How To Get CEH Certification?
A Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) is a professional who possesses the skills of a hacker but is bound to work in the interest of an organization. An ethical hacker has to work within legal boundaries and has to follow the moral code of conduct. These are also called security professionals that offer services to protect the data of an organization from being used unethically by malicious hackers. Professionals certified with the CEH certification are well equipped with the necessary knowledge and skills required for preventing cyber attacks by miscreants.
Ethical hacking is a skill acquired to use the tools used by malicious hackers and protect the company’s data by identifying the weaknesses in the computer systems and networks. They also address & report the vulnerabilities after knowing the possible weaknesses. They learn to think and work like a malicious hacker and use similar hacking techniques to protect against actual attacks and provide security to the digital information and infrastructure of an organization.
The ultimate aim of ethical hackers is to improve the security system of an organization by identifying the different types of attacks that may be done by malicious hackers. Ethical hackers work with other security professionals in the IT team of an organization to enhance the security system.
Overview of CEH Certification
The certification is considered one of the best certifications for people who want to become certified ethical hackers. The certificate helps an individual to check the vulnerabilities in the computer system and correct them to protect from the attack of malicious hackers.
Organizations are employing certified ethical hackers to avoid the adverse effects produced by malicious hackers. They act as a valuable part of the security team of an organization. They have extensive knowledge of the bad strategies used by malicious hackers and find defensive solutions against them. A certified ethical hacker can work as a security specialist, security engineer, security analyst, security code auditor, penetration tester, and computer forensic analyst.
Requirement For CEH Exam
People who want to appear for the CEH certification have to fulfill certain eligibility requirements. The person is eligible if he/she meets the following eligibility criteria:
- If anyone is below 18 years of age and wants to take up the CEH exam they cannot take it unless they have written consent from their parents or legal guardian. They should have a supporting letter from a nationally accredited institution of higher learning.
- It is an entry-level certification therefore eligibility requirements are not strict but the certification is important for people who want to work as an ethical hacker for an organization.
- A person who wants to become an ethical hacker must possess technical skills and practical experience in the field of information system administration and cybersecurity. They must have proper knowledge of different operating systems such as windows, Linux, etc. They should know common computer programming languages such as C, C++, Python, and Java.
- They must know about SQL programming, data storage systems, and designing computer networks. During the training, they will also learn to use different cybersecurity tools such as firewalls, encryption protocols, and debugging software.
- Candidates who study computer science at a degree level can also choose to work in the field of ethical hacking.
Cost of the CEH Certification
The cost of CEH depends on the experience and training of the individual. The candidate has to pay for the training course fee, application fee, and examination fee. Candidates also have to buy other study materials to prepare for the exam.
Steps For Getting the CEH Certification
Candidates who wish to get the CEH certification have to follow different steps in order. The steps to be followed for getting the CEH certification are:
- First, the candidate has to visit the official website of the EC council to register and fill in the application form. The applicant has to pay an examination fee of $100 which is non-refundable. The application may get approved within 5-10 working days after the EC Council received a filled application form from a candidate.
- Once the application of the candidate gets accepted he/she can book an exam date online through the official website of the EC-Council.
- After booking an examination date, the person has to start preparing for the exam. They must enroll in a training course to prepare for the exam. If a candidate has enough work experience and he/she does not want to join a training course then the candidate can schedule an exam immediately after the application approval.
- The training course offered by the EC-Council includes both offensive and defensive methods. They learn about different control measures and strategies to tackle cyber attacks.
- After getting the certification, the candidates have to earn 120 CPE (Continuing professional education) credits within 3 years. They can earn credits in different ways such as by attending conferences, taking training classes, writing research papers, and attending webinars.
The Pattern Of the CEH Exam
There are 125 multiple-choice questions asked in the CEH exam. The duration of the exam is four hours. If a candidate is well prepared and knows all the strategies and has received proper training can complete the exam in a short time.
The questions asked in the exam are from different topics such as scanning methodologies, hacking methodologies, expected return responses, and port scan types. They must know tools such as Netstat, OpenSSL, Wireshark, Nmap, etc.
A candidate has to score at least 60-85 percent marks to clear the exam. The percentage of passing marks varies depending on the difficulty level of the questions asked in the exam.
Tips to Prepare For the CEH Exam
A person has to prepare for the CEH exam to score the required percentage of marks. Exam preparation may be different for every candidate depending on knowledge and skills. A few tips are given here that can help to prepare for the exam:
The candidates must download the CEH exam blueprint from the EC council website.
They must read the objectives and mark the objectives that are not properly understood.
Candidates must make a proper study plan to prepare for the exam. A structured study plan is essential to score high marks and clearing the exam.
They must focus on the topics to be covered to appear for the exam. Candidates can join a training course to understand the type of questions asked in the exam. They can join the course either with the EC council or with an accredited organization that offers certified training to prepare for the exam.
Give sample papers to practice questions for the CEH exam. This will help in understanding the pattern and will also help in increasing the speed of solving questions in the exam.
Conclusion
CEH certification is the ultimate choice for people who want to work as security professionals in an organization. The certification is proof that they possess the necessary skills and knowledge to protect the sensitive information and data stored in the computer systems. CEH certification is an important step to achieve for becoming certified hackers. Earning the CEH certificate will help professionals to stand out from the crowd and there is a high demand for certified ethical hackers throughout the world.
FAQs
- Who is an ethical hacker?
An ethical hacker is a cybersecurity professional who checks for vulnerabilities in the computer systems and networks of the organization and finds ways to protect them.
- What is ethical hacking?
Ethical hacking includes the skills required for identifying the weakness in the security system of an organization and using the right tools to improve the security system.
- What is the salary of an ethical hacker?
The salary of an ethical hacker depends on many different factors. An experienced and certified ethical hacker can get a handsome salary. The certificate is recognized throughout the world.
- How much does it cost to get the CEH certification?
The cost of the CEH certification also depends on various factors. Candidates have to pay for the examination fee, application fee, and training course fee.
- What is the educational qualification required to give the CEH exam?
The council does not set any education qualifications to give the CEH exam. The exam can be given by anyone who possesses some skills and has an interest in becoming an ethical hacker.
- How do I prepare for the CEH exam?
You must join an online training course either with the EC council or another organization that is registered with the council to prepare for the exam. Many online resources can also help you in preparing for the exam.
- How does an ethical hacker different from a malicious hacker?
An ethical hacker uses the same tools and techniques as a malicious hacker, but an ethical hacker works in the interest of an organization whereas a malicious hacker steals confidential information and data for his interest.
- What is the future after getting CEH certification?
People who have the CEH certification can have a bright future because there is a high demand for ethical hackers in the tech industry. The demand is increasing day by day because companies do not want to take the risk of losing their important information to malicious hackers.
- What is the pattern of the CEH exam?
In the CEH exam, candidates have to answer 125 multiple-choice questions and the total duration of the exam is four hours.
- What are the important skills required for becoming an ethical hacker?
An ethical hacker must have knowledge of basic computer programming languages such as C, C++, Java, and Python. He should also be well-versed in cryptography.
