🗒️My OSCP Exam Day Experience
Note: Resources & Tools Valid for Both OSCP and OSCP+
So, here we are—time to share my overall OSCP exam experience: how I prepared, how I handled the exam, and of course, how I celebrated afterward !!!
Pre-Exam Preparations
Before the big day, I made sure I had multiple backup plans in place (because if Murphy’s Law kicks in, I didn’t want to be the victim). Here’s what I had ready:
2 spare laptops – in case my primary one decided to quit on me.
5–6 hours of standby battery backup – because power cuts love showing up at the worst possible time.
Alternative internet connection – my safety net in case the main line gave up.
2–3 copies of fresh Kali Linux images on all machines – you never know when you’ll need to start fresh.
Apart from the technical backup, I also revised all my notes and checklists. And during the exam, I had my favorite playlist running in the background to keep stress and anxiety in check (highly recommended!).
Exam Day Timeline
I scheduled my exam for Sunday, 17th August 2025, 9:30 PM IST. After completing the formalities, I got VPN access and machines around 10:00 PM IST.
I decided to start with the standalone machines first—and trust me, this turned out to be the best decision. Here’s how my timeline went:
17 Aug, 11:30 PM – Got foothold on Standalone Server-1 (10 points)
18 Aug, 12:30 AM – Fully pwned Standalone Server-1 (+10 points → total 20)
Took a break till 2:00 AM with 20 points in hand
18 Aug, 3:00 AM – Foothold on Standalone Server-2 (+10 → total 30)
18 Aug, 3:30 AM – Fully pwned Standalone Server-2 (+10 → total 40)
18 Aug, 5:00 AM – Foothold on Standalone Server-3 (+10 → total 50)
Long break till 11:00 AM, fresh with 50 points secured
18 Aug, 11:30 AM – Fully pwned Standalone Server-3 (+10 → total 60)
18 Aug, 11:45 AM – Pwned AD Machine-1 (+10 → total 70).
At this point, I may or may not have danced around the room.👾🥹
Took a break till 1:00 PM with 70 points secured
Then came the tricky part: setting up a tunnel between the internal network and the DMZ where the DC server was hiding. That little headache kept me busy for almost 3 hours (from 1 PM to 4 PM). The good thing was, I wasn’t panicking — by then I already had 70 points and knew I had technically passed. Still, I didn’t want to just stop there, so I kept poking at it until I finally got it working. Looking back, I’m really glad I started with the standalone machines first. That early boost gave me the points (and the confidence) to stay calm when things got messy later.
18 Aug, 6:00 PM – Pwned AD Machine-2 (+10 → total 80 points).
At this stage, I had officially passed with a comfortable margin. With about 3 hours left, I decided to double-check all my PoCs, and flag submissions. By 8:30 PM, I wrapped up the exam—1.5 hours early—and finally got some much-needed sleep. 💤
During the exam, I managed to root most of the machines, but I missed the Domain Controller server machine. I believe I had identified the vulnerability that could have been exploited for full control, but at that point I chose to focus on the reporting part instead.
By the end, my mental state wasn’t great—I hadn’t had proper sleep for more than 30 hours, and I couldn’t think clearly anymore. So I decided to end the exam about 1.5 hours early and finally get some much-needed rest. That way, I could tackle the report writing the next day with fresh mind, focus and energy.
Post-Exam Reporting
On 19th August, I sat down to craft my full exam report—and let me tell you, this part is just as important as the hacking itself. Many people underestimate it, but the report is what OffSec actually reviews, so it deserves proper time and attention.
Here are a few things I’d highly recommend keeping in mind:
Take the report seriously. Don’t rush it — I spent about 4–5 hours polishing mine. It’s what they actually grade, so treat it like part of the exam.
Use a template you understand. I used OffSec’s report template because it’s straightforward, but you can use whatever report template you like.
Write steps someone else could follow. For every flag, list the commands and steps clearly — imagine you’re teaching a friend how to reproduce it.
Keep PoCs tidy. Put screenshots and commands in the exact order you ran them. No jumping around — make the flow obvious.
Proofread twice. Check screenshots, command snippets, and formatting. Small mistakes can make a PoC hard to follow.
I completed and submitted my report to the OffSec portal around 3–4 PM IST on 19th August. The official line was that results could take up to 15 business days. But to my surprise, the very next day—20th August at 1 PM IST—I received the results email from OffSec:
✅ Passed! 🎓 Earned my OSCP and OSCP+ certifications!
And then... the celebrations began! 🍕🥂
Final Thoughts and Advice
The OSCP exam was intense but manageable with the right mindset, preparation, and backups (lots of backups). Having a plan for both technical and mental challenges made all the difference.
To anyone preparing: stay calm, take breaks, keep your notes handy, and don’t forget to enjoy the journey (and your victory dance when you pwn that first AD machine).
Hacker's Mantra: Information is power. But like all power, there are those who want to keep it for themselves. — Anonymous
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