Courses Pen 200

Gain expertise in penetration testing topics, including XSS, SQL Injection, privilege escalation, Active Directory and AWS exploitation

Be professionally recognized for life as an OffSec Certified Professional (OSCP) and gain your 3-year OSCP+

PEN-200 is OffSec’s hands-on ethical hacking and penetration testing certification course, teaching core pentesting skills including enumeration, exploitation, and evidence gathering for proof of work. It’s designed to prepare you for the OSCP+ exam, providing you with a lifetime penetration testing certification (OSCP). It offers a strong foundation for cybersecurity professionals looking to strengthen their understanding of penetration testing methodology

The Penetration Testing with Kali Linux (PEN-200) course is OffSec’s essential training program for aspiring penetration testers. The course teaches learners how to identify and exploit real-world vulnerabilities across computers, network security, web applications, and basic cloud environments. Emphasizing hands-on, practical learning, PEN-200 provides the core technical skills and mindset required to simulate offensive information security operations—and defend against them. It’s a critical resource for those pursuing roles such as penetration tester, security analyst, security specialist, or certified ethical hacker.

PEN-200 covers a wide range of topics and attack techniques, including:

Providing an introduction to cybersecurity and an effective learning strategy to help you get started

Performing enumeration and information gathering, including vulnerability scanning and vulnerability assessment

Understanding encryption and cryptography

Utilizing perimeter attacks in web and application security as well as client-side attacks, where we go into depth in the commonly seen vulnerabilities such as XSS, Command Injection, Directory Traversal, File Uploads, and SQL Injection. We also cover password attacks and touch on Anti-Virus Evasion

Performing Windows and Linux privilege escalation and lateral movements, including pivoting and tunneling techniques

Using Active Directory, attacking Active Directory authentication, and lateral movement in Active Directory

Enumerating and attacking AWS cloud infrastructure

Learning how to use commonly used tools and commands in penetration testing, such as Nmap, Metasploit, Burp Suite, Hydra, Nessus, sqlmap, and Shellter

PEN-200 is organized into 20+ modules. Most modules have companion videos for the visually inclined learners. Most modules have hands-on labs to help learners practice the concept and theory taught in that module. After mastering each of the techniques and skills taught in all modules, learners can move on to the 9 challenge labs to practice a combination of skills in one lab, mimicking the real-world penetration test engagement. To help learners get ready for their OSCP+ certification exam, three challenge labs are designed to closely replicate the OSCP+ exam environment.

PEN-200 is suitable for those wishing to embark on a professional pen testing career, or wanting to learn ethical hacking skills possessed by pen testers. Before taking this course, we do suggest having hands-on practical knowledge of Linux and Windows administration, networking, and network scripting.

Becoming OSCP certified

24-hour proctored All certification exams are proctored by an OffSec employee in a private VPN

All certification exams are proctored by an OffSec employee in a private VPN

Hands-on labs Identify, exploit, and report real-world vulnerabilities in live lab systems

Identify, exploit, and report real-world vulnerabilities in live lab systems

3 standalone machines graded on initial access and privilege escalation

3 standalone machines

graded on initial access and privilege escalation

1 Active Directory set simulated breach scenario across 3 machines

1 Active Directory set

simulated breach scenario across 3 machines

The Offensive Security (OffSec) Certified Professional certification demonstrates your ability to ethically identify vulnerabilities, exploit systems, and escalate privileges.

OSCP+ Standalone Exam

Already prepared for the exam? Purchase an OSCP+ exam attempt without the training materials.

Upon passing the exam, learners earn both the OSCP and OSCP+ certification. The OSCP+ designation will differ from the existing OSCP certification in only one way; it will expire three (3) years from issuance. The OSCP certification has no expiration date and continues to be valid indefinitely.

Start learning with OffSec

Includes one year of access to one 200 or 300-level course, the associated labs, and two exam attempts

Includes 90 days of access to one 200 or 300-level course, hands-on labs, and a single exam attempt

* Subscription auto-renews unless cancelled

Flexible pricing for teams of any size

Scalable options to fit your team's training needs

Who is the PEN-200 course for? The PEN-200 course is ideal for: Infosec professionals transitioning into penetration testing Ethical hackers seeking to master penetration testing certficiations Pen testers seeking an industry-recognized pentesting certification Those interested in a penetration testing career path Security professionals Network administrators Other technology professionals

Who is the PEN-200 course for?

