Mastering the CWEE: How Three River Security Experts Took on One of the Toughest Web Exploitation Challenges
At River Security, we believe that pushing boundaries is the only way to stay ahead in cybersecurity. Recently, three of our team members, Markus, Simen and Eirik, proved this in a big way by earning the HTB Certified Web Exploitation Expert (CWEE) certification from Hack The Box.
This is not an ordinary exam. It is a 10 day, hands-on challenge that demands a combination of deep technical skill, creative thinking and determination. The CWEE is designed to push even experienced penetration testers into new territory, forcing them to blend black box exploitation, white box code review, custom exploit development and precise reporting into one high pressure test.
The Battle in the Lab
For Markus, the hardest part was not understanding the concepts, as the CWEE curriculum is clear and well structured, but applying them all at once under exam conditions.
“It required combining multiple advanced attack techniques to achieve the objectives, often switching between black box scenarios and white box code review,” he explained. “The biggest takeaway for me was sharpening my ability to deeply analyze a web application and then write custom scripts to solve tasks. Scripting became essential to overcome the complex challenges.”
Eirik faced a different kind of pressure. For him, the exam felt like a race against the clock.
“Everything had to be completed within 10 days, including solving the challenges, coding the exploits and writing the report. That deadline added a layer of stress I had not fully anticipated,” he said. But that pressure brought growth. “I learned to spot vulnerabilities in code with a much deeper level of detail. Creating custom exploits, performing deep debugging and chaining them together with other weaknesses gave me a whole new understanding of web exploitation.”
Simen’s toughest moment came after the hacking was done.
“The final report was the real challenge,” he recalled. “As the primary deliverable in any penetration test, it must be precise, clear and actionable. This reinforced the importance of starting early, keeping meticulous notes and making sure the findings are understandable to non technical stakeholders.”
A Shift in Perspective
While each faced different hurdles, all three walked away with a stronger and more refined approach to offensive security. Markus now looks beyond what common tools can detect, focusing on subtle weaknesses that require creative and tailored exploitation methods. Simen strengthened his evidence driven mindset, approaching vulnerability identification with a methodical precision that ensures nothing is left to assumption. Eirik discovered that attention to detail is everything, especially when deep diving into code and building exploits that link multiple vulnerabilities into a single, powerful chain.
New Tools in the Arsenal
The CWEE also added powerful new skills to their toolkit. Markus has become highly skilled at detecting and exploiting misconfigurations between proxies and web servers, issues that can open doors to serious compromise. Simen refined his white box testing methodologies, adding new techniques he can immediately apply in client work. Eirik gained hands-on experience with deserialization attacks and request smuggling, two advanced exploitation techniques that were completely new to him but are now firmly part of his repertoire.
Raising the Bar for Our Clients
The CWEE is one of the toughest certifications in the field, and the success of Markus, Simen and Eirik shows the dedication, skill and passion that drives River Security forward. Their achievement not only reflects personal growth but also strengthens our ability to detect and neutralize even the most complex threats.
In a world where attackers are constantly innovating, the best defence is to stay ahead through continuous penetration testing. At River Security, we invest heavily in developing our people, because their expertise is what keeps our clients secure. Achievements like this are a testament to that commitment.