In February 2024, I completed my eJPT certification after realizing that my voucher was expiring soon. It took me about 20 days of learning to achieve this. If you’re considering pursuing a cybersecurity certification in penetration testing, specifically the eJPT, then this blog post is for you. Here, I’ll discuss the learning process, the expenses I incurred, and provide details about the course materials and examination.

Chapter 1:
What and Why, eJPT?

To be honest, cybersecurity certifications are often quite expensive, and many beginners might struggle to afford them. Therefore, choosing the right certification is crucial. In my case, I chose the eJPT because I wanted to delve deeper into penetration testing while obtaining an industry-recognized certificate. The eJPT suited this requirement perfectly.

In general, many companies value the CEH certification, and it’s widely recognized. However, I opted not to pursue it because its examination doesn’t align closely with the practical scenarios covered in the eJPT exam. For me, finding a balance between the learning curve, hands-on experience, and industry recognition was important, and the eJPT certification provided just that.

Chapter 2:
Course contents, and Learning curve?

Upon redeeming the voucher, I had a subscription to the INE fundamental courses, which offered a separate path for the eJPT course. This path included sections on Assessment Methodologies, Host & Networking Auditing, Host & Network Penetration Testing, and Web Application Penetration Testing. Overall, the course materials were decent, but they could have been made more engaging, as many parts of the videos felt dry and boring. From a learning perspective, the course is an excellent resource for complete beginners. However, for experienced individuals, much of the content may be familiar, serving more as a refresher of concepts.

Chapter 3:
How much did I spend?

I spent a total of $300, which included two vouchers: one for the eJPT and one for the ICCA examinations, both with two attempts each. These vouchers were bundled with an INE fundamentals subscription valid for 12 months. However, a week after purchasing, I discovered a $100 discount offer for INE, which I had missed out on. My advice would be to wait for around 15-30 days before making a purchase, as there may be offers available, especially during festival days, that could help you save money.

Chapter 4:
Exam pattern?

During the eJPT examination, you’ll receive a set of IP addresses and face 35 questions. The answers to these questions can be found by testing and analyzing the given IP addresses. You’ll need to enumerate, understand their workings, identify their technologies, and explore potential exploits. The examination lasts for 48 hours, but I managed to complete it in 22 hours. If you’re already familiar with security concepts and using Kali or any other linux distribution, you could potentially complete the examination in 15 hours.

Chapter 5:
Conclusion

In my opinion, choosing the eJPT certification is a wise decision if you’re looking to enhance your credentials and invest valuable time in these resources. It’s beneficial for brushing up on fundamental concepts compared to other similar certifications, and its practical examination approach. Ultimately, the choice is yours, so make sure to pick effectively based on your needs and goals.

Timeline:

[Jan 15, 2024] - Started focusing on learning about eJPT
[Feb 15, 2024] - Completed going through the contents
[Feb 16, 2024] - Took the Examination
[Feb 18, 2024] - Received Certification