eCPPT: eLearnSecurity Certified Professional Penetration Tester

The eCPPT is a highly practical certification that simulates a real-world corporate engagement rather than a "capture the flag" game. Candidates are given a scope and a multi-day timeframe to penetrate a network, pivot through subnets, and, crucially, must write a professional commercial-grade report to pass. It specifically tests the ability to explain technical findings to a business audience, a skill often overlooked in other hacking exams. It is widely viewed as a stepping stone to the OSCP, offering a more realistic timeframe and a focus on methodology over speed. The exam covers web application attacks, buffer overflows, and extensive network pivoting techniques.