CertPath
🔒 CybersecuritySpecialist★ Industry StandardHigh Demand

CEHCertified Ethical Hacker

Think like a hacker to defend like a pro

EC
by EC-Council

CertPath Score

8

/10

About this certification

The CEH teaches and validates the ability to find and exploit security vulnerabilities using the same techniques as malicious hackers — but legally and ethically. It covers penetration testing, social engineering, web app hacking, session hijacking, and cryptography.

What you'll validate

  • Penetration testing methodology
  • Reconnaissance and footprinting
  • Network scanning
  • Session hijacking
  • Social engineering
  • Web application hacking
  • Malware analysis

Pros & Cons

Advantages

  • +Industry-recognized ethical hacking credential
  • +Practical offensive security skills
  • +Strong demand in penetration testing market

Disadvantages

  • Expensive
  • Some argue it's more theoretical than OSCP
  • EC-Council's reputation has occasional controversy

Who it's for

Best for

  • Security professionals moving into offensive security
  • Penetration testers seeking a recognized credential

Not ideal for

  • ×Pure defenders (use Security+ or CISSP instead)
  • ×Those without security fundamentals

Career paths this unlocks

Penetration TesterSecurity AnalystRed Team MemberVulnerability Analyst

Study Resources

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Register for the exam

Official exams through EC-Council or authorized partners; iLearn self-study bundles include exam

EC-Council Exam

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Jobs for CEH holders

CEH holders report $10k–$30k+ salary uplift on average.

Job links open external sites. Search results are live and not curated by CertPath.

Quick Facts

Exam Cost
$950 (Includes training materials when taken via EC-Council)
Exam Duration
240 minutes
Questions
~125
Passing Score
70% (varies by form)
Exam Format
Multiple Choice
Study Time
~150 hours
Validity
3 years
Salary Impact
Strong ($10k–$30k+ uplift reported)
Official exam page ↗

Prerequisites

  • !2 years of IT security experience, or EC-Council training

Provider

EC

EC-Council

Ethical hacking and offensive security credentials

All EC-Council certifications →
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