What is the Certified Penetration Testing Specialist?

The Certified Penetration Testing Specialist is a globally recognised professional certification by the Global Leadership Institute (GLI), designed to equip professionals with advanced competencies in Soft Skills & Personal Dev..

How long does this certification take?

The programme is 10 Weeks and can be completed at your own pace through our self-paced online option, or alongside live virtual sessions.

Is this certification globally recognised?

Yes. GLI certifications are internationally recognised and carry CPD credits, making them valuable for career advancement worldwide.

What level is this certification?

This is a Intermediate Level certification, suitable for professionals with relevant experience or background in the field.

You can enrol by emailing info@certifications.ac, contacting us via WhatsApp at +254 722 223 084, or filling the enrolment form below.

Certified Penetration Testing Specialist (CPTS) | Online Certification

Executive Summary

Certified Penetration Testing Specialist

Designed for today’s high-impact professionals, the Certified Penetration Testing Specialist (CPTS) delivers a rigorous Intermediate-level curriculum that equips participants with the knowledge, tools and frameworks needed to excel in security risk management, physical protection and investigations.

This 10 Weeks programme is structured around ASIS, ISO and recognised security-management standards, ensuring every graduate applies internationally validated methods to real-world challenges.

GLI’s CPTS holders are recognised by leading organisations across Africa, the Gulf, Europe and the Americas as qualified, results-driven professionals. Whether you are advancing your current career or transitioning into new responsibilities, this certification provides the competitive edge you need in 2026 and beyond.

Programme Overview

Certification at a Glance

Certification

Certified Penetration Testing Specialist

Acronym

CPTS

Who Should Enrol?

Security Officers and Supervisors
Security Managers and Consultants
Investigators and Intelligence Analysts
Loss Prevention and Protection Specialists

Programme Inclusions

Everything Included in Your Enrolment

All study materials and study guide
Access to GLI online learning portal
Online examination and assessment
Digital certificate and digital badge
Physical certificate (shipped to you)
CPD credits for professional bodies
GLI alumni network membership
Facilitator and tutor support
Resource downloads and reference library
Automatic enrolment confirmation

Certification Benefits

Why This Certification Matters for Your Career

Career Advancement

Accelerate your career towards senior security-management and CSO roles

Professional Recognition

Credential aligned with ASIS, ISO and recognised security-management standards

Leadership Capability

Develop the strategic and operational skills to lead complex security risk management functions

Organisational Impact

Design and implement security risk management systems that drive performance and measurable results

Compliance Readiness

Master the standards, compliance and ethical governance central to security risk management

Global Employability

Qualify for security risk management roles across multinationals, NGOs and international organisations worldwide

Competency Framework

Core Competencies You Will Develop

✦Reconnaissance Methodologies

✦Web Application Testing

✦Privilege Escalation

✦Cloud Environment Testing

✦Persistence Detection

✦Risk-Ranked Reporting

Course Curriculum

Programme Modules

The full programme, module by module.

Core CurriculumModules 1–20 · specific to Certified Penetration Testing Specialist · module 20 is the capstone

1

Advanced Penetration Testing Foundations

Security assessment, vulnerability management and remediation · Security principles and protective concepts · The security profession, roles and standards

2

Reconnaissance Methodologies

Security operations: monitoring, incident response and recovery · The HR business partner role and mandate · Facilitation and difficult conversations

3

Vulnerability Discovery

Security assessment, vulnerability management and remediation · Sustaining and measuring change · Confidentiality and handling sensitive data

4

Network Enumeration

Financial analysis, modelling and valuation · Conflicts of interest and integrity · Corporate governance and HR’s role

5

Web Application Testing

Software delivery: requirements, iteration and technical quality · Integrated and sustainability reporting · Diagnosis and evidence gathering

6

API Security Testing

Security fundamentals: assets, threats and proportionate control · Implementation and change plan · Data protection and employee privacy

7

Authentication Assessment

Organisational maturity, assessment and improvement programmes · Management accounts and dashboards · Budget vs actual and variance

8

Privilege Escalation

Identity, access management and the zero-trust shift · Contract oversight in the public sector · Community and tenant engagement

