You purchase a lab package that includes:
Lab time is typically 30, 60, or 90 days, with extensions available. Many candidates find 60 days is the sweet spot if you can study full-time. Part-time students often need 90 days.
Set a 24-hour timer and try to crack 4–5 HTB machines in a row. Simulate exam conditions: no walkthroughs, limited Metasploit, full documentation.
Before any technical detail, you must understand Offensive Security’s core mantra: "Try Harder." This is not a marketing slogan. It is a deliberate pedagogical method. When you are stuck on a machine, OffSec will not give you a direct answer. They will not provide a step-by-step walkthrough. Instead, they force you to research, enumerate again, think laterally, and persist. offensive security oscp
This philosophy has two purposes:
The result is that OSCP holders are generally trusted to be competent hands-on testers, not just theory experts.
Chaos fails the OSCP. You need a checklist: You purchase a lab package that includes:
The OffSec lab has a mix of easy, medium, and hard machines. Aim to compromise at least 30–40 machines before the exam. The public “PG” (Proving Grounds) machines from OffSec are also great practice.
The OSCP exam is notorious. It is a grueling 23 hour and 45 minute proctored session.
Many candidates fail not because they can't hack, but because they can't document. After the 24-hour exam, you have 24 hours to submit a professional penetration test report. This report must include: Lab time is typically 30, 60, or 90
The Passing Score: Typically 70 out of 100 points, plus the completion of the Active Directory set. You cannot pass without owning the AD environment.
The PEN-200 course covers the entire penetration testing process: