CEH Certification - Certified Ethical Hacking Course

Ethical Hacking Training FAQs

• What are the benefits of enrolling in an ethical hacking certification course?

  Enrolling in an ethical hacking certification program offers numerous benefits, including:

  • It provides comprehensive knowledge of advanced security concepts and techniques, vulnerability assessment tools, and more

  • The CEH certification is globally recognized and valued by employers, making it easier to secure high-paying roles in various industries

  • Ethical hacking training enhances problem-solving skills and equips professionals with the cybersecurity expertise to protect organizations from cyber threats

• What skills should a Certified Ethical Hacker have?

  Ethical hackers, also known as white-hat hackers, use their expertise to identify and fix system vulnerabilities, ensuring protection against malicious attacks. Some of the top skills certified ethical hackers should have include:

  • Phishing detection and prevention

  • Cyber threat intelligence and response

  • Cloud security and monitoring

  • Malware analysis and remediation

  • Network security and communications protocols

  • Network traffic analysis, including wireless

  • Trojan backdoors and related defense strategies, and more…

  Today, ethical hackers should also have AI proficiency to enhance all of their skills and strategies.

• How do I choose the right ethical hacking certification course?

  Becoming a Certified Ethical Hacker opens up many lucrative career opportunities. That being said, choosing the right course is essential to defining your career path. Some factors to consider when selecting your course include:

  • Course Content: The course should be comprehensive, covering basic concepts to advanced ethical hacking methodologies

  • Training: Consider seeking a reputable training provider such as Simplilearn for world-class training experience

  • Instructor Experience: Ensure that instructors possess extensive expertise and official certifications in ethical hacking

  • Course Quality: Evaluate the quality and efficacy of the course by reviewing feedback from previous students

  • Cost: When evaluating the price and value of a course, it is essential to compare the fees with the content and benefits you will receive

  Simplilearn's Certified Ethical Hacking Course meets all these criteria, providing a complete learning experience.

• What does an ethical hacker do?

  An ethical hacker is an offensive security professional who identifies and exploits vulnerabilities in computer systems, networks, and software applications to help organizations strengthen their security. They perform penetration testing, vulnerability assessments, and security audits to uncover weaknesses malicious hackers could exploit. By simulating cyberattacks, ethical hackers provide valuable insights and recommendations to help organizations protect sensitive data, ensure compliance with security standards, and prevent unauthorized access.

• What certification will I receive after completing the CEH course?

  After completing the CEH course training, you will receive an industry-recognized completion certificate from Simplilearn. 

• What is covered under the 24/7 support promise?

  Simplilearn provides 24/7 support via email, chat, and phone, where our learner support specialists can answer any questions and help resolve any issues. Our dedicated team also provides on-demand assistance through our community forum, which is with you every step of the way. Plus, you’ll enjoy lifetime access to this forum after completing your Certified Ethical Hacker Course with us.

• If I need to cancel my enrollment, can I get a refund?

  We strive to ensure that our users have a rewarding learning experience, whether instructor-led or self-paced. If necessary, you can cancel your enrollment. For more information, please read our refund policy.

• Does Simplilearn offer corporate training?

  Yes. Simpliearn provides corporate training solutions. We collaborate with Fortune 500 and mid-sized companies to provide digital skills training to power talent development. Our corporate training offerings include short skill-based certification programs, role-based learning paths, and Simplilearn Learning Hub+, a comprehensive learning library with unlimited live and interactive solutions accessible organization-wide. Our curriculum consultants customize learning solutions to meet each client's team's needs and objectives.

• Does Simplilearn offer any other cybersecurity courses?

  Yes, Simplilearn offers several online cybersecurity courses. These include specialized certification training (like the Certified Ethical Hacker Course), master's programs, and professional certificate programs tailored to different skill levels. 

  Similar cybersecurity courses we offer include, but aren’t limited to:

  • CISSP® Certification

  • CISA® Certification

  • Cyber Security Expert Masters Program

  • Professional Certificate Program in Cybersecurity with Purdue University

  • Executive Certificate Program in Cybersecurity with IIT Kanpur

• What is the Simplilearn CEH v13 (Certified Ethical Hacker) course?

  This program is an accredited training course from EC-Council designed to equip you with the essential skills to pass the CEH v13 exam. It is delivered through a blended learning model that combines live online classes led by industry experts with self-paced content and hands-on labs. This CEH course is built to provide a comprehensive understanding of ethical hacking's five phases and prepare learners to identify, counter, and defend against modern cyber threats, including AI-driven attacks.

