My Journey with IR-200: Becoming an OffSec Certified Incident Responder (OSIR)

It all started a few months ago when I was assigned to review the IR-200 course during its development phase. As a Student Mentor at OffSec, this is a standard process—we test the course and exam to ensure everything runs smoothly for students. This responsibility allowed me to experience the course and exam firsthand before its release.

The IR-200 course is designed to teach foundational concepts in incident response. The primary goal is to enable students to identify the phases of incident response and learn how to deal with each phase effectively. While reviewing the material, I realized that the course perfectly captures its intended purpose by providing a thoughtfully crafted balance of theory and hands-on application. Each module not only explains the key concepts but also ensures that learners can directly apply them, making it an effective foundation for anyone stepping into the world of incident response. 

To prepare, obviously I worked on through the course material. It took me around 40 hours total to complete both material and the exercises. I felt that this course is designed with beginners in mind. The Content Team does a fantastic job of breaking down complex concepts into digestible modules, ensuring that even those with minimal cybersecurity experience can keep up. Taking the IR-200 material felt like a comprehensive refresher that brought me up to speed with current best practices.

The Challenge Lab, in particular, is where the real fun begins. It provides a hands-on experience that reinforces the concepts covered in the course. At the moment, there’s only one Challenge Lab machine, so take your time to fully understand its flow and intricacies. This lab will help you build the problem-solving mindset needed for the exam and beyond.

When it was time for me to take the exam, I didn’t set high expectations for passing. After all, my primary goal was to test the exam’s functionality, ensure its solvability, and identify any potential issues within the environment if possible.

But working on the Challenges lab turned out to be the best decision, as the lab closely mirrors the actual exam environment. My advice to anyone preparing for the OSIR exam is to spend ample time on the Challenge Lab. Work through it without resorting to hints and take note of your process and any areas where you struggle. This preparation will not only improve your technical understanding but also boost your confidence during the exam.

The OSIR exam is an 8-hour, proctored, hands-on assessment that tests both your technical skills and your ability to manage time effectively. It consists of two phases, and to pass, you need to meet one of these criteria:

1. Solve all questions in Phase 1 and one in Phase 2 (55 points).

2. Solve two questions in Phase 1 and all in Phase 2 (50 points).

Having those game plans in mind, I initially planned to allocate no more than four hours to Phase 1, ensuring I had enough time for Phase 2. At this point, all the time I invested in working through the Challenge Lab really paid off and allowed me to complete Phase 2 ahead of schedule. This extra time gave me the opportunity to review my findings as I wanted to complete both phases fully. Also time to ensure I had all the necessary screenshots for my report before the time ends.

I want to emphasize the importance of reading the exam instructions very thoroughly. You don’t want to lose points for not following the instructions. Both Challenges 1 and the exam report templates will show you how to generate MD5 as the flag. It’s by utilizing the flags.exe. If you are not sure what I was talking about, best to check those two before taking the exam. You’ll thank yourself later. 

Time management also played a crucial role in my success. I took frequent breaks whenever I felt stuck or unsure about my next steps. These breaks allowed me to clear my mind and often brought new ideas to light. For example, while stepping away, I’d think about potential approaches I hadn’t tried yet. Upon returning, I’d test those theories, repeating the cycle if needed. This iterative process help me stay focused and make efficient use of my time by identifying productive paths.

The exam’s open-book format is another advantage. If you forget a specific concept, or an example, you can always refer back to the course materials during the exam.

For those curious about why Student Mentors take the exam before its public release, the answer lies in our commitment to supporting students. By experiencing the course and exam firsthand, we can make sure that we are ready to provide course and lab support via our community platform and provide a seamless experience for everyone. During our testing, we adopt a black-box approach, meaning we don’t receive any extra information or advantages. In fact, our exam time is sometimes shortened to accommodate functionality testing and issue identification. This rigorous process ensures that everything works perfectly when the course is launched.

After submitting both the end-to-end testing report and the exam report, I couldn’t shake the feeling that Phase 1 might not have been as strong as I wanted. I held myself to high standards, and I wasn’t sure if my report would measure up. 

Then came the moment of truth: To my surprise, I passed the exam on my first attempt! It was a relief to see my efforts pay off, especially with this being the first time anyone had taken the exam.

Passing the exam underscored the importance of preparation and the value of the Challenge Lab. For those planning to take the OSIR exam, here are my key recommendations:

1. Complete the Course Material:  Non-Negotiable, especially the: Incident Detection and Identification and Digital Forensics for Incident Responders modules

2. Master the Challenge Lab: This lab is your best preparation for the exam. Treat it as if it were the actual test—work through it methodically and try creating a detailed report using the provided template.

3. Practice Time Management: Develop a strategy for how you’ll approach each phase of the exam. Be prepared to adjust your plan based on your progress.

4. Take Breaks Often: Use breaks to reflect on your progress and brainstorm new approaches. They’re invaluable for maintaining focus and avoiding burnout.

I think the IR-200 course and OSIR certification offer an excellent entry point into the for anyone starting out in cybersecurity, especially those interested in blue team operations and incident response. The course material is thoughtfully designed to build foundational skills, while the hands-on labs and exam provide practical experience that mirrors real-world challenges.

Completing this course is not just about passing an exam; it’s a proof that demonstrates your ability to handle real-world challenges with confidence. Whether you’re a complete beginner or someone with prior knowledge looking to refresh your skills, the IR-200 course is a great choice. With good preparation, and the right mindset, you’ll find it not only achievable but also an incredibly rewarding experience.