How To Get A CEH Certification

“Ethical hacker” used to be a term that described an individual who had the knowledge and skills to be a hacker but also had a moral code that wouldn’t allow for taking part in illegal activity. However, over time, the term has come to describe numerous information security professionals who provide organizations with offensive services, including security analysts, security specialists, security engineers, security consultants, penetration testers, malware analysts, and more.

What is the CEH Certification?

The Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) certification, a credential offered by EC-Council, demonstrates an individual’s skills in bypassing a company’s security defenses by accessing networks, databases, applications, and other sensitive data through weaknesses in the company’s security infrastructure. Essentially, the certification validates the individual’s ability to uncover vulnerabilities that a malicious or black hat hacker could violate. Additionally, the CEH certification prepares security professionals to match black hat hackers’ creativity and techniques by providing a comprehensive understanding of various hacking tools, attack vectors, and preventative countermeasures.

How to Become a Certified Ethical Hacker

The path to becoming a CEH starts with acquiring the knowledge and skills needed to pass the official CEH certification exam from EC-Council. These skills include:

• Having solid background knowledge of networking, web and computer systems, and telecommunications.

• Understanding current security protocols for various operating systems, including Windows, Linux, and Mac OS.

• Understanding terminology, phases, stages, and methodologies of ethical hacking.

• Ability to hack into a company’s networks and systems to identify vulnerabilities and weaknesses.

• Ability to crack different types of passwords and effectively counter these types of password attacks.

• Ability to carry out corrective, protective, and preventive countermeasures to safeguard systems against malicious attacks.

• Understanding encryption and cryptography techniques.

• Ability to cover tracks and erase digital evidence of system and networks intrusions.

• Adhering to a code of ethics that governs professional conduct and appropriateness of hacking.

• Understanding common types of cyberattacks, including identity theft, social engineering, phishing, trojans, insider attacks, URL obfuscation, dumpster diving, etc.

The CEH certification exam consists of 125 questions that candidates have four hours to complete. The questions are multiple-choice, and terms require at least a 70% passing score for candidates to receive their certification. The exam cost varies depending on how eligibility requirements are met.

What Are the Eligibility Requirements for the CEH Certification Exam?

There are two options for fulfilling the eligibility requirements for the CEH certification:

1. Attend Official CEH Training course. The course can be any type (online, instructor-led, etc.), as long as EC-Council approves it.
2. Take the certification exam without official training. Without attending official training, candidates for the CEH exam must have two or more years of information security experience and submit an eligibility form with verification from their employers.

There is a $100 non-refundable application fee for all candidates.

Prepare for the CEH Certification Exam with Cybrary

Attaining certification in ethical hacking is the best way to prove that an information security professional has the abilities needed to identify weaknesses and vulnerabilities that may lead to cyber threats or attacks against an organization. It also demonstrates an individual’s knowledge of hacking techniques, tools, and countermeasures.

Armed with the information about becoming CEH certified, you can begin your ethical hacking journey with Cybrary’s ethical hacking training course. Our online course provides a convenient, self-paced format for students, allowing them to learn and study around their current work schedule. It’s never been easier to study and prepare for the CEH certification exam.

Cybrary also gives students the ability to take CEH practice exams, allowing them to identify strengths and weaknesses in what they have learned and get an idea of what to expect on their official CEH exam. Enrolling in the CEH course is simple. Just click the Sign-Up button at the top right of your screen to get started.