OSCP: From FAIL to FULL points - My Top 20 Tips

On February 4, 2024, I FAILED the OSCP with a score of 60.
On March 20, 2024, I PASSED! I not only passed, I fully compromised every machine.
In this video, I share my top 20 tips that helped me go from FAIL to FULL points.
These are tips I slowly gathered over 6 months of studying for the OSCP, including the time between my first and second attempt
#cybersecurity #oscp #pentesting

[@Jesse_Johnson]

This video is a breath of fresh air. Spot on. No hype. No bullshit.

[@mikegropp]

Thanks!

[@christophercahall3092]

So it sounds keep on working on vulnerability scanning

[@tarjamr2521]

Loved the video! I was in the same boat, I failed with 60 points. I got the 10 bonus points. I completed the AD set and got a shell on 1 stand alone. BUT!!! because I sucked at priv esc I spent way too long on trying to move forward before trying something else. I started on another machine and after hours of trying other things I found the path forward...so to speak. I found how it was vulnerable but the method I was using to exploit it were wrong...but close. After failing I've been doing almost nothing but priv esc and trying to get better at different web app attacks. I re-organized my notes BECAUSE the way to exploit the machine was actually buried in my 1GB note file. I felt kinda dumb for not even looking but I'm fixing it now and I feel pretty confident about my next attempt, especially after watching this. This helps!

[@mikegropp]

Thanks for sharing! Good luck on your next attempt!

[@lordsynergy6228]

Thanks for the guidance. Appreciate the candid feedback.

[@dustinhxc]

First of all, CONGRATULATIONS! Secondly, holy crap.. this video was spot on perfect. Thank you! I’m going to note down all of these tips and make sure to have all things in order for my exam in a few weeks. Thank you! 10/10 video!

[@mikegropp]

Thank you! Good luck on your exam!

[@Jesse_Johnson]

lets go

[@kishorbal8070]

congrtz buddy, I just purchased the exam and preparation goin on. This video really felt useful and motivating me af

[@mikegropp]

You got this!

[@jenson1839]

Video is honest, sincere and (in my opinion) one of the most helpful KZbin content on the topic of [mindset & attitude calibration] + [tips on physical preparation] for the OSCP exam. Thank you Mike for the creation of this amazing video!!🎉

[@mikegropp]

Wow, thank you!!!

[@yassinetaya7193]

those tips are a treasure i can see experience in between them and not only specific for OCSP it for pentest , Buy bounty if use those tips 100% you find something , thank you so much

[@mikegropp]

Thank you, Yassine!

[@ellerionsnow3340]

This is one of the Best OSCP Tips videos I have seen. Thanks!

[@mikegropp]

Thank you! I'd be honored if you shared it with your network 🛜

[@mostafaesam9627]

best video for OSCP tips. thank you

[@mikegropp]

Thank you, Mostafa!

[@TmurphyIT]

Great quality and easy to listen to. I’ll go for the OSCP after the PNPT!

[@mikegropp]

Thank you! I have heard a number of people are taking that route. Let me know how it goes!

[@TylerRamsbey]

Seriously awesome job on both the exam & the video. Keep it up!

[@mikegropp]

Thank you, Tyler!

[@presequel]

awesome video! congratz and great job :) i liked tip number 16 the best :D

[@mikegropp]

Thanks!

[@generalreevis1734]

Thank you, starting the OSCP 90 day course at the end of the month

[@mikegropp]

Good luck!

[@Ramoreleaf]

Me too. Study buddy?

[@ShouryaSharma-yz6mf]

Your video is a great motivation for me. Thank you so much for creating such motivating and informative

[@mikegropp]

Thank you!

[@lakshyadutt5206]

My exam's in a few days. Thank you for these tips

[@mikegropp]

Good luck!

[@fillipemeireles6576]

Great content!

[@mikegropp]

Thank you!

[@setsura7]

Loved it!

[@mikegropp]

Thank you!

[@arpitvaghasia]

One of the best video i see for OSCP Tips. Good Tips 👍

[@mikegropp]

Wow, thank you, Arpit!

[@faanross]

congrats man that's HUGE

[@mikegropp]

Thanks, Faan!

[@Gym_Halpert]

I appreciate the clarity of this tip list, my biggest takeaway (that I experience almost daily) is that if a machine is acting up, just restart it and don't lost precious time. I have experienced this in HTB and wasted days on machines just because a specific port was not open for my first few scans. Awesome information, I have the CPTS coming up late May and I'm sure this advise will be effective at passing that exam as well!

[@mikegropp]

Thanks. Good luck on the CPTS!

[@satanicdominion666]

oscp mindset is not the same as ctf. wont help you much, i know people who have trouble with the oscp from doing htb and vice versa. two different mindsets. if you get both you have a VERY VERY solid base.

[@Gym_Halpert]

@@satanicdominion666 I have definitely heard there are differences between the two; I have been doing the CPTS academy path with Labs as supplemental practice. Have you taken either or both of the exams? If so, what are the major differences you've noticed?

[@samsmusichub]

Very cool thanks.

[@mikegropp]

Cheers!

[@smartsalmon1]

really great tips. many of these are good tips for hacking in general or other cert exams like CRTP

[@mikegropp]

Thank you! Definitely!

[@Cybernixlabs]

Thank you very much for sharing this valuable Information, I have my OSCP exam on 12th july , I hope i will exploit all the machine. This video was very helpful 🙂 for me.Thanks for sharing your experience and mistakes. It's true we learn from our mistakes and others experience may be give us some more good ideas to tackle the problem in different ways. Overall I will come back in the video after passing my OSCP, wish me best of luck 🤞.

