OffSec PEN-210 & OSWP Certification Review

OffSec PEN-210 & OSWP Certification Review

Overview

OffSec’s PEN-210 course and the OSWP certification hold a special place in the company’s history. OSWP was the very first certification that OffSec released back in 2007, and despite newer flagship exams like OSCP or OSEP, it has continued to survive because it fills a niche that few others address: hands-on Wi-Fi attacks. Nearly twenty years later, the cert has been refreshed to cover modern wireless attacks like WPA-Enterprise abuse, PMKID captures, and rogue AP scenarios, while still teaching the classic WPA2-PSK workflows. It is not meant to be an “OSCP for wireless,” but rather a tightly focused proof of skill for Wi-Fi pentesting.

The biggest surprise to many learners is accessibility. Just like the KLCP that comes with OffSec Learn bundles, PEN-210 and OSWP are included free if you purchase any OffSec Learn subscription. That makes it an educational add-on you can pick up alongside a bigger cert path, without extra cost.

I completed the PEN-210 course and passed the OSWP exam in November 2024. The details in this review reflect the course and exam as they were at that time, and content may have changed since.

Course Overview

Course: PEN-210 Foundational Wireless Network Attacks
Delivery: Self-paced videos and text with labs (lab work requires your own hardware or third-party services)
Focus: Practical 802.11 security testing and attack workflows

The PEN-210 course mixes theory and practice. Roughly half the material covers wireless concepts, standards, and frame-level understanding, while the other half puts tools into play. Some students find the theory sections dry, but the practical chapters are directly aligned with both the exam and real-world assessments.

Modules covered in PEN-210:

1. IEEE 802.11 – Foundations of the wireless standard, including how devices communicate, authentication types, and why these details matter for attackers.
2. Wi-Fi Encryption – WEP, WPA, WPA2, and WPA3 basics, with a focus on where weaknesses appear in real-world deployments.
3. Linux Wireless Tools, Drivers, and Stacks – Using Linux to interact with Wi-Fi adapters, driver quirks, and enabling monitor mode and injection.
4. Wireshark Essentials – Analyzing frames, filtering traffic, and interpreting captures in a way that supports pentesting workflows.
5. Frames and Network Interaction – Management, control, and data frames, plus how to recognize key interactions like authentication and association.
6. Aircrack-ng Essentials – Core commands for discovery, capture, and cracking, forming the backbone of most OSWP attacks.
7. Cracking Authentication Hashes – Capturing WPA/WPA2 handshakes, running PMKID attacks, and applying wordlists effectively.
8. Attacking WPS Networks – Brute forcing WPS PINs, exploiting design flaws, and identifying devices still vulnerable to these attacks.
9. Rogue Access Points – Standing up malicious APs, combining with deauthentication, and abusing clients that auto-connect.
10. Attacking Captive Portals – Exploiting weak captive portal setups to gain unauthorized access.
11. Attacking WPA Enterprise – Targeting PEAP/MSCHAPv2 misconfigurations to steal credentials or bypass authentication.
12. bettercap Essentials – Using bettercap for MITM, rogue AP emulation, and advanced wireless traffic manipulation.
13. Determining Chipsets and Drivers – Identifying hardware capabilities, ensuring compatibility with injection and monitor mode.
14. Kismet Essentials – Leveraging Kismet for passive reconnaissance, rogue AP detection, and broad spectrum monitoring.
15. Manual Network Connections – Building manual connection workflows, troubleshooting, and validating attack results.
16. Wireless Networks – Network topologies, client behavior, and access point interaction, providing the context that ties all other modules together.

The PEN-210 materials are straightforward but lack a hosted lab environment. Unlike OSCP or OSEP where OffSec gives you entire playground networks, OSWP students are expected to build their own practice setups or rely on external services. This is where Raúl Calvo Laorden’s WiFiChallenge Lab and WiFiChallenge Academy shine, since they deliver structured wireless scenarios that map directly to exam content.

Exam Overview

Certification: OffSec Wireless Professional (OSWP)
Length: 3 hours 45 minutes of hands-on lab time, plus 24 hours to submit a professional report
Format: You are presented with three wireless networks to attack. One is mandatory, and you must complete at least two in total. Each network represents a common configuration weakness that an attacker could exploit.
Tools and rules: You may use the Aircrack-ng suite, bettercap, Wireshark, tmux, and similar tools. Automation wrappers or AI helpers are not allowed. The exam provides a Kali VM with a supported wireless adapter already connected.
Reporting: The deliverable is a shorter, streamlined version of an OffSec-style penetration test report. Screenshots and clear step-by-step explanations are required, but the length and complexity are far lighter than OSCP reports.

Community input consistently describes the exam as fair and approachable. Many students report completing the practical portion in under two hours, with the remainder of the time spent polishing notes and preparing the report. The consensus is that the exam reflects the PEN-210 content very directly. Unlike some certifications that feel puzzle-like, OSWP scenarios resemble realistic misconfigurations and vulnerabilities you would see in real client environments.

