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CEH stands for Certified Ethical Hacker. It is a certification issued by the International Council of E-Commerce Consultants (EC-Council) to individuals who complete the EC-Council’s examination and meet required professional experience levels.
The CEH certificate is an internationally recognized cyber security certification that demonstrates your ability to identify vulnerabilities in target systems as well as design, install, and manage their own small to medium-sized networks. The CEH certification is relevant for many different job roles in the corporate world, including:
- Penetration testing assessor
- Systems administrator
- Security officer
- Chief information officer (CIO)
- Network administrator
- Computer forensics investigator
- Security analyst
- Security auditor, and more
This blog post will explore some of the benefits of obtaining a CEH certification for cybersecurity experts.
First, let’s define what ethical hacking is and why one should consider it.
What is ethical hacking?
The EC-Council defines Ethical Hacking as a specialized, highly defined form of penetration testing that focuses on identifying vulnerabilities in target systems and designing effective hacks to demonstrate the security weaknesses of an organization. In other words, ethical hacking means using offensive security skills, tools, and techniques to test network security without causing any damage or trying to make changes.
Today, ethical hacking is widely utilized by organizations to identify and resolve information technology security issues in their systems, applications, and devices. It was the Department of Homeland Security that declared: “Our daily life, economic vitality, and national security depend on a stable, safe, and resilient cyberspace.”
2021 saw over 1200 publicly disclosed cyber incidents in the United States alone. Job demand in cybersecurity is booming, and ethical hacking is a much-needed skillset to stay ahead of cybercriminals and protect systems and data from imminent threats.
About the CEH certification
The CEH credentials are some of the most sought-after in cybersecurity. This certification covers 20 different modules, including, but not limited to:
- Cloud computing
- Cryptography
- System hacking
- Malware threats
- Vulnerability analysis
- Session hijacking
- SQL injection
- IoT hacking, and more
A person obtains the certification by taking the CEH exam that consists of 125 multiple-choice questions. Examination takers have four hours to complete the exam. The passing score varies from one edition of the exam to another and is usually between 60% and 85%.
If you pass the test and gain the certification, you are considered an ethical hacker. You will need to renew the CEH cert every three years by gathering enough so-called ECE credits. You need 120 credits for each three-year period. There is no need to retake the exam if you do this.
You can earn ECE credits by volunteering and teaching, reading IT security books, magazines, and blogs, attending approved cyber security training courses, attending events, or doing something for the CEH community (such as preparing a presentation for other CEH professionals).
The CEH certification is renowned as a stepping stone to advanced cybersecurity certifications, and it is a mandatory requirement for many cybersecurity job roles.
Let’s explore the advantages of holding the CEH certification for cybersecurity experts.
Career advancement
Regardless of where you’re at in your career, CEH training can help you advance. It’s a well-known fact that employers award increased salaries to cybersecurity experts who hold advanced certifications, which is especially true in the case of the CEH credential.
In addition, holding a certification can make a candidate more competitive in a labor market looking for talented cybersecurity professionals. Even though there are currently more open cybersecurity positions than there are qualified experts, this gap is closing, and it’s only a matter of time before the race for a good job becomes fierce.
Finally, this type of certification can help you avoid redundancies and achieve better job security. The CEH credential is a trusted way to demonstrate your skills and knowledge – by proving that you don’t shy away from learning and developing new skills, it shows that you are willing to evolve with changes in the industry.
This is why hiring managers are very impressed by cybersecurity experts who hold the CEH certification.
A proactive approach
At this moment in time, identifying a breach in an information system or a network and battling a malicious hacker can only happen after a malicious attack. Often, a cyber security specialist is powerless to prevent the breach, which means they’re constantly reacting to imminent threats.
In today’s business landscape, companies need to take a preventative approach by assessing the risk that they’re exposed to and deploying security measures before an incident happens. A cyber expert with the CEH ethical hacking certification is respected for following this procedure and for being proactive in defending against cyberattacks.
This way, your organization becomes more resilient and better equipped to handle future threats instead of just reacting when things go wrong.
Knowledge of hacking tools
The CEH certification is proof that you can learn complex, difficult concepts and master them to perform efficient penetration testing on systems, applications, and devices. Ethical hackers who hold the CEH credential know more than just how to break into a system or network – they also know how to collect enough data to make a strong case for defending against cybercriminals.
In the education process, you’ll be exposed to various hacking tools and ethical hacking techniques that can make your job more efficient by shortening timeframes and increasing accuracy. This knowledge will prove that you’re capable of keeping up with changes in the industry and in technology – according to experts, there is no more important quality for an IT professional.
Bear in mind that these techniques are useful when employed against networks or computers and in other circumstances such as social engineering attacks.
Practical lessons and live case studies
Speaking of hacking tools and techniques, you will have ample opportunity to put your knowledge to the test during the CEH certification training. The course is full of live exercises and case studies that allow you to participate in simulated scenarios and learn how issues can be solved.
Also, by engaging in these exercises, you learn how hacking tools behave under different circumstances – an important lesson for cybersecurity experts because it teaches them to understand their limitations and capabilities.
There is no better way to truly absorb the material than to test your skills on real-life examples. Therefore, employers are always impressed by professionals who have completed this course because it shows that they’re confident and able enough to practice what they’ve learned.
Accredited program
Unlike most other certifications, the Certified Ethical Hacker certification is accredited and recognized in more ways than one.
Firstly, it is an ANSI accredited certification. ANSI stands for the American National Standards Institute. The fact that CEH is ANSI accredited means that it has met exacting standards developed by one of the most respected accreditation boards in the world.
Secondly, this certification is on the U.S. Department of Defense’s approved list for meeting directive 8570 requirements. DoD 8570 is a certification standard that ensures IT professionals are up to date with their skills and knowledge, which is why it’s essential for cybersecurity experts working in the public sector. Having a credential on this list means that it is recognized by the government and that an individual can apply for cybersecurity jobs in the military where they have access to sensitive information.
Finally, similarly to being accepted by the DoD, CEH is also recognized by the GCHQ, which is the United Kingdom’s equivalent of the NSA. Simply put, this means that CEH is a recognized cybersecurity certification in both the US and the UK – two countries that are considered to have some of the most innovative cybersecurity companies.
Is the CEH certification useful only for penetration testers?
Penetration testing is a type of ethical hacking, which means the CEH certification is essential for individuals who’d like to work as a penetration tester.
However, other cyber security experts will also greatly benefit from this certification course.
Security engineers, information assurance, system administration, and vulnerability management professionals can also benefit from taking this course. This is because it qualifies you to keep up with the latest changes in the industry and therefore be able to secure your organization against imminent threats more effectively.
Conclusion
The Certified Ethical Hacker certification is a highly valued credential that a cyber security professional can use to demonstrate their skills and knowledge in the industry.
By obtaining this cert, you get the opportunity to learn from live case studies and hands-on exercises how to use hacker tools and techniques.
With the CEH certification, you can expect to go far in your information security career. The CEH certification proves that those who hold it are more than capable of keeping their organizations safe from new and evolving cyber threats. In this way, it’s a valuable credential for cybersecurity experts no matter what kind of work they do on a daily basis.
It’s also an excellent requirement for government agencies because it proves that you have enough skills to work with sensitive information.
If you’d like to know more about how to get the CEH certification, feel free to contact us at The I4 Group. We’re looking forward to working with you to help you achieve your professional goals and go even further in the cybersecurity field.