The PEN-200 course is ideal for:

Infosec professionals transitioning into penetration testing

Ethical hackers seeking to master penetration testing certficiations

Pen testers seeking an industry-recognized pentesting certification

Those interested in a penetration testing career path

Security professionals

Network administrators

Other technology professionals

What are the PEN-200 prerequisites? While there are no formal prerequisites, it is strongly recommended that you have: A solid understanding of TCP/IP networking Reasonable Windows and Linux administration experience Familiarity with basic Bash and/or Python scripting

What are the PEN-200 prerequisites?

While there are no formal prerequisites, it is strongly recommended that you have:

A solid understanding of TCP/IP networking

Reasonable Windows and Linux administration experience

Familiarity with basic Bash and/or Python scripting

What's the difference between OSCP and OSCP+? The OSCP+ designation will differ from the existing OSCP certification in only one way; it will expire three (3) years from issuance. During those three years, learners will have the opportunity to maintain the “+” designation by completing one of three continuing education paths: Take and pass a recertification exam within 6 months of the + expiration date Take and pass another qualifying OffSec certification exam before your + expires. List of qualifying exams: OSEP (OffSec Experienced Penetration Tester) OSWA (OffSec Web Assessor) OSED (OffSec Exploit Developer) OSEE (OffSec Exploitation Expert) Successful completion of OffSec’s new CPE program . Learners who choose not to maintain the + designation will still keep their OSCP certification, as the OSCP certification has no expiration date and continues to be valid indefinitely. For more info, read our article on Changes to the OSCP . The OSCP certification was previously named the Offensive Security Certified Professional.

What's the difference between OSCP and OSCP+?

The OSCP+ designation will differ from the existing OSCP certification in only one way; it will expire three (3) years from issuance. During those three years, learners will have the opportunity to maintain the “+” designation by completing one of three continuing education paths:

Take and pass a recertification exam within 6 months of the + expiration date

Take and pass another qualifying OffSec certification exam before your + expires. List of qualifying exams: OSEP (OffSec Experienced Penetration Tester) OSWA (OffSec Web Assessor) OSED (OffSec Exploit Developer) OSEE (OffSec Exploitation Expert)

OSEP (OffSec Experienced Penetration Tester)

OSWA (OffSec Web Assessor)

OSED (OffSec Exploit Developer)

OSEE (OffSec Exploitation Expert)

Successful completion of OffSec’s new CPE program .

Learners who choose not to maintain the + designation will still keep their OSCP certification, as the OSCP certification has no expiration date and continues to be valid indefinitely. For more info, read our article on Changes to the OSCP . The OSCP certification was previously named the Offensive Security Certified Professional.

What job roles do OSCP+ certified professionals often hold? The OffSec Certified Professional (OSCP+) is a highly respected cybersecurity certification in the cybersecurity industry. It demonstrates your hands-on skills in offensive security, ethical hacking, and penetration testing—making you a strong candidate for a variety of technical roles across the security landscape. Earning the OSCP can open the door to roles such as: Licensed Penetration Tester (Network, Web App, or Red Team specialist) Security Operations Center (SOC) Analyst Security Researcher or Consultant IT Generalist Incident Responder Threat Hunter Cloud Engineer DevSecOps Engineer System Administrator Vulnerability Analyst Cloud Security Engineer Cybersecurity Engineer Employers value the OSCP+ for its rigorous, practical nature. Whether you're breaking into the field or aiming to advance your career, the OSCP+ signals a high level of technical competency and determination.

What job roles do OSCP+ certified professionals often hold?

The OffSec Certified Professional (OSCP+) is a highly respected cybersecurity certification in the cybersecurity industry. It demonstrates your hands-on skills in offensive security, ethical hacking, and penetration testing—making you a strong candidate for a variety of technical roles across the security landscape.

Earning the OSCP can open the door to roles such as:

Licensed Penetration Tester (Network, Web App, or Red Team specialist)

Security Operations Center (SOC) Analyst

Security Researcher or Consultant

Vulnerability Analyst

Cloud Security Engineer

Cybersecurity Engineer

Employers value the OSCP+ for its rigorous, practical nature. Whether you're breaking into the field or aiming to advance your career, the OSCP+ signals a high level of technical competency and determination.

