OSCP Cheat Sheet for Ethical Hackers
OSCP Cheat Sheet:
Introduction(Preparing for OSCP?)
The OSCP (Offensive Security Certified Professional) is one of the most respected certifications for ethical hackers and penetration testers. Known for its hands-on approach, the exam tests your ability to exploit real-world systems under strict time constraints.
To help you succeed, we’ve created this OSCP Cheat Sheet – a comprehensive, quick-reference guide covering enumeration, exploitation, privilege escalation, and reporting. Whether you’re revising before the exam or practicing in your lab, this cheat sheet will help you stay sharp and efficient.
📑 Table of Contents
- OSCP Exam Overview
- OSCP Lab Setup
- Enumeration Techniques
- Exploitation Basics
- Privilege Escalation
- Post-Exploitation
- Report Writing Tips
- Useful OSCP Tools
- Final Tips for the OSCP Exam
- Conclusion
1. OSCP Exam Overview
The OSCP exam gives you 24 hours to compromise multiple machines and submit a professional penetration test report. To pass, you must demonstrate:
- Strong enumeration skills
- Ability to exploit vulnerabilities
- Effective privilege escalation
- Clear documentation in your final report
2. OSCP Lab Setup
Before starting, ensure your environment is ready:
- Kali Linux (latest version)
- VPN connection to OSCP labs
- Essential tools pre-installed (Nmap, Netcat, Python, Metasploit, etc.)
- A well-organized notes system (CherryTree, Obsidian, or Notion)
3. Enumeration Techniques
🔍 Network Scanning
nmap -sC -sV -p- -T4 <target-ip>-sC: default scripts-sV: version detection-p-: scan all ports
🛠 Service Enumeration
- FTP:
ftp <target-ip>(anonymous login?) - SMB:
enum4linux -a <target-ip> - SSH: Check weak credentials, outdated versions
- SNMP:
snmpwalk -v2c -c public <target-ip>
🌐 Web Enumeration
- Directory Busting:
gobuster dir -u http://<target-ip> -w /usr/share/wordlists/dirbuster/directory-list-2.3-medium.txt - CMS Detection:
whatweb http://<target-ip> - Burp Suite for parameter tampering
4. Exploitation Basics
- Search for CVEs using searchsploit:
searchsploit <service-name>- Compile and run exploits safely
- Always validate shell access (reverse/bind shells)
5. Privilege Escalation
🐧 Linux Privilege Escalation
- Check SUID binaries:
find / -perm -4000 2>/dev/null- Check cron jobs
- Kernel exploits with
linux-exploit-suggester.sh
🪟 Windows Privilege Escalation
- Use winPEAS.exe for enumeration
- Check unquoted service paths
- Exploit AlwaysInstallElevated registry keys
- Token impersonation with
incognito
6. Post-Exploitation
- Extract credentials (
/etc/shadow, SAM database) - Pivoting with SSH or proxychains
- Data exfiltration techniques
7. Report Writing Tips
- Be clear and professional
- Include screenshots of findings
- Document step-by-step exploitation
- Provide remediation steps for each vulnerability
8. Useful OSCP Tools
- Nmap – network scanning
- Burp Suite – web exploitation
- Metasploit – exploit framework
- John the Ripper / Hashcat – password cracking
- LinPEAS / WinPEAS – privilege escalation
9. Final Tips for the OSCP Exam
- Focus on time management – don’t get stuck on one machine
- Take detailed notes during exploitation
- Aim for buffer overflow machine early (easy points)
- Rest properly before the exam – fresh mind = better results
10. Conclusion
The OSCP is not just an exam – it’s a journey of persistence, patience, and problem-solving. This OSCP Cheat Sheet will help you stay focused and efficient during your preparation and exam attempts.
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🚀 Ready to level up? Contact us today to start your OSCP journey with expert mentorship.
