eJPT Walkthrough Guide — INE Junior Pentester | FsKnockouT

The eLearnSecurity Junior Penetration Tester (eJPT), now owned and operated by INE Security, is widely considered the best entry-level practical pentest certification in 2026. Unlike CEH Practical or Security+ practical exercises, eJPT puts you in front of a real network and asks you to prove you can compromise it. This guide covers the exam format, the INE course that trains you, a 60-day study plan, and how FsKnockouT walkthroughs help you prepare.

What eJPT is

eJPT is a 48-hour hands-on practical exam against a custom vulnerable network. You are given scope access and must answer 35 multiple-choice questions by actually compromising machines and finding information on them. Despite the multiple-choice format, you cannot answer the questions without doing the real pentest work — the choices are specific enough that guessing is not viable.

The 2026 eJPT exam was updated with expanded web application testing coverage, improved reconnaissance training, and additional coverage on offensive AI techniques. The exam uses INE's junior-level Penetration Testing Student (PTSv2) course as preparation.

Who eJPT is for

  • Absolute beginners to penetration testing who want a hands-on credential.
  • IT support, sysadmin, or SOC analysts moving into offensive security.
  • Students building an entry-level portfolio before OSCP, PNPT, or CPTS.
  • Career-changers evaluating whether offensive security is a fit before committing to the OSCP+ cost.

Exam format and scoring

48 hours of exam time. The environment contains:

  • Multiple vulnerable machines across one or more subnets.
  • 35 multiple-choice questions you must answer based on information found on those machines.
  • Open-book format — you can reference anything, use any tool.

Passing requires answering at least 70% of questions correctly. Most candidates who complete all compromises answer 90%+ correctly. The remaining miss-rate usually comes from questions requiring specific file contents or flag values you missed during enumeration.

Common failure points

  1. Over-confidence. eJPT has a reputation as "easy" which makes candidates skip preparation. The 2026 exam is substantially harder than the original.
  2. Enumeration shortcuts. Multiple-choice questions reference specific file paths, usernames, or configuration details. Skipping enumeration means missing the answers.
  3. Pivoting unfamiliarity. The exam environment has multiple subnets. Candidates who never practiced pivoting fail to reach half the machines.
  4. Web application neglect. The 2026 update expanded web app coverage. Candidates who focused only on network attacks miss the web-based questions.
  5. Password-cracking rust. Several questions require cracking hashes or password-spraying service accounts. Slow hashcat workflows waste exam time.

Study timeline (6-8 weeks)

  • Weeks 1-3: INE Penetration Testing Student (PTSv2) course. Complete every module including the 2026-added web and recon modules.
  • Week 4: INE labs. Complete every guided lab in the PTSv2 lab environment.
  • Week 5: Hack The Box starter machines plus easy boxes focused on enumeration and basic exploitation.
  • Week 6: TryHackMe pentest paths for exposure to varied challenge styles.
  • Week 7: Pivoting and multi-subnet practice.
  • Week 8: Exam booked.

Recommended practice

FsKnockouT maintains the eJPT Latest Exam Walkthrough covering current-pool scenarios with the 2026 updates included. For candidates ready to level up after eJPT, see eWPT (web) and eWPTX (advanced web).

Frequently asked questions

How much does eJPT cost?

The exam voucher is around $249 USD standalone, or free with INE's Junior Penetration Tester subscription bundle (~$299 USD).

Is eJPT recognised by hiring managers?

Yes, as entry-level. Most hiring managers see eJPT as proof of basic hands-on skill. It does not replace OSCP+, but it is a stronger entry credential than CEH.

How does eJPT compare to OSCP?

eJPT is roughly 30% of OSCP+ difficulty. It is a stepping stone, not an alternative. Most OSCP+ candidates pass eJPT easily.

Can I use ChatGPT during the exam?

Yes. INE's exam policy allows any publicly available tool or documentation, including language models. You may not consult other humans.

What is the pass rate?

INE does not publish a public pass rate. Anecdotally first-attempt rates are around 70-80% — the highest of any respected practical pentest cert.

Can I retake?

Yes. Retake vouchers are available at a discount.

Should I take eJPT before OSCP?

Only if you are genuinely new to pentesting. Candidates with 1+ year of pentest experience can skip directly to OSCP+ or PNPT without eJPT.

Ready to prepare?

Pick up the eJPT walkthrough, message @FsKnockouT on Telegram for live exam support. Related reading: OSCP study guide 2026 and PNPT study guide.