Penetration testers are among the most in-demand Cyber Security professionals today, and the GIAC Penetration Tester (GPEN) credential is one of the strongest ways to prove that skill set. kodestree’s GPEN training walks you through the complete attack lifecycle, planning, scanning, exploitation, password attacks, Active Directory compromise, and Azure/Entra ID attacks, using the same tools professional red teamers rely on, so you walk into the GPEN exam and your first pentest engagement with confidence.
Prerequisites
GIAC does not enforce formal prerequisites for the GPEN exam, but candidates get the most value from this course when they already have:
- A working knowledge of TCP/IP and general networking concepts
- Basic familiarity with Windows and Linux command lines
- A foundational understanding of information security concepts
- Prior exposure to tools like Nmap or Wireshark (helpful, not mandatory)
Why Learn GPEN
Organizations across finance, healthcare, and technology are pouring more budget into offensive security than ever, and they need practitioners who can prove their skills against an accredited standard, not just a certificate of attendance. The GPEN is vendor-neutral, mapped to the DoD 8570/8140 directive, and built around the same methodology used in enterprise-grade engagements. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects penetration testing roles to grow well above the average for all occupations through the next decade, and GPEN holders routinely command six-figure salaries in the US market. Add GIAC’s CyberLive format, which tests you inside live virtual machines instead of just multiple-choice theory, and you get a credential hiring managers actually trust.
Course Objectives
By the end of this training, you will be able to:
- Plan and scope a penetration test using an industry-recognized, process-driven methodology
- Perform reconnaissance, scanning, and enumeration against enterprise networks
- Identify and exploit vulnerabilities across Windows, Linux, and cloud targets
- Execute password attacks, hash cracking, and credential-based intrusion techniques
- Carry out post-exploitation, privilege escalation, and lateral movement
- Attack Active Directory and Azure/Entra ID environments using current techniques
- Document findings and communicate business risk through professional reporting
What You Will Learn
This course covers the full penetration testing lifecycle end to end:
- Pentest planning, rules of engagement, and legal considerations
- OSINT-driven reconnaissance and information-gathering techniques
- Network, port, and vulnerability scanning with industry-standard tools
- Password guessing, hash attacks, and credential harvesting
- Exploitation fundamentals using the Metasploit Framework
- Post-exploitation, pivoting, and Command and Control (C2) operations
- Kerberos attacks, domain escalation, and Active Directory persistence
- Azure and Entra ID attack surfaces, federation, and single sign-on abuse
Who Is this Course For?
This training is built for professionals who need to understand and execute offensive security tactics, including:
- Aspiring and practicing penetration testers
- Ethical hackers and red team members
- Blue team analysts who want to understand attacker tradecraft
- Network and systems security personnel
- Security auditors and forensic specialists
- IT professionals preparing for a career pivot into offensive security
Tools You Will Work With
- Nmap
- Metasploit Framework
- BloodHound
- Impacket
- Mimikatz
- Sliver (C2 framework)
- Wireshark
- Password-cracking utilities (Hashcat / John the Ripper style workflows)
Skills You Will Gain
You will graduate with a practitioner-level skill set that includes:
- Structured, methodology-driven penetration testing
- Network and vulnerability scanning and analysis
- Exploitation and post-exploitation techniques
- Active Directory and Kerberos attack execution
- Azure/Entra ID and cloud identity attacks
- Password and credential attack strategy
- Professional pentest reporting and stakeholder communication
Career Outcomes
A GPEN credential opens doors across offensive and defensive security roles, including:
- Penetration Tester
- Red Team Operator
- Ethical Hacker
- Security Consultant
- Vulnerability Analyst
- Security Auditor
- Cybersecurity roles across DoD and government agencies requiring 8570/8140 compliance
Why Choose kodestree for This Training?
kodestree pairs GIAC-aligned course content with the kind of hands-on support that actually gets learners certified:
- Instructor-led sessions delivered by working offensive security professionals
- Realistic, lab-based practice instead of slide-heavy theory
- Curriculum mapped directly to official GPEN exam objectives
- Flexible weekday/weekend batches with recorded session access
- Resume, interview, and exam-readiness support
- Lifetime access to updated course material
- Post-training doubt resolution and mentor support
