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Intro

FYI, I just finished my first Certified Red Team Analyst (CRTA) practical exam with a focus on web security and Active Directory. Got it on sale original price was $99, but I snagged it for just$ 9. The format recently shifted to a 6‑hour CTF style exam (Capture The Flag challenges) since June 4, 2025. Here’s how it went down.

📝 Exam Overview

Format: Fully hands‑on, CTF‑style; six hours to solve multiple flags .

Scope: Labs emulate real‑world attack chain across internal/external targets.

Focus Areas:

Network Discovery
Web App Analysis (LFI)
SSH Access
Active Directory (info gathering, creds, escalation)

Objective: Capture flags at each stage through enumeration, exploitation, and AD pivoting.

🧰 Tools I Used

Here’s my main toolkit: nmap, gobuster, curl, ssh, netexec, impacket, evil‑winrm. I used them in a logical flow that mirrors real attacks:

Network Discovery

nmap to scan for live hosts & open services

Web App Recon + LFI

gobuster for directories
curl to test and exploit file inclusion

SSH Access

Extracted creds → ssh into webserver

AD Enumeration & Cred Dump

Used impacket on DC to extract NTDS.dit and creds

Pivot & WinRM

evil-winrm for lateral movement using found hashes or creds

Privilege Escalation → Domain Admin

Used pass‑the‑hash and DCSync to escalate to DA

That flow matches the course’s attack chain: from recon to Domain Admin but I’m not giving you every step. Just the core stages my guide covered in the lab.

⚙️ Exam Attack Chain (covered topics)

Network Recon
Web Exploitation
Access & Privilege Escalation
Credential Harvesting
Domain Control

🧠 Exam Strategy

Start fast with nmap + gobuster + curl to find entry points.
Document everything screenshots + commands. You’ll need ‘em for proof/flags.
Pivot ASAP. That evil-winrm shell can open doors in AD.
6 hours is plenty. I wrapped it in ~3. take your time, but don’t overthink

💸 Pricing & Value

Regular: $99
Got it for: $9 (discount deal, i found it on linkedin)
Labs include: 30 days access, PDF + video content, plus two exam attempt.

✅ Final Thoughts

Super beginner‑friendly for real web + AD workflows.
The new 6‑hr CTF format is intense but feels legit.
Docs and videos sync well with the labs.
For the price and hands‑on experience, especially if you caught a discount big win.

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TL;DR

If you’re gonna start with real‑world red teaming, esp. web + AD, this is a great first step. Walks you through a full attack chain, teaches real tools + techniques, keeps it hands‑on, and won’t cost you much (especially with promos).

👍 Tips for Future Test‑Takers

Practice the labs repeatedly understand not just how something works, but why.
Take breaks before the exam start fresh and focused.
Stay calm this exam rewards logic over guessing.

Certified Red Team Analyst (CRTA) — Review & Exam Guide