CEH
Certified Ethical Hacker · EC-Council
The CEH is the best-known ethical hacking certification among HR departments: it validates broad knowledge of attack techniques and tools, from reconnaissance to the cloud, IoT and, since v13, the use of AI. It is ISO/IEC 17024 accredited and recognised by the US DoD, which keeps it in many job ads and tenders. Its strength is that visibility and broad coverage; its limit is that the main exam is multiple-choice, so pentest practitioners rate it well below practical exams such as the OSCP.
- Exam
- Exam 312-50: 125 multiple-choice questions in 4 h, pass mark between 60% and 85% depending on the exam form. The optional CEH Practical (20 challenges in 6 h) leads to the CEH Master title.
- Exam price
- $950Remotely proctored voucher; US$1,199 in a Pearson VUE centre, retake US$500. Without official training, add a US$100 eligibility fee.
- Required experience
- Official EC-Council training, or two years of information security experience approved through an eligibility application (US$100, non-refundable).
- Validity and maintenance
- Valid 3 years: 120 continuing education credits (ECE) over the cycle and an annual fee of US$80.
- Format
- Multiple choice
- Recognition
- ISO/IEC 17024 accredited · DoD 8140 approved
Who is it for?
IT and security staff who need a recognised credential on attack techniques, consultants answering public tenders, and juniors who want an overview before a practical certification.
Domains covered
- Information security and ethical hacking overview
- Reconnaissance (footprinting, scanning, enumeration)
- System hacking and malware
- Network and perimeter hacking
- Web application hacking
- Wireless network hacking
- Mobile, IoT and OT hacking
- Cloud computing
- Cryptography
- AI-assisted techniques (v13)
Nestor’s take
Information checked on 2 October 2026 against the official site. Prices exclude tax and training, and may change.
The certification names mentioned are trademarks of their respective owners. KrakenShield is not affiliated with any certification body and does not reproduce any exam question.
