# eCPPTv2 Certification Review

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I received my eCPPTv2 Certification in December 2022, right after finishing my final exams. I figured taking it during finals week would just be like taking another exam (another, more fun, exam).

The exam started like most practical exams, with setting up a VPN connection via OpenVPN. Once on, it was like a real world network. You had to find an initial entry to the DMZ (not really one but its on the edge) and then pivot throughout a corporate network.

I cannot emphasize how important it is to learn and practice pivoting. You should be able to pivot or port forward with native Linux and Windows tools, as well as other tools. I used Chisel for pivoting but also some native executables to port forward shells and such, netsh is a great one to know for Windows.

There is also a buffer overflow portion. It is similar to OSCP and you shouldn't struggle with it if you complete these TryHackMe rooms: Brainpan 1 and Buffer Overflow Prep

Overall, this was a great exam, some parts were outdated but you learn a good amount and it really could help show an employer you know pentester basics and have networking down. It is also a great stepping stone to OSCP, if your looking for a confidence booster and learning opportunity.


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