Advanced and Offensive Certs
Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH)
- Focus: A broad survey of hacking tools and techniques, emphasizing the knowledge of how attacks work across various domains.
- Format: Multiple-choice exam.
- Criticism: Historically criticized for being too theoretical, though a practical component is now offered.
Offensive Security Certified Professional (OSCP)
- Focus: Hands-on, practical penetration testing skills. Highly respected in the industry.
- Prerequisites: Requires deep Linux, networking, and command-line knowledge (requires passing the 'Penetration Testing with Kali Linux' course).
- Format: A grueling 24-hour practical exam where the candidate must successfully hack several live machines.
- Goal: If you want a career as a penetration tester (Red Team), the OSCP is considered the gold standard.