Certified Ethical Hacker- While the term “ethical hacker” may appear to be an oxymoron at first glance, the concept behind it is that “to beat a hacker, you have to think like one.” In fact, The International Council of E-Commerce Consultants (EC-Council) uses that motto to promote its ethical hacker certification.
The phrase “Certified Ethical Hacker” was coined to represent someone who has the requisite hacking skills but whose moral code forbade them from engaging in illegal conduct. The term ethical hacker has come to encompass all security experts who provide offensive services, whether they are part of a red team, a pentester, or a freelance offensive consultant.
The EC-Council is a non-profit organisation that certifies professionals in a variety of e-business and security abilities. Their stated aim is to “validate information security experts who are prepared with the requisite skills and expertise in a specialised information security sector that will assist them in avoiding a cyber war, should the need ever arise.”
Over 237,000 security professionals from private and public companies have been certified by the EC-Council. They have employees from IBM, Microsoft, the US Army, the FBI, and the United Nations among its ranks.
What is the Certified Ethical Hacker Certification?
CEH stands for Certified Ethical Hacker, and it is the most well-known of the EC-Council qualifications. It was created to show that the holder knows how to seek for holes and vulnerabilities in computer systems and is familiar with malicious hacking tools.
Any security team would benefit greatly from hiring cybersecurity professionals who understand how to use antagonistic hackers’ tools and strategies. Building an adequate defence requires intimate knowledge of the offensive techniques likely to be utilised against their systems. The security sector has demonstrated its need for a dependable mechanism to recognise persons with these talents by overwhelmingly supporting and accepting the CEH certification.
Having a CEH certification means you’ve learned the abilities you’ll need to work in the following positions, among others:
- Security Analyst
- Computer Forensics Analyst
- Security Specialist
- Penetration Tester
- Security Engineer
- Security Code Auditor
- Malware Analyst
- Security Consultant
The CEH’s recognition by the industry has bolstered the notion that ethical hacking is not just a helpful skill but also a respectable vocation. Acceptance has given respectability to a subset of computer and network abilities that were previously only pursued by criminals.
What are the Requirements for the CEH Exam?
Applications for CEH certification are examined in one of three categories. To be eligible to take the exam, an applicant must meet one of the following criteria:
Let’s pretend the candidate is under the age of eighteen. In that instance, the candidate will not be able to attend an official training session or take the certification exam unless they have written approval from their parent or legal guardian and a letter of support from their nationally authorised institution of higher learning.
Many other popular cybersecurity professional certifications have more strict standards than CEH. As a result, the CEH is frequently regarded as an entry-level certification, although it is unquestionably a must-have for anyone looking for career that involves offensive traits.
How Much Does Obtaining a CEH Certification Cost?
The final cost of any professional certification will vary depending on the candidate’s level of expertise and previous training. In addition to the application fee, exam fee, and training course fees, independent study resources will almost certainly be acquired, as well as the cost of maintaining the certification.
All exam applicants must pay a $100 non-refundable application fee. After the EC-Council receives the essential information, the application approval process usually takes five to 10 working days. A candidate must purchase an exam voucher from the EC-Council Online Store or an authorised training partner once their application has been approved. Although EC-Council does not establish a minimum exam voucher price for its authorised partners, a voucher from the EC-Council Store costs $1,199.00.
Finally, EC-Council or training partner training should be scheduled. The cost of the exam voucher is frequently included in the CEH course price. Assume that the candidate applied for the exam based on their work experience and declined to attend an approved EC-Council training programme. In that situation, individuals can arrange their exam right away after receiving approval.
Both defensive and offensive tactics and techniques are covered in the EC-Council CEH training course. Candidates are taught how to circumvent and defeat defences while learning about controls and countermeasures. The starting price for a CEH online instructor-led training course is $1,899.00. It comes with a one-year subscription to training modules, courseware, and iLabs, as well as an exam voucher.
$2,999 for the EC-Council Certified Ethical Hacker Live Course. Check with EC-Council to see if the Live Course will be available during the Coronavirus epidemic.
Earning 120 Continuing Professional Education (CPE) credits in three years is required to maintain CEH certification. Attending conferences, submitting research papers, delivering training sessions in a connected domain, reading publications on relevant subject topics, and participating in webinars are all ways to get the credits. The cost of obtaining CPE credits is typically several hundred dollars each year.
When choosing any professional certification, candidates must ask themselves, “Will it be worth it in the end?” The answer is almost always a resounding “yes” for the CEH. This is especially true for applicants who want to work in positions that demand an awareness of offensive techniques in order to assist their company’s defensive stance.
Deep Dive into CEH exam
The CEH test consists of 125 multiple-choice questions. The CEH exam will take four hours to complete. Because all of the questions are multiple-choice, test takers seldom run out of time. Many candidates claim that this test took them only two to three hours to complete.
EC-Council employs a variety of exam formats. An exam form is a set of questions used to give a test version. To ensure that each of their multiple exam forms reflects an equivalent assessment of the test taker’s knowledge, EC-Council adopts a methodology of evaluating each question.
Hacking tactics, scanning methodology, port scan kinds, and expected return responses are among the subjects covered, according to post-exam reports. Test takers are said to benefit from knowing how to utilise programmes like Nmap, Wireshark, Snort, OpenSSL, Netstat, and Hping.
People who have taken the exam consistently indicate that it is difficult and that substantial preparation is required before appearing for the exam—many people study for months in preparation for the CEH exam.
Successful candidates frequently indicate that a well-structured study regimen consisting of a few hours per day for a lengthy period of time is beneficial. There are a plethora of practise tests available on the internet.
The exam will be proctored by authorised individuals at the testing centre if you take it at a physical testing centre. Pearson VUE testing centres are available to take exams. Pearson VUE exam facilities are located in many of EC-Accredited Council’s Training Centers.
Depending on the exam form, or bank of questions, is delivered for that given exam, a CEH exam passing score might range from 60% to 85%. The passing score for any bank of questions will vary depending on the complexity of the questions.
