Which Penetration Testing Candidate Should Be Excluded Due to Background Check?

PT0-002 By islever Editorial Last updated

Short answer

B Candidate 2

Question

A penetration testing firm wants to hire three additional consultants to support a newly signed long-term contract with a major customer. The following is a summary of candidate background checks: Which of the following candidates should MOST likely be excluded from consideration? - Exhibit: Which Penetration Testing Candidate Should Be Excluded Due to
  1. Candidate 1
  2. Candidate 2 Correct Answer
  3. Candidate 3
  4. Candidate 4

Key Takeaways

The exam tests your ability to distinguish between minor personal offenses and serious ethical/legal red flags like computer-related criminal history.

This PT0-002 question focuses on identifying the candidate who should be excluded from a penetration testing team based on background check results. The community agrees that a candidate with a history of computer crimes is the clear choice to exclude.

Common mistake: Choosing Candidate 3 because of an assumption about criminal history, or Candidate 1 due to a DUI, even though the real disqualifier is a record of computer crimes in Candidate 2.

Expert Analysis

Why the Answer Is Correct

Candidate 2 should be excluded because a background check revealing a history of computer crimes directly conflicts with the ethical requirements of a penetration tester. A firm hiring for an ethical hacking role must avoid candidates with a track record of unauthorized or malicious computer activity. This is a clear red flag that poses legal and reputational risk to the consulting firm and its major customer.

Why the Other Options Are Wrong

Candidate 1 might have a DUI or other personal issue, but that is not directly related to computer security or the ability to perform penetration testing tasks. Candidate 3, according to one comment, has no criminal history and therefore is not automatically disqualified. Candidate 4 has no apparent disqualifying factor mentioned; the community consensus points to Candidate 2 as the obvious outlier.

Community Comment Notes

A highly upvoted comment states, "This dude literally is going out of scope," highlighting that Candidate 2 has a past of unethical hacking. Another comment correctly notes that "Candidate 2 has exhibited a history of computer crimes and would likely not be included on a team looking for ETHICAL hackers." One comment sarcastically dismisses a DUI as irrelevant, reinforcing that the test expects you to focus on computer-related offenses.

Official Reference

These links open the official vendor documentation in a new tab.

Exam Strategy

When reviewing background check results, always prioritize candidates with a history of computer-related crimes or unethical hacking as the primary exclusion. Look for keywords like 'unauthorized access,' 'hacking,' 'cybercrime,' or 'computer fraud' in the table, as these directly contradict the ethical obligations of a penetration tester.

Community Votes

B
100%

100% of anonymous learners picked answer B. Votes are pick records left by other test-takers — they are not the verified answer.

Discussion 4 contributions

Compiled from public community threads and reader submissions, lightly edited for clarity. Handles and vote tallies are shown as recorded, and comments reflect the views of individual contributors.

From public community threads 4

  1. Fayne 👍 3 Answered B
    This dude literally is going out of scope. Cringe
  2. todorov 👍 2 Answered B
    Given answer is wrong. Candidate 3 has no criminal history. Candidate 2 on the other hand has exhibited a history of computer crimes and would likely not be included on a team looking for ETHICAL hackers.
  3. study_study 👍 1 Answered B
    Who cares about DUI? Apparently not pentesters.
  4. mat22 👍 1
    The answer is obviously B

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