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Certified
Offensive AI Expert
(HTB COAE)

Includes 12 instructor-led training sessions + HTB hands-on labs

A practical, lab-driven offensive AI certification training that builds real-world capability in securing and exploiting AI systems through structured methodology and guided adversarial scenarios.

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In collaboration with:

This training is delivered through custom-built, guided training by Cyber Helmets, enriched with Hack The Box Academy’s sophisticated labs and curated content.

Key takeaways:

  • Identify and exploit vulnerabilities in modern AI systems, including large language models and generative AI applications.
  • Gain hands-on experience in adversarial AI and AI red teaming through realistic, lab-driven scenarios.
  • Apply a structured offensive methodology to assess, validate, and report AI security risks.
  • Understand emerging threats across the AI ecosystem, from model pipelines to autonomous agents.

Level:
Entry to
Intermediate

Duration:
6 weeks
(8h/week)

Who this course is designed for

This course supports professionals aiming to develop strong, real-world offensive AI security skills through guided practice, structured methodologies, and advanced hands-on labs. It is ideal for those seeking to understand, assess, and exploit vulnerabilities in modern AI systems while preparing for skills-focused certification in adversarial AI and AI red teaming.

AI security professionals and penetration testers seeking practical expertise in assessing and exploiting vulnerabilities in AI-driven applications and large language models.

Red teamers, adversarial machine learning researchers, and ethical hackers looking to expand their capabilities in AI red teaming, prompt injection, and model manipulation.

Application security engineers, developers, and DevSecOps professionals aiming to understand AI attack surfaces, secure AI integrations, and strengthen the resilience of AI-powered systems.

Certified Offensive AI Expert 

(HTB COAE)

The HTB Certified Offensive AI Expert (COAE) certification validates hands-on expertise in assessing and exploiting vulnerabilities in modern AI systems. It focuses on adversarial AI, large language model (LLM) exploitation, and AI red teaming, equipping professionals with the skills to identify, test, and secure AI-driven technologies.

The training follows the official Hack The Box Academy pathway, ensuring learners gain the knowledge and practical experience required to succeed in the exam and apply their skills in real-world environments.

Skills you'll develop:

> Offensive AI security methodologies and structured testing approaches

> Reconnaissance and threat modeling of AI-powered systems

> Prompt injection, jailbreak techniques, and LLM exploitation

> Exploitation of generative AI and large language model vulnerabilities

> Adversarial machine learning techniques, including model evasion and data poisoning

> Attacking AI agents, RAG pipelines, and AI integrations

> Identifying risks across AI supply chains, training data, and model deployments

> Bypassing AI guardrails, filters, and safety mechanisms

> Validating vulnerabilities and assessing real-world impact

Delivery format:

> Live, instructor-led sessions
> Hands-on exercises using Hack The Box Academy labs
> Real-world attack simulations and scenarios
> Structured modules aligned with the COAE certification
> Interactive discussions and guided walkthroughs

What's included:

>Instructor-led live online sessionsaligned with offensive AI security methodologies

> Access to HTB labs

> Exam voucher includes two (2) exam attempts.

> Course materials such as slides, links to further reading, code snippets, lab exercises, etc.

> HTB Offensive AI Expert Certification after successfully passing the exam.

FAQs:

Accordion Content

The HTB Certified Offensive AI Expert (COAE) is an advanced, hands-on certification from Hack The Box that validates expertise in assessing and exploiting vulnerabilities in modern AI systems. It focuses on adversarial AI, large language model (LLM) exploitation, and AI red teaming in real-world environments.

This training is ideal for penetration testers, red teamers, AI security professionals, application security engineers, and developers seeking to build offensive capabilities in securing AI-driven technologies.

Participants will gain practical skills in adversarial AI, prompt injection, LLM exploitation, AI red teaming, and identifying vulnerabilities across AI pipelines, agents, and integrations through hands-on labs and structured methodologies.

Yes. The course is fully aligned with the Hack The Box Academy pathway and prepares participants for the HTB Certified Offensive AI Expert (COAE) exam.

Participants are recommended to have a foundational understanding of cybersecurity, penetration testing, scripting, and basic artificial intelligence or machine learning concepts. Familiarity with web technologies and Python is beneficial but not mandatory.

Absolutely. The course includes practical exercises delivered through Hack The Box Academy labs, enabling participants to apply offensive AI techniques in realistic scenarios.

