Hi MrTuxracer,

Welcome to the forums. Great background! Your experience in programming will help you out big time. Looks like a solid track you've set up for yourself, but with you having the fundamentals under your belt, I would say its time to go out there and have at it. VMware is great for practice! Setup some vulnerable VMs, get some vulnerable software, and hack away.

Having taken the eCPPT Pro and OSCP courses, I can tell your going to learn a good amount. Plus with the practical exams versus written, after you earn the certifications, they'll look better to employers (although I haven't seen the eCPPT recognized yet by HR. OSCP/E is getting its recognition barely, and CEH they love to see - thoughthe exam is written). Be sure when you sign up for the eCPPT course, you obtain the 5% voucher offered for EH-NET members, which could be redeemed here.

There are several of us here who pay out of pocket for our training. Sounds like were all in the same boat in relating to getting the best training for buck. Although not initially mentioned, alternate positive resources at affordable prices are:

Hacking Dojo

Strategic Security - which I believe was previously LearnSecurityOnline

SecurityTube

I think you've picked a solid route to take and your in for a fun ride (especially by the time you get to taking Cracking the Perimeter). Were all here to help along the way. For future references if you want to go the route of practicing in your own lab, below are a few links that will help out:

Virtual Images of Windows XP, Vista, and 7 - Compatible with Virtual PC
http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=11575

VMware's Virtual Appliance Marketplace - Containing Windows 2003 & Various Linux Distros
http://www.vmware.com/appliances/

Vulnerable Web Applications for Learning
https://securitythoughts.wordpress.com/2010/03/22/vulnerable-web-applications-for-learning/

OldApps - Find older software to practice exploitation on
http://www.oldapps.com/

Vulnerable by Design - Links to tons of vulnerable VMs, Web Apps, War Games & More
http://g0tmi1k.blogspot.com/2011/03/vulnerable-by-design.html

Thanks xXxKrisxXx & Seen for your answers!

@xXxKrisxXx:
I thought about the SMFE course made by SecurityTube too, but it's quite too new and more specific. If there is more feedback on the SMFE available, I think it's good to take it after the eCPPT and before the OSCP/E. Have you planned to take it ?

Thanks for the list of ressources, I already know some of them, especially oldapps.com. I used them to rebuild a bufferoverflow exploit by myself...well an easy one, but at least it worked like a charme 
And the last one is really nice!

@Seen:
Yes, you're right! I think that the CEH is only a HR relevant certificate. I don't like multiple-choice exams, even though the VCP exam was quite hard work, but they do not say a lot about the real skill of the holder...well in times of braindumps.... they do not say anything 

Hi xXxKrisxXx,

I just enrolled for the eCPPT and started to study on it. The study material is quite good and organized and there are a lot of interesting new things in it. I do not have regrets about this purchase - looks like this gonna be much fun  It's been the right decision to take the eCPPT before the OSCP!

The CTP is indeed very intimidating...you really have to like pain to enroll for it...so what are you waiting for ? go for it 

Well I'll skip the CEH for now, let's have a look how I'm doing after the eCPPT.

Hi Mr.Tuxracer,
I'm in the same course, except joined during christmas....
Probably might meet in community  there...
V

eCPPT is a good choice to start with, I was new to security and it takes you from a noob to having a good understanding.

the course assumes that you have a basic knowledge of programming but i would suggest you need to have a bit more than basic if you intend to do the professional course straight away also TCP/IP.

They do offer a student course prior to the pro but i decided to go straight in at pro and was pretty comfortable. A plus point about the eCPPT is that they offer you a whole module on scripting which it not the norm but very beneficial.

The forums are very helpful and there is always someone there that will answer your questions.

The only downside is that there are some grammatical errors and a few slide early on do get a little confusing because the examples they use do not exist in the real world so you cant follow them. The staff are aware of this and are addressing it.

The future for eCPPT look promising and there are changes happening all the time. The best thing is that one you have paid up once you get life time access to both forums and course material so you can always stay up to date what ever changes they make. They also offer discounts to current members on anything new they try and listen to suggestions from the community.

Hope this helps in your decision, good luck

Hello everyone,
I heard a lot of good things regarding eCPPT (in this thread and elsewhere). However when going to elearnsecurity website, I stumbled on this page for penetrating testing pro. Is it just me or it looks like a really bad sham-wow tv commercial ? I expected to read "but wait! if you order right now we double up the offer!" at any time. I'ld like some feedback for people that actually did the course (PTP and eCPPT exam) to see if my worries are founded or not.

Also, is it possible to spend between 20-30 hours at most per week studying /practicing and still make the exam in the 120 days ? I presume it depends a lot on where you start but I'ld like an opinion.

Thank you,

Hi Tuxracer!  Welcome to the forum!

Congrats on enrolling in eCPPT... I am also planning to sign up for the course shortly. Actually I wanted to do that already in december, but since you can defer the lab time only for 90 days once you bought it... and I will be really busy till april ... I haven't done it yet...  Hopefully the next couple of weeks
Time ...time...time... it's always the issue...

@coding_fury
I know the site sometimes looks like a "I make you rich quickly page".  Next to what kris said... from what you read around here it must be a really good course...