Certified Ethical Hacker

Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) is a qualification that can be obtained by demonstrating knowledge of assessing the security of computer systems. This is accomplished by searching for flaws and vulnerabilities in target systems using the same knowledge and tools that a malicious hacker would use, but doing so in a lawful and legitimate manner to evaluate the target system's security posture. The candidate's knowledge is evaluated based on their responses to multiple-choice questions about a variety of ethical hacking strategies and tools. The number 312-50 is the code for the CEH test. This certification is now considered a baseline, and candidates must pass the CEH (Practical) exam, which was introduced in March 2018. This exam is a test of the candidate's ability to perform penetration testing skills in a lab setting, and the candidate must demonstrate the ability to apply techniques and use penetration testing tools to compromise a variety of simulated systems in a virtual environment.

Organizations will often hire "ethical hackers" to break into their computer networks and other digital infrastructure in order to locate and patch any security flaws that may have been missed. An further credential, known as the Certified Network Defense Architect certification, is made available by the EC-Council (CNDA). This certification was developed only for departments and agencies of the United States government, and it is only made accessible to members of certain agencies, such as some private government contractors. This is largely done to comply with DOD Directive 8570.01-M. Additionally, it has ANSI certification and is acknowledged as a GCHQ-certified training programme (GCT).

After completing training at either an Accredited Training Center (ATC) or via EC-iClass Council's online learning platform, candidates for the Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) test must then pass the exam in order to gain their certification. A applicant who intends to educate themselves independently is required to fill out an application and provide evidence that they have two years of experience working in an information security-related field. Those who do not have the requisite two years of work experience connected to information security are allowed to request that educational background be taken into account. The most recent version of the CEH is V11, which was made available for download in September of 2020. The test, which has the same EC-Council exam code (312-50) as its prior iterations, consists of 125 questions with multiple-choice answers and has a time restriction of four hours.

The CEH test is administered by the EC-Council in conjunction with a number of different ATCs.

Every three years, members who possess the CEH/CNDA designation (in addition to other EC-Council qualifications) are required to apply for re-certification via this programme, submitting evidence of having earned a minimum of 120 credits.