The training is conducted as live, instructor-led online sessions, combining expert guidance, interactive discussions, and hands-on lab exercises.

Yes. The training includes an official exam voucher with two attempts for the HTB Certified Offensive AI Expert (COAE) certification.

Yes. Cyber Helmets offers this course as a private, instructor-led program tailored to organizational needs, team objectives, and specific AI security requirements.

Cyber Helmets transforms AI security training into measurable capability. Through instructor-led guidance, hands-on Hack The Box labs, and a structured, outcomes-driven methodology, professionals gain the expertise to assess, exploit, and secure modern AI systems with confidence. Designed by field practitioners and aligned with real-world threats, the program equips teams with practical skills that translate directly into operational readiness and business impact.

Syllabus:

Intro to GCP

  • GCP Hierarchy
  • Google Workspace
  • gcloud config
  • Basic Hacking Techniques

Exploitation of GCP Services

  • IAM
  • KMS
  • Secrets 
  • Storage
  • Compute Instances & VPC
  • Cloud Functions
  • CloudSQL
  • Pub/Sub
  • App Engine
  • Google APIs
  • Cloud Shell

Methodologies

  • White box

Security Services

  • GCP Logging & Monitoring

Syllabus:

Intro to AWS

  • AWS Organization
  • AWS Principals
  • Basic Hacking Techniques

Exploitation of AWS Services

  • IAM
  • STS
  • KMS
  • Secrets Manager
  • S3
  • EC2 & VPC
  • Lambda
  • RDS
  • SQS
  • SNS

Methologies

  • White box

Common Detection Mechanisms

  • CloudTrail

Syllabus:

Azure Basics

  • Azure Organization
  • Entra ID
  • Azure Tokens & APIs
  • Basic Enumeration Tools

 

Exploitation of Azure Services

  • Entra ID IAM
  • Azure IAM
  • Azure Applications
  • Azure Key Vault
  • Azure Virtual Machine & Networking
  • Storage Accounts
  • Azure File Share
  • Azure Table Storage
  • Azure SQL Database
  • Azure MySQL & PostgreSQL
  • Azure CosmosDB
  • Azure App Service
  • Basic Azure Research Technique
  • Azure Function Apps
  • Static Web Apps
  • Azure Container Registry
  • Azure Container
  • Instances, Apps & Jobs
  • Azure Queue
  • Azure Service Bus
  • Azure Automation Account
  • Azure Logic Apps
  • Azure Cloud Shell
  • Azure Virtual Desktop

 

Methologies

  • White box
  • Black box
  • Pivoting between Entra ID & AD

 

Common Detection Mechanisms

  • Azure & Entra ID Logging & Monitoring
  • Microsoft Sentinel
  • Microsoft Defender for Cloud & Microsoft Defender EASM

Fundamentals and Setup

  1. Overview of Android’s architecture and ecosystem dynamics.
  2. Exploration of security features native to Android using Java, Kotlin, C++, and Rust.
  3. Mobile Application Threat Model
    a) Differences between mobile and web application threat models.
    b) Applying threat modeling techniques specifically to mobile applications.
    c) Case studies highlighting potential threats and vulnerabilities.
    d) How do we secure and test cross platform apps (e.g. ReactNative, Xamarin, etc).
  4. Introduction to industry mobile security standards
    a) OWASP Mobile Application Security (MAS) project
    b) Effective usage of the Mobile Application Security Verification Standard (MASVS).
    c) Effective usage of the Mobile Security Testing Guide (MSTG).
    d) Overview of the OWASP top 10 for mobile.
  5. Setting up and preparing a mobile security testing lab
    a) Configuration of industry-standard tools and guidance on their appropriate use.
    b) Setup of virtual mobile devices using Corellium, including its advantages.
    c) Introductory exercises to familiarize with the tools.
  6. Secure Coding Overview
    a) Exercises to identify vulnerabilities in code examples
    b) Discussion of the appropriate mechanisms for remediation
    c) Practical session on remediation and re-testing the app
  7. Secure storage
    a) Overview of application storage mechanisms.
    b) Introduction to cryptographic storage solutions on Android.

