Cybersecurity remains one of the hottest topics in IT and other industries.

The CompTIA PenTest+ certification is intended for cybersecurity professionals such as penetration testers and vulnerability assessment analysts who are tasked with scanning, identifying, exploiting, reporting and managing vulnerabilities on a network.

In 2024, 79% of the detections CrowdStrike observed were malware-free, indicating adversaries are instead using hands-on-keyboard techniques that blend in with legitimate user activity and impede detection.

Unlike many penetration testing certifications, CompTIA PenTest+ covers everything a penetration tester needs to know, from project planning to final reporting. The exam contains both multiple-choice and performance-based questions, validating hands-on cybersecurity skills.

Overview

CompTIA PenTest+ validates your ability to identify, mitigate, and report system vulnerabilities.

Covering all stages of penetration testing across attack surfaces like cloud, web apps, APIs, and IoT, it emphasizes hands-on skills such as:

  • vulnerability management and lateral movement.
  • It involves launching attacks on systems, discovering the vulnerabilities and managing them.
  • Learners will be introduced to some general concepts and methodologies related to pen testing
  • Learners will work their way through a simulated pen test for a fictitious company.

Level up your skills and stand out with a globally recognized pentesting certification with Yayasan Peneraju Financing Scheme – eligible for Bumiputera Malaysians.

Explore more about cybersecurity certifications with our cybersecurity training and certifications guide.

Skills Covered

CompTIA PenTest+ assesses the most up-to-date penetration testing, and vulnerability assessment and management skills necessary to determine the resiliency of the network against attacks. The CompTIA PenTest+ certification exam will verify successful candidates have the knowledge and skills required to:

  • Plan and scope penetration tests.
  • Conduct passive reconnaissance.
  • Perform non-technical tests to gather information.
  • Conduct active reconnaissance.
  • Analyze vulnerabilities.
  • Penetrate networks.
  • Exploit host-based vulnerabilities.
  • Test applications.
  • Complete post-exploit tasks.
  • Analyze and report pen test results.

Prerequisites

To ensure your success in this course, you should have:

  • Intermediate knowledge of information security concepts, including but not limited to identity and access management (IAM), cryptographic concepts and implementations, computer networking concepts and implementations, and common security technologies.
  • Practical experience in securing various computing environments, including small to medium businesses, as well as enterprise environments.

You can obtain this level of skills and knowledge by taking the CompTIA Security+ (Exam SY0-501) course or by obtaining the appropriate industry certification.

Target Audience

This course is designed for IT professionals who want to develop penetration testing skills to enable them to identify information-system vulnerabilities and effective remediation techniques for those vulnerabilities. Target students who also need to offer practical recommendations for action to properly protect information systems and their contents will derive those skills from this course.

This official CompTIA certification course is also designed for individuals who are preparing to take the CompTIA PenTest+ certification exam PT0-002, or who plan to use PenTest+ as the foundation for more advanced security certifications or career roles. Individuals seeking this certification should have three to four years of hands-on experience performing penetration tests, vulnerability assessments, and vulnerability management.

Course Curriculum

Module 1: Scoping Organizational/Customer Requirements

  • Topic 1A: Define Organizational PenTesting
  • Topic 1B: Acknowledge Compliance Requirements
  • Topic 1C: Compare Standards and Methodologies
  • Topic 1D: Describe Ways to Maintain Professionalism

Module 2: Defining the Rules of Engagement

  • Topic 2A: Assess Environmental Considerations
  • Topic 2B: Outline the Rules of Engagement
  • Topic 2C: Prepare Legal Documents

Module 3: Footprinting and Gathering Intelligence

  • Topic 3A: Discover the Target
  • Topic 3B: Gather Essential Data
  • Topic 3C: Compile Website Information
  • Topic 3D: Discover Open-Source Intelligence Tools

Module 4: Evaluating Human and Physical Vulnerabilities

  • Topic 4A: Exploit the Human Psyche
  • Topic 4B: Summarize Physical Attacks
  • Topic 4C: Use Tools to Launch a Social Engineering Attack

