Is the Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) Certification Worth It?

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When considering a cybersecurity career path, several certifications promise to level up your skills and advance your career. The most prominent certification is the Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH), a gold standard for understanding and mitigating cybersecurity threats. 

However, as with any investment of time and resources, aspiring cybersecurity professionals must weigh the pros and cons of earning the certificate. This article explores the question: Is the CEH certification worth it? 

By examining its relevance in the industry, its potential career implications, and the skills learned, we aim to help you decide whether this certification is right for you. 

What is the Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) Certification?

The Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) is a professional certification created by the International Council of E-Commerce Consultants (EC-Council). It is primarily designed for security experts who must understand system vulnerabilities and weaknesses in networks, operating systems, and computers.

The CEH validates the user’s ability to hack into computer systems with ethical intentions. The candidate must have a thorough understanding of SQL injection, IDS evasion, hacking web applications, denial-of-service attacks, and much more.

The CEH is a highly regarded and widely sought-after certification that will propel your career and put your resume on the top of every pile. 

How Much Does the CEH Exam Cost?

The cost of the CEH is a little complicated. Unless you have extensive prior work experience, the EC-Council requires a mandatory training course before the exam. Let’s review how you can take and pay for the exam. This list should cover them all as of this writing.

Digital Courseware

This is the least expensive route. The digital courseware costs $850. However, that does not include the test itself. Once the digital courseware is complete, you can purchase an exam voucher for $550, totaling $1400 plus tax.

On-Demand

Now, we are getting into expensive territory. The On-Demand course is $2199 plus tax. While that is pricey, it comes with so much training material there is little chance you’ll fail if you study it. Also, the $2199 includes the exam itself. Here are a couple of the benefits you’ll receive for choosing the On-Demand package:

Source 

As you can see, investing a little extra money may pay dividends in the future.

Unlimited On-Demand

Unlimited On-Demand provides all the benefits of the On-Demand package, but you also gain access to all courses on the EC-Council website. This package will cost $2999 plus tax. 

Live

“Live” is the most expensive tier. It includes a class that teaches you everything you need to know to pass the exam. Live also includes all of the features in the previous tiers and live training sessions, which can be either remote or in the classroom. The final tier costs $3499 + tax.

Additional Fees

In addition to these costs, you will need to pay an additional $100 for remote proctoring. Retaking exams cost $499.

If you qualify for the exam through a professional background, it will still cost $1199 and a $100 administration fee.

Since these price differences are a lot to ingest, here is a table that breaks down the costs:

Please note that these are all estimates and are subject to change.

What Experience Do You Need for the CEH?

The CEH offers plenty of flexibility in terms of experience. As shown above, in the pricing section, the EC-Council provides plenty of opportunities to learn the skills required to ace the exam.

Unless you can prove at least two years of security-related experience, the EC-Council requires you to take the courses provided in their catalog.

Who Should Take the CEH?

While anyone can take the CEH (provided they have the cash!), specific roles are ideal for this certification. 

CEH for Cyber Security Analyst

One of the core components of a security analyst is monitoring anomalies and assessing a network’s vulnerabilities. The CEH will provide the knowledge required to perform superior network analysis and understand how and where a hacker may penetrate the network.

CEH for Cyber Security Engineer

Having a “security first” mentality is important when designing or maintaining a network. The CEH teaches various exploits and weaknesses you should consider when designing the network. Understanding where the holes may be makes it easier to patch them up.

CEH for Security Consultant

Data breaches and ransomware attacks are often CEOs' biggest fears regarding threats to their company. A highly qualified security consultant is always sought after, and providing CEH credentials will make you far more likely to be chosen for the job.

CEH for Chief Information Security Officer (CISO)

The CEH is not just for mid-level engineers—a CISO can also greatly benefit from it. Earning a CEH will make speaking and coordinating with your technical teams far easier. It also provides valuable insight during threat response situations and when coordinating network changes. 

CEH for Penetration Tester

A penetration tester is a textbook example of someone who would benefit from the CEH. Pen testing is specifically taught in the CEH training and provides pen testers with additional techniques and know-how they can use daily. 

CEH for Information Security Manager

Facilitating effective communication can be the most difficult part of managing. Earning a CEH will make it far easier to communicate with your technical team. Additionally, it empowers the manager to take proactive measures during cybersecurity incidents.

CEH for IT Security Architect

An IT Security Architect would make excellent use of the CEH. The CEH would enable the architect to conduct threat modeling and analysis, reducing the network's attack vector and providing proactive solutions to eliminate potential attacks. 

Is the CEH Worth It?

The CEH has a high price tag, but it is definitely worth it for those who want to climb the cyber security ladder and understand the theory of computer hacking.

Using CEH to Learn Skills

The CEH covers several critical topics for understanding computer and network hacking. Given the wide range of topics, there will be at least a few domains you may not know or learn more thoroughly.

Using CEH to Validate Skills

Earning the CEH will allow potential employers to verify your skill range easily, increasing your likelihood of landing a job. Furthermore, the CEH certification demonstrates a comprehensive understanding of ethical hacking principles, techniques, and methodologies.

It covers various cybersecurity topics, including network security, penetration testing, vulnerability assessment, and incident response. Earning the CEH will credit you with understanding each one.

Want to learn more about becoming a Cyber Security Analyst? Consider our CCSP Training!