What Is CompTIA PenTest+ Certification?

CompTIA PenTest+ is a certification for cybersecurity professionals tasked with penetration testing and vulnerability assessment and management.

CompTIA PenTest+ is an intermediate-skills level cybersecurity certification that focuses on offensive skills through pen testing and vulnerability assessment. Cybersecurity professionals with CompTIA PenTest+ know how plan, scope, and manage weaknesses, not just exploit them.

What Job Roles Should Take the Exam?

CompTIA PenTest+ is for IT cybersecurity professionals with three to four years of hands-on information security or related experience, or equivalent training, looking to start or advance a career in pen testing. CompTIA PenTest+ prepares candidates for the following job roles:

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

How Much Can I Make with CompTIA PenTest+ Certification?

Here are a few CompTIA PenTest+ jobs and their average salaries:

  • Penetration & Vulnerability Tester $104,000
  • Cybersecurity Analyst $96,000
  • Cybersecurity Consultant $91,000

What Is on the CompTIA PenTest+ Exam?

CompTIA PenTest+ is an intermediate-skills level cybersecurity certification that focuses on offensive skills through pen testing and vulnerability assessment.

Successful candidates will have the following skills 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 penetration test results

The CompTIA PenTest+ exam covers the following domains and topics:

  • Planning and Scoping: Explain the importance of planning for an engagement
  • Information Gathering and Vulnerability Identification: Conduct information gathering using appropriate techniques and perform and analyze a vulnerability scan
  • Attacks and Exploits: Compare and contrast social engineering attacks
  • Penetration Testing Tools: Use NMAP to conduct information gathering exercises
  • Reporting and Communication: Recommend mitigation strategies for discovered vulnerabilities

Click here to review the detailed exam objectives.

Who Is CompTIA?

CompTIA (the Computing Technology Industry Association) is the leading provider of vendor-neutral IT certifications in the world. With more than 2 million IT certifications issued worldwide, CompTIA is dedicated to helping IT professionals lead the charge in our digitally connected world.

For more than 20 years, CompTIA has developed training and certification exams for computing support, networking, security, open-source (Linux) development, cloud and mobility. Our regular review and updates of exams ensure that CompTIA certifications continue to address the needs of today’s technology challenges.

Ready for a Career in Penetration Testing?

CompTIA now offers a number of exam training options for CompTIA PenTest+ to fit your particular learning style and schedule, many of which may be used in combination with each other as you prepare for your exam.

There’s a wealth of information to take you from deciding if CompTIA PenTest+ is right for you, all the way to taking your exam. We’re with you every step of the way!