Here you can find the most frequently asked questions related to the 2023 update to the PEN-200 course:
- How can I get access to the new PEN-200 content?
- Will the exam change as part of the new update?
- As an active PEN-200 learner, will I get an additional exam attempt with the new PEN-200 course?
- How does the new update impact my eligibility for bonus points?
- Are you issuing a new VPN pack for the updated PEN-200 content?
- When will the new course materials be ready for downloads?
- I already downloaded my course materials before the update. Will I be able to download the newly updated course materials?
- Where can I find the lab machines for the latest version of the PEN-200 course?
- How can I access the modules that were removed from the PEN-200 course?
- How long will I be able to access the PEN-200-2022 course content in the OffSec Learning Library?
- I purchased a PEN-200 license before the update, will I get access to the new course content when I redeem it?
- Where can I download the first PEN-200 Module?
- Where can I find the new PEN-200 course syllabus?
- OffSec Community PEN-200 2023 Events
How can I get access to the new PEN-200 content?
If you’re a new learner, planning on registering for the course, you will get access to the new PEN-200 content once your course starts. To make your learning journey easier to follow, you will not be able to see the old PEN-200 content.
If you’re an active learner, to ensure you will have a good experience, we are releasing the updated PEN-200 course in a staggered approach. The access to the new content is dependent on your course start date for the PEN-200 course.
You can find the release schedule below:
- Today, March 15th, 2023, learners who began PWK between March 7th, 2023, and March 15th, 2023 will obtain access.
- On March 22nd, 2023, learners who began PWK between December 14th, 2022 and March 7th, 2023 will obtain access.*
- On March 29th, 2023, all learners will obtain access.*
- Learners that start PEN-200 as of today will obtain access immediately when their course or subscription begins.
- Learners that purchase a lab extension and currently have access to PEN-200 will obtain access to the new materials.
- Learners that purchase a lab extension and do not currently have access to PEN-200 will obtain access to the new materials.
* Note, these release dates are subject to change depending on our lab performance after the launch on March 15th, 2023. An update will be made should the release dates change.
If you took the PEN-200 course in the past and no longer have an active PEN-200-2022 lab in the OffSec Learning Library, you can purchase additional lab time in the 2023 and 2022 PEN-200 labs via your Buy More page*. You will get access to the new content online on your selected lab start date.
If you never had access to the PEN-200-2022 content, purchasing a lab extension will only give you access to the 2023 content.
* Note, 30-day lab extensions are only available for students who purchased PEN-200 via the individual course packages. Learn subscribers may choose to renew their subscriptions. For more information on the products that will be available in your buy more page, please click here.
If you previously took a course with OffSec in the Legacy system and have not set up your OffSec Learning Library account yet, you can create an account here using the email address you have registered on your Legacy account.
If you no longer have access to your registered email address, please submit a request and our team will gladly assist and provide you with further instructions on how to purchase PEN-200 access.
Will the exam change as part of the new update?
The OSCP exam is not changing as part of the update, with the exception of the removal of the independent Buffer Overflow machine from the exam. After the new material has been available for six months, any content included in the new version of PWK will be eligible for inclusion on the exam.
As an active PEN-200 learner, will I get an additional exam attempt with the new PEN-200 course?
No. Since we are not changing the exam, our learners will not receive any additional exam attempts.
You can schedule any existing OSCP exam attempt via the Exam tab in your Offsec Learning Platform account.
Regardless if you reach the Exam tab via the PEN-200-2022 or PEN-200-2023 course, you are managing the same OSCP exam attempt.
How does the new update impact my eligibility for bonus points?
To get bonus points, you need to (1) complete 80% of the exercises in each module and (2) submit proof that you've hacked into at least 30 lab machines.
You can complete the exercises from either the old course, PEN-200-2022, or the new one, PEN-200-2023. But you can't mix and match progress from both courses to qualify for bonus points.
The PEN-200-2022 Module and Exercise environment will be available until July 1st, 2023. After that date, you will need to complete the exercises from the 2023 version to qualify for bonus points.
