HTB Certified Penetration Testing Specialist
Highly regarded practical penetration testing certification with a 10-day exam against a realistic enterprise environment. Requires compromising 14 flags across ~8 machines and submitting a professional pentest report. Considered by many practitioners to have the best training materials available for offensive security. Strong OSCP alternative at a fraction of the cost.
What you'll prove
- Perform full-chain penetration testing against a realistic enterprise network
- Enumerate and exploit Linux and Windows hosts across multiple network segments
- Execute Active Directory attack chains from external to domain compromise
- Exploit web applications as entry points in network penetration tests
- Pivot between network segments using tunneling and proxychains
- Write a commercial-grade penetration testing report documenting findings
Frequently asked
How much does HTB CPTS cost?
The exam voucher costs approximately $210 USD. The Silver Annual subscription ($490/yr) is required and includes one voucher. Total investment is around $490-700 depending on how long you need access.
CPTS vs OSCP — which is better?
CPTS has more comprehensive training materials and costs significantly less ($490-700 vs $1,749+). OSCP has stronger employer recognition and is the industry standard. Many practitioners rate CPTS technically higher; most careers benefit more from OSCP's brand recognition.