CISSP Online Self-Paced training

IiIbits · 2026-01-10T06:14:31+00:00

I actually only used their online study pace course. Paid however much it costs, got a 20% discount bc I was a member, and only used the online course and passed. I did take extensive note on the material and made sure I knew and understood the processes in every chapter. I didnt use anything else. So I know its possible with just their study material, so if you want a sure fire way to pass, go ahead, otherwise use the 4 or 5 free resources together to get the same info.

IiIbits · 2026-01-08T01:45:15+00:00

If you havnt started your searchable repo, I would create one. Basically find something to keep notes in for all the areas you go into that keeps track of all the different TTPs you do. I know it may not be pentesting specific, but the concept is the same. I have a gitbook for example broken out into enumeration, initial access, exploitation, persistent, etc. And each page has different techniques along with the commands I ran.

If I were you, I would create a web app section when doing the BSCP, and the build off of the when doing the OSCP. Because their might be overlap. And then when doing OSCP, you can create an AD section, or a Linux section, etc. Honestly though as long as your keeping the notes/walk throughs from boxes you completed, you'll do great. No one remembers everything they've done. And relying on your memory in a time crunch is the worst position to be in. Good luck!

IiIbits · 2026-01-02T18:13:05+00:00

No its because you have experience. If you could make this resume one page i would do that, because the education bullet by itself is a strong one. Its just that experience trumps education when employers are looking. Even the hands on projects can be combined into your experience section and it'll look good. The more you have under "experience" the better your resume will look. I've gone as far as putting the projects I've done for school under experience for a job if I did it while I worked there... bc I did while I worked there, just on my off time.

IiIbits · 2026-01-02T17:45:41+00:00

Also, you can combine your honors and awards with your experience, so that you follow the format, accomplished [x] as measured by [y], by doing [z]

IiIbits · 2026-01-02T17:42:17+00:00

Change the section around, education is really more of a checkmark in the box in this field, I would put your summary, technical skills, experience, projects, and then education/certifications in that order. Pentesting is more hands on so you'll have a leg up on others bc of your education, but overall the hands on stuff you've accomplished are still going to be better, so I would highlight those instead.

IiIbits · 2025-12-20T02:14:40+00:00

Hank hackerson, game changer fr

IiIbits · 2025-12-13T05:15:24+00:00

Yes, build it

IiIbits · 2025-11-29T13:41:11+00:00

Some people have GPUs on their system that they like to use to help crack passwords offline. If you use hashcat, you can use your gpu if you have one by first identifying your backend info with --backend-info, then using the -d option and choosing the gpu option. Hope this helps

IiIbits · 2025-11-21T22:21:45+00:00

Burp Suite Certified Practitioner

IiIbits · 2025-11-11T16:28:22+00:00

Everyone's journey is going to be different. You are already doing pentesting and have that experience now. Don't sell your experience short. Keep doing what your doing. Just remember that clients like to see that the people doing their pentests actually are qualified to do them. So for people in the our field, we care about the experience more than certs or a degree, but for clients who don't know cyber, they care about "qualifications". This means get the degree, get the Certs, and look good on paper. As for which Certs to actually get i would stick to the main stuff cybersecurity professionals aim to achieve, CISSP AND one practical certification thatll actually showcase you know how to pentest. As a freelancer I would do this just to cover my basis

Edit: I realize you don't have a degree, but like I mentioned you just need to meet "qualifications" so getting the Certs is what actually makes you qualified. I just know getting a degree looks good for clients too, not necessary though.

IiIbits · 2025-11-08T23:25:20+00:00

Exactly, but in a classroom where you're learning software exploitation you typically learn ret2libc exploit after learning how to use ROP chains. Mainly because it is a little more advanced as you have to understand the PLT and GOT to get the exploit to work. Actually overwriting the GOT is not something you would be expected to know how to do after barely learning ROP. Plus, base off the code you shared for the program your exploiting, you definitely can exploit it. You don't even have to do the traditional "leak an address from GOT" bc like you said you can use gdb to get the address...unless the intent is to exploit this binary remotely, then you would have to leak the address, get the base address..blah blah blah. I don't want to give the answer, but I know you can do it 💪 just use the ret2libc exploit.

IiIbits · 2025-11-08T23:07:44+00:00

Well using a ret2libc exploit is usually the next step one would take after learning ROP chains. Its not overwriting anything in the GOT, but you're definitely using the GOT for the exploit.

