- The Number: 70% on 100 Questions
- What 70% Actually Means in Practice
- Format, Timing, and Delivery
- Spreading Your Points Across the Eight Domains
- Attempts, Proctoring, and Booking Details
- What Mile2 Has Not Published
- A Domain-Ordered Prep Plan
- Passing Once Is Not the End: Validity and Renewal
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Mile2's current course outline lists a minimum passing grade of 70% for Certified Powershell Hacker.
- The exam is 100 multiple-choice questions in roughly two hours, delivered online through your Mile2.com account.
- Exam purchases include two attempts, so a first miss is not the end of the road.
- Domain weights are unpublished; treat all eight outline headings as scoreable and prepare evenly.
The Number: 70% on 100 Questions
The short answer to the passing-score question is simple. The current Certified PowerShell Hacker course outline from Mile2 specifies 100 multiple-choice questions, approximately two hours, and a minimum passing grade of 70%. With 100 questions, that translates to a target of 70 correct answers, assuming each question carries equal weight and the score is reported as a straight percentage.
That 70% figure comes from the five-page course outline PDF that Mile2 links from its C)PSH course outline page. The document is undated, and it is the document this article treats as the controlling source. If you are building a study plan around the C)PSH credential, anchor your target to that figure and then add a cushion, which we cover below.
What 70% Actually Means in Practice
The arithmetic of a 100-question exam
If scoring is a simple count of correct answers, you can afford to miss up to 30 questions and still reach the stated minimum. That sounds generous, but this exam covers a technical, scenario-heavy subject. Questions about Kerberos ticket behavior, Active Directory trust relationships, and PowerShell execution mechanics can hinge on a single detail. A candidate who is 85% sure about most topics can still lose a surprising number of points to small misreads.
Build a buffer, not a bullseye
Aiming to land exactly on 70% is a poor strategy. Practice scores are noisy, and exam-day stress adds variance. A more sensible target is to score comfortably above the line on timed practice sets before you book. How far above is a personal call, but the principle is that your practice average should clear 70% with room to spare, not touch it.
If you want a sense of how demanding the exam is relative to the number, read How Hard Is the C)PSH Exam? Complete Difficulty Guide 2026. For what outcomes candidates tend to see, C)PSH Pass Rate 2026: What the Data Shows covers what is and is not publicly known.
Key Takeaway
Treat 70% as the floor, not the goal. Use timed, scenario-based practice from the C)PSH practice test site until your results consistently sit above the line, then book the exam.
Format, Timing, and Delivery
The exam is delivered online through Mile2's learning management system, accessed via the candidate's Mile2.com account. Mile2's general FAQ gives a two-hour limit for standard exams, which lines up with the roughly two-hour figure in the course outline.
| Element | What Mile2 Sources State |
|---|---|
| Question count | 100 |
| Question style | Multiple choice |
| Time allowed | Approximately two hours |
| Minimum passing grade | 70% |
| Delivery | Online, through the LMS and your Mile2.com account |
| Attempts included with purchase | Two |
Pacing for a two-hour, 100-question exam
Two hours across 100 questions gives you a little over a minute per question on average. That is workable for recall questions but tight for scenario questions that describe an environment and ask what an attacker or defender would do next. A reasonable approach is to move quickly through questions you know cold, flag anything that needs real thought, and return to the flagged set with the time you banked. Since this is a multiple-choice format, eliminating clearly wrong options on a second pass is often faster than rederiving the answer from scratch.
Spreading Your Points Across the Eight Domains
The course outline's detailed section lists eight preparation headings. These are unweighted curriculum topics, not a verified exam blueprint, so you should not assume any particular domain carries more questions than another. The practical consequence for scoring is that a gap in any one area could cost you points you cannot make up elsewhere without knowing the weighting.
Domain 1: Introduction to PowerShell
The foundation for everything else. Expect to need fluency in how PowerShell works as both an administration tool and an offensive one.
- Cmdlets, pipelines, and object handling
- Scripting constructs you would read or write in a lab
- Execution behavior and how the shell is invoked
Domain 2: Introduction to Active Directory and Kerberos
Most later domains assume you understand the directory and its authentication model.
- Core Active Directory structure and objects
- How Kerberos authentication flows between client, KDC, and service
- Why misunderstanding tickets leads to wrong answers on attack questions
Domain 3: Pen Testing Methodology Revisited
The detailed outline uses this heading (the overview page titles the module differently). Review how PowerShell-centric testing fits into a structured engagement.
- Phases of an authorized assessment
- Where scripting-driven techniques fit within scope and rules of engagement
Domain 4: Information Gathering and Enumeration
Questions here tend to test whether you know what information is discoverable and which approaches surface it.
- Domain, user, group, and host discovery concepts
- Interpreting enumeration output to choose a next step
Domain 5: Privilege Escalation
Conceptual understanding of how low-privilege footholds become higher-privilege access in Windows environments.
- Common misconfiguration classes that enable escalation
- Recognizing the scenario cues that point to a given path
Domain 6: Lateral Movements and Abusing Trust
Moving between systems and exploiting trust relationships, which ties directly back to your Kerberos and Active Directory foundations.
- Remote execution and remoting concepts
- How trust relationships widen an attacker's reach
Domain 7: Persistence and Bypassing Defenses
How access is maintained and how defensive controls can be evaded or sidestepped.
- Persistence mechanism categories on Windows
- Defensive controls relevant to PowerShell and their limitations
Domain 8: Defending Against PowerShell Attacks
The defender's side. Because offensive and defensive questions can mirror each other, this domain is often easier if you genuinely understand Domains 5 through 7.
- Logging, monitoring, and hardening concepts
- Mapping an attack technique to the control that mitigates it
For a deeper walk through each heading, see C)PSH Exam Domains 2026: Complete Guide to All 8 Content Areas.
