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CompTIA PenTest+
Certification Prep Course

This course gives students the knowledge and skills required to plan and scope a penetration testing engagement including vulnerability scanning, understand legal and compliance requirements, analyze results, and produce a written report with remediation techniques.
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Industry expert instructors

All ACI Learning courses (in-person and virtual) are taught by a live instructor with years of industry experience.

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Globally recognized certification

Validate your skills in core security functions that are essential for IT security roles.

ACE Credit recommended

The course does not offer any ACE credits.

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4.7+ Rating on Coursecheck

Job Outlook

This training as part of one of our programs can qualify you for possible roles:

  • Security consultant
  • Cloud penetration tester
  • Web app penetration tester
  • Cloud security specialist
  • Network security specialist
  • Network security operations
  • Threat intelligence analyst
  • Vulnerability analyst
  • Penetration tester

With the support of AI-powered career services and expert mentors, you’ll be better prepared to land your first job in tech.

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Explore Related Programs

This course is available in the following programs:

Cybersecurity Analyst Program
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Course details

targeted certification

CompTIA PenTest+ (CSO 003)
(Exam voucher covered after meeting release requirements)

Course Duration

40 hours over 2 weeks

prerequisites

Security knowledge

An intermediate understanding of computer and security concepts is essential. Basic Windows user skills are required.

Recommended background

Completion of CompTIA A+ and Network+ courses is advised.

Equivalent knowledge accepted

3-4 years of hands-on information security or related experience is acceptable.

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DoD 8570

Qualifies for CSSP Incident Responder, CSSP Auditor

Learn more about DOD 8570

Course overview for CompTIA PenTest+

Objectives

By the end of this course, you’ll be able to:

  • Define and scope penetration testing strategies.
  • Conduct reconnaissance and identify network vulnerabilities.
  • Execute network, application, and cloud-based exploitations.
  • Apply advanced tools for social engineering and physical testing.
  • Use scripting for automation and report findings professionally.

Modules

Planning and Professionalism
Establish strategies, scope, and ethical practices.
Reconnaissance
Perform passive and active network discovery.
Exploits
Identify and attack network, application, and cloud vulnerabilities.
Specialized Exploits
Address IoT, industrial, and social engineering attacks.
Tools
Explore OSINT, vulnerability scanning, and debugging tools.
Reporting
Document findings and remediation strategies.
Scripting
Learn basic scripting for testing automation.

Student testimonials

Hear from our alumni

5 star rating
5/16/2026

Great course content.

Creston R
5 star rating
5/16/2026

This course is so informative and really helped me get a better understanding of what it means to be an IT technician.

Elisabel B
5 star rating
5/16/2026

it was great

nikisha l

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FAQs – CompTIA PenTest+

The CompTIA PenTest+ certification is an intermediate-level cybersecurity credential that validates your ability to plan, scope, conduct, and report on penetration testing engagements. It focuses on offensive security skills such as vulnerability assessment, ethical hacking techniques, exploitation, and professional reporting, all using real-world tools and methodologies.

CompTIA PenTest+ training is designed for IT professionals who want to move into penetration testing, ethical hacking, or security consulting roles. While there are no required prerequisites, CompTIA recommends having foundational cybersecurity knowledge, such as Security+ or equivalent experience, before attempting PenTest+.

CompTIA PenTest+ training covers the full penetration testing lifecycle, including:

  • Planning and scoping penetration tests
  • Information gathering and vulnerability scanning
  • Active exploitation techniques for networks, applications, and cloud environments
  • Post-exploitation and analysis
  • Reporting findings and recommending remediation

    • These topics align with the current CompTIA PenTest+ exam objectives and emphasize hands-on, practical skills.

The CompTIA PenTest+ course at ACI Learning Tech Academy is structured as an accelerated, instructor-led training experience, completed in 40 hours over two weeks.

There are no mandatory prerequisites for the PenTest+ certification, but learners are more likely to succeed if they have prior experience with networking, system administration, or cybersecurity fundamentals. Knowledge equivalent to CompTIA Security+ is strongly recommended.

Earning the CompTIA PenTest+ certification can help prepare you for roles such as:

  • Penetration Tester
  • Vulnerability Analyst
  • Security Consultant
  • Network Security Specialist
  • Cybersecurity Analyst

    • These roles focus on identifying and mitigating security weaknesses before attackers can exploit them.

CompTIA PenTest+ is widely recognized as a valuable certification for professionals pursuing offensive security and vulnerability assessment roles. Its performance-based exam format demonstrates practical, job-ready skills that employers value in modern cybersecurity teams.

Yes. ACI Learning Tech Academy’s CompTIA PenTest+ training is designed to prepare students to confidently take the PenTest+ certification exam. The course combines instructor-led guidance with hands-on practice to help learners understand penetration testing concepts, tools, and methodologies used in real-world environments.