Cybersecurity is becoming increasingly important in today’s world, and with the rise in cyber attacks, it has become essential for businesses to secure their systems and networks from vulnerabilities. One way to ensure this is by hiring professionals with a deep understanding of penetration testing. CompTIA PenTest+ certification is an excellent way for individuals to demonstrate their expertise in this area.
However, CompTIA recently updated their PenTest+ certification, and this has led to two versions of the exam – PT0-001 and PT0-002. While both exams test for the same knowledge and skills, there are significant differences between them. It is essential for candidates to understand these differences to know which exam to take and how to prepare for it.
In this blog, we will dive into the differences between the CompTIA PenTest+ PT0-001 and PT0-002 exams. We will explore the changes made to the exam objectives and the types of questions included in the new version. We will also provide tips for candidates on how to study and prepare for the exam to increase their chances of passing. Whether you are considering taking the PenTest+ certification or just want to stay updated on the latest developments in the field, this blog will provide valuable insights into the differences between the two exams.
CompTIA PenTest+ Exam Glossary
- Penetration testing: The process of testing a computer system or network to find vulnerabilities that an attacker could exploit.
- Vulnerability assessment: The process of identifying, quantifying, and prioritizing vulnerabilities in a system or network.
- Exploit: A piece of code or software that takes advantage of a vulnerability to gain access to a system or network.
- Payload: The code or software that an attacker uses to carry out an attack on a system or network.
- Metasploit: An open-source framework used for developing and executing exploit code against a remote target machine.
- Social engineering: The use of psychological manipulation to trick people into revealing sensitive information or performing actions that could compromise security.
- Phishing: A type of social engineering attack that uses emails, phone calls, or other methods to trick people into revealing sensitive information.
- Malware: Short for malicious software, malware is software that is designed to damage, disrupt, or gain unauthorized access to a computer system or network.
- Trojan: A type of malware that is disguised as legitimate software and can give an attacker remote access to a system or network.
- Rootkit: A type of malware that can hide its presence on a system or network by modifying the operating system or other critical components.
- Backdoor: A hidden entry point into a system or network that allows an attacker to gain access without being detected.
- Sniffer: A type of software that can intercept and analyze network traffic to capture sensitive information such as passwords.
- Firewall: A network security system that monitors and controls incoming and outgoing network traffic.
- Intrusion detection system (IDS): A system that monitors network traffic for signs of unauthorized access or malicious activity.
- Vulnerability scanner: A tool used to scan a system or network for known vulnerabilities.
- Exploit kit: A collection of pre-written exploit code that can be used to carry out an attack on a system or network.
- Proxy server: A server that acts as an intermediary between a client and a target server to provide anonymity and improve security.
- Remote access Trojan (RAT): A type of malware that allows an attacker to remotely control a system or network.
- Buffer overflow: A type of vulnerability in which a program or system crashes or behaves unexpectedly when it receives more data than it can handle.
- Denial of service (DoS) attack: An attack that floods a system or network with traffic or requests to overload it and make it unavailable to users.
Difference between CompTIA PenTest+ PT0-001 vs. PT0-002 Exam
CompTIA PenTest+ certification validates the skills and knowledge required for a career as a penetration tester or cybersecurity analyst. The exam for the PenTest+ certification has been updated to reflect the current state of the industry and the latest threats and technologies.
The primary difference between the CompTIA PenTest+ PT0-001 and PT0-002 exams is the content and focus. The PT0-002 exam, which was released in 2021, covers the most recent penetration testing methodologies and techniques, while the PT0-001 exam, which was released in 2018, covers older techniques and methods.
Here are some of the significant differences between the PT0-001 and PT0-002 exams:
- Exam Content: The PT0-002 exam covers a broader range of topics than the PT0-001 exam. The new exam includes more topics related to cloud and IoT security, vulnerability scanning, and reporting.
- Exam Format: The PT0-002 exam includes both multiple-choice and performance-based questions. Performance-based questions are designed to assess the candidate’s practical skills in performing penetration testing tasks. In contrast, the PT0-001 exam only had multiple-choice questions.