Strengths

• Legacy and recognition. OSWP has been around since 2007, making it one of the oldest offensive wireless certifications still respected today.
• Practical workflows. Students spend time on actual attack methods rather than theory alone.
• Fair, concise exam. Community input highlights that the exam is clear and achievable within the time limit if you have prepared properly.
• Educational value. With OffSec bundles, it is free, making it an excellent “add-on” credential.
• Relevant tooling. Aircrack-ng, bettercap, Kismet, and Wireshark are widely used beyond just the OSWP exam.
• External lab support. WiFiChallenge Lab and WiFiChallenge Academy give you realistic practice, filling a gap that OffSec does not provide.
• Straightforward alignment. Community input agrees that what you study in PEN-210 is exactly what you will use in the exam, with no surprises.

Limitations

• Wi-Fi only. Bluetooth, Zigbee, RFID, and SDR are excluded. This is not a broad-spectrum wireless cert.
• Hardware frustrations. Picking the wrong wireless adapter can derail your practice. Many students find themselves hunting for Alfa or TP-Link models that reliably support monitor mode and injection.
• No official OffSec labs. Unlike OSCP and other modern OffSec courses, PEN-210 does not come with a dedicated lab environment, leaving students to piece together their own or use third-party services.
• Short exam window if unprepared. While fair, the 3h45 time frame can feel tight if you are fumbling with captures or drivers.
• Standalone value. When purchased outside of a subscription, the cost feels less balanced compared to competitors who include labs.

Comparable Courses and Certifications

Broader Offensive Wireless Training

• SANS SEC617 + GIAC GAWN: Deep, multi-protocol wireless coverage (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, RFID). High cost, very comprehensive.
• WiFiChallenge Academy CWP: Modern, hands-on Wi-Fi training with a purpose-built lab and practical exam. More affordable and very relevant to OSWP-style workflows.

Vendor-neutral Wi-Fi Knowledge Tracks

• CWNP CWSP: Exam-based wireless security track focused on design, operations, and defense. Great for blue teamers and network engineers.

Comparison Table

Course/Certification	Provider	Cost	Notes
PEN-210 + OSWP	OffSec	Via OffSec subscriptions	Focused on 802.11 offensive workflows and a concise practical exam. Included free with bundles.
SEC617 + GAWN	SANS/GIAC	SANS training premium; GIAC exam ~$2,499	Deep multi-tech wireless; excellent labs and instructor access; significantly higher total cost.
Certified WiFiChallenge Professional (CWP)	WiFiChallenge Academy	~€199 for course + exam	Very hands-on lab environment aligned to modern Wi-Fi attacks; good OSWP companion or alternative.
CWSP (Wireless Security Professional)	CWNP	Exam ~$350; training separate	Knowledge and design emphasis; great for defenders and WLAN engineers rather than pure red teamers.

Final Ratings

Category	Rating
Knowledge Depth	★★★★★★★★☆☆
Real-World Applicability	★★★★★★★★★☆
Value for Cost	★★★★★★★☆☆☆
Study Requirements	★★★★★★★★★☆
Industry Relevance & Accessibility	★★★★★★★★★☆

Overall Score: 8/10

Why these ratings:

• Knowledge Depth (8/10): strong for Wi-Fi attacks, but intentionally narrow to 802.11.
• Real-World Applicability (9/10): high, because the workflows map to real pentests and internal security checks.
• Value for Cost (7/10): very good when included in bundles, less so if purchased standalone.
• Study Requirements (9/10): reasonable ramp if you have basic Linux and networking. Time spikes if you must source and learn RF hardware from scratch.
• Industry Relevance & Accessibility (9/10): OffSec brand carries weight, the exam is approachable, and the skill set is useful in many environments.

Personal Recommendation

What impressed me most in preparing for the OSWP was how valuable Raúl Calvo Laorden’s WiFiChallenge Lab and WiFiChallenge Academy were compared to OffSec’s offering. OffSec does not provide dedicated labs for the OSWP, leaving students to build their own setups or rely on community resources. The WiFiChallenge platforms filled that gap brilliantly. Their structured scenarios, real hardware emulation, and attack chains felt not only aligned to the OSWP exam but also more modern and expansive than the PEN-210 materials. For me, this lab experience transformed the OSWP journey from a theoretical read-through to a hands-on, high-value practice ground. I strongly recommend combining OffSec’s certification path with WiFiChallenge’s labs for the most complete learning experience.

Final Thoughts

If you want a targeted offensive wireless credential that proves you can capture, crack, and pivot with confidence, OSWP delivers. The exam rewards prep that looks like real work: clean captures, efficient use of Aircrack-ng, and an organized note-taking and screenshot flow. The course aligns with field reality by focusing on WPA2-PSK, WPA-Enterprise, WPS weaknesses, and rogue AP abuse patterns. It does not attempt to be the last word in wireless. For teams that need broad multi-radio depth, SANS SEC617 plus GIAC GAWN remains the heavyweight. For high-value practice that feels like the OSWP lab, Raúl Calvo Laorden’s WiFiChallenge Lab and WiFiChallenge Academy with the CWP certification are excellent complements, especially if you want a second practical exam or more challenge diversity. For me, the win is practical skill transfer. If your goal is to confidently execute the core Wi-Fi attack chain on assessments, PEN-210 and OSWP are worth your time.

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AI-assisted editing was used to improve grammar, clarity, and formatting. All technical content and opinions are original.