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After two years, over 2,000 hours of studying for this exam, 28 modules, 300+ compromised targets, approximately 500 sections, and countless sleepless nights—all while studying abroad—I am thrilled to announce that I have successfully completed the Hack The Box Certified Penetration Testing Specialist (HTB CPTS) path and passed the exam.
What an intense journey it has been. I have learned so much throughout this path, and I’d like to give a huge shoutout to Hack The Box for providing such exceptional course material.
The exam consisted of a ‘Black Box’ penetration test of a vast enterprise network, culminating in a final deliverable: a professional report meticulously documenting findings, methodologies, and remediation recommendations, spanning more than 100 pages.
You Should Know: Essential Penetration Testing Commands & Techniques
Reconnaissance & Enumeration
1. Nmap Scanning
nmap -sV -sC -p- -T4 <target_IP> Aggressive scan nmap --script vuln <target_IP> Vulnerability scanning
2. DNS Enumeration
dnsenum <domain.com> dig ANY <domain.com> @<DNS_Server>
Exploitation & Privilege Escalation
3. Metasploit Framework
msfconsole use exploit/multi/handler set payload windows/x64/meterpreter/reverse_tcp exploit
4. Linux Privilege Escalation Checks
sudo -l Check sudo permissions find / -perm -4000 -type f 2>/dev/null Find SUID binaries
Post-Exploitation & Reporting
5. Meterpreter Essentials
sysinfo System information hashdump Dump password hashes screenshot Capture screen
6. Automating Reports with Python
import openpyxl
workbook = openpyxl.Workbook()
sheet = workbook.active
sheet["A1"] = "Vulnerability Report"
workbook.save("Report.xlsx")
What Undercode Say
The HTB CPTS certification is a rigorous test of real-world penetration testing skills. Mastering tools like Nmap, Metasploit, and manual exploitation techniques is crucial. Always document findings meticulously—whether in Markdown, Excel, or professional PDF reports.
For hands-on practice, explore:
Expected Output:
A structured penetration test report with:
- Executive summary
- Methodology (OSINT, scanning, exploitation)
- Risk ratings (CVSS scores)
- Remediation steps
- Appendices (raw commands, screenshots)
(Word count adjusted for brevity; expand with more commands/tools as needed.)
References:
Reported By: Activity 7312905001922662400 – Hackers Feeds
Extra Hub: Undercode MoN
Basic Verification: Pass ✅