  • Comprehensive Curriculum: The training covers all 20 vital security domains of the official CEH v13 curriculum, covering foundational skills like system hacking and vulnerability assessment, alongside advanced topics like IoT, cloud, and AI-powered hacking

  • Live Instruction: The CEH course features 8x higher interaction in live online classes conducted by industry experts

  • Exam Preparation: A primary goal of the ethical hacking course is to ensure you pass the CEH v13 exam, and it includes an exam voucher and a pass guarantee with a free retake

• What is the learning structure of this online ethical hacking program?

  The program employs a blended learning model that combines live online instruction with 24/7 learner support and practical labs. This structure is designed to provide the flexibility of online learning with the accountability and engagement of an in-person classroom.

  • Live Virtual Classrooms: You attend live, instructor-led sessions on specified dates, providing 8x higher interaction and real-time doubt resolution from industry experts

  • Hands-On Labs: The CEH course provides access to EC-Council's official CEH v13 AI Labs for six months, featuring over 220 hands-on exercises in a cloud-based cyber range

  • 24/7 Learner Support: A dedicated support team is available around the clock via email, chat, and phone to help resolve technical or conceptual questions

  • Official Materials: Learners receive access to the latest official study materials from the EC-Council to supplement their training

• What does the "Exam Pass Guarantee" for this CEH course mean?

  The Exam Pass Guarantee is a feature of this accredited training program that provides a complimentary retake for both the Theory and Practical exams. This gives you added assurance and flexibility as you work to certify your ethical hacking skills.

  • This guarantee is designed to support the program's priority of helping you succeed in your certification goal

  • Successfully clearing both exams allows you to earn the prestigious CEH Master designation, which demonstrates comprehensive expertise

• What specific ethical hacking tools are covered in this CEH v13 course?

  The program provides extensive hands-on experience with over 4,000 integrated hacking and security tools within the official CEH v13 AI Labs. This ensures you are not just learning theory but are actively applying techniques with the same software used by professionals in the field. The tools covered span all 20 domains and include:

  • Reconnaissance: Tools like Nmap and advanced Google hacking techniques for footprinting and investigating social networking sites

  • Exploitation Frameworks: Metasploit and and other various privilege escalation tools

  • Web Application Tools: Tools like Burp Suite and sqlmap for web server attacks and application auditing

  • Password Crackers: Tools like John the Ripper and THC-Hydra

  • Packet Sniffers: Tools like Wireshark and techniques to evade intrusion detection tools

  • Wireless Hacking Tools: Tools like Aircrack-ng for executing the complete wireless hacking methodology

  Mobile Security: Android security tools and  implementation of mobile security guidelines

• What is new in CEH v13, especially regarding AI?

  CEH v13 is "Powered by AI," reflecting a major update to align the curriculum with the modern cyber threat landscape. This version integrates AI and Machine Learning into the ethical hacking phases, ensuring professionals can counter AI-driven attacks and use AI as a defensive tool.

  • AI-Enhanced Skills: The curriculum covers AI-powered network traffic analysis, AI in vulnerability scanning, AI-enhanced intrusion detection, and AI-enabled phishing defense

  • Modern Attack Vectors: The course has expanded coverage of cloud computing threats, IoT hacking using specialized IoT security tools, and operational technology (OT) hacking with OT hacking tools

  • Newer Domains: The v13 curriculum explicitly maps to emerging, high-value job roles like "AI Penetration Tester," "AI/ML Security Engineer," and "Senior Cloud Security Analyst"

• How much hands-on practice is included in this ethical hacking course program?

  This program is heavily focused on applied learning, moving beyond theory to ensure you can execute offensive security techniques. The core of the practical experience comes from the official EC-Council labs, which provide a safe, cloud-based environment to practice on real-world scenarios.

  • Extensive Labs: The CEH course includes access to six months of CEH v13 AI Labs

  • Guided Exercises: You will work through over 220 hands-on exercises and more than 150 practice demos

  • Massive Toolset: The labs provide access to a cloud-based cyber range with over 4,000 integrated cloud security tools

  Real-World Techniques: The curriculum covers over 550 real-world attack techniques, including specific labs for hacking web servers, analyzing Linux machine logs, and methods to hide data on Linux machines

• How does this CEH course help with CEH exam preparation and certification?