- Exam Difficulty: The PT0-002 exam is considered to be more challenging than the PT0-001 exam because it includes more advanced topics and performance-based questions.
- Exam Duration: The PT0-002 exam is longer than the PT0-001 exam. The PT0-002 exam has a duration of 165 minutes, while the PT0-001 exam had a duration of 165 minutes.
Overall, if you are looking to pursue the CompTIA PenTest+ certification, it is recommended to take the PT0-002 exam, as it covers the latest penetration testing methodologies and techniques and provides a more comprehensive and challenging assessment of your skills and knowledge.
CompTIA PenTest+ PT0-001 vs PT0-002
CompTIA PenTest+ addresses the most recent trends, techniques, and attack surfaces – covering the fundamental and intermediate skills in penetration testing and moreover, vulnerability management, ensuring job success. Moreover, Let’s go over some of the highlights.
CompTIA PenTest+ Exam Domains
The exam domains covered in CompTIA PenTest+ PT0-001 and PT0-002 are not significantly different because they are still relevant to the job roles, but there are some minor differences.
- Exam domain 2.0 was renamed Information Gathering and moreover, Vulnerability Identification to Information Gathering and Vulnerability Scanning.
- also, We also reversed the order of two domains: what was previously 5.0 Reporting and Communication is now 4.0 (with the same name), and what was previously 4.0 Penetration Testing Tools is now 5.0 Tools and Code Analysis.
| CompTIA PenTest+ PT0-002 Exam Domains | CompTIA PenTest+ PT0-001 Equivalency |
| 1. Planning and Scoping (14%) | 1. Planning and Scoping (15%) |
| 2. also, Information Gathering and Vulnerability Scanning (22%) | 2. also, Information Gathering and Vulnerability Identification (22%) |
| 3. furthermore, Attacks and Exploits (30%) | 3.furthermore, Attacks and Exploits (30%) |
| 4.moreover, Reporting and Communication (18%) | 4. moreover, Penetration Testing Tools (17%) |
| 5. additionally, Tools and Code Analysis (16%) | 5. additionally, Reporting and Communication (16%) |
The new CompTIA PenTest+ (PT0-002) focuses on the most recent and relevant skills required for the following tasks:
- Planning and sizing a penetration testing project
- also, Understanding the legal and regulatory requirements
- furthermore, Using appropriate tools and techniques to perform vulnerability scanning and penetration testing, and then analyzing the results
- moreover, Creating a written report that includes proposed remediation techniques, additionally, effectively communicating results to the management team, and making practical recommendations
This equates to three to four years of hands-on experience as a security consultant or penetration tester. Furthermore, CompTIA PenTest+ is recommended as the next step in the CompTIA cybersecurity career path after CompTIA Security+.
PenTest+ Exam Objectives
Both CompTIA PenTest+ PT0-001 and PT0-002 have the same exam purpose and audience, as well as the same number of exam domains, titles, and page count. However, we reduced the number of exam objectives from 24 to 21 in order to improve instructional design and merge similar topics.
These modifications have been made from CompTIA PenTest+ PT0-001 to
CompTIA PenTest+’s Evolution with the Industry
In a field like cybersecurity, where the job is continually evolving, CompTIA exam domains need to reflect what’s happening in the industry now. The following table explains why we updated the CompTIA PenTest+ exam domains and how they relate to job requirements.
