In recent years becoming a certified ethical hacker has become a much sought-after skill in the cybersecurity world. Seeded by small groups of early hackers who bucked the trend of hacking for financial gain or simple disruption, it took time for the practice to be accepted as a legitimate role in the business world.
But how do you become a certified ethical hacker?
EC-Council's Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) certification first launched in 2003. Since then, it has been continuously updated and is now in its 10th edition. The certification is designed to test your ability to use the knowledge and skills of malicious hackers to help organizations lawfully identify vulnerabilities within their systems before cyber-criminals can exploit them. CEH is considered a great starting point for IT technicians looking to develop computer forensic and penetration testing careers.
Information security professionals are in high demand — job opportunities and salaries are on the rise as organizations seek top talent to help defend cloud-based networks, improve application security and develop innovative threat-reduction strategies.
The Certified Ethical Hacking (CEH) certification isn’t just another credential that IT professionals add to their collection. It’s an important IT role that organizations need in today’s technologically advanced world to protect their systems, data, and IT infrastructure. Ethical hackers are the “white hat” counterparts of cybercriminals who use hacking to attack and exploit private businesses, government agencies, and public organizations. Obtaining the CEH certification demonstrates that you have the knowledge and skills to fill this essential role.
According to the 2018 Hacker Report less than 5% of today’s ethical hackers learned their skills in a classroom. While the majority of ethical hackers do have some form of computer qualification, few have formal certification in the discipline itself. So why would an ethical hacker need anything as ‘establishment’ as formal training and certification?
(**Updated in April, 2021)
Year after year, we are becoming more dependent on the internet for much of what we do, from grocery shopping to healthcare advice. The COVID pandemic has only sped this up. At the same time, the volume and sophistication of cyber-attacks have also increased, with cyber criminals taking advantage of increased vulnerabilities, due to most of us working from home on less than ideally secured networks. So, as an IT professional, what can you do to positively affect an increasingly insecure world while improving your overall financial status?
Rising to the surface in a sea of cybersecurity hiring candidates demands more than mere skill. Employers demand stronger assurances, and the best guarantees of employee talent come in the form of certifications.
Choosing between obtaining Certified Ethical Hacker and Offensive Security Certified Professional credentials may seem difficult to the uninitiated. Here's some vital clarification on which certs will help you outswim your professional peers.
Cyber-attacks are becoming exceedingly more sophisticated and challenging to solve each and every day. The cyber security industry is growing rapidly and security professionals are in demand (now more than ever) to defend organizations against complex hacking attempts. The Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) is a sought after certification for security professionals and CEH training is the most advanced ethical hacking course on the market. EC-Council has recently released a new Certified Ethical Hacker certification: CEH v9 to ensure that security pros stay up to date and trained on the most current security domains in the cyber security and IT industry.
As an entry-level certification for information security jobs, Security+ will get your foot in the door for a promising career. But why stop there? If you are looking to advance your information security career, you should treat the Security+ certification as just a first step on the job path. In order to be more marketable as an experienced security professional as well as more valuable to current employers, consider advancing your proficiency in information security with additional training and certifications! The following options will validate your further expertise of information security and can increase the chances of promotion opportunities and salary increases! If information security is an industry worth pursuing to you, then keep reading to learn how to make the most out of your career!
