Hack The Box Releases Wireless Pentesting Certification
Hands-on cybersecurity platform Hack The Box announced a new certification for wireless penetration testing, the CWPE (Certified Wireless Pentesting Expert). The certification is designed to build specialized skills for entry-to-mid level professionals. Coursework covers modern attack techniques against protocols such as WPA3 and WPA-Enterprise.
- The CWPE certification is designed to be fully hands-on and cloud-based, eliminating the need for students to set up their own hardware-based wireless security labs. It uses Hack The Box's "Pwnbox" virtual environment, allowing all coursework and the exam to be completed through a web browser. The curriculum covers tools like Aircrack-ng, Kismet, Eaphammer, and Bettercap to perform attacks against modern wireless infrastructures. - A key focus of the certification is on modern enterprise environments, including attacks against the WPA3 security protocol, which was released in 2018 to address vulnerabilities in WPA2. While WPA3 offers stronger encryption and protection against offline dictionary attacks, researchers have still identified vulnerabilities like "Dragonblood" that can leak password information. - The certification exam is a practical, hands-on assessment where candidates must produce a commercial-grade penetration test report detailing their findings. This aligns with the requirements of other Hack The Box certifications like the CPTS (Certified Penetration Testing Specialist), which also emphasizes detailed reporting. - The demand for penetration testers with wireless expertise is growing due to the increasing number of wireless networks and connected IoT devices, creating a larger attack surface for businesses. The average salary for a penetration and vulnerability tester in the US was approximately $101,446 in 2022. - The CWNP (Certified Wireless Network Professional) program offers a vendor-neutral certification track for wireless security, including the professional-level Certified Wireless Security Professional (CWSP). The CWSP requires holding the foundational CWNA (Certified Wireless Network Administrator) credential and covers topics like WLAN security audits and Wireless Intrusion Prevention Systems (WIPS). - While WPA3 is an improvement over WPA2, it is not a complete solution to wireless security threats. Even with WPA3, public Wi-Fi hotspots can still be dangerous, and network-layer attacks like ARP poisoning may still be effective. This highlights the continued need for skilled professionals who can identify and mitigate these advanced wireless threats.