What's after the OSCP+? After completion of your OSCP, we encourage you to maintain your OSCP+ Certification by renewing every 3 years. To master advanced penetration testing techniques, OffSec also offers the PEN-300 Course and OSEP Certification as well as other certifications in Exploit Development , Web Applications , Security Operations , Threat Hunting , and Incident Response .

What's after the OSCP+?

After completion of your OSCP, we encourage you to maintain your OSCP+ Certification by renewing every 3 years. To master advanced penetration testing techniques, OffSec also offers the PEN-300 Course and OSEP Certification as well as other certifications in Exploit Development , Web Applications , Security Operations , Threat Hunting , and Incident Response .

How do I get CPE points for the PEN-200 course? All of our fully released courses may qualify students for up to 40 (ISC)² CPE credits. To know if you are eligible to request a completion letter or to find course completion requirements, please visit our How can I obtain (ISC)² CPE credits and/or a course completion letter for my course article.

How do I get CPE points for the PEN-200 course?

All of our fully released courses may qualify students for up to 40 (ISC)² CPE credits. To know if you are eligible to request a completion letter or to find course completion requirements, please visit our How can I obtain (ISC)² CPE credits and/or a course completion letter for my course article.

Instructor led live training

In-person and virtual training with OffSec partners

What changes when you earn it

An OSCP certification shows hiring teams real proof of skills; you can deliver under real conditions, not just talk it.

Break problems down Instead of getting stuck, you decompose and iterate under pressure

Instead of getting stuck, you decompose and iterate under pressure

Stay composed when plans fail PEN-200 trains you to reset, reassess, and keep moving, not freeze

Stay composed when plans fail

PEN-200 trains you to reset, reassess, and keep moving, not freeze

Defend with sharper judgement Thinking like an attacker reshapes your understanding of every control

Defend with sharper judgement

Thinking like an attacker reshapes your understanding of every control

Beyond exploitation technique

OSCP measures your ability to perform under pressure and real-world constraints, not just show skill in a controlled environment.

"The exam isn’t designed like a CTF. It’s designed for penetration testers. The machines reward methodical enumeration and professional decision making." - Theodosios Psarras

"The exam isn’t designed like a CTF. It’s designed for penetration testers. The machines reward methodical enumeration and professional decision making."

OffSec’s #TryHarder philosophy shifts your thinking from knowing tools to knowing why, when, and how to use them under pressure.

"Ironically, this journey made me an even better defender. Understanding why certain controls exist, why detections can’t be static." - OSCP Graduate

"Ironically, this journey made me an even better defender. Understanding why certain controls exist, why detections can’t be static."

Persistence is the standard

Failure is the feature

Not everyone passes on the first try. OSCP does not reward shortcuts. Multiple attempts are part of the journey.

"I failed my first exam with 20 points. Two months later, I passed with 80." - OSCP Graduate

"I failed my first exam with 20 points. Two months later, I passed with 80."

Are you ready to #TryHarder ?

You're closer than you think.

You don’t need to be perfect. You need to be persistent. If you’re comfortable in Linux, understand basic networking, and you’re willing to sit with a hard problem...

Success stories from the field

On-demand lab access Train anytime in up-to-date, practical, cutting-edge labs

Train anytime in up-to-date, practical, cutting-edge labs

Structured learning modules Progress through clear, goal-driven topics

Structured learning modules

Progress through clear, goal-driven topics

Challenge-based learning Build skills through real-world, hands-on challenges

Challenge-based learning

Build skills through real-world, hands-on challenges

AI-powered learning assistant Get instant, guided help with complex topics

AI-powered learning assistant

Get instant, guided help with complex topics

Realistic lab environments

Built to sharpen your team's skills through practical learning

The stealthiest can slip past the fiercest defenses, leaving no sign behind.

Born of the digital abyss, Kali weaves through encrypted fortresses with a serpentine grace, breaching firewalls unseen. Kali’s mastery lies in the art of evasion, leaving no footprint behind, purpose fulfilled with every secure pathway forged anew.

Master of network exploitation; thrives in bypassing defenses and exploiting vulnerabilities that others overlook

Stealthy lateral movement, quietly exploiting weak points while remaining undetected, until the target is fully compromised.