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A certified ethical hacker (CEH) is a credentialed information and communication technology (ICT) professional who specializes in legally identifying security vulnerabilities from a malicious hacker's perspective.
CEH credentials are issued by the International Council of E-Commerce Consultants (EC-Council). The goal of this vendor-neutral professional certification — which the council has branded C|EH — is to promote the concept of ethical hacking as a self-regulating profession that is strictly governed by standards.
Candidates for C|EH certification are required to pass a 125-question, multiple-choice exam that takes four hours and tests basic knowledge in the following areas:
- Overview of information security (INFOSEC)
- Overview of ethical hacking
- Attack surface reconnaissance techniques
- Attack vector strategies, techniques and phases
- Cloud computing
- Cryptography
- Preventative countermeasures
C|EH certificates are valid for three years. To renew credentials, certificate holders have to earn 120 continuing education credits within a period of three years, with a minimum of 30 credits per year.
Techopedia Explains Certified Ethical Hacker
C|EH certificates support the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE) framework and are accredited by ANSI (American National Standards Institute), a private non-profit organization that oversees the development of voluntary standards in the United States.
To qualify for the CEH exam, applicants need a minimum of two years work experience in information security. Applicants who have a strong background in core IT concepts such as networking or IT operations can waive this requirement by completing an official EC-Council training course.
