EC-Council · Professional Certification · Professional
Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH)
Crydd Score 66
Demand High
Career Value Strong
Recognition High
CEH at a glance
- Provider
- EC-Council
- Credential type
- Professional Certification
- Exam required
- Yes
- Category
- Security
- Level
- Professional
- Cost
- See official page (sold through training packages that include the exam voucher)
- Difficulty
- Advanced
- Time to earn
- 3–6 months
- Validity
- 3 years (maintained with continuing education)
- Format
- 125 questions, 4 hours
- Prerequisites
- 2 years of security experience, or official EC-Council training
What is CEH?
EC-Council's ethical hacking certification, now in version 13 with AI-focused content: reconnaissance, scanning and enumeration, system hacking, malware, social engineering, and web, wireless, mobile, IoT and cloud attacks, tested in a four-hour, 125-question exam.
Skills it covers
- Penetration testing methodology
- Reconnaissance
- Vulnerability analysis
- Attack vectors
Is CEH worth it? The Crydd Verdict
CS 66Choose it if
You want a widely recognised ethical hacking credential, often requested for government and defence security roles.
Consider alternatives if
You want hands-on proof of hacking skill: OffSec's OSCP. For a lower-cost, vendor-neutral option, CompTIA PenTest+.
Why we say so
CEH has strong brand recognition and US defence approval, but it is expensive and its multiple-choice exam tests knowledge more than hands-on ability.
Market demand
Frequently named in security job postings, especially in government and consulting; specialist penetration testing roles increasingly prefer hands-on certifications.
Where CEH takes you
- Cybersecurity Analyst
Career roadmaps show where this certification fits in each path. See the roadmaps.
Related certifications
Curated connections from the catalog — each labelled with how it relates to CEH, so you know why it’s here.
Careers CEH leads to
The professional paths this certification genuinely serves — browse every relevant credential for each.
A sensible order
Where CEH sits on the path — build up, then step on.
Build the foundation first
Earlier steps on the same path
