Hacking isn’t particularly a bad thing. Your motive for hacking determines which side you are on. Cybercriminals have built successful and rewarding careers penetrating computer systems for selfish gains. Someone has to stop them, lest cyberspace will become inhabitable for all of us.
Are you passionate about working in cybersecurity? You can obtain the certified ethical hacker (CEH) certification to qualify as an ethical hacker. But what exactly is this certification, and how can you obtain it?
What Is the Certified Ethical Hacker Certification?
A certified ethical hacker is a cybersecurity professional who has the skills and legal authority to troubleshoot computer systems and identify their vulnerabilities. Their aim is to proffer a resolution before vulnerabilities become tools in the hands of intruders. To perform this role, they need to obtain the certified ethical hacker (CEH) certification.
The CEH certification is a program designed with a series of cybersecurity courses to empower cybersecurity practitioners with the skills to make a career out of ethical hacking. Offered by the International Council of E-Commerce Consultants (EC-Council), the program offers standard methods for unraveling and resolving security puzzles repeatedly. This regulation helps to keep practitioners in check as they work to prevent and combat cyber threats.
What Are the Requirements for Obtaining the Certified Ethical Hacker Certification?
In the eyes of the law, ethical hacking is legal. If you are taking the certified ethical hacker (CEH) certification exam for the first time, you’ll have to answer 125 multi-choice questions in the following areas:
- Overview of information security (INFOSEC)
- Attack surface reconnaissance techniques
- Overview of ethical hacking
- Attack vector strategies, techniques and phases
- Cryptography
- Preventative countermeasures
- Cloud computing
The exam isn’t open to everyone. To be eligible for it, you must have at least 2 years of experience working in information security or a related field. But if you have a background in key information technology areas like networking and cybersecurity, you are eligible for a waiver of this requirement. You just need to undergo preliminary training under the awarding institution, EC-Council.
The certified ethical hacker certification isn’t a one-off. Cybersecurity is constantly evolving. Ethical hackers must continually learn and improve their skills to keep up with rapid changes in the industry. This is why the certification is valid for three years. Holders must renew their certificate after every three years by taking and passing an exam.
Renewing your certification requires you to take 120 credit units in cybersecurity modules such as vulnerability analysis, malware threats, system hijacking, and other related courses over three years, earning 30 credits minimum a year.
What Are the Career Benefits of Having the Certified Ethical Hacker Certification?
The certified ethical hacker certification offers several career benefits to its holders, including the following.
Attractive Remunerations
The rise in digital technology creates more room for cyberattacks and threats. Organizations are in dire need of ethical hackers to save them from the damaging consequences of these attacks. Earning the certification makes you eligible to be on the payroll of various organizations including the biggest ones.
The high demand for certified ethical hackers makes their remunerations attractive. If you are good at your job, different companies will be willing to work with you. This positions you to earn a lucrative salary for the high value you offer.
High Employability
The certified ethical hacker certification is the main credential for ethical hackers authorized by the International Council of E-Commerce Consultants (EC-Council). It also has the accreditation of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). Despite the fact that ethical hackers are in high demand, organizations don’t work with just anyone. They must ascertain that you have the right qualifications and skills before opening their doors to you.
As a CEH certification holder, you are qualified for the job by default. And that’s because companies understand that you must have undergone rigorous training to earn the certificate. The fact that your credential isn’t static makes you even more competent. The organizations you work for will be confident that they are in good hands because you will continue to improve your skills to renew your credentials every three years.
Continuous Improvement
Not many IT workers get the chance to grow in their careers as much as holders of the certified ethical hacker certification. After obtaining the certificate, you have the opportunity to work in the field tackling real-life cybersecurity problems. Hacking computer networks allows you to see things from cybercriminals’ perspectives. You’ll develop a sixth sense to identify threats where others don’t see any.
Taking a minimum of 30 cybersecurity course credit units yearly as part of the requirements to renew your credentials keeps you at par with the latest trends in the industry. You’ll continuously improve your skills, grow in your career, and establish yourself as an authority in your field.
Fighting for a Good Cause
Police officers who join the force willingly feel fulfilled fighting crime by apprehending criminals. The difference between you and those officers is the tool you fight with. They fight with a gun while you fight with a computer.
Ethical hacking gives you a chance to fight a for good cause by helping organizations to protect their systems. Every time you identify and fix vulnerabilities in their systems, you save them from cybercriminals’ intimidation and harassment. These organizations have many people on their payrolls. By saving them from threats, you preserve the livelihoods of many people.
What Are the Responsibilities of a Certified Ethical Hacker?
A certified ethical hacker performs the following responsibilities:
- Discuss with the client to establish their cybersecurity needs.
- Measure the organization’s cybersecurity risk levels at all times.
- Perform penetration testing on the client’s system regularly.
- Record security incidents and identify similar patterns.
- Identify the client’s most critical assets and make recommendations for securing them.
- Ensure that the organization maintains security compliance standards.
- Identify outdated applications and recommend updates.
- Assist the client in cultivating a healthy cybersecurity culture.
- Implement malware detection tools on the client’s system to detect threats.
- Conduct regular vulnerability scanning and risk assessment.
What Are the Skills of a Certified Ethical Hacker?
There are some essential skills you need to work in cybersecurity. The same applies to certified ethical hacking. You need the following mix of soft and technical skills to thrive on the job:
Soft Skills
- Effective Communication
- Attention to detail
- Critical Thinking
- Creativity
- Problem-Solving
- Time Management
- Teamwork
- Adaptability
- Resilience
- Self-Motivation
Technical Skills
- Programming
- Computer Networking
- Web Applications
- Wireless Technologies
- Linux
- Reverse Engineering
- Database Management
- Computer Hardware
- Scripting
- Coding
How Much Does a Certified Ethical Hacker Earn?
According to Zip Recruiter, the average salary of a certified ethical hacker is $135,269 per year in the United States of America. This amounts to $65.03 per hour, $2,601 per week, and $11,272 per month.
Fight Cybercrimes With the Certified Ethical Hacker Certification
Ethical hacking helps maintain some sanity in cyberspace. Left to attackers, the online community would be a no-go area. Organizations and people would be too scared to have a presence.
As a certified ethical hacker certification holder, you’ll be recognized and rewarded for taking a stand against cybercrimes.
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