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Certified Web Exploitation Specialist
(HTB CWES)

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

A practical, lab-driven web penetration testing certification training that builds real capability in modern web exploitation through structured methodology and guided real-world 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.

What you’ll gain:

  • The ability to identify and exploit real-world vulnerabilities across modern web applications and frameworks
  • Practical experience using attacker logic to bypass controls, chain flaws, and escalate impact
  • A reliable methodology for assessing web targets, validating findings, and producing clear technical output
  • Gain the technical depth and practical readiness needed for the HTB Web Exploitation Specialist hands-on exam

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 web exploitation skills through guided practice, methodology reinforcement, and advanced lab work. It’s ideal for those entering offensive security, expanding their application-security understanding, or preparing for skills-focused certification in modern web exploitation.

Junior web application penetration testers and early-career offensive-security professionals seeking practical, real-world exploitation skills

Entry-level bug bounty hunters and AppSec learners who want to deepen their attacker methodology through structured lab practice

Web developers or security analysts looking to understand exploitation paths, strengthen secure-coding insight, or transition toward red teaming

HTB Certified Web Exploitation Specialist 

(HTB CEWS)

The HTB CWES certification validates practical expertise in web application exploitation through a fully hands-on assessment. Learners follow the structured Web Attacker path in HTB Academy and complete a practical exam designed around realistic targets, multi-step attack flows, filter bypasses, and evidence-based reporting. This certification demonstrates the ability to analyze, exploit, and communicate complex web vulnerabilities with structure and technical precision.

Skills you'll develop:

> Web exploitation processes and structured testing methodology

> Reconnaissance and enumeration of modern web environments

> Exploiting authentication, session, and access-control weaknesses

> Attacking business logic and discovering multi-step abuse paths

> Manual exploitation and advanced vulnerability chaining

> Validating findings and assessing real impact

> Bypassing filters, crafting payloads, and adapting exploits

> Post-exploitation techniques in web application contexts

> Producing clear vulnerability reports and technical communication

How the training works:

>Instructor-led live online sessions aligned to real pentesting methodology

> 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 Web Exploitation Specialist Certification after successfully passing the exam.

FAQs:

Accordion Content

Yes. The HTB CWES certification is accessible to beginners who have basic web-application and penetration-testing fundamentals. The Web Penetration Tester job-role path in HTB Academy is designed to guide new learners step by step, building the core concepts and hands-on skills needed for the exam.

More experienced professionals also benefit from CWES, as the training covers realistic exploitation scenarios, new attack techniques, and practical workflows that can be applied directly in penetration testing, bug hunting, or web-defense roles.

A certification is not a mandatory prerequisite to become a Web Penetration Tester or practice any other cybersecurity role, but a great asset if you are looking to learn new skills in a structured way and prove your knowledge to potential employers. Here is our take:

  • IT Security certifications do not define an individual, but they verify their skills for a specific job role.
  • A well structured and highly practical training program that results in a certification can greatly flatten the steep learning curve related to cybersecurity topics/domains and also provide you with hands-on experience.
  • A certification from a credible cybersecurity certification vendor could be used to prove to a potential employer that both your skills and professionalism have been successfully put to the test.
  • A certification can be an incentive to remain on track and focussed during your studying.

Hack The Box is a trusted, highly respected, and community-backed IT security training vendor, with a long history in the domain. The training standards of the company are set quite high and this applies to all offerings, machines, challenges, Pro Labs, and now, the certifications.

Through the years, Hack The Box has been a training partner of major organisations, government/military agencies, and academic institutions worldwide. We plan to continue being a trusted training partner, and also provide certification services from now on, while retaining the same level of content-excellence, quality, and integrity.

HTB Certified Web Exploitation Specialist (HTB CWES) is a certification for individuals who want to obtain technical competency in the web application penetration testing and bug bounty hunting domains.

The following is a list of prerequisites for a successful outcome:

  • Interpreting a letter of engagement and having intermediate knowledge around web application, web service and API penetration testing
  • Knowledge around web application, web service and API underpinnings
  • Conducting web application/web service static and dynamic analysis
  • Conducting web application, web service and API vulnerability identification and analysis
  • Conducting manual and automated exploitation of various vulnerability classes
  • Professionally communicating and reporting vulnerabilities

Participants have access to a dedicated support team for any technical issues, as well as access to instructors during designated office hours for questions related to the course material. Additionally, you can reach out to your instructor during office hours for personalized assistance.

The course includes simulated real-world scenarios in a controlled lab environment. You will not be conducting tests on live, unauthorized systems, but you will gain the skills needed to perform real-world penetration tests in a professional setting.

Unfortunately we don’t record our sessions therefore you’ll need to catch up with the rest of the group. The support team can help you to catch up with the previous sessions and guide you on the materials that you need to read.

No, all individuals who desire to obtain HTB CWES must complete the entire Web Penetration Tester job-role path. Each module comes with its own hands-on exercises and skills assessment (at the end) that you must complete to prove your understanding of the presented topics, before going for the exam.

HTB certifications are on Credly! By the time you successfully complete the HTB CWES exam and claim your certificate, CWES’s digital badge will arrive on your email. Accept it and share it on your social media, so that third parties can verify your obtained skills!

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.