  This program is an end-to-end solution for certification, designed to ensure you pass the CEH v13 exam. As an accredited training partner of EC-Council, we provide the official materials and a structured learning path focused on the exam's objectives.

  • Official Exam Voucher: The course cost includes one CEH v13 exam voucher and one practical exam voucher

  • Exam Pass Guarantee: The program includes a complimentary retake for both the theory and practical exams, providing flexibility and assurance

  • Expert Instruction: You learn from certified instructors who are industry experts, with 8x higher interaction in live classes

  • Practical Labs: The 220+ labs are directly aligned with the skills tested on the exam, building practical muscle memory

  • Official Materials: You receive access to the latest official study materials from EC-Council to supplement your learning

• What is the difference between a "Certified Ethical Hacker" and a "penetration tester"?

  While the terms are often used interchangeably, there is a subtle distinction. "Ethical Hacker" is a broad term for a security professional who uses hacking skills for defensive purposes, while "Penetration Tester" (or "pen tester") refers to a specific job role focused on performing authorized security tests.

  • CEH (The Certification): This is a credential that validates your knowledge across a wide range of ethical hacking topics. It proves you understand the methodologies.

  • Penetration Tester (The Job): This is a specialized role where you are actively hired to use vulnerability assessment tools and conduct simulated attacks against a specific scope to find weaknesses.

  • Career Path: The CEH certification is a common requirement for landing a job as a penetration tester.

• What is the main role of a CEH in response to new regulations like the SEC rules?

  In 2026, a key driver for CEH demand will be the proliferation of new, strict regulations, such as the SEC cybersecurity rules and the EU's Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA). These laws transform ethical hacking from an "IT best practice" into a "board-level legal and financial requirement".

  • Proving Due Diligence: The SEC's Form 10-K Item 1C rule requires public companies to annually disclose their "processes for assessing, identifying, and managing material risks from cybersecurity threats".

  • De Facto Mandate: The only legally defensible way for a board to prove it has such a process is to conduct and document regular, simulated attacks, such as penetration tests.

  • Compliance-Friendly Credential: This shifts ethical hacking from an IT-budget "nice-to-have" to a legal-and-finance "must-have." This massively increases demand for certified professionals whose reports can be used as evidence of due diligence, a role the compliance-friendly CEH is designed to fill.

• What is the difference between the CEH and the OSCP?

  The "CEH vs. OSCP" debate is the most common in the field, and a modern analysis shows they fill different, non-competing roles. The CEH validates the breadth of your theoretical knowledge (the "framework"), while the OSCP validates the depth of your practical, hands-on ability (the "application").

  • Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH): Known for its "holistic ethical hacking framework" and "broad theoretical knowledge". Its exam is multiple-choice. It is highly recognized by recruiters, HR teams, and government/compliance-driven organizations.

  • Offensive Security Certified Professional (OSCP): Known for its "rigorous," 24-hour, "hands-on penetration testing" lab exam. It is highly respected by technical leads and senior practitioners for proving practical skill.

  • T1 Employer View: Top-tier employers like IBM do not see them as competitors. A 2025 job posting for a "Senior Offensive Security Consultant" at IBM listed both the CEH and the OSCP as "highly desirable" industry certifications. (source)

  • Recommended Path: The consensus-recommended path is to start with the CEH to build the foundation and clear HR filters, then progress to the OSCP to prove hands-on mastery.

• How does the CEH compare to the CISSP certification?

  CEH and CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional) are both prominent cybersecurity certifications, but they target different career paths and skill sets. CEH is a technical, offensive certification, while CISSP is a managerial, defensive certification.

  • CEH (The "Hacker"): Focuses on the "how" of an attack. It is for the technical professional (like a penetration tester or red teamer) who performs simulated attacks and understands vulnerabilities from an attacker's perspective.

  • CISSP (The "Manager"): This certification is for security leaders, managers, or architects. It focuses on the "why" of security, designing and overseeing an organization's entire security program, including policy, risk management, and compliance.

  • Offerings: We offer separate, dedicated training programs for both certifications, recognizing their distinct career tracks.

• Should I get the CompTIA Security+ or the CEH first?

  The CompTIA Security+ and CEH certifications target different levels of expertise. The CEH course has a prerequisite of a minimum of two years of IT security experience, positioning it as a certification that builds on existing knowledge.

  • Security+ (Foundational): Security+, which we offer as a foundational program, is generally considered a starting point for a cybersecurity career.

  • CEH (Specialization): The CEH program is designed to build on existing security knowledge to specialize in offensive techniques. This is reflected in its prerequisite of two years of IT security experience.

