How Can CEH Certification Help Your Career?

Since its establishment, EC-Certified Council's Ethical Hacking (CEH) certification has served as the de facto requirement for anybody wishing to enter the rapidly expanding field of cybersecurity, and specifically penetration testing. This well-known accreditation's requirements, which are currently in their tenth edition, have been constantly revised to reflect changes in the infosec industry. However, what precisely is CEH and why is it so well-liked?

What Does CEH Certification Entail?

As the IT sector battles to control an ever-evolving range of cyberattacks, mainstream businesses have welcomed the idea of using "friendly" IT professionals with advanced hacking capabilities to find weaknesses in their systems. Companies are able to thoroughly examine their IT environments and find a variety of holes using these "white-hat" hackers before thieves do.

Gaining Certified Ethical Hacking accreditation proves to current or future employers that you understand the fundamentals of penetration testing and the tools needed to perform it. Holding the certification confirms your competence in gathering information, exploiting computers, servers, and networks using wireless attacks and social engineering.

Administered by the globally recognized International Council of Electronic Commerce Consultants (EC-Council) this vendor-neutral accreditation can be used to apply for roles worldwide. Indeed, with the global cybersecurity skills gap continuing to increase at a rapid pace, professionals who have successfully completed their CEH certification are in high demand.

To pass the CEH exam you'll need to learn the tools and processes that cybercriminals use to attack organizations. By getting inside the thought process of these bad actors you'll be better able to identify the vulnerabilities and weaknesses within an organization’s systems and help patch them before a cyberattack occurs. CEH training will teach you how to use the most appropriate tools when penetration testing.

In addition to learning specific skills and tools, CEH training focuses on instilling ethical hacking methodology into your skillset. For that reason, and because it will prepare you for real-world situations, you'll find that taking training with a high level of hands-on instruction will be your key to success.

How is the CEH Certification Different from cybersecurity qualifications?

Perhaps the biggest difference between CEH and most other cybersecurity certifications is the approach. Most security certifications focus on defensive tactics such as the use of firewalls, whereas learning ethical hacking requires the use of offensive strategies as the best defense. It's worth noting that while CEH training focuses on these offensive tactics, they are supplemented with defensive countermeasures ensuring that ethical hackers get a big-picture view of their organization’s information security.

What is the Certified Ethical Hacking Certification Exam Like?

Administered by EC-Council the CEH certification exam lasts up to four hours, during which you have to answer 125 multiple-choice questions. You can take the exam at Pearson VUE test centers when they are open, or more recently the EC-Council has made proctored exams available online. In order to pass the exam, you must score at least 70 percent.

It's worth remembering that the Certified Ethical Hacking certification is a foundational credential within the cybersecurity field and just a starting point for an exciting career. As the cybersecurity realm expands more and more specialized roles are being developed. After attaining your CEH you will have a range of areas to explore. You could, for example, venture into penetration testing and continue developing your hacking skills, or you could move into digital forensics, working as a digital detective. You will find that CEH opens up a range of opportunities.

Getting Started on the CEH Certification

A quick search on Google will furnish you with a vast array of training options when it comes to CEH. From 'free' classes through to in-person, instructor-led classes at a school. How you decide to pursue your training will depend a lot on your learning style and budget, but it's worth remembering that CEH requires a lot of practical, hands-on skills. So, choose your training wisely.

‍