[@mikegropp]

Good luck! Let me know how you do!

[@Cybernixlabs]

Finally it happened, I successfully passed the OSCP exam on the first attempt. Thank you for your amazing video, it's really helped me in hard times. ❤️

[@mikegropp]

​@@Cybernixlabs Congrats!! Well done! 🎉🎉🎉🎉

[@arindamkashyap5103]

Man, The way you explain things is so awesome. Thank you for this amazing video. ❤ I am preparing for the OSCP , one question is in my mind is that what platform u used to make notes? I have passed the CEH Master and for that I took my notes on Github.

[@mikegropp]

Thank you! I use Obsidian. Good luck!

[@arindamkashyap5103]

@@mikegropp Thank you Mike

[@deadpool30208]

Great video! very clear and concise way of explaining and giving such useful tips. I have my exam in 12 days from now, I am done with pwk course ,Medtech, Relia, A & B sets. Where should I invest my time for the next week? PG practice boxes? or Skylark network? thanks for all the tips.

[@mikegropp]

Take time to review, get all your tools in one folder, and PG Practice boxes if you want more practice.

[@arshdeeprobin1525]

Excellent video bro 👌

[@mikegropp]

Thank you!

[@DarkLotusKDB]

THANK YOU

[@mikegropp]

Glad you liked it!

[@BillHeng]

congratulations! Im taking mine this coming friday... and I'm feeling unprepared. =/

[@mikegropp]

You got this!

[@alihussainzada3392]

What is the result now?

[@BillHeng]

@@alihussainzada3392 I failed🤣

[@shivakhurana1529]

Please make a video on how did you practice before the exam!! All the labs that you did

[@pimpampet7053]

thx for these good words

[@mikegropp]

Thank you!

[@4lph4V]

Hey Mike! I was looking for last minute tips to practice for next 15-20 days and then I found your video which is absolute gem!! Thank you so much for this well described video, this will be really helpful for my exam which I have booked for 13th July and I'll practice as you advised for the remaining days. Also congratulations to you, you have done a great job! I want to ask a small doubt regarding report, did you prepare your own report format or have used the one provided by offsec?

[@mikegropp]

Thank you! To keep it simple I used the Offsec format as the format for my report. Best of luck on your exam in a few weeks! Let me know how you do!

[@4lph4V]

@@mikegropp Cool! I’m also thinking to use their given report template. I’ll definitely let you know the result.

[@fsociety_h4cked]

Thank you. How long did you spend time for studying on tutorials? Or focus on labs?

[@mikegropp]

I spent about 3 months to study all the materials and get ~37 flags from the challenge labs for my first attempt. After my first attempt, I did ~25 PG Practice labs as well as the Tiberius Windows + Linux Privesc micro courses.

[@baskaranranujan7234]

Thanks for your video can you tell how to start preparation?

[@mikegropp]

The PEN-200 course is a great place to start.

[@dariuszpaluszkiewicz996]

Do you think learning material from CCNA is necessary? Or how much networking is actually good to know?

[@mikegropp]

It depends on your background. I am mostly self-taught. I have not taken any official courses or acquired any official certs related to networking but I have done a lot of self-study.

[@dhairyapatel3988]

Hey mike, I am preparing for OSCP. I have a doubt regarding 10 bonus points; It says "To receive ten (10) bonus points, you must submit at least 80% of the correct solutions for every lab in the PEN-200 course and submit 30 correct proof.txt hashes from challenge labs". But for the 30 correct proof.txt hashes which challenge labs we have to use ? PG Practice, PG Play or anyone ?

[@mikegropp]

The 30 correct proof.txt hashes are from the Challenge Labs only. OSCP A, B, C, Medtech, etc.

[@dhairyapatel3988]

@@mikegropp Got it. Thanks a lot.

[@malkrut]

any tips on finding those discord channels?

[@mikegropp]

The official Offsec discord channel is a good place to start.

[@Kullaisec]

Congratulations !! I will be giving exam in two months what about Active Directory is it easy or difficult ??

[@mikegropp]

Not easy, but very doable if you prepare well.

[@Kullaisec]

@@mikegroppthanks I will prepare very well !!!❤

[@heyoooo123]

Which level did you solve in pg labs? intermadiate, easy etc?

[@mikegropp]

I did a mix of easy, intermediate, and hard. Google "TJ Null list" for a list of most of the labs I did.

[@izaak791]

where is my summary of the video ? lol ! shoulda taken a backup somewhere ...now I have to go through 25mins of video😅

[@mikegropp]

"An escalator can never break: it can only become stairs. You should never see an 'Escalator Temporarily Out Of Order' sign, just 'Escalator Temporarily Stairs. Sorry for the convenience.' " --Mitch Hedberg

[@izaak791]

@@mikegropp I turned the escalator into a customized elevator with a bit of tweak, you downgraded it from an elevator to a stair where I'll need to walk 25mins or half that by running at twice the normal speed... Not nice , Not nice!

[@cyberdevil657]

But honestly did you sell a kidney to get a exam like that twice? I mean the reason i don't take it is because of the insane price.

[@mikegropp]

It's all perspective on what you will do with what you learn. I made more on my first pentest after the OSCP than I spent on the OSCP, so it's already worth it for me.

[@BlackwinghacksBlogspot]

AHAHAHHAHAHAH BERLIN