Certified Red Team Professional (CRTP) Review
The CRTP is a hands-on certification that requires an individual to fully compromise the examination environment within twenty-four (24) hours.
Course Content & Labs
The course is very dense and packed with information and knowledge that has been shared by the instructor. It has an approach which takes someone from the basics to the advanced sections of active directory where each bit is covered in-depth.
A user can connect to the lab environment via RDP over VPN or through a web browser with Guacamole. No hiccups were faced within the lab environment as it is extremely stable. Once a section of the course is done there are lab exercises that are to be done as well which helps a lot with reinforce the topics taught as well as learning the methodology.
Exam
Before the exam I made sure that a cheat sheet was ready which had the methodology as well as commands of various tools that could be used throughout the exam environment. I made sure to understand what I could accomplish using a tool as well as what information I would need to use a tool to its full potential. With everything prepared I started up the exam and managed to finish it in just under eleven (11) hours.
I managed to compromise the first half of the environment within a short period of time. From here I got held up for the majority of the exam because I forgot to do a small step. Once I figured that out, I managed to move ahead and compromise the rest of the exam within good time.
The exam environment was as stable as the labs, and I faced no issues with it.
I took the time left as well as most of the next day to write the report.
Post Exam
Once the exam was done, I submitted my report and had been informed that my results will come in within seven (7) business days.
I got my results within two and a half business days (2.5) and was ecstatic!
Tips
- Take your time and enumerate as much as you need to
- Understand the methodology being taught
- Understand why you're using a certain tool
- Have a cheat sheet in hand before the exam to refer to
- Take clear screenshots for the report
- Have a reporting template ready
- Take your time and take a break if you feel stuck at any point
You don't need additional material since everything required to pass the exam is covered within the course. Don't doubt yourself, just go for it.
Resources
Andrei Agape
Stefano Lanaro
z3r0day_504
Kyle Gray
Conclusion
The exam is amazing and will bring anyone up to speed on Active Directory attacks regardless of their level in infosec. I would highly recommend anyone interested in red teaming and pentesting to do this certification as it holds a ton of value.