Tips Passing PNPT
Having purchased my PNPT Voucher for over a year ago, I was intended to actually took the exam by 2023 but I feel I wasn’t prepared enough even though they gave you free retake. Also balancing my job as a SOC Analyst, where I work in shifts including nights and mornings, left me with limited free time. Despite this, I dedicated most of my available time to studying for the exam and after one year I finally took the leap and succeed in passing it!
So I want to share with you tips that I used to pass PNPT Exam.
PS. I bought the Exam voucher when it was around $200, now it’s $499. But it still cheaper than OSCP tho.
1. Do and Understand all the material in the course
I can’t emphasize enough on this. When you purchase the voucher, you will automatically be give access to 5 courses. The Practical Ethical Hacking (PEH) course actually have everything you need to pass the PNPT. If you fully understand and practice all the things that they taught you in the course, I can assure that you’re pretty much ready to go. You can always do the other 4 course as well, but PEH covered everything for PNPT.
For those with luxury to actually build and do the lab, please do. The lab is amazing. It taught you from how to setup the lab, configuring the AD and how to actually hack against it. It’s definitely help you understand the sctructure of the Active Directory.
2. TJ Null List
After I have done the course and the lab. I went on to sharpen my skill and knowledge and looking for other way to do stuff. That’s where TJ Null list come to play. TJ Null list actually aim for OSCP, but since OSCP is also Network based, so we can actually use it as well. But you do have to pay for the VIP to be able to access the retired machine, but for me it’s defintely worth it in helping me getting my methodology and understanding in some of the attacks. But if you don’t want to afford it, you can always read the writeup.
TJ Null has listed HackTheBox boxes for you to practice Linux and Windows hacking. This is where you use all the knowledge and skill that you learn from the course. Do it as much as you can, and if you’re stuck, don’t be shy and use the writeup. There’s no shame in learning and not knowing. Also watch ippsec video on the box as well where he solve and share his thought process on solving the box. It’s definitely help.
3. Keep it simple
When you’re actually taking the exam. Remember. KEEP IT SIMPLE. What I mean by that is do the things that you’ve learned. They don’t have any fancy stuff or exploit that you have to create or find. The exam is targeted for the beginner. So just make it simple and don’t over complicate it. If you’re stucked, make sure to check your notes, or the course. Have you actually tried all the techniques that they taught in the course ? Speaking about notes.
4. Take notes
Not only on studying, make sure to take notes when you’re actually doing the the lab or exam. Keep track on everything that you did. When you’re stuck, look back at your notes, have you missed something, have you use this method, what’s your next target. Doesn’t matter any software you use Obsidian, CherryNote, Notion, basically anything. Take notes !