How I Failed and Passed the PNPT Exam as a Blue Team Security Analyst

My Starting Point

Six to seven months ago, I began preparing for the Practical Network Penetration Tester (PNPT) exam from TCM Security. As a blue-team Security Analyst, who loves digital forensics and has no prior pentesting experience, the journey wasn’t easy — but it was incredibly rewarding.

My Preparation Plan (~7 months)

TCM Academy Courses: I completed four core courses (skipping Linux Privilege Escalation):

• Practical Ethical Hacking
• Windows Privilege Escalation
• OSINT Fundamentals
• External Pentest Playbook

I revisited lessons repeatedly until I was confident in the methodology.

Hands‑On Labs: The built-in labs in TCM Academy were solid. To push further, I also completed:

• Sauna on Hack The Box.
• Wreath on TryHackMe.

These labs reinforced pivoting, enumeration, and exploit chaining inside Active Directory environments. Additionally, please practice your tools and know what they can and cannot do. I suggest focus on learn how to pivot, run different nmap scans, run Impacket scripts and CrackMapExec.

My Initial Failures & Lessons Learned

Despite solid prep, my first several PNPT attempts didn’t succeed. I treated it like a CTF — chasing exploits and overcomplicating steps.

I pinpointed three key issues:

• Lack of structured methodology — I hadn’t thoroughly enumerated everything.
• Poor reporting — I missed screenshots, clear command outputs, structured findings, and didn’t follow the Rules of Engagement closely.
• Tired and Stuck — I still forced myself through the exam although I was dead tired. Therefore, please take constant breaks (take a walk, talk to somebody, etc.) and drink plenty of water. Still stuck? Please rewatch the videos from the courses. Remember! Everything you need is in the courses.

What I Changed for Better Results

• Reinforced methodology: Slow, disciplined enumeration processes replacing CTF-style speed hacking.
• Improved documentation: Detailed notes, properly labeled screenshots, clear execution logs.
• Constant breaks: Taking constant breaks helped me clearing my head and restoring energy.
• Report structure: Aligned with TCM’s sample reports — highlighting screenshots, remediation steps, and rule-of-engagement items.
• Debrief rehearsals: Practiced delivering a 15-minute presentation covering external and internal tests with clear remediation guidance.

Why PNPT Matters for Blue‑Team Professionals

Even in a defensive role, offensive knowledge is invaluable:

• Attacker mindset enhances detection and response strategies.
• Proactive defense by knowing how threats operate.
• Improved incident response through understanding lateral movement and escalation paths.

My Ongoing Training Plan

Certification isn’t the endpoint — it’s the foundation. To maintain and grow my skills:

• Red‑team labs: Weekly HTB Active Directory challenges to stay up to date on attack techniques.
• Blue‑team labs: Weekly Sherlock labs on HTB and CyberDefenders exercises.
• Continuous learning: Reading pentester blogs, tracking new tactics, and training hands‑on in both offense and defense.

I try to aim for at least 2 labs per week (~1 red team and ~1 blue team lab) to stay sharp.

Final Thoughts

Failing the PNPT initially was more illuminating than passing — it revealed critical gaps in my methodology and reporting. Addressing these not only earned me the certification but also transformed how I approach cybersecurity.

Why this matters for defenders: developing attacker skills enhances defensive strategy. By understanding enumeration, lateral movement, and privilege escalation, blue-team professionals can more effectively detect, respond to, and mitigate actual threats.

Passing PNPT as a blue-teamer — with no prior pentest background — was immensely empowering. For defenders looking to elevate their craft: view the PNPT not as a CTF, but as a real-world engagement. Embrace detailed enumeration, disciplined documentation, structured reporting, and a calm, methodical mindset. Learning from failure — and applying it — makes you a stronger, more proactive defender.

Additional Resources

Active Directory (AD) Penetration Testing Guide | Pentester Guide by Zishan Ahamed Thandar

0xBEN | Notes

CrackMapExec in Action: Enumerating Windows Networks (Part 1) | by Nairuz Abulhul | R3d Buck3T | Medium