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Cert Atlas

Career paths

Each track below runs from entry to expert. You don't need every rung: one cert per level, matched to the job you want next, beats a stack of overlapping badges.

Offensive Security

Pentesting, red teaming, web exploitation, exploit development and AI red teaming.

  1. Entry

    Typical roles: Junior Red Team Analyst; Ethical Hacker / Junior Penetration Tester; Wireless Penetration Tester; Junior Penetration Tester, and more

    CRTA CEH OSWP eJPT TryHackMe PT1 HackTheBox CJCA
  2. Intermediate

    Typical roles: Penetration Tester; Active Directory Pentester / Junior Red Teamer; Web Application Penetration Tester; Penetration Tester / Vulnerability Analyst, and more

    OSCP HackTheBox CPTS CRTP OSWA CompTIA PenTest+ eCPPT TCM PNPT HackTheBox CWES CRTO BSCP GPEN CARTP
  3. Advanced

    Typical roles: Red Team Operator; Red Team Operator / Senior Penetration Tester; Exploit Developer / Vulnerability Researcher; AI Red Teamer / AI Security Engineer, and more

    CRTE OSEP OSED OSAI HackTheBox CAPE TryHackMe PT2 OSWE
  4. Expert

    Typical roles: AI Red Teamer; Red Team Lead / Senior Operator; Senior Exploit Developer; Senior Web Pentester / AppSec Researcher

    HackTheBox COAE CRTL OSEE HackTheBox CWEE
Compare all offensive certs side by side

Defensive Security

SOC analysis, incident response, threat hunting, DFIR and detection engineering.

  1. Entry

    Typical roles: SOC Analyst (Tier 1); Security Analyst / Security Administrator; Junior SOC Analyst / Cybersecurity Associate; IT / Security Associate (Microsoft stack), and more

    BTL1 TryHackMe SAL1 CompTIA Security+ Google Cybersecurity Microsoft SC-900 ISC2 CC CCDL1
  2. Intermediate

    Typical roles: SOC Analyst / Incident Responder; SOC Analyst (Tier 2) / Incident Responder; SOC Analyst / Threat Intelligence Analyst; AI Security Analyst / Security Engineer, and more

    HackTheBox CDSA TryHackMe SAL2 CompTIA CySA+ CompTIA SecAI+ SPLK-5001 OSDA GCIH Microsoft SC-200
  3. Advanced

    Typical roles: Threat Hunter / SOC Analyst (Tier 2–3); SOC Analyst (Tier 2) / DFIR Analyst; Security Architect / Senior Security Engineer

    BTL2 CCDL2 CompTIA SecurityX
Compare all defensive certs side by side

Want the path drawn for you?

Coaching & cert roadmaps

One-to-one guidance and a roadmap built around your background, target role and timeline, so you stop guessing which cert comes next.

Career switchers and anyone stuck choosing between paths.

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Structured learning tracks

Membership with role- and cert-based learning tracks: roadmaps, cheat sheets, assessments, exclusive writeups and member pricing on notes.

Learners who want a sequenced plan and steady progress.

Join the learning tracks