GPEN

GPEN Resources and FAQ

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GPEN Resources

The following resources are useful for preparing for the GIAC Penetration Tester (GPEN) certification. They include terms, book sections, and indexed material to assist with studying and exam preparation.

• GPEN Terms Alphabetical (PDF)
• GPEN Book Sections & Terms (PDF)
• GPEN Voltaire Alphabetical 1 (PDF)
• GPEN Voltaire Alphabetical 2 (PDF)
• GPEN Multitab (XLSX)

GPEN FAQ

Has anyone taken GPEN? Any tips or recommendations?

Answer: To succeed in the GPEN exam, consider the following strategies:

• Create a comprehensive index from the course material.
• Use the end-of-module quizzes and Practical Exercises (PEs) to refine your index and knowledge.
• Many live exam questions are very similar, if not identical, to those found in the PEs. Practice these thoroughly.
• Familiarize yourself with tools such as Metasploit, Empire, and reverse shells, particularly using tools like Netcat (NC).

How should I practice for the labs?

Answer:

• Set up a virtual machine (VM) environment to practice the labs provided during the course.
• If you're not already comfortable, spend time learning the basics of penetration testing tools like:
  • Metasploit: Exploitation and post-exploitation framework.
  • Empire: PowerShell and Python post-exploitation agent.
  • Netcat (NC): For reverse shells and basic network communication.
• Explore the concepts of pivoting, tunneling, and enumeration in a lab setup.

What other preparation materials should I consider?

Answer:

• Review official GPEN course material and any additional recommended books or resources.
• Practice hands-on with penetration testing tools using platforms like:
  • TryHackMe
  • Hack The Box
• Use community-shared GPEN indices for reference and cross-checking your own work.

Additional Resources

Here are some additional links and tools that might be helpful:

• Official SANS GPEN Course
• GIAC Certification Blogs
• Metasploit Unleashed
• Payloads All The Things