Build and validate the report and submission artifacts

Needs: Complete reproduction path, required screenshots/proofs, suitable document tooling and the current submission naming/archive rules

For every achieved objective, the report path should read

# For every achieved objective, the report path should read
starting state and scope
→ decisive enumeration
→ prerequisite/vulnerability validation
→ exact exploitation action
→ session/identity verification
→ privilege or movement transition
→ final objective evidence
→ cleanup/restoration

Shell commands

Include only enough non-decisive enumeration to make the selection understandable. Screenshots need captions and nearby interpretation; they do not replace commands or prose. Raw transcripts are supporting artifacts, not the final narrative.

Current official exam grading follows the target order used in the report. Keep target/objective labels aligned with the control panel and place each target's complete chain together.

Recheck the current guide immediately before a mock or exam. The current baseline is one PDF inside a non-password-protected .7z, exact case-sensitive filenames and an archive no larger than 200 MB:

# Baseline
7z a OSCP-OS-XXXXX-Exam-Report.7z OSCP-OS-XXXXX-Exam-Report.pdf
7z l OSCP-OS-XXXXX-Exam-Report.7z
7z t OSCP-OS-XXXXX-Exam-Report.7z
md5sum OSCP-OS-XXXXX-Exam-Report.7z

Windows hash fallback for a local rehearsal

# Windows hash fallback for a local rehearsal
Get-FileHash -Algorithm MD5 -LiteralPath '.\OSCP-OS-XXXXX-Exam-Report.7z'

Inspect every exported PDF page before archiving. Confirm that code is not clipped, screenshots remain readable, captions match the correct target and the archive contains only the required PDF. Required scripts and PoCs belong as text inside that PDF, not as extra archive members. The current guide recommends creating/uploading from Kali and warns of a Windows 11 archive compatibility issue. Compare the local MD5 with the upload site's value, click the final submission control and retain the acknowledgement.

The official Word or LibreOffice template is the reliable baseline. A Markdown/Pandoc pipeline, including Hexdump's report/ generator, is a viable alternative only after a complete dummy export/archive rehearsal; do not install or debug a new report stack during an assessment.

Commands are copyable and placeholders/secrets are resolved in the private report.

Screenshots are legible and show required identity/IP/proof context.

Every claim is supported by nearby evidence.

Target order and objective labels match the control panel.

Exploit modifications and payload-generation steps are documented.

The final PDF is visually reviewed after export.

Archive name/format/size and upload hash match current official requirements.

Verify → Verify reproduction, legible pages, correct required names/content and matching local/upload checksum when applicable.

If it fails → Do not infer acceptance from successful compression. Actual exam and report-writing phases prohibit AI assistance; use the prepared general notes independently. More detail ↓

If → then

Access, privilege, identity or route changes, or a report will need reproduction → Capture state-transition, proof and exploit-adaptation evidence
Needs: Known destination/identity, observable effect and a private evidence destination; actual exam proof requirements must be read from current official guidance
Repeated attempts add no new evidence or several layers have been changed at once → Recover from dead ends without repeating disproven paths
Needs: A saved last-known-working state, recorded errors and a bounded next uncertainty
Several hosts, identities, routes or competing hypotheses need coordination → Maintain state and select the next evidence-producing test
Needs: Explicit scope/objective and a record of observations, unknowns and available capabilities

No useful finding → another task in this topic. Failed check → resolve the failure before ruling out the path.

Explanation & examples

Build and validate the report and submission artifacts

USE WHEN: Verified findings and private transition evidence are ready for reporting
STARTING ACCESS: An assigned objective, scope and accumulated host/identity/route evidence
RESULT: A readable, reproducible report and a validated local submission artifact

Recognize the clue

Inspect the report rendered from retained transitions and the actual archive contents; export success is only one part of readiness.

pdfinfo REPORT.pdf
7z l REPORT.7z
md5sum REPORT.7z

SYNTHETIC EXAMPLE OUTPUT

PDF: opens; page count available
Archive: contains REPORT.pdf
Rendered review: a command is clipped

Means: The container is valid while a reproduction instruction is unreadable; inspect rendered content as well as file structure.

Confirm: Verify complete reproduction, legible pages, current required names/content and upload/local checksum when applicable.

After validation: All rendered/content/archive checks pass: use the validated submission artifact.
Ruled out in this context: Missing/clipped proof or wrong archive content fails readiness despite successful compression.
Still inconclusive: Metadata alone leaves visual content and reproduction completeness unresolved.

Troubleshooting: Do not infer acceptance from successful compression. Actual exam and report-writing phases prohibit AI assistance; use the prepared general notes independently.

For every achieved objective, the report path should read:

Include only enough non-decisive enumeration to make the selection understandable. Screenshots need captions and nearby interpretation; they do not replace commands or prose. Raw transcripts are supporting artifacts, not the final narrative.

Current official exam grading follows the target order used in the report. Keep target/objective labels aligned with the control panel and place each target's complete chain together.

Recheck the current guide immediately before a mock or exam. The current baseline is one PDF inside a non-password-protected .7z, exact case-sensitive filenames and an archive no larger than 200 MB:

Windows hash fallback for a local rehearsal:

Inspect every exported PDF page before archiving. Confirm that code is not clipped, screenshots remain readable, captions match the correct target and the archive contains only the required PDF. Required scripts and PoCs belong as text inside that PDF, not as extra archive members. The current guide recommends creating/uploading from Kali and warns of a Windows 11 archive compatibility issue. Compare the local MD5 with the upload site's value, click the final submission control and retain the acknowledgement.

The official Word or LibreOffice template is the reliable baseline. A Markdown/Pandoc pipeline, including Hexdump's report/ generator, is a viable alternative only after a complete dummy export/archive rehearsal; do not install or debug a new report stack during an assessment.

Commands are copyable and placeholders/secrets are resolved in the private report.
Screenshots are legible and show required identity/IP/proof context.
Every claim is supported by nearby evidence.
Target order and objective labels match the control panel.
Exploit modifications and payload-generation steps are documented.
The final PDF is visually reviewed after export.
Archive name/format/size and upload hash match current official requirements.

Why it works

Report generation and rendered correctness differ. A valid archive can contain an unreadable or incomplete PDF; inspect rendered pages, file names, archive contents and checksums separately.

Worked example · hypothetical

Observation: the PDF export succeeds. Test: inspect every rendered page and archive contents. Illustrative output: one command is clipped despite a valid PDF. Interpretation: correct layout and regenerate before the final artifact checks.

New identity, privilege, host or route? Re-enumerate → All topic tasks →

Study guide ↗Full procedure ↗Cheatsheet ↗