After posting my eCPPTv2 review (https://deetee1.medium.com/ecpptv2-review-5ff11d92469c) a few weeks ago, a few people messaged me to ask about the eJPT (eLearnSecurity Junior Penetration Tester) certification. Here is my review — hopefully it helps someone.
I enrolled in the PTS (Penetration Testing Student) course in Dec 2019 and took the eJPT exam in Feb 2020. Despite the availability of many free online resources, I decided to take the beginner-friendly PTS course because of its structured material— after almost a year since starting the PTS, I can say that it was well worth the investment.
If you’re looking to take the PTS course now, you’re in luck, because INE/eLS is now offering the PTS (slides, videos, labs) for FREE on the INE platform as part of their Starter Pass (disclaimer: I am not sponsored). You can check it out here: https://checkout.ine.com/starter-pass.
Context aside, let’s dive into the review of PTS/eJPT.
No pre-requisites required
I have no background in IT (my degree is in Economics) but found the PTS course manageable. Concepts were well-explained and I could follow the course material easily.
Prior to signing up for the PTS course (this was before I had heard of eLearnSecurity), I went through the following resources:
- Ryan Chadwick’s tutorial on Bash CLI (https://ryanstutorials.net/linuxtutorial/)
- OverTheWire Bandit, Natas (the first 10 levels), Leviathan
- Videos on a few Network+ topics
- Some picoCTF challenges
The above served as a good introduction to Linux / Networking concepts in general, but are not necessary prerequisites for the PTS course. That said, they are great (and free!) resources for anyone new to the field.
PTS Course
The following is a brief summary of what the PTS course covers:
- Networking
- Scripting (C++, Python, Bash)
- Penetration Testing (Information Gathering, Footprinting & Scanning, Vulnerability Assessment, Web Attacks, System Attacks, Network Attacks)
I took around 8 weeks to complete the PTS course. I went through each slide thoroughly and took detailed notes when going through the videos. The labs were the best part — hands-on, fun, and educational! Each lab instance is designated for a single individual, so you do not have to worry about someone else resetting the lab instance you are currently working in.
Contrary to eCPPT/PTP, the PTS course material will 100% prepare you for the exam. I didn’t need to refer to any specific external resources. That said, whenever I came across a networking concept I wasn’t familiar with, I tended to Google a lot so I could better wrap my head around it.
Pay attention to the slides and videos in addition to the labs. Every morsel of information is important for the exam.
eJPT Exam
There is plenty of time allocated for the exam (72 hours), so take your time. The 20 MCQ questions give some direction and clues on what to look out for.
As long as you went through the PTS slides, videos and labs diligently, passing the exam should not be a problem.
eLS Forum
This review wouldn’t be complete without mentioning the forum. Sometimes, we may encounter small typos in the slides, concepts which are difficult to grasp, or run into issues during the labs.
The forum was a great help when I was taking the PTS / PTP; my queries would typically be answered by other students / the eLS staff within 1–2 days. Meeting others in the community on the same journey was also a great constant source of motivation.
Concluding Thoughts
If you have time to spare and are looking to learn the basics of pentesting, I highly recommend taking the PTS course (especially now that it is free). It is an excellent learning experience and will equip you with the foundations needed to embark on the next step of your journey.
