What Does Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) Mean?
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.