PJPT exam-day guide
PJPT · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Confirm exam logistics with the provider
Before final prep, confirm with the provider: exam delivery platform, scheduled start time and time zone, total allotted time, whether any breaks are permitted and how they are timed, and the exact passing/scoring criteria. Do not rely on secondhand forum posts for these details.
Valid government-issued photo ID
Bring the exact ID type and name spelling the provider requires. Confirm with the provider whether a passport, national ID, or driver's license is accepted and whether the name must match your registration exactly.
Working webcam and microphone
Most remote proctored practical exams require a live environment scan and continuous video. Test your camera and mic in advance on the same machine you will use. Confirm with the provider whether a virtual machine, second monitor, or external camera is allowed.
Stable internet connection plus a backup
Wired connection preferred. Have a phone hotspot or secondary network ready in case the primary drops. Know the provider's reconnect procedure before test day.
Clean, private room and clear desk
Remove notes, phones, and secondary screens from the testing area unless the provider explicitly permits reference material. A cluttered desk is a common reason for proctor interruption. Confirm with the provider what reference material, if any, is allowed for this practical exam.
Your own lab environment or target scope confirmed
If the exam requires you to attack a provided lab or your own authorized target, verify access, credentials, and network reachability the day before. Never test against systems outside the authorized scope.
Note-taking method permitted by the rules
Confirm with the provider whether blank paper, a whiteboard, or on-screen notes are allowed, and whether you must show and destroy paper on camera afterward. Prepare only what is permitted.
Tooling installed and licensed ahead of time
Pre-install and pre-configure the tooling you expect to use (for example a proxy, a scripting environment, and a note-taking app). Verify licenses and updates before the exam; downloading and troubleshooting tools mid-exam wastes scored time.
Time-management plan
Write a one-page plan splitting the allotted time across recon, exploitation, post-exploitation, and reporting, with a hard checkpoint to stop attacking and start documenting. Confirm with the provider whether reporting is scored and how it is submitted.
Reporting template ready
If a written report is part of the exam, prepare an offline template with sections for findings, evidence, reproduction steps, impact, and remediation. Confirm with the provider the required format and submission channel.
Backup power and peripherals
Charge laptop and phone, and have a charger within reach. A mid-exam shutdown can cost scored time and may complicate proctoring.
Provider support contact saved
Save the provider's technical-support channel and know how to reach a human if the platform fails. This is your escalation path for connectivity or proctoring issues.
Plan the day
Re-read the provider's exam guide and candidate agreement one more time, focusing on scope, permitted tools, breaks, and scoring. Confirm with the provider any point that is still ambiguous. Do a dry run of the full technical setup (camera, mic, screen share, lab access) on the exact machine and network you will use. Run one timed practice session against a legal practice target to calibrate pace, and rehearse your reporting template on a sample finding.
Stop learning new tools and consolidate: review your own notes on enumeration, common misconfigurations, privilege escalation, and evidence capture. Prepare the desk and room, charge devices, and set out your ID. Confirm the start time in your local time zone and set two alarms. Get a full night of sleep; a practical exam rewards clear judgment more than last-minute cramming.
Eat and hydrate before the session; confirm with the provider whether food and drink are allowed in view of the camera. Log in early to complete identity verification and the environment scan. Close background apps that could trigger alerts, silence your phone, and tell household members not to interrupt. Have your time-management plan and reporting template open and ready.
Start with a short recon and scoping pass, then work in time-boxed blocks. Capture evidence (screenshots, command output, timestamps) as you go rather than reconstructing later. At your planned checkpoint, stop active testing and switch to documentation and submission. If the platform or proctoring fails, note the time and contact the provider's support immediately rather than improvising.
Rules to check
Stay strictly within the authorized scope. Only interact with targets the exam explicitly provides or authorizes; attacking anything else is a conduct violation regardless of intent.
Follow the provider's identity-verification and proctoring rules exactly. Present the required ID, complete any environment scan, and keep your face and workspace visible if continuous video is required. Confirm with the provider what is mandatory.
Do not use unauthorized assistance. Unless the provider explicitly permits reference material or open-book resources, do not consult notes, other people, or AI tools. Confirm with the provider what resources are allowed for this practical exam.
Treat breaks as governed by provider policy. Confirm with the provider whether breaks are allowed, whether the clock keeps running, and any check-in procedure; do not leave the camera view without following that procedure.
Keep evidence honest. Do not fabricate findings, alter logs, or claim exploitation you did not perform; scoring and any later review depend on verifiable evidence.
Understand what is scored before you start. Confirm with the provider how practical results and any written report are weighted, and whether partial findings earn credit, so you can allocate time accordingly.
Report technical or proctoring problems immediately through the provider's support channel and record the time; do not attempt to work around platform failures in ways the rules forbid.
Do not disclose exam content. Sharing specific questions, targets, or tasks afterward likely violates the candidate agreement; confirm with the provider what you may discuss publicly.