In the rapidly evolving landscape of cybersecurity, certifications are the currency of credibility. For years, the industry has been dominated by the CEH (Certified Ethical Hacker) and the OSCP (Offensive Security Certified Professional). However, a new gold standard has emerged for those who want to prove they don’t just know theory but can actually execute under pressure: The CPTS Exam, offered by Hack The Box (HTB).
Comparison: OSCP costs ~$1,599. CPTS costs ~$400. You can fail the CPTS 3 times and still spend less than one OSCP attempt. cpts exam
The exam tests a wide range of offensive security skills covered in the CPTS learning path: Information Gathering: Reconnaissance techniques and OSINT. The CPTS Exam: Your Ultimate Guide to the
If you answered "No" to any of the above, you are not ready. File Transfers: Moving tools and exploits onto target
The Verdict: The CPTS exam is arguably harder than the OSCP in terms of pure technical depth, specifically regarding Active Directory exploitation. If you pass the CPTS, you can confidently pass the OSCP with minimal extra study. However, HR recognition still favors OSCP (for now).