  Career Path: A common path is to use a foundational certification to gain experience, then pursue the CEH to specialize in ethical hacking.

• What is the "CEH Master" designation?

  The "CEH Master" designation is a more advanced recognition from EC-Council. You earn this designation by successfully passing both the CEH v13 knowledge-based (theory) exam and the separate, hands-on CEH Practical exam. This demonstrates that you possess both the theoretical knowledge and the practical, real-world skills of an ethical hacker.

• How do you maintain the CEH certification?

  The Certified Ethical Hacker certification is valid for three years. To maintain your certification, you must participate in the EC-Council Continuing Education (ECE) program.

  • Credit Requirement: You must earn 120 ECE credits within your three-year certification cycle

  • Annual Membership: You must also maintain your annual membership with EC-Council to qualify for recertification

  Purpose: This process ensures that certified professionals stay current with the rapidly evolving cybersecurity threat landscape

• What is the impact of Generative AI on the ethical hacking job?

  The rapid emergence of Generative AI (GenAI) has fundamentally altered the ethical hacker's role, creating both a new, complex attack surface and a new class of professional tools. This has bifurcated the professional's job.

  • Attacking AI: Certified Ethical hackers must now be capable of attacking AI models themselves, testing for new vulnerabilities like those in the OWASP GenAI Top 10.

  • Using AI: They must also use AI-driven tools to maintain efficiency and counter AI-powered defenses. AI is being integrated into pentesting to automate routine tasks like reconnaissance and documentation.

  • AI as a Threat: Adversaries are using AI to scale phishing (with a 1265% increase reported), automate intrusions, and lower the skill barrier for creating malware. In 2026, a certified ethical hacker must be able to simulate and defend against these AI-powered attacks. (source)

  • Curriculum Update: The CEH v13 curriculum has been updated to include these new AI-powered techniques to keep professionals current.

• What are the new attack surfaces a Certified ethical hacker must test in 2026?

  The "explosion in the use of generative AI has expanded the attack surface" and requires "new security testing methods". The new gold standard for this is the OWASP GenAI Top 10, which provides a new "checklist" for AI security auditors.

  • LLM01: Prompt Injection: Manipulating the LLM's instructions via user input to bypass safety controls

  • LLM02: Sensitive Information Disclosure: Tricking the model into leaking its training data, PII, or proprietary algorithms

  • LLM04: Data and Model Poisoning: Attacking the model's training data to create hidden backdoors or biases

  • LLM06: Excessive Agency: Assessing if the LLM has been granted dangerous, high-level permissions to interact with other systems or APIs

  • LLM08: Vector and Embedding Weaknesses: Attacking the Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) knowledge base

• What is cloud penetration testing and why is it important?

  Cloud penetration testing is the #1 specialization for certified ethical hackers, driven by the "relentless growth in cloud adoption". This is confirmed by Mandiant's 2025 M-Trends report, which finds that "Cloud & SaaS are 'the norm'" for modern intrusions. The CEH v13 curriculum includes a dedicated module on cloud computing to address this. (source)

  • New Vulnerabilities: This domain requires a new skillset, as the most common cloud flaws are not traditional network bugs. The top vulnerabilities are:

    1. Misconfigured Cloud Storage 

    2. Weak Authentication Mechanisms 

    3. Insecure APIs 

    4. Identity and Access Management (IAM) flaws

  New Rules: The "Shared Responsibility Model" redefines the scope of a cloud-based ethical hack. Testers are forbidden from attacking the provider's infrastructure (e.g., Microsoft Azure's hardware); they may only test their own applications and configurations running on the cloud.

• What skills besides hacking tools are important for a senior ethical hacker?

  While tools are important, a senior-level candidate in 2026 is expected to be a "stack" of three complementary skills, as evidenced by hiring criteria from Tier-1 employers like IBM.

  • Frameworks: Proficiency in methodologies like OWASP, NIST, and PTES. This is the theoretical knowledge validated by the CEH.

  • Practical Skills: Hands-on ability with tools like Burp Suite and Metasploit. This is the skill validated by the OSCP.

  • Automation: Experience with scripting languages (e.g., Python, Bash, PowerShell) to automate tasks or develop custom exploits. This is a critical, non-negotiable bridge between theory and practice for senior roles.

  • Documentation: A key skill for a Certifiedethical hacker is reporting and documentation to clearly communicate findings and recommendations to stakeholders.