CEH study guide
EC-Council's Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) covers the methodology attackers use, so that defenders and authorized testers can find and fix weaknesses first. It's widely requested for penetration testing and SOC roles.
Details below were checked in October 2026 against official and widely cited sources. Exams, prices, and requirements change, so confirm with the certifying body before you register.
Eligibility
- Training route: complete official EC-Council training, which waives the experience requirement.
- Self-study route: show at least two years of information security work experience and submit an eligibility application (a non-refundable application fee applies).
- Candidates agree to EC-Council's code of ethics. Ethical hacking is always authorized and scoped.
Exam format & cost
| Exam | CEH (312-50), version 13 |
|---|---|
| Length | 125 multiple-choice questions, 4 hours |
| Passing score | Set per exam form (EC-Council reports cut scores in roughly the 60–85% range) |
| Exam fee | Varies by channel and region, roughly $950–$1,200 for the exam voucher |
| Maintenance | EC-Council continuing education credits over a three-year cycle, plus an annual membership fee |
Domains
| Domain | Weight |
|---|---|
| 1. Information Security and Ethical Hacking Overview | ≈6% |
| 2. Reconnaissance Techniques | ≈17% |
| 3. System Hacking Phases and Attack Techniques | ≈15% |
| 4. Network and Perimeter Hacking | ≈23% |
| 5. Web Application Hacking | ≈14% |
| 6. Wireless Network Hacking | ≈5% |
| 7. Mobile Platform, IoT, and OT Hacking | ≈10% |
| 8. Cloud Computing | ≈5% |
| 9. Cryptography | ≈5% |
Published CEH weights differ between sources, so these are approximate. Check EC-Council's current blueprint.
How to study
- Learn the phases of an attack and which countermeasure defeats each technique.
- Network and perimeter topics carry the most weight: sniffing, DoS, IDS and firewall concepts, and session hijacking.
- Know the OWASP Top 10 web risks and their fixes.
- Practice only in labs and on systems you're authorized to test.
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