u/kim_pax

Hey all, hoping someone with experience can help me out.

I bought the Silver Annual subscription about 7 months ago during their end-of-year promo, and I've been working through it since. I've made it about 80% through the Penetration Tester path, but life got in the way and I haven't been able to study for the last 3 months. My subscription (and the included exam voucher) is going to expire soon, and I'm not sure I'll be fully ready in time.

On top of that, even before my subscription deadline hits, the only real time I have to study is the next two months of summer. After that, I don't think I'll have enough time to dedicate to finishing the PT path or practicing for the exam.

Two questions:

1. Once I redeem the exam voucher, do I have to start the exam immediately? Or can I finish the path first, redeem the voucher, and then start the exam whenever I actually feel ready ?

2. Is there any way to extend or delay use of the exam voucher past my subscription's yearly deadline? Even just for the exam itself, separate from the rest of the subscription?

Just asking because currently it is very dificult for me to pay for another exam as I am a student .

Appreciate any insight from people who've been through this before. Thanks!

Hey everyone,

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I'm currently 80% through the HTB Penetration Tester role path and I've been seeing a lot of people mention that strong networking knowledge is crucial for passing the CPTS exam.

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This got me a bit worried. I feel like the path has covered networking concepts along the way, but I haven't done any dedicated networking course like CCNA or Network+.

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My questions are:

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1. Is the networking knowledge covered throughout the CPTS path enough to pass the exam?

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2. Do I need to supplement with something like CCNA or Network+ before attempting the exam?

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3. For those who have passed — did you feel your networking knowledge was a limiting factor?

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I don't want to attempt the exam underprepared but I also don't want to delay unnecessarily by going through an entire networking course if it's not needed.

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Any advice from people who have taken the exam would be massively appreciated!

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Thanks 🙏

Hi everyone, looking for career strategy advice from offensive security pros and hiring managers.

My Background:

BSc: Computer Science from an African university (listed as H+/- on Anabin).

Current Program: Master's in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) at a recognized German university (H+).

Skills/Certs: Freelance dev/tester, almost finished with the HTB CPTS path (taking the exam immediately after).

The Dilemma:

I want to target full-time general pentesting roles. I'm considering transferring into a Computer Science Master's for its Security/ Crypto modules, but the curriculum is heavily theoretical/math-heavy. I'm worried it will drain my energy and leave zero time for hands-on hacking labs.

Staying in the HCI Master's is much more manageable, letting me focus high-qualityenergy on the CPTS, custom tooling, and deep-dive practical hacking.

Questions:

Given my H+/- African BSc, will graduating from any H+ German Master's (HCI or CS) completely override that status for HR and visa purposes?

Does the exact tit/e of a Master's degree matter for general pentesting if I already have a CS BSc and a practical cert like the HTB CPTS?

Will technical interview panels care about an HCI Master's title, or are they 95% focused on actual hacking ability and scripting skills?

Is it worth forcing myself through a stressful, theoretical CS degree just for the resume title?

Thanks for your perspectives!

Hi everyone, looking for career strategy advice from offensive security pros and hiring managers.

My Background:

BSc: Computer Science from an African university (listed as H+/- on Anabin).

Current Program: Master's in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) at a recognized German university (H+).

Skills/Certs: Freelance dev/tester, almost finished with the HTB CPTS path (taking the exam immediately after).

The Dilemma:

I want to target full-time general pentesting roles. I'm considering transferring into a Computer Science Master's for its Security/ Crypto modules, but the curriculum is heavily theoretical/math-heavy. I'm worried it will drain my energy and leave zero time for hands-on hacking labs.

Staying in the HCI Master's is much more manageable, letting me focus high-qualityenergy on the CPTS, custom tooling, and deep-dive practical hacking.

Questions:

Given my H+/- African BSc, will graduating from any H+ German Master's (HCI or CS) completely override that status for HR and visa purposes?

Does the exact tit/e of a Master's degree matter for general pentesting if I already have a CS BSc and a practical cert like the HTB CPTS?

Will technical interview panels care about an HCI Master's title, or are they 95% focused on actual hacking ability and scripting skills?

Is it worth forcing myself through a stressful, theoretical CS degree just for the resume title?

Thanks for your perspectives!