Module 5: Preparing the Vulnerability Scan

  • Topic 5A: Plan the Vulnerability Scan
  • Topic 5B: Detect Defenses
  • Topic 5C: Utilize Scanning Tools

Module 6: Scanning Logical Vulnerabilities

  • Topic 6A: Scan Identified Targets
  • Topic 6B: Evaluate Network Traffic
  • Topic 6C: Uncover Wireless Assets

Module 7: Analyzing Scanning Results

  • Topic 7A: Discover Nmap and NSE
  • Topic 7B: Enumerate Network Hosts
  • Topic 7C: Analyze Output from Scans

Module 8: Avoiding Detection and Covering Tracks

  • Topic 8A: Evade Detection
  • Topic 8B: Use Steganography to Hide and Conceal
  • Topic 8C: Establish a Covert Channel

Module 9: Exploiting the LAN and Cloud

  • Topic 9A: Enumerating Hosts
  • Topic 9B: Attack LAN Protocols
  • Topic 9C: Compare Exploit Tools
  • Topic 9D: Discover Cloud Vulnerabilities
  • Topic 9E: Explore Cloud-Based Attacks

Module 10: Testing Wireless Networks

  • Topic 10A: Discover Wireless Attacks
  • Topic 10B: Explore Wireless Tools

Module 11: Targeting Mobile Devices

  • Topic 11A: Recognize Mobile Device Vulnerabilities
  • Topic 11B: Launch Attacks on Mobile Devices
  • Topic 11C: Outline Assessment Tools for Mobile Devices

Module 12: Attacking Specialized Systems

  • Topic 12A: Identify Attacks on the IoT
  • Topic 12B: Recognize Other Vulnerable Systems
  • Topic 12C: Explain Virtual Machine Vulnerabilities

Module 13: Web Application-Based Attacks

  • Topic 13A: Recognize Web Vulnerabilities
  • Topic 13B: Launch Session Attacks
  • Topic 13C: Plan Injection Attacks
  • Topic 13D: Identify Tools

Module 14: Performing System Hacking

  • Topic 14A: System Hacking
  • Topic 14B: Use Remote Access Tools
  • Topic 14C: Analyze Exploit Code

Module 15: Scripting and Software Development

  • Topic 15A: Analyzing Scripts and Code Samples
  • Topic 15B: Create Logic Constructs
  • Topic 15C: Automate Penetration Testing

Module 16: : Leveraging the Attack: Pivot and Penetrate

  • Topic 16A: Test Credentials
  • Topic 16B: Move Throughout the System
  • Topic 16C: Maintain Persistence

Module 17: Communicating During the PenTesting Process

  • Topic 17A: Define the Communication Path
  • Topic 17B: Communication Triggers
  • Topic 17C: Use Built-In Tools for Reporting

Module 18: Summarizing Report Components

  • Topic 18A: Identify Report Audience
  • Topic 18B: List Report Contents
  • Topic 18C: Define Best Practices for Reports

Module 19: Recommending Remediation

  • Topic 19A: Employ Technical Controls
  • Topic 19B: Administrative and Operational Controls
  • Topic 19C: Physical Controls

Module 20: Performing Post-Report Delivery Activities

  • Topic 20A: Post-Engagement Cleanup
  • Topic 20B: Follow-Up Actions

Dates & Locations

Let’s make it work for you

Can’t find a date that fits? Need to train your whole team? Looking for a discount?
Speak to one of our learning experts today.

x Clear all selections

September 21, 2026 - September 25, 2026

Location: Kuala Lumpur
Modal: ILT
Availability: TBC
Exam:
RM 1913
RM 4500

September 21, 2026 - September 25, 2026

Location: Kuala Lumpur
Modal: VILT
Availability: TBC
Exam:
RM 1913
RM 4500

December 7, 2026 - December 11, 2026

Location: Kuala Lumpur
Modal: ILT
Availability: TBC
Exam:
RM 1913
RM 4500

December 7, 2026 - December 11, 2026

Location: Kuala Lumpur
Modal: VILT
Availability: TBC
Exam:
RM 1913
RM 4500
Trainocate exam and cert

Exam & Certification

This CompTIA certification course can also assist you if you are pursuing the CompTIA PenTest+ certification, as tested in exam PT0-002. The course is designed to provide content and activities that correlate to the exam objectives, and therefore can be a resource as you prepare for the examination.

