Here’s everything you need to know about how to become a certified ethical hacker and earn your CEH certification.
Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) certification is one of the industry’s most well-known security certifications, but there’s a lot more to it than just earning the CEH certification itself. To become an ethical hacker and earn your CEH certification, you need to complete several CEH certification courses and practice on your own in addition to passing the CEH exam.
Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) Certification
CEH is an internationally recognized certification that was developed by EC-Council. The purpose of this certification is to provide information security professionals with essential skills needed for immediate employment in ethical hacking and countermeasures.
You may have heard of CEH certification training before, but what exactly is it? A CEH certification is your proof that you’ve been formally trained, rigorously tested and certified in your capabilities to protect and defend IT infrastructures against malicious hackers.
The purpose of Certified Ethical Hacker certification is to offer individuals an independent way to prove their ability to apply hacking techniques in a legal and ethical manner. This certification not only validates knowledge and skills, but also proves that ethical hackers have long-term technical security experience.
In a CEH certification, you will learn how to write up security policies, perform audits, manage risks, protect assets and prevent cyber attacks.
Why choose CEH Certification?
CEH certification gives you an edge over others because it ensures that you are qualified and have adequate knowledge in ethical hacking. It is a globally recognized credential and comes with several benefits which can help boost your career as well as pay scale.
Most of all, CEH certification tests your ethical hacking skills which means that it proves you have enough technical knowledge and practical experience in real-life security scenarios.
Are Certified Ethical Hackers in Demand?
The global demand for cybersecurity professionals is continuing to surge as the occurrence in cyber attacks becomes common and organizations everywhere struggle to cope with the rising cybersecurity talent shortage. Cybersecurity experts anticipate that there will be 3.5 million unfilled cybersecurity jobs globally by 2025.
The CEH certification training course can prove invaluable to anyone who wants to work as a penetration tester or security auditor for their organization. If you’re interested in becoming a certified ethical hacker, there are many courses that offer CEH certification training and preparation materials on related topics.
Such topics include: networking and operating systems, penetration testing methodologies, intrusion detection and prevention systems, cryptography concepts, scripting tools for conducting attacks, incident response practices and so on.
Upon completion of such courses, successful students will be eligible to take up various positions in many organizations as penetration testers and security auditors which are vital roles in today’s modern business organizations.
CEH Certification Costs
CEH training is one of those certifications that typically falls into the category of it’s worth what you pay for it. The more you invest in your CEH certification, the more you will get out of it.
One thing you want to be careful about though is overpaying for CEH certification training, as there are countless options available on the internet.
With that being said, the average cost of CEH certification with EC-Council-approved training is about $4,298. The breakdown of this cost is as following:
- CEH training: $850 to $2,999
- CEH exam fee: $1,199
- CEH remote proctoring: $100
CEH Certification Exam
The CEH certification exam is developed by EC-Council and is designed for both entry-level computer security professionals as well as experienced security auditors and investigators. The CEH certification exam tests your abilities in five main areas: Communication and Network Security, Application, Data and Host Security, Threats and Vulnerabilities, and finally general knowledge.
The exam consists of 125 multiple choice questions, which must be completed within four hours. In order to pass, candidates must score at least 72 percent.
As part of EC-Council’s continuing education requirement, all candidates are required to earn 20 credits every year in order to maintain their CEH certifications. Those who want to boost their credentials can enroll in any one of several advanced training courses that are provided free of charge through EC-Council’s Entry-level Training Programs.
Exam Preparation Tips
The CEH certification exam is one of the most challenging exams available and one that is recognized globally in many countries such as the US, Canada, UK, Australia, New Zealand and China. Passing it will take more than just studying from your books.
To be successful you will need expert guidance along with complete resources including real exam questions and answers for training purposes so you can actually learn what you’ll need for passing first time around. Here are our recommended steps to pass your first time:
- Tip 1: Before getting started with the CEH certification, explore the potential career paths.
- Tip 2: Learn about hacking attacks and penetration testing techniques.
- Tip 3: Learn about information security regulations.
- Tip 4: Understand Linux/Unix history and programming basics.
- Tip 5: Take a full-time course on ethical hacking with hands-on training courses.
- Tip 6: Hire an experienced mentor or tutor and study from reputable textbooks/online materials.
- Tip 7: Practice on vulnerable test networks and be able to prepare incident reports.
- Tip 8: Stay updated with the latest research papers and join relevant social networking groups.
- Tip 9: Connect and network with peers & experts.
- Tip 10: Taking a dedicated CEH certification exam preparation course.
When learning how to become a Certified Ethical Hacker, planning ahead is essential. The first step towards becoming certified is deciding where you want to take your career, whether it be at a large corporate firm or launching into entrepreneurship and self-employment. While CEH certification certainly takes work, the benefits and opportunities that come with it makes this certification worth your efforts.
Choosing the right CEH training provider
There are many CEH certification training providers, but choosing one isn’t always easy. It’s important that you find an ethical hacking class that will suit your learning style and allow you to ask questions throughout your training.
We highly recommend that you do research on several CEH classes before deciding which is right for you.
While cost may seem like a factor in determining which course you should take, make sure it fits with your current schedule so that you can fully immerse yourself in all of its content. Also be sure to choose a quality provider with qualified instructors who have experience working in information security; make sure you understand how much classroom time is included in their courses as well as how often they hold webinars or provide extra resources such as access to books and videos outside of classroom hours.
Conclusion
If you’re still unsure about becoming a certified ethical hacker, take a look at one of these other options. But, if you’re looking for a great career in computer security, it’s hard to beat CEH certification. CEH certification training is one of those things that every cyber security professional ought to invest in.
It can be costly and it’s not something you can just sign up for on a whim; nonetheless, if you know that it’s what you want to do then getting your CEH certification is probably something you need to consider.