Attempts, Proctoring, and Booking Details
Two attempts come with the exam purchase
Mile2's FAQ states that exam purchases include two attempts. That changes the risk calculation of the passing score: a first-attempt score below 70% is recoverable. It is still worth preparing to pass the first time, since a retake means more waiting and more review, but the safety net is real. Check your account for the specific retake conditions when you purchase.
On-demand delivery, with a documentation conflict
The FAQ says standard exams are available online on demand without a live-proctor appointment, and it names separate proctoring exceptions for other Mile2 credentials, not this one. However, Mile2's Policies and Procedures document (dated May 26, 2026) describes randomized, open-book online examinations and webcam and screen-sharing proctoring in its general certification procedures, while other sections say only some exams require proctors.
You do not need to buy the course to buy the exam
Mile2 does not require purchasing or completing a course before purchasing the exam. The four-day course, 32 course CEUs, and seven training labs describe preparation, not the examination itself. They are not a separate practical assessment, and they do not change the exam duration. For eligibility context, see C)PSH Requirements 2026: Eligibility, Prerequisites & How to Qualify.
Cost and bundles
Mile2 sells a C)PSH Exam Combo that includes exam access, a preparation guide, and quiz/simulator preparation. A current bundle price and a separate exam-only fee were not verified at the time of review, so check the product page directly rather than relying on older promotional figures. Our C)PSH Certification Cost 2026: Complete Pricing Breakdown article covers how to think about the total outlay.
What Mile2 Has Not Published
Being precise about the passing score also means being honest about its limits. The following details are not established by the sources reviewed:
- Domain weighting. The eight headings are unweighted preparation topics, not a verified exam blueprint.
- Scaled versus raw scoring. The outline gives a percentage, but it does not explain whether any scaling is applied.
- Per-question weighting. Nothing confirms whether all questions count equally.
- Unscored items. There is no stated information on whether any questions are unscored.
- Score reporting detail. Whether you receive a domain-level breakdown is not documented in the sources reviewed.
Be cautious with third-party sites that quote precise domain percentages or a definitive pass rate for this exam. If a number is not in Mile2's own materials, treat it as unverified.
A Domain-Ordered Prep Plan
Since every domain is potentially scoreable, the most useful scheduling principle is dependency order: Kerberos and Active Directory knowledge underpins the attack domains, so it should come early. Here is one way to sequence it, assuming a hands-on lab environment that is isolated and authorized.
PowerShell and Active Directory foundations
- Domain 1: cmdlets, pipelines, scripting basics
- Domain 2: AD structure and the Kerberos authentication flow
Methodology, discovery, and escalation
- Domain 3: engagement methodology
- Domain 4: enumeration concepts and output interpretation
- Domain 5: privilege escalation categories
Movement, persistence, and defense
- Domain 6: lateral movement and trust abuse
- Domain 7: persistence and defense bypass concepts
- Domain 8: map each technique to its mitigation
Timed practice and gap repair
- Full 100-question timed sets under a two-hour limit
- Revisit whichever domain your misses cluster in
Mile2 suggests prior knowledge of C)PEH and C)PTE material or equivalent, along with penetration-testing fundamentals, Active Directory, scripting, and programming. These are recommendations, not mandatory prior certifications. If your Active Directory or scripting background is thin, lengthen Weeks 1 and 2. For a fuller roadmap, read the C)PSH Study Guide 2026: How to Pass on Your First Attempt, and keep a condensed reference handy with the C)PSH Cheat Sheet 2026: One-Page Review of Must-Know Facts.
Key Takeaway
Do any hands-on practice only in isolated, authorized training environments. Mile2's seven training labs exist for exactly this purpose, and conceptual understanding is what the multiple-choice exam rewards.
Passing Once Is Not the End: Validity and Renewal
The certification is valid for three years. Mile2's dedicated Certification Renewal Program and Paths to Renewal pages describe two alternative routes: a continuing-education route requiring 60 documented CEUs over the term, a renewal purchase, and an ethics acknowledgment, or a route involving the latest existing certification exam or an eligible qualifying exam. The FAQ lists a USD 200 U.S.-region renewal fee.
Other Mile2 documents describe renewal differently. The course outline mentions 20 CEUs annually plus passing the current exam, while the May 2026 policy describes CEUs plus a purchased recertification exam within seven days of expiry, with full reexamination and no CEUs after that window. Because these descriptions differ, do not treat any single one as the unqualified rule. Confirm the current requirements on Mile2's renewal pages when your three-year term approaches.
Once certified, you may want to weigh the career side of the equation. See Is the C)PSH Certification Worth It? Complete ROI Analysis 2026 and C)PSH Salary Guide 2026: Complete Earnings Analysis, and look at C)PSH Jobs for the roles where this skill set is relevant.
Frequently Asked Questions
Mile2's current Certified PowerShell Hacker course outline lists a minimum passing grade of 70%. On a 100-question exam, that corresponds to 70 correct answers if every question is weighted equally, though Mile2 does not publish scoring details beyond the percentage.
The outline specifies 100 multiple-choice questions and approximately two hours. Mile2's general FAQ gives a two-hour limit for standard exams, which is consistent with that figure.
Mile2's FAQ states that exam purchases include two attempts. Review the specific retake terms in your Mile2.com account when you purchase, since those instructions are the ones that apply to your booking.
The eight domain headings come from the outline's detailed preparation curriculum and are unweighted. They are not a verified exam blueprint, so prepare for all of them rather than gambling on a subset.
Mile2's published materials conflict on this. The FAQ describes standard exams as on demand without a live-proctor appointment, while a general policy document mentions open-book exams and webcam or screen-sharing proctoring. Follow the instructions in your own C)PSH account and booking flow rather than assuming either way.