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CompTIA PenTest+ (PT0-003) Study Guide

Domain-by-domain study guide for CompTIA PenTest+ (PT0-003) (PT0-003). Covers all 5 exam objectives with topic checklists, quick notes, and practice links.

Download PDF Notes

Exam Overview

Key facts before you start studying

Duration

165 min

Questions

Exam Code

PT0-003

Domains

About this exam

Citation-ready facts for CompTIA PenTest+ (PT0-003) (PT0-003)

CompTIA PenTest+ (PT0-003) (PT0-003) is a CompTIA certification exam with about 90 questions over 165 minutes, typically requiring a scaled score of 750 to pass. Official domain weights on CertStud: Engagement Management (13%); Reconnaissance and Enumeration (21%); Vulnerability Discovery and Analysis (17%); Attacks and Exploits (35%); Post-exploitation and Lateral Movement (14%).

Use this study guide with free practice questions, the week-by-week study plan, and detailed notes. Confirm current objectives and scoring on the official CompTIA exam page before booking.

Quick Navigation

Jump to a specific exam domain

1. Engagement Management (13%)
2. Reconnaissance and Enumeration (21%)
3. Vulnerability Discovery and Analysis (17%)
4. Attacks and Exploits (35%)
5. Post-exploitation and Lateral Movement (14%)

Domain 1

13%

Engagement Management

Plan, scope, and manage penetration testing engagements including legal, ethics, and reporting

Topics to Master

Rules of engagement and scoping
Legal considerations and authorization
Statement of work and contracts
Penetration testing methodologies
Report writing and recommendations
Remediation validation
Communication and escalation procedures

Domain 2

21%

Reconnaissance and Enumeration

Gather intelligence on target systems using passive and active reconnaissance techniques

Topics to Master

OSINT and passive reconnaissance
Active scanning and enumeration
DNS reconnaissance
Network scanning with Nmap
Service and version enumeration
Web application fingerprinting
Social engineering reconnaissance

Domain 3

17%

Vulnerability Discovery and Analysis

Identify, validate, and analyze vulnerabilities in target systems and applications

Topics to Master

Vulnerability scanning tools (Nessus, OpenVAS)
CVSS scoring and prioritization
Manual vulnerability analysis
False positive identification
Web application vulnerability analysis
Network vulnerability assessment
Code review and static analysis

Domain 4

35%

Attacks and Exploits

Execute exploits against networks, applications, wireless, and physical targets

Topics to Master

Network attacks and exploitation
Web application attacks (OWASP Top 10)
Wireless attacks and WPA2 cracking
Social engineering attacks
Cloud and container attacks
Exploit frameworks (Metasploit)
Custom exploit development

Domain 5

14%

Post-exploitation and Lateral Movement

Establish persistence, move laterally, and exfiltrate data after initial compromise

Topics to Master

Privilege escalation techniques
Persistence mechanisms
Lateral movement with pass-the-hash/ticket
Credential access and dumping
Active Directory attacks
C2 frameworks and beaconing
Data exfiltration techniques

Continue Your Prep

Free CertStud resources for PT0-003

Study Notes Exam Study Plan Start Practice Test

Back to CompTIA PenTest+ (PT0-003)

CompTIA PenTest+ (PT0-003) Study Guide

Domain-by-domain study guide for CompTIA PenTest+ (PT0-003) (PT0-003). Covers all 5 exam objectives with topic checklists, quick notes, and practice links.

Download PDF Notes

Exam Overview

Key facts before you start studying

Duration

165 min

Questions

Exam Code

PT0-003

Domains

About this exam

Citation-ready facts for CompTIA PenTest+ (PT0-003) (PT0-003)

Use this study guide with free practice questions, the week-by-week study plan, and detailed notes. Confirm current objectives and scoring on the official CompTIA exam page before booking.

Quick Navigation

Jump to a specific exam domain

1. Engagement Management (13%)
2. Reconnaissance and Enumeration (21%)
3. Vulnerability Discovery and Analysis (17%)
4. Attacks and Exploits (35%)
5. Post-exploitation and Lateral Movement (14%)

Domain 1

13%

Engagement Management

Plan, scope, and manage penetration testing engagements including legal, ethics, and reporting

Topics to Master

Rules of engagement and scoping
Legal considerations and authorization
Statement of work and contracts
Penetration testing methodologies
Report writing and recommendations
Remediation validation
Communication and escalation procedures

Domain 2

21%

Reconnaissance and Enumeration

Gather intelligence on target systems using passive and active reconnaissance techniques

Topics to Master

OSINT and passive reconnaissance
Active scanning and enumeration
DNS reconnaissance
Network scanning with Nmap
Service and version enumeration
Web application fingerprinting
Social engineering reconnaissance

Domain 3

17%

Vulnerability Discovery and Analysis

Identify, validate, and analyze vulnerabilities in target systems and applications

Topics to Master

Vulnerability scanning tools (Nessus, OpenVAS)
CVSS scoring and prioritization
Manual vulnerability analysis
False positive identification
Web application vulnerability analysis
Network vulnerability assessment
Code review and static analysis

Domain 4

35%

Attacks and Exploits

Execute exploits against networks, applications, wireless, and physical targets

Topics to Master

Network attacks and exploitation
Web application attacks (OWASP Top 10)
Wireless attacks and WPA2 cracking
Social engineering attacks
Cloud and container attacks
Exploit frameworks (Metasploit)
Custom exploit development

Domain 5

14%

Post-exploitation and Lateral Movement

Establish persistence, move laterally, and exfiltrate data after initial compromise

Topics to Master

Privilege escalation techniques
Persistence mechanisms
Lateral movement with pass-the-hash/ticket
Credential access and dumping
Active Directory attacks
C2 frameworks and beaconing
Data exfiltration techniques

Continue Your Prep

Free CertStud resources for PT0-003

Study Notes Exam Study Plan Start Practice Test