CompTIA PenTest+
CompTIA PenTest+ is for cybersecurity professionals tasked with penetration testing and vulnerability management.
Why is it different?
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.
About the exam
The beta exam has ended.
If you took the CompTIA PenTest+ certification beta exam, thank you! You will be receiving an email from Certmetrics in the near future which will contain important information and detailed instructions regarding how to download your PDF beta score report.
- 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.
CompTIA Certification Pathway
CompTIA PenTest+ joins CompTIA Cybersecurity Analyst (CySA+) at the intermediate-skills level of the cybersecurity career pathway as shown below. Depending on your course of study, PenTest+ and CySA+ can be taken in any order but typically follows the skills learned in Security+. While CySA+ focuses on defense through incident detection and response, PenTest+ focuses on offense through penetration testing and vulnerability assessment.
Although the two exams teach opposing skills, they are dependent on one another. The most qualified cybersecurity professionals have both offensive and defensive skills. Earn the PenTest+ certification to grow your career within the CompTIA recommended cybersecurity career pathway.
What Skills Will You Learn?
PENETRATION TESTING TOOLS
Conduct information gathering exercises with various tools and analyze output and basic scripts (limited to: Bash, Python, Ruby, PowerShell)
REPORTING & COMMUNICATION
Utilize report writing and handling best practices explaining recommended mitigation strategies for discovered vulnerabilities
ATTACKS & EXPLOITS
Exploit network, wireless, application, and RF-based vulnerabilities, summarize physical security attacks, and perform post-exploitation techniques
INFORMATION GATHERING & VULNERABILITY IDENTIFICATION
Gather information to prepare for exploitation then perform a vulnerability scan and analyze results.
PLANNING & SCOPING
Explain the importance of planning and key aspects of compliance-based assessments
Companies that use A+
Jobs that use A+ and their average salaries*
Penetration Tester |
Vulnerability Tester |
Security Analyst (II) |
Vulnerability Assessment Analyst |
Network Security Operations |
Application Security Vulnerability |