What Is CEH Certification?
Earning your Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) credential gives you a cybersecurity certification that is internationally recognized and in high demand. The process of obtaining this credential gives you the skills to identify system vulnerabilities, conduct penetration testing, and understand how malicious hackers attack. Here’s an overview of CEH certification and the career paths it opens.
What Is Ethical Hacking?
Ethical hacking mirrors the techniques and tactics that malicious hackers use to break in, steal, or destroy systems and information. As an ethical hacker, your goal is to uncover, understand, and ultimately fix vulnerabilities and neutralize threats. You will evaluate the effectiveness of your countermeasures with penetration testing and will scan networks while continuously monitoring threats. Particularly challenging are the advanced persistent threats that infect systems and remain undetected for extended periods, quietly executing their attacks.
As a CEH, you will be on the front lines in thwarting attacks and neutralizing threats. Ethical hackers are motivated by a desire to protect systems and data; malicious hackers have criminal intent.
What Is the Certified Ethical Hacker Certification?
Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) certification validates your skills and expertise in counteracting malicious hackers, making you a valuable resource for organizations wanting to strengthen their defenses against cybercriminals. You earn the certification by passing the CEH exam.
This credential enjoys significant support from government organizations at the forefront of fighting cybercriminals, from individual hackers to state-sponsored threat actors. The Department of Defense (DoD), the National Security Agency (NSA), and the Committee on National Security Systems advising the intelligence community are examples of the entities that recognize this certification.
IT and cybersecurity professionals can advance their careers and boost their salaries by earning credentials like the CEH. According the Bureau of Labor Statistics, information security analysts earned a median annual salary of $120,360, and as of February 2025, per ZipRecruiter, the average annual salary for ethical hackers, in particular, was $135,269 nationally.
What You’ll Learn in a CEH Program
- How to hack systems, networks, cloud servers, mobile devices, and Internet of Things and operational technology (OT) applications
- Tools and techniques such as sniffers, denial of service, SQL injections, phishing and other social engineering, evading an intrusion detection system (IDS), firewalls, and honeypots
- Scanning, cryptography, penetration testing, and vulnerability analysis
- AI-powered cybersecurity, including how malicious hackers use artificial intelligence, automating AI for monitoring, and AI reporting that uncovers patterns and details of attacks
How to Become a Certified Ethical Hacker
The typical CEH process involves getting approved training that puts you in the hacker mindset and provides you with critical knowledge and skills. The EC-Council is vendor-neutral when it comes to training courses. In fact, you don’t need to have CEH training to take the exam. But you do need two years of experience and an educational background in information security, demonstrated by an eligibility application, when signing up for the exam.
The skills and knowledge you need to pass the CEH exam and to thrive in the field are part of the Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity offered at Excelsior University, designated a Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense (CAE-CD) by the National Security Agency. The degree prepares you for a rewarding career in cyber defense, whether in the corporate world, law enforcement, or government agencies like the U.S. Cyber Command. And pairing a Certified Ethical Hacker credential with your bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity can set you up for the most rewarding roles with a higher salary potential.