Training & Certification Guide

CompTIA PenTest+ is the only penetration testing exam taken at a Pearson VUE testing center with both hands-on, performance-based questions and multiple-choice, to ensure each candidate possesses the skills, knowledge, and ability to perform tasks on systems. PenTest+ exam also includes management skills used to plan, scope, and manage weaknesses, not just exploit them.

PenTest+ is unique because our certification requires a candidate to demonstrate the hands-on ability and knowledge to test devices in new environments such as the cloud and mobile, in addition to traditional desktops and servers.

  • CompTIA PenTest+ assesses the most up-to-date penetration testing, and vulnerability assessment and management skills necessary to determine the resiliency of the network against attacks.
  • Successful candidates will have the intermediate skills required to customize assessment frameworks to effectively collaborate on and report findings.
  • Candidates will also have the best practices to communicate recommended strategies to improve the overall state of IT security.

The CompTIA PenTest+ certification verifies that successful candidates have the knowledge and skills required to plan and scope an assessment, understand legal and compliance requirements, perform vulnerability scanning and penetration testing, analyze data, and effectively report and communicate results.

Maximum of 85 questions.

Performance-based and multiple choice

165 minutes

750 (on a scale of 100-900)

Network+, Security+ or equivalent knowledge. Minimum of 3-4 years of hands-on information security or related experience. While there is no required prerequisite, PenTest+ is intended to follow CompTIA Security+ or equivalent experience and has a technical, hands-on focus.

The CompTIA Pentest+ certification exam costs USD370.

Your Guide to Top CompTIA Certifications in 2025

CompTIA certifications are designed to validate IT professionals skills and knowledge in various areas of information technology, from computer hardware and networking to cybersecurity and cloud computing.

5 Job Opportunities with CompTIA Data+ Certification

As the importance of data analytics grows, more job roles are required to set context and better communicate vital business intelligence. Collecting, analyzing, and reporting on data can drive priorities and lead business decision-making. CompTIA Data+ validates you have the skills required to facilitate these decisions.

Pen Testing in the Cloud: The New Challenges

As cybersecurity professionals, we are aware of the role that penetration testing plays as part of a comprehensive security program. One of the main benefits is finding vulnerabilities and identifying potential security gaps that exist within our systems, as well as validating that security controls have been properly implemented and are operating in an effective manner.

Your Next Move: Cloud Penetration Tester

The cloud isn’t going anywhere. In fact, adoption of cloud technologies has grown faster than ever as companies pivot to a more permanent remote workforce. That shift has created yet another new cybersecurity role: cloud penetration tester. If you have a background in security intelligence and understand the cloud, a specialized cybersecurity credential as a cloud penetration tester may be a good next step for you.

Frequently Asked Questions

CompTIA PenTest+ is a cybersecurity certification that validates your skills in penetration testing, vulnerability assessment, and mitigation. It ensures you can identify, exploit, and report system vulnerabilities across various attack surfaces, including cloud, web apps, APIs, IoT, and hybrid environments.

Yes, CompTIA PenTest+ is highly regarded in the cybersecurity field. It is a vendor-neutral certification that demonstrates your ability to perform penetration testing and vulnerability assessments, making it valuable for roles like penetration tester, security consultant, and vulnerability assessment analyst.

You will earn the CompTIA PenTest+ certification by passing one exam that includes both multiple-choice and performance-based questions. Read on for some advice that can increase your chance to succeed in your exam and achieve CompTIA PenTest+ certification status.

In its very basic nature, the CompTIA PenTest+ exam is not that much different from any other written test that you may have taken to-date. The exam uses various question types to verify your knowledge in of the following areas:

  • Planning and scoping a penetration test assessment
  • Understanding legal and compliance requirements
  • Performing vulnerability scanning and pen testing
  • Analyzing data
  • Effectively reporting and communicating results

Being well-prepared remains your best bet to score a positive exam outcome, namely passing the test and being awarded the CompTIA PenTest+ certification.

