ProfessionalVendor-neutralCREST· issued from UK

CREST CCSAS

CREST Certified Simulated Attack Specialist

Official page at CREST ↔ Compare with another cert

Exam fee

$700

Ongoing

—

Study time

200–400 hrs

Delivery

Test center

Validity

3 yrs (renewal cycle)

› Quality score

27.5 / 40

Four-axis SecProve rubric, each 0–10. SecProve editorial assessment — each axis carries a written justification so you can push back on any single call without dismissing the whole score.

Blueprint rigor

How well-defined and rigorous the exam blueprint is.

Certified Simulated Attack Specialist — adversarial-simulation focus.

8.0/10

Practical evidence

Hands-on labs / written reports vs pure MCQ.

Multi-day practical assessment with reporting.

7.0/10

Currency & upkeep

How aggressively content is kept current with the field.

Updates align with CREST STAR-FS scheme.

7.0/10

Market recognition

How often this signal actually moves a hiring decision.

Recognised in UK / EU CBEST-aligned banking work.

5.5/10

› Exam format

Practical: Simulated Attack Scenario, 1 day. Infrastructure and web components.

Retake policy

Fee: $750 per attempt

Wait: 30d between attempts

30-day wait typical. Practical components may require longer waits.

› Recertification

Valid for 3 years. Renewal via proof of current activity + CPD.

› NICE Framework work roles

The NIST NICE work-role IDs this cert maps to. NICCS lookup.

PD-WRL-007

Recognition

UKEUGlobal

Exam languages

› Core domains covered

The 1 domain this cert is centrally about. Passing the exam demonstrates working knowledge of each.

A9Penetration Testing & Red Teaming

Methodology (OSSTMM, PTES), web/network/mobile pentesting, social engineering, purple teaming.

› Prerequisites

Experience

CREST CRT. Multiple years of pentest experience required.

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