note that the exam uses a compensatory model. That means you do not need to achieve a passing grade in each specific domain; instead, your cumulative performance across all content areas will determine if you achieve the passing threshold.
What topics are covered in the CompTIA PenTest+ exam domains?
The exam is broken down into five weighted domains that reflect real-world penetration testing responsibilities:
- Engagement Management (13%)
- Rules of engagement, scoping, reporting, and maintaining ethical and legal compliance.
- Reconnaissance and Enumeration (21%)
- OSINT, DNS and service discovery, scripting for reconnaissance, and tool usage.
- Vulnerability Discovery and Analysis (17%)
- Running scans, interpreting results, reducing false positives, and leveraging scanning tools.
- Attacks and Exploits (35%)
- Network, host, web application, cloud, and even AI-based attack techniques.
- Post-Exploitation and Lateral Movement (14%)
- Establishing persistence, moving within a target environment, and conducting cleanup.
By mastering these domains, you’ll prove you can carry out the full penetration testing process end-to-end.
Is the exam only multiple-choice?
No, the CompTIA PenTest+ exam combines traditional multiple-choice items with performance-based simulations. Multiple-choice questions test your theoretical understanding, while the hands-on simulations push you to apply your knowledge just as you would on a real penetration test engagement.
This blend makes the exam incredibly valuable because it mirrors the real-world skills employers expect from penetration testers.
What prior knowledge should I have before taking PT0-003?
CompTIA recommends having 3 to 4 years of hands-on experience in a penetration testing role or a job in information security. Knowledge equivalent to CompTIA Security+ and Network+ is also suggested.
While prerequisites aren’t mandatory, having a good grasp of networking concepts, security fundamentals, and system administration will set you up for success as you prepare for PenTest+.
What job opportunities can I get with CompTIA PenTest+?
The PenTest+ credential unlocks excellent career paths in cybersecurity, particularly in offensive security roles. With it, you’ll be eligible for positions such as:
- Penetration Tester
- Security Consultant
- Vulnerability Analyst
- Offensive Security Engineer
- Application Security Specialist
- Network Security Analyst
In addition, employers often view PenTest+ as a stepping stone toward senior roles such as Red Team Operator or Security Architect.
How long is my PenTest+ certification valid?
Once you pass the exam, your CompTIA PenTest+ certification is valid for 3 years. To maintain it, you can renew through CompTIA’s Continuing Education (CE) program by earning CEUs (Continuing Education Units), taking higher-level certifications, or retesting with the latest version.
This renewal system ensures that your certification always reflects current security challenges and evolving penetration testing techniques.
Is CompTIA PenTest+ recognized worldwide?
Yes, absolutely. CompTIA PenTest+ is an internationally recognized, ISO/ANSI-accredited certification. It is trusted by organizations across the globe as proof of professional-level penetration testing expertise.
Because CompTIA is vendor-neutral, you demonstrate versatility in working across various environments, tools, and platforms, making you more adaptable and more employable worldwide.
What languages are available for the PT0-003 exam?
The PenTest+ exam is released in English, with additional languages to be announced depending on demand and adoption. Since penetration testing terminology can be technical and precise, many candidates choose to test in English even if it’s not their first language.
Can beginners take the CompTIA PenTest+ exam?
While the PenTest+ is considered an intermediate-level certification, motivated beginners with strong foundational IT or security knowledge can still succeed. If you’re newer to cybersecurity, building up experience through labs, open-source security tools, and structured learning paths will prepare you well.
Many candidates also pair this exam with CompTIA Security+ and Network+ as a sequence to progressively build their penetration testing expertise.
How does CompTIA PenTest+ compare to other certifications?
PenTest+ sits in an interesting space among cybersecurity certifications. It is more practitioner-focused than entry-level exams like Security+ and validates hands-on technical work that certifications like CEH may approach more theoretically.
Additionally, whereas higher-level certifications like OSCP are extremely specialized and deeply technical, PenTest+ balances rigor with accessibility, making it a widely respected credential for professionals looking to solidify career credibility.
What labs or practice can help me prepare?
Because the PenTest+ exam emphasizes performance-based testing, practical labs are very important. Engaging with penetration testing frameworks, setting up your own virtual labs, and using tools like Nmap, Wireshark, and Nessus will refine your skills for exam day.
You’ll get the most value by mixing structured study resources with practice scenarios, ensuring you can confidently bridge theory and practice. To really prepare with confidence, many professionals rely on top-rated CompTIA PenTest+ practice exams with detailed explanations that simulate the real testing environment.
What are some common mistakes candidates should avoid?
Candidates often focus only on attack techniques but neglect other key phases like engagement scoping, reporting, and compliance. Employers want penetration testers who can not only break into systems but also document their findings with accuracy and professionalism.
Another common oversight involves skipping hands-on practice. Even if you know the tools theoretically, working with them directly in trial environments will dramatically improve both exam performance and career readiness.
Where can I take the CompTIA PenTest+ exam?
The exam can be taken either online via remote proctoring or in person at a certified Pearson VUE testing center. Online testing offers flexibility to test from home or office provided you meet the technical setup requirements, while in-person offers a rigidly supervised environment.
Both options deliver the same credential, so you can select whichever is most convenient for your schedule.
How do I register for PenTest+?
To register, create an account with Pearson VUE and schedule your exam through CompTIA’s testing portal. You’ll be able to select your location (remote or test center), date, and payment method.
Complete official registration details can be found at the CompTIA PenTest+ certification page.
The CompTIA PenTest+ certification is a career-boosting credential that proves your ability to identify, exploit, and report on vulnerabilities, while also ensuring organizations can remediate issues effectively. With the right combination of hands-on practice, structured study, and confidence, you’ll walk away with a respected certification that enhances your career in cybersecurity.