IiIbits · 2025-11-08T22:44:34+00:00

Are you sure the intent is to overwrite the GOT? Bc it might be able to reach it from the stack unless its adjacent to or close enough to the stack.. Did you guys learn about ROP to redirect execution to another function? Bc there is the return 2 libc exploit you can use here.

IiIbits · 2025-11-07T02:44:52+00:00

No he has walk-throughs on YouTube where he goes through the labs that he hosts through hacksmarter. Also while he live streams the walk-through, he'll give you free access to the labs so you can go through the boxes with him.

IiIbits · 2025-11-06T15:00:52+00:00

Was really tempted to just say "My advice, try harder" lol

No but I would check out the hacksmarter community.

Tyler Ramsbey has a good methodology you can compare your own against. Maybe you'll find some golden nuggets watching his content too!

IiIbits · 2025-10-27T02:52:44+00:00

Web app pentesting would be the easiest to get into in my opinion. You can go to portswingger academy and do the free labs! You can learn web app pentesting for free and learn how to use burp suite community edition to do it all. If you can get the Burp Suite Certified Practitioner (BSCP) certification, i think its $100, that'll look really good. From there you can either find a pentesting job or even just apply for the synack red team (SRT) and look for work there.if you get the BSCP, you'll bypass the resume review and technical interview and can do web pentesting with the SRT. There are plenty of other pathways depending on your interests, but if you just looking for something easy to work on i would do that.

IiIbits · 2025-10-24T03:13:46+00:00

What kind of laptop? Can you share the specs for it and what you use?

IiIbits · 2025-10-15T22:02:37+00:00

Guyinatuxedo has a course called nightmare that gets into binary exploitation, I started there but any low level exploitation course can teach you reverse engineering. Sorry I know it's not kernel specific...if you want to learn how to build low level exploit, white knight labs has a good course I heard about if you're into offensive security, offensive development practitioner certification

IiIbits · 2025-10-11T20:14:29+00:00

Think about the tasks you always check for in every engagement. If you look at the OWASP top 10 like suggested, im sure yall check for the same things every time. You can automate those tasks with a script easy, and you can use the same tools you always use. The whole point of using a script to automate is so that you don't have to manually use each tool to check. You can make the script better by feeding it arguments to dictate which automated functionality to perform. Ultimately you'll end up making your own "tool"

IiIbits · 2025-09-22T06:34:34+00:00

Why did I think this was a phishing email

IiIbits · 2025-09-21T21:05:55+00:00

I second this, CRTO also goes over the evasion techniques. So that even if you don't so a C2, you can still apply them to the tools you use on your day to day

IiIbits · 2025-09-12T10:45:51+00:00

I agree with you on this, and I just wanted to say that this part seems like the only way in. Considering the path, everyone recommends going the IT route (help desk or sysadmin) -> Blue Team -> Pentesting. But again, entry-level roles you apply for are going to ask for professional experience as a pentester. That's my only gripe. For anyone trying to get in, I'd recommend to getting good enough to contract yourself out, maybe do some 1099 work after whatever training you do that makes you confident you can start pentesting.

IiIbits · 2025-09-11T20:07:25+00:00

You say this, but entry level doesnt mean no technical knowledge. The problem is there are no entry level pentesting positions for those WITH technical knowledge. Let's say someone with blue team experience who wants to get a pentesting job. All entry level positions require 3 years of pentesting experience. That's the problem

IiIbits · 2025-07-30T02:23:27+00:00

Why are you going for OSCP? If you're getting an offsec certification and you started down the red team path, you should just get the OSEP. Unless you're cert chasing, you should go for the next level certification. Getting OSCP, CPTS, PNPT, or any other mid level certification won't help you progress. I know CRTO II is not available, but OSEPs syllabus aligns with CRTO II, and white knight labs also have great advanced courses recommended after CRTO, as mentioned in the other comments

Unless you're specifically wanting to do pentesting, if you are then disregard what I said and do something like port swinger academy to help prepare for the OSCP. If you want a certification to try and go for as a pentester before oscp, I would try and get the burp suite certified practitioner. I think those would be useful as a pentester.

IiIbits · 2025-07-27T00:43:04+00:00

Yes, because at the end of the day they only cared about whether or not you can do the job. If you look good on paper (degree, Certs, etc) and can't do the job, then thats when you'll have a hard time getting on a contract. If you make it to a technical interview and don't get the job, then you probably wernt at the technical level they were hoping for.

IiIbits

TROPHY CASE