5 tips to prepare for the CEH Exam (v9)

IT security breaches hit the headlines every month and these massive hacks are extremely costly to businesses and their customers.

TalkTalk’s infamous security breach cost £35m, not including the irreparable reputation damage. In response to these hacks, security is now the top priority for businesses and demand for IT security pros has soared. Among them, Ethical Hackers are often the most sought-after.

EC-Council’s Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) certification is the most well-known and desirable penetration testing qualification available. The role of Ethical Hacker is one of the most exciting new professions in IT – even the UK police are learning to hack. Ethical Hackers work at the forefront of IT and demand has now accelerated salaries to an impressive of £62,500 (ITJobsWatch).

These professionals work to stop malicious hackers, using many of the same techniques employed by cybercriminals. The crucial difference: once Ethical Hackers spot a hole in security, they close it.

To pass the CEH exam, you’ll need to prove your technical knowledge in areas from malware threats to SQL infection. Here are 5 tips to prepare.

1. Do your research

Research is key when studying to pass the CEH exam. EC-Council’s website is a brilliant place to start, containing CEH FAQs, a breakdown of the exam and extensive background reading on the CEH certification.

Be sure to take note of the eligibility criteria for the CEH. Be aware that if you don’t meet the training requirements, you’ll have to complete an application form to ensure you’re eligible to sit the CEH exam. You can find a full explanation of the eligibility criteria on the EC-Council website.

It’s also crucial you understand which version of the CEH certification you’re studying for. EC-Council updates the CEH certification every few years – it’s currently on Version 9 (v9).

Avoid mixing up the curriculum and resources you need. Sitting the Version 9 exam is recommended as it covers the most up-to-date content, including new attack vectors and a greater focus on cloud computing.

2. Use a study guide

EC-Council offers a series of study guides for their CEH exam. The study guides are centred on five different topics within the ethical hacking curriculum:

• Attack Phases
• Linux, Macintosh & Mobile Systems
• Secure Network Infrastructures
• Threats & Defence Mechanisms
• Web Applications & Data Servers

Splitting these guides allows you to take a more in-depth look at each section of the CEH curriculum. These official study guides from EC-Council are highly recommended. Each book covers its topic thoroughly, giving you plenty of knowledge to tackle it on the exam.

For an alternative to EC-Council’s official study guides, consider the CEH V9: Certified Ethical Hacker Version 9 Study Guide. Written by IT security expert Sean-Philip Oriyano, this is perhaps the most popular preparation tool for the CEH certification. 

More information on the book, including other top CEH preparation books can be found on this blog post: The 5 Best CEH Certification Books.

3. Take an official CEH course

Choose an official CEH course and get access to the official curriculum, practice materials, and an instructor authorised by EC-Council to deliver the training.

An official ethical hacking course is also the best way for you to get hands-on and reinforce crucial exam knowledge. You’ll get real-world ethical hacking experience applicable to the role.

Beware: Ethical Hacking requires you to follow a code of conduct, making it impossible to do this in a safe environment in your own time.

Our accelerated Ethical Hacking course enables you to get certified in just 5 days. You’ll be training with the best: Firebrand has been named Accredited Training Centre of the Year every year since 2008. See the course dates.

4. Test yourself with practice questions

Test the knowledge you’ve gained, and identify areas you’re struggling with by taking a CEH practice exam. There are practice tests available from EC-Council. Please note: this is not a resource designed to use early in your studies, but as a check to see whether your knowledge is well-rounded enough for the exam.

Skillset offer CEH practice tests in 52 different skill areas. Each topic has a series of advanced levels allowing you to test the depth of your knowledge for each topic area.

MeasureUp host an ethical hacking practice lab that allows you to work on your skills in areas like reconnaissance, scanning networks, sniffers and device enumeration. Lasting 20 hours, the lab contains plenty of material that will help prepare you for the real world as well as the exam. Access it here.

5. Get involved in a forum

Using a forum is a great way to connect with many like-minded people who are currently studying for the same certification as you. You’ll learn from their questions and get the ability to ask your own.

TechExams possesses one of the largest CEH forums. Here, you’ll be able to find help and information regarding what areas you should concentrate on to gain the most from the certification. Not only will this help you pass the exam, but it’ll also help you focus on the most useful topic areas to help you on the job in the future.

Pass CEH first time with Firebrand

For the past twelve years in a row, we’ve been named one of the Top 20 IT Training Companies in the World. We offer accelerated courses, Skills Bootcamps, and Apprenticeships for all stages of your career, including an accelerated course for Certified Ethical Hacker — only 5 days, exam included. Perhaps it's right for you? Take a look.