9

Exploitation Chains

ESG in supply chains: due diligence and human rights · Lessons learned and knowledge management · Professional documentation and presentation

10

Wireless Assessments

Taxation: obligations, computation and dispute · Change management models (Kotter, ADKAR, Lewin) · Absence, capability and ill-health management

11

Cloud Environment Testing

Cloud, infrastructure and the operating decisions behind them · Organisational design and development interventions · Collective relations and union engagement

12

Container Security Assessment

Credit assessment and lending decisions · Sourcing strategies and portfolio (Kraljic) · Negotiation strategy and planning

13

Post-Exploitation Analysis

Climate risk: physical, transition and scenario analysis · Onboarding and time to productivity · Process automation and workflow

14

Persistence Detection

Detection, red-flag analysis and forensic data analytics · Influencing and security awareness · Managing sensitive communications

15

Evidence Management

Forensic accounting and financial investigation · Culture change and behaviour embedding · Continuous improvement and lean HR

16

Technical Findings

Internal audit: assurance, independence and adding value · Applicant tracking systems and recruitment analytics · HR metrics, KPIs and the HR scorecard

17

Risk-Ranked Reporting

Enterprise risk: appetite, registers and what makes controls real · Headcount budgeting and establishment control · Employer branding and employee value proposition (EVP)

18

Remediation Validation

Security assessment, vulnerability management and remediation · Health, safety and compliance in delivery · Project budgeting and financial control

19

Penetration Test Quality Assurance

Quality management: prevention, conformance and the cost of getting it wrong · Exit, offboarding and organisational memory · Service analytics and dashboards

20

Advanced Penetration Testing Capstone

Software delivery: requirements, iteration and technical quality · Flexible and hybrid working design · Digital HR and the employee experience platform

Professional ElectivesModules 21–30 · common to all GLI certifications · broaden your professional range

21

Strategic Communication and Executive Presentation

Audience-centred communication and message structure · Presentation design: architecture, visuals and data · Public speaking: rhetoric, delivery and managing anxiety

22

Leadership and Team Effectiveness

Leadership and management: two jobs, one role · Building teams: roles, norms and re-forming after change · Delegation levels and the authority-accountability match

23

Analytical Thinking and Evidence-Based Reasoning

Structuring information: patterns, comparison and synthesis · Evidence, sources and the correlation trap · Reasoning with data: statistics, metrics and misleading figures

24

Professional Decision-Making

Decision quality: criteria, alternatives and trade-offs · Decision frameworks: criteria, weighting and trade-offs · Decision governance: authority, documentation and review

25

Negotiation, Influence and Stakeholder Management

Negotiation: preparation, interests and value creation · Influence and persuasion: credibility, framing and ethics · Deadlock, difficult counterparts and negotiation ethics

26

Project and Execution Management

Project start-up: mobilisation in the first ninety days · Change adoption: making a strategy stick in practice · Planning, scheduling and personal workflow systems

27

Financial Literacy for Professionals

Reading the numbers: what financial statements tell a manager · Budgets, costs and the money conversation · Strategic finance: cash, capital structure and value creation

28

Digital Skills, AI and Technology for Professionals

Working with AI tools professionally · Working with data: quality, interpretation and honest presentation · Everyday security: information, devices and social engineering

29

Ethics, Governance and Professional Accountability

Values, ethical judgement and tolerated behaviour · Governance and accountability for the professional · Accountability, initiative and professional reputation

30

Personal Effectiveness, Productivity and Career Growth

Priority: outcomes, importance and the urgency trap · Attention, focus and the cost of interruption · Career development, adaptability and personal reinvention

Every module opens in the learning portal with its full lesson set, worked examples, further reading and video masterclasses. 30 modules · 150 lessons.

Learning Outcomes

What You Will Achieve

Reconnaissance Methodologies — applied to your own work
Vulnerability Discovery — applied to your own work
Network Enumeration — applied to your own work
Web Application Testing — applied to your own work
API Security Testing — applied to your own work
Authentication Assessment — applied to your own work

Enrolment Process

How to Get Certified

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Step 1: Choose Your Certification

You are viewing Certified Penetration Testing Specialist — one of GLI's 1,990+ globally recognised professional certifications.

