February VHL Platform Updates
In the February edition of the Virtual Hacking Labs platform update, we will look at the updated IoT Penetration Testing course, the rollout of the Virtual Hacking Labs CPT-01 exam, and the latest additions to the VHL PT01 Penetration Testing Labs.
We kicked off the year with a heavy focus on infrastructure and content quality. Our goal for Q1 is to streamline the examination process and bring our courseware up to the latest standards. Over the past month, the team has been working behind the scenes on the VHL IoT Penetration Testing course and the infrastructure for the upcoming VHL CPT-01 certification.
In this update we will look at the current status of the CPT-01 exam, and what you can expect in the labs this month.
VHL IoT Penetration Testing Course Updates
Last month, we completed a significant overhaul of the VHL IoT Penetration Testing Course. This wasn’t just a minor routine update; we have revisited the core structure of the course to ensure the materials remain relevant and effective.
Content Revisions and Interactivity
We have reviewed and revised every lesson in the syllabus. The focus here was on clarity, technical accuracy and an improved student experience. We have also integrated new interactive content modules. Rather than just reading about a protocol or an exploit vector, the new content allows for a more hands-on approach to understanding the mechanics behind IoT security research and vulnerabilities.
New Layout and UX Technical documentation
We have deployed a completely new layout for the IoT Penetration Testing course materials in the Thinkific LMS. This update focuses on improved readability, specifically regarding the rendering of code blocks, diagrams, instructor notes, and schematics. The goal is to present complex technical information in a clear, consistent format.
The CPT-01 Penetration Testing Exam
The biggest development currently happening at VHL is the rollout of the VHL Certified Penetration Testing (CPT-01) exam environment. We know many of you have been waiting for updates on this, and we are pleased to announce that the infrastructure is now technically ready. The goal is to make the new exam generally available around March 16, 2026.
Exam Environments
A major part of the delay in launching the VHL CPT-01 exam was the development of a dedicated and scalable exam infrastructure. We wanted to ensure that the exam experience is professional, isolated, stable and user-friendly, allowing participants to focus exclusively on the exam objectives without distractions. The good news is that we were able to meet all objectives enabling us to move forward with the next phase: testing and deployment.
Exam Reset Panel
We have developed a new reset panel to manage individual exam environments. When you start the VHL CPT-01 exam, you spin up machines in an isolated environment for the duration of the exam. This eliminates potential interference and ensures that the state of the machines is entirely dependent on your actions, with the ability to revert changes instantly.
The new VHL CPT-01 Exam reset panel.
Beta Testing and Alumni Access
The exam platform is officially ready for the beta phase, which begins this week. We are prioritizing access for previous VHL students. If you hold a VHL or VHL Advanced+ Certificate of Completion for the PT01 course, you are eligible for the discounted beta launch of the exam. We expect to open availability to this group by the end of February.
Alumni Discount
As a thank you to those who have been with VHL for a long time, we are issuing a temporary discount voucher for the VHL CPT-01 exam exclusively to prior VHL students. Please keep an eye on your inbox as emails containing the discount voucher and more information about the exam will be sent out soon.
Lab machine keys can be submitted to the reset panel.
PT01 Course Updates: New Lab Machines
While the VHL CPT-01 exam infrastructure has taken priority in the past few months, we have not paused updates to the PT01 lab environment. Maintaining a diverse range of targets is essential for the PT01 Penetration Testing Course and we are committed to adding fresh challenges regularly.
New Machine: 23 Tellnoone
We have recently launched a new lab machine: 23 Tellnoone. This beginner-level machine is now live and accessible to all students with active lab access for the PT01 course. The Tellnoone lab machine is designed to analyse and exploit a specific, recent vulnerability within the Telnet protocol. As always, we encourage you to enumerate thoroughly before attempting to gain a foothold.
Roadmap: February Planning
Looking ahead, our schedule for the rest of the month is tight but focused.
VHL CPT-01 Beta Rollout: Our priority is the smooth rollout of the VHL CPT-01 exam beta to a few alumni. We will be closely monitoring the performance of the exam lab instances and gathering feedback on the exam flow for future improvements to get the environment ready for public release.
New Lab Content: We are currently finalizing another new machine for the VHL PT01 course labs. Expect this new lab machine to be released by the end of this month to keep the training environment current and challenging.
Summary
January was about finalizing the exam infrastructure; February is about launching it. February will be a transition month where we move from building the VHL CPT-01 infrastructure to actively testing it with users and making it generally available on March 16, 2026.
Happy Hacking!
The Virtual Hacking Labs Team
