Hello, fellow hackers!

I hope you’re all doing great and continuously gaining knowledge. Today, I want to share the story of how I passed the Certified AppSec Pentester (CAPen) Intermediate Level Exam from the SecOps Group on my first attempt. Let’s dive in! 🚀

The Journey Begins:

About eight months ago, I attended BSides Ahmedabad, one of the biggest hacker conferences, similar to DEFCON, held in different states. Since I’m from Gujarat, it was organized in Ahmedabad. There, I met many knowledgeable people and gained valuable experiences. You can read about my BSides Ahmedabad visit and takeaways by clicking here: BSides Ahmedabad Takeaways

Discovering the Exam Opportunity:

During the conference, I received various goodies, including swag, T-shirts, and cards. SecOps Group, a partner of BSides, had a registration banner in the professional area where they offered free vouchers for any of their three exams. All I had to do was scan a QR code and fill out a Google form. After completing the form, I enjoyed the provided lunch and finished the conference.

A few days later, I received an email from SecOps Group, informing me that I was selected for a free exam voucher for the CAPen exam, which usually costs €250 and includes one free retake. I was thrilled!

Preparation and Challenges:

The CAPen exam was relatively new, having been launched about a year prior, so there weren’t many reviews or available guidance. I was also busy preparing for the CEH Practical exam and bug hunting. However, I also wrote a full story of passing the CEH exam in the first attempt, along with the challenges I faced. You can check it out by clicking here: My Journey to Passing the CEH Exam

So, I didn’t have much time to focus on CAPen. However, I just wanted to give the CEH Practical Exam and this CAPen Exam for the job perspective as soon as possible. So, I contacted a few people on LinkedIn who had taken the exam, and they provided some helpful guidance.

Resources and Mock Exams:

During my search for exam guidance, I found: Mock Exam Resource 1, Mock Exam Writeup. Additionally, the SecOps Group offered mock exams for CAPen. I took these mock exams and passed with merit, gaining experience with the question types.

The Exam Day:

After passing the CEH exam, I decided to take the CAPen exam. Since I didn’t have a quiet space or reliable Wi-Fi at home, I went to my friend’s house in a nearby village, where he had a personal room and a fast 5G internet connection.

Challenges Faced:

• Flag Submission Confusion: There was confusion about whether to submit the entire flag (flag{value}) or just the value. The mock exam instructions weren’t clear, and different people had different advice. SecOps Group should clarify this in both the mock and original exams.
• Unresponsive Questions: Some questions didn’t respond to clicks. Thankfully, one of my LinkedIn connections who had taken the exam helped guide me through this issue.
• Hint Penalty: I completed all the questions and passed with merit. However, for one question, I used a hint, thinking it would only reduce marks for that specific question. Instead, it reduced my overall marks, causing me to lose my merit status. Understanding this penalty system is crucial.

Lessons Learned:

Passing the CAPen exam taught me valuable lessons:

• Clarify instructions: Always ensure you understand the exam instructions clearly.
• Seek guidance: Don’t hesitate to reach out to others for advice and support.
• Learn from mistakes: Every mistake is an opportunity to learn and improve.

Conclusion:

I hope my story and the mistakes I made can help you in your own journey. Remember, challenges are part of life, and we grow by learning from them. For any questions or guidance, feel free to connect with me on my social media handles below.

Thank you for reading! Until next time, stay curious and keep learning! 😊

Signing Out,
MR. X FACTOR

🔗 Handles:

• Linktree: https://linktr.ee/mrxfact0r_99