Advanced Techniques and Practical Application

  • Mobile penetration testing methodology
    a) Methodologies used in real-world scenarios with practical tips and tricks.
  • Identifying issues with backend APIs
    a) Examination of client-side trust issues.
    b) Analysis of insecure communications including certificate validation and pinning.
  • Cryptography in Android apps
    a) Utilization of Android’s Crypto APIs.
    b) Implementation of native cryptography using libraries like libnacl and OpenSSL.
    c) Management of cryptographic keys.
  • Authentication and Authorization
    a) Testing client-side authentication mechanisms, including secure usage of biometrics.
    b) Strategies to detect and bypass authentication flaws.
    c) Security measures for API authentication.
  • Android IPC
    a) Detailed exploration of Intents, deep links, Binders/services, and broadcast receivers.
  • Webviews
    a) Identifying and resolving common security issues in Android Webview configurations.
  • Software Composition Analysis (SBOM)
    a) Techniques to determine the components of an Android app.
    b) Identifying known vulnerabilities within these components.
  • Mobile Device Management (MDM)
    a) Introduction to Mobile Device Management: definition, core features, and its role in enhancing organizational security.
    b) Discussion on the benefits and practical applications of MDM in controlling and securing mobile devices across an enterprise.
  • Mobile Application Management (MAM)
    a) Overview of Mobile Application Management: what it entails and its significance in enterprise environments.
    b) Exploration of how MAM contributes to managing and securing applications specifically, detailing its utility for enterprise security strategies.

Advanced Techniques and Practical Application

  • Mobile penetration testing methodology
    a) Methodologies used in real-world scenarios with practical tips and tricks.
  • Identifying issues with backend APIs
    a) Examination of client-side trust issues.
    b) Analysis of insecure communications including App Transport Security issues & certificate pinning.
  • Cryptography in IOS apps
    a) Utilization of iOS’s CryptoKit & CommonCrypto APIs.
    b) Implementation of native cryptography using libraries like libnacl and OpenSSL.
    c) Management of cryptographic keys and leveraging the secure enclave.
  • Authentication and Authorization
    a) Testing client-side authentication mechanisms, including secure usage of Local Authentication (biometrics).
    b) Strategies to detect and bypass authentication flaws.
    c) Security measures for API authentication.
    d) Using Device Check and App Attest
  • iOS IPC
    a) Detailed exploration of URL schemes, deep (universal) links, and extensions.
  • Webviews
    a) Identifying and resolving common security issues in iOS Webview configurations.
  • Software Composition Analysis (SBOM)
    a) Techniques to determine the components of an iOS app.
    b) Identifying known vulnerabilities within these components.
  • Implementing App Integrity
    a) What to look for
    b) How to implement
  • Mobile Device Management (MDM)
    a) Introduction to Mobile Device Management: definition, core features, and its role in enhancing organizational security.
    b) Discussion on the benefits and practical applications of MDM in controlling and securing mobile devices across an enterprise.
  • Mobile Application Management (MAM)
    a) Overview of Mobile Application Management: what it entails and its significance in enterprise environments.
    b) Exploration of how MAM contributes to managing and securing applications specifically, detailing its utility for enterprise security strategies.

Fundamentals & Setup

  1. Overview of iOS’s architecture and ecosystem dynamics.
  2. Exploration of security features native to to iOS using Objective-C, Swift, and C(++).
  3. Mobile Application Threat Model
    a) Differences between mobile and web application threat models.
    b) Applying threat modeling techniques specifically to mobile applications.
    c) Case studies highlighting potential threats and vulnerabilities.
    d) How do we secure and test cross platform apps (e.g. ReactNative, Xamarin, etc).
  4. Introduction to industry mobile security standards
    a) OWASP Mobile Application Security (MAS) project
    b) Effective usage of the Mobile Application Security Verification Standard (MASVS).
    c) Effective usage of the Mobile Security Testing Guide (MSTG).
    d) Overview of the OWASP top 10 for mobile.
  5. Setting up and preparing a mobile security testing lab
    a) Configuration of industry-standard tools and guidance on their appropriate use.
    b) Setup of virtual mobile devices using Corellium, including its advantages.
    c) Introductory exercises to familiarize with the tools.
  6. Secure Coding Overview
    a) Exercises to identify vulnerabilities in iOS code examples
    b) Discussion of the appropriate mechanisms for remediation
    c) Practical session on remediation and re-testing the app
  7. Secure storage
    a) Overview of application storage mechanisms.
    b) Introduction to cryptographic storage solutions on iOS.