| Exam Domain | Description | How It Applies to the Job |
| 1.0 Planning and Scoping | Updated techniques emphasizing governance, risk, and compliance concepts, scoping, also, organizational/customer requirements, as well as demonstrating an ethical hacking mindset are included. | Pen testers who operate without ethics or proper approvals may face criminal charges. Also, Compliance with regulations such as PCI-DSS and the NIST 800-53 RMF necessitates pen-testing. |
| 2.0 Information Gathering and Vulnerability Scanning | Updated skills in vulnerability scanning and passive/active reconnaissance, vulnerability management, and analyzing the results of the reconnaissance exercise are included. | To counter automated attacks, modern vulnerability management requires automation. Also, Organizations must effectively mitigate vulnerabilities in order to avoid unnecessary risks to operations. |
| 3.0 Attacks and Exploits | Updated approaches to larger attack surfaces; social engineering research; network, wireless, cloud, and application-based attacks; and post-exploitation techniques | To secure multiple attack surfaces, updated skills are required; furthermore, 87 percent of CompTIA-certified IT professionals already work in expansive hybrid environments (both on-premises and in the cloud), and 93 percent work in multi-cloud environments. |
| 4.0 Reporting and Communication | Expanded to emphasize the importance of reporting and communication in a more stringent regulatory environment during the pen testing process via analysis and moreover, appropriate remediation recommendations. | Collaboration is essential for identifying and managing vulnerabilities, so communication is critical throughout the penetration testing lifecycle. Additionally, Reporting is especially important for regulatory compliance. |
| 5.0 Tools and Code Analysis | Updated concepts for identifying scripts in software deployments, analyzing a script or code sample, and explaining pen test tool use cases are included (Note: Scripting and coding is not required) | Exposure to various scripts and code samples provides a broader toolbox to help pen testers advance in their careers. Furthermore, As their careers progress, pen testers become more involved with scripting. |
UPDATED PenTest+ Course Outline:
Domain 1: Planning and Scoping (14%)
- Compare and contrast governance, risk, and compliance concepts.
- Explain the importance of scoping and organizational/customer requirements.
- Given a scenario, demonstrate an ethical hacking mindset by maintaining professionalism and integrity.
Domain 2: Information Gathering and Vulnerability Scanning (22%)
- Given a scenario, perform passive reconnaissance.
- Given a scenario, perform active reconnaissance.
- Given a scenario, analyze the results of a reconnaissance exercise.
- Given a scenario, perform vulnerability scanning.
Domain 3: Attacks and Exploits (30%)
- Given a scenario, research attack vectors and perform network attacks.
- Given a scenario, research attack vectors and perform wireless attacks.
- Given a scenario, research attack vectors and perform application-based attacks.
- Given a scenario, research attack vectors and perform attacks on cloud technologies
- Explain common attacks and vulnerabilities against specialized systems.
- Given a scenario, perform a social engineering or physical attack.
- Given a scenario, perform post-exploitation techniques.
Domain 4: Reporting and Communication (18%)
- Compare and contrast important components of written reports.
- Given a scenario, analyze the findings and recommend the appropriate remediation within a report.
- Explain the importance of communication during the penetration testing process.
- Explain post-report delivery activities.
Domain 5: Tools and Code Analysis (16%)
- Explain the basic concepts of scripting and software development.
- Given a scenario, analyze a script or code sample for use in a penetration test.
- Explain use cases of the following tools during the phases of a penetration test.
How to Train yourself for PenTest+
Use the following resources to train yourself for the exam –
Virtual Labs
CertMaster Labs for PenTest+ provides the necessary platform for gaining critical hands-on experience:
- supporting, installing, configuring, furthermore, maintaining operating systems
- also, maintaining, furthermore, troubleshooting networks
- furthermore, managing users, workstations, and shared resources
The Official CompTIA Study Guide
Official CompTIA Content (OCC) was created from the ground up to assist you in understanding and also, mastering the material in your certification exam.
CompTIA study guides are:-
- Written and structured
- also, Adaptable to learn at any pace
- furthermore, Concentrated On exam success
CompTIA Training bundles are an excellent way to stay on track with your learning throughout the exam preparation process.
eLearning
CompTIA’s complete online training will ensure you are completely prepared on test day. Additionally, CertMaster Learn is an interactive and self-paced learning environment that combines instructional lessons with assessments, videos, and performance-based questions to help you prepare for your certification exam and a career in IT.
Included in CertMaster Learn for PenTest+:
- Over 40 hours of engaging content
- also, 10 lessons with interactive Performance-Based Questions
- furthermore, 100 practice questions with immediate feedback
- moreover, the 90-question final assessment simulates the test experience
- additionally, Countdown calendar to keep you on pace
