Certification requires the investment of time, money, and dedication. Thus, being certified can lead you to have a promising career and better professional opportunities. So, before deciding on any certification, you must weigh its advantages and disadvantages.
Nowadays, one of the most demanded credentials in the IT sector is the certified ethical hacker certification. This article aims to weigh the benefits of the qualification and check if it is worth your time and effort.
What is a Cyber Security Certification?
The cyber security certification, also known as the ethical hacker certification, is the most renowned certification for penetration testing. It is an ethical hacking course offered by the EC Council.
The course covers the ins and outs related to ethical hacking, footprinting, network scanning, vulnerability analysis, system hacking, and malware threats. In addition, this certification also encompasses topics like denial of service, session hijacking, Firewalls, hacking web servers and applications, SQL injection, hacking wireless networks and mobile platforms, IoT hacking, cloud computing, and cryptography.
Exam Specifications
The theory exam comprises 125 questions and requires a score ranging from 60% – 85% to pass. Anybody with just two years of experience as a security professional can take up the course as it is an intermediary level. Besides, the certification has options for further procuring a CEH master title by taking a practical exam. Individuals who are never short of hunger to learn and master more can take this additional step. The candidate has to score 70% or more to clear the exam.
The certification exam can be taken online as well as offline. Candidates not in proximity to a designated testing center can remotely take up the course and exams. Usually, pen testers, forensics practitioners, red team members, and information security professionals take up the ethical hacking certification.
Advantages of an Ethical Hacking Certification
- Being a globally recognized certification, it provides better opportunities worldwide.
- Professionally it increases the standards and opportunities for getting hired by top companies.
- The EC Council provides students with detailed and periodically updated study materials, study guides, practice exams, and online resources.
- On average, a CEH-certified professional earns up to $83000 annually. It is one of the highest-paid jobs that hold great value and recognition.
3 Top Reasons to Choose an Ethical Hacking Certification
- Better Pay
A certification must attain its primary purpose of providing a good professional remuneration. After all, the invested time and money to get the accreditation must pay off well.
A Certified ethical hacking certification is in-demand in the IT industry and helps you get recognized better. Apart from the monetary benefits, one will also be eligible to take up further certifications to make you a leader in the security field.
- DoD Compliance
The Department of Defense (DoD) is highly prestigious and working in it requires a CEH certification. You can become a security analyst, incident responder, security infrastructure support, or auditor. DoD values an ethical hacker certification, so having the certificate can easily help you work in these roles.
- Job Security
Another important aspect of getting certified is this field’s job security. We are currently in a digital world, and everything is connected to a network. It also means that we face regular threats of cyber-attacks and vulnerabilities that cause damage to billions. Thus, this course is an optimum choice to pursue or migrate your career into a future-proof field of cyber security.
Future of Cyber Security
We are moving into a digitized world, and everything around us is becoming virtual with each passing day. Besides, in this age of cyberspace advancements, cyber security has a significant role.
Whether big or small, all industries are getting connected with the help of technology, the internet, computers, and mobiles. This means that more and more data is now stored in the cloud. Hence, it is becoming essential for companies to hire a cyber security expert to manage and protect the data and systems from hackers.
Conclusion
Companies looking for cyber security professionals usually prefer certified ethical hacker certification candidates. This is because the certification validates the knowledge and skill of the candidate and provides an idea to the employer about the capability of the professional. Thus, an ethical hacking certification is worth all the resources invested and promises a fruitful professional life.