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Step 2: Enrol & Pay Online — Instantly

Click Enrol & Study Online to register and pay securely via Paystack, Visa, Mastercard, M-Pesa or bank transfer. Access is granted the moment payment is confirmed.

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Step 3: Study in the GLI Learning Portal

Work through 30 structured modules and 150 lessons at your own pace, with downloadable resources and expert-designed content — all inside the LMS.

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Step 4: Pass, Get Certified & Verified

Sit your final examination online, earn your certificate instantly, and receive a globally verifiable Certificate ID — plus GLI Alumni Network access.

🎓 Enrol & Study Online — Instant Access

Secure checkout · Instant LMS access · Globally verifiable certificate

Frequently Asked Questions

Common Questions

What is the CPTS certification?

The Certified Penetration Testing Specialist is a professional certification awarded by the Global Leadership Institute. It covers 20 core modules specific to Penetration Testing Specialist, culminating in the capstone “Advanced Penetration Testing Capstone”, plus 10 professional elective modules common to all GLI certifications. Candidates study through the online portal, submit the capstone project and sit a final examination; those who pass receive a verifiable certificate carrying a unique certificate ID.

Who should enrol in the CPTS?

This certification is ideal for Security Officers and Supervisors, Security Managers and Consultants, Investigators and Intelligence Analysts and Loss Prevention and Protection Specialists, and other professionals seeking to formalise their expertise in security risk management, physical protection and investigations with a globally recognised credential.

How long does the CPTS certification take to complete?

The programme is structured over 10 Weeks and offers flexible learning modes. Self-paced learners can progress at their own schedule, while live virtual participants follow a structured cohort schedule with facilitator-led sessions.

Is the CPTS internationally recognised?

Yes. GLI certifications are recognised across 100+ countries and are aligned with ASIS, ISO and recognised security-management standards. Graduates receive a digital certificate, a physical certificate and CPD credits recognised by employers worldwide.

What is the cost of the CPTS certification?

The Certified Penetration Testing Specialist is offered in two formats: Self-Paced at USD 349 and Live Virtual at USD 549. Corporate group rates are available for organisations enrolling 5 or more participants. Contact GLI for a bespoke corporate training quotation.

What does the CPTS certification include?

Enrolment includes all study materials and study guides, access to GLI's online learning portal, online examination, digital certificate and badge, physical certificate (posted), CPD credits, GLI alumni network membership, and ongoing facilitator support.

What is the assessment format for the CPTS?

The Certified Penetration Testing Specialist is assessed through an online examination consisting of multiple-choice questions, case study analysis, and practical application assignments. The assessment is designed to evaluate real-world competency, not just theoretical recall.

What CPD credits do I earn from the CPTS?

The Certified Penetration Testing Specialist carries Continuing Professional Development (CPD) credits, which can be applied towards professional body requirements including recognised international professional associations.

Can I study the CPTS while working full-time?

Absolutely. The self-paced option is designed for busy working professionals and allows you to study when and where it suits you. Live virtual sessions are typically scheduled in the evenings or on weekends to accommodate professional commitments.

What career outcomes can I expect from the CPTS?

Graduates progress towards senior security-management and CSO roles. The CPTS strengthens your expertise in security risk management, physical protection and investigations and positions you for advancement across multinationals, NGOs and international organisations.

Graduate Voices

What Our Alumni Say

“

The curriculum was directly applicable to my daily work. I immediately applied what I learned and saw results within weeks of completing the programme.

HR Director

Private Sector

“

GLI's certification is the most practical professional programme I have attended. The international frameworks gave me credibility with my employer and clients.

People Manager

NGO Sector

“

I earned my CPTS while working full-time. The self-paced format made it possible, and the quality of the content is genuinely world-class.

Talent Lead

Government

Certified Penetration Testing Specialist

Certified Penetration Testing Specialist

Certification at a Glance

Who Should Enrol?

Everything Included in Your Enrolment

Why This Certification Matters for Your Career

Core Competencies You Will Develop

Programme Modules

What You Will Achieve

How to Get Certified

Common Questions

What Our Alumni Say

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