UNF Professional and Lifelong Learning
UNF Professional and Lifelong Learning · Centri

Certified Penetration Testing Associate (CPTA) Training

LevelJunior to Intermediate
DurationOn-demand · approx. 100 hours
Course codeCPTA
DeliveryInstructor-led

Offered to the Jacksonville and Northeast Florida community through UNF Professional and Lifelong Learning in partnership with Applied Technology Academy — live online or in person, taught by ATA's practitioner instructors.

Centri's Certified Penetration Testing Associate is the offensive counterpart to Blue Team Level 1: a hands-on route through the whole engagement, from scopin

Course Overview
  • Twenty-four modules covering the full engagement rather than isolated techniques.
  • Four environments in one course: enterprise infrastructure, Active Directory, web applications and AWS.
  • 600+ lessons, activities and quizzes with more than 60 hands-on labs.
  • Assessed by a three-part practical exam, with a resit included.
Prerequisites
  • Centri recommends zero to three years of experience; the course is pitched junior to intermediate.
  • There are no entry requirements for the exam, though Centri strongly recommends completing the labs first.
  • Networking, Linux, Windows and Python fundamentals are all covered in the course.
What You'll Learn

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

  • scope and run a penetration test against a defined methodology
  • enumerate networks, services and attack surface
  • identify and validate vulnerabilities, then exploit them to gain access
  • escalate privilege on both Windows and Linux, and move laterally
  • attack Active Directory along common paths and establish persistence
  • test web applications for injection, file inclusion and path traversal flaws
  • test and exploit AWS environments
  • explain C2 and where red teaming differs from penetration testing
  • report findings in terms a client can act on
Course Outline
  • Module 1. Introduction to Penetration Testing
    • What the discipline is and how engagements run.
  • Module 2. Networking Essentials The networking an attacker has to understand.
  • Module 3. Linux Essentials
    • Linux fundamentals for offensive work.
  • Module 4. Windows Essentials
    • Windows fundamentals for offensive work.
  • Module 5. Python Essentials
    • Scripting and automation for testers.
  • Module 6. Introduction to Databases
    • Database fundamentals behind data-layer attacks.
  • Module 7. The Penetration Testing Process
    • Scoping, methodology and engagement structure.
  • Module 8. Network Discovery
    • Enumerating hosts, services and attack surface.
  • Module 9. Vulnerability Assessment
    • Finding and validating weaknesses.
  • Module 10. Password Attacks
    • Credential attacks and where they succeed.
  • Module 11. Exploitation Essentials
    • Turning a vulnerability into access.
  • Module 12. File Transfer & Data Movement
    • Moving tooling and data during an engagement.
  • Module 13. Linux Privilege Escalation
    • Escalating from a foothold on Linux.
  • Module 14. Windows Privilege Escalation
    • Escalating from a foothold on Windows.
  • Module 15. Lateral Movement Essentials
    • Moving between hosts once inside.
  • Module 16. Introduction to Active Directory
    • How AD works, from an attacker's view.
  • Module 17. Introduction to Active Directory Attacks
    • Common AD attack paths.
  • Module 18. Persistence Essentials
    • Maintaining access.
  • Module 19. Web Application Essentials
    • How web applications are built and exposed.
  • Module 20. Introduction to Web Application Attacks
    • SQL injection, command injection, file inclusion and path traversal.
  • Module 21. AWS Essentials
    • Cloud fundamentals for testers.
  • Module 22. Introduction to AWS Penetration Testing
    • Testing and exploiting AWS environments.
  • Module 23. Introduction to Command & Control (C2) and Red Teaming
    • C2 concepts and where red teaming differs from penetration testing.
  • Module 24. Practice Labs and Exam Preparation
    • Consolidation across 60+ labs ahead of the three-part practical exam.