You can submit proof of hacking into lab machines from either the old or new course. You don't need to submit 30 proofs from the new course only.
If you previously had access to the old course and buy a lab extension after March 15th, 2023, you will get access to the new course, PEN-200-2023, and the old course until July 1st, 2023, or until your access expires.
Between March 15th and April 18th, 2023, the requirement to complete the exercises from the modules will be dropped. You will only need to submit proof of hacking into at least 30 lab machines to qualify for bonus points during this period.
If you’ve already met the previous criteria for the bonus points, you will qualify for the bonus points for a year from now (until March 15th, 2024), without having to complete any of the new lab machines or Module exercises.
Should you have any additional questions regarding bonus points or the exam, you can contact our Challenges Department via email at challenges@offsec.com or visit the PEN-200-2023 (PWK) Blog Post.
Are you issuing a new VPN pack for the updated PEN-200 content?
No. You can connect using Universal VPN, which will allow you to connect to all courses using the same VPN connectivity package.
You can find additional information in our VPN Connectivity Guide.
When will the new course materials be ready for downloads?
New learners: You can download the new version of the course materials as soon as your access to the course has been activated.
Active learners: You will be able to download the new version of the course materials once you get access to the new content.
Unsure of when you will get access? You can find the release schedule here.
Inactive learners: In order to be able to download the new materials, you will have to purchase a Course & Cert Exam Bundle or Learn subscription (Learn One for PEN-200 or Learn Unlimited).
Once the course has been activated, you may request to download the course materials.
For more information, please visit our Course material download FAQ.
I already downloaded my course materials before the update. Will I be able to download the newly updated course materials?
Yes, if you are an active PEN-200 learner at the time of the release, once you get access to the PEN-200-2023 course, you will be able to request a download for the newly updated course materials.
Where can I find the lab machines for the latest version of the PEN-200 course?
Similar to Introductory-level learning paths, machines associated with a Learning Module for PEN-200 are included in the Training Material for that Learning Module to provide a more guided user experience.
The Labs section of the Learning Library will show Challenge Labs not associated with a learning module, but will not contain the machines associated with the course Learning Modules.
How can I access the modules that were removed from the PEN-200 course?
The majority of the content that was removed is already available for learners with access to our Introductory-level learning paths (i.e. PEN: Network Penetration Testing Essentials).
The Buffer Overflow and PowerShell Empire Modules will be moved elsewhere in the Learning Library and will be accessible for our Learn Unlimited learners.
For additional information on which modules have been removed, which were added and which got updated, please check out our PEN-200-2023 (PWK) and Blog Post.
How long will I be able to access the PEN-200-2022 course content in the OffSec Learning Library?
The PEN-200 2022 course content will be available for one month from the release date of the new course for our active PEN-200 learners.
The 2022 content will be disabled in the OffSec Learning Platform on April 18th, 2023.
I purchased a PEN-200 license before the update, will I get access to the new course content when I redeem it?
Yes, once you accept the invite to the PEN-200 course, you will gain access to the latest version of the course. Make sure to assign and accept the invite before the expiration date.
Information on how long a license is valid can be found in our Product validity FAQ.
Where can I download the first PEN-200 sample Module?
The free PEN-200 sample Module can be downloaded directly from our website here.
Where can I find the new PEN-200 course syllabus?
The new PEN-200 course syllabus can be found on our website here.
OffSec Community PEN-200 2023 Events:
If you have additional questions after reading this FAQ or our Blog Post , we encourage you to attend the events we have planned, where we will be talking more about the changes made to the course:
- Discord Office Hours | Fridays at 1 p.m. EST: This Friday’s Office Hours will be dedicated to the release of the new PEN-200 course.
- OffSec Live | Fridays at 12 p.m. EST. Upcoming PEN-200 sessions:
- Friday, March 17th - Meet the PWK Content Developers!
- Friday, March 24th - Active Directory Enumeration
- Webinar | Thursday, March 23rd at 12 p.m. EST
Additional information about the Discord Office Hours and OffSec Live can be found on our OffSec Discord Office Hours & OffSec Live FAQ pages.