Your CompTIA PenTest+ certification is good for three years from the date you pass your certification exam. Through our continuing education (CE) program, you can easily renew CompTIA PenTest+ and extend it for additional three-year periods. Read on to learn more about the certification period and ways how you can renew your CompTIA PenTest+ certification.

CompTIA PenTest+ is a member of our group of certifications with globally-recognized ISO/ANSI accreditation status. They expire three years from the date they are earned and can be renewed through our continuing education program.

We refer to certifications within their three-year period after a successful exam, or when it is successfully renewed, as active. We refer to certifications as expired if they are not renewed. If your certification has expired, the only way to get it back again is to pass the certification exam again.

IT cybersecurity offers countless paths to fulfilling jobs and rewarding pay – you determine the direction and, ultimately, how much money you can earn with CompTIA PenTest+. Not everyone has the same reason for getting certified. In general, you can apply your CompTIA PenTest+ certification in the following ways:

  • Attract the attention of employers with an endorsement of your skills that is respected globally and industry-wide.
  • Position yourself as a top candidate for intermediate-level cybersecurity positions.
  • Confirm to yourself that you’ve mastered the latest skills and concepts that act as the foundation of a career in penetration testing.

In all scenarios, CompTIA PenTest+ can serve as a springboard for cybersecurity careers, ensuring pen testing professionals are better prepared to solve a wide variety of issues when securing and defending networks in today’s complicated business computing landscape.

Aspiring to an intermediate-level point for your cybersecurity career, as well as your aspirations and how much work you’re willing to put into growing your career, have great impact on how much you can make in any job. Security is no exception. Here are a few common job titles that use CompTIA PenTest+:

  • Penetration tester
  • Vulnerability tester
  • Security analyst (II)
  • Vulnerability assessment analyst
  • Network security operations
  • Application security vulnerability

The job roles covered by CompTIA PenTest+ are categorized under Information Security Analysts by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The number of jobs in this category is expected to grow by more than 31 percent by 2029. The median pay in 2019 was $99,730.

CompTIA PenTest+ is the industry standard for validating that cybersecurity professionals can perform tasks on systems through penetration testing and vulnerability assessment and management. CompTIA PenTest+ is compliant with ISO 17024 standards and approved by the US DoD to meet directive 8140/8570.01-M requirements.

The new CompTIA PenTest+ certification covers the penetration tester job role, in addition to the following positions:

  • Vulnerability tester
  • Security analyst (II)
  • Vulnerability assessment analyst
  • Network security operations
  • Application security vulnerability

Furthermore, companies like ASICS Corp., Las Vegas Sands Corp., Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory and Brotherhood Mutual all look for CompTIA PenTest+ certification in hiring.

Each second, 75 records go missing, and 30,000 websites are hacked each day. Obviously, cyber-attacks are on the rise. The COVID-19 pandemic increased the rate of digital transformation, which has made organizations more vulnerable than ever to these attacks. This explains why cybersecurity is important in 2021, and why it will continue to grow in importance in the future.

As such, it is imperative that you expand mastery of your cybersec expertise with the following recommended certifications:

CT-CYSA+: CompTIA® Cybersecurity Analyst

This course covers the duties of cybersecurity analysts who are responsible for monitoring and detecting security incidents in information systems and networks, and for executing a proper response to such incidents. Depending on the size of the organization, this individual may act alone or may be a member of a cybersecurity incident response team (CSIRT).

CT-CSX: CompTIA SecurityX

CompTIA’s Advanced Security Practitioner Certification (CASP+) is now the new CompTIA SecurityX, the latest addition to CompTIA’s Xpert series. SecurityX is the capstone certification in CompTIA cybersecurity pathway, and it’s designed for experts in the field, like you, who are ready to advance in their career.

CT-SECAI: CompTIA SecAI

This cybersecurity credential from CompTIA is the global IT industry’s first comprehensive “expansion” certification focused on the security of artificial intelligence systems and the secure application of AI in cybersecurity operations.

Speak to a Training Consultant

All courses are HRD Claimable.
Get in touch with our team via the form or WhatsApp us on +6011-5119 6631

Preferred mode of training
Checkboxes