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1.1 CEH Exam Format, Cost & Eligibility

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EC-Council Certified Ethical Hacker CEH

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1 Introduction & Exam Overview

1.1 CEH Exam Format, Cost & Eligibility 1.2 The Five Phases of Ethical Hacking 1.3 Information Security Fundamentals 1.4 Ethical Hacking Concepts, Scope & Legal Framework 1.5 The CEH Domains & Your Study Priority Map

2 Reconnaissance, Footprinting, Scanning & Enumeration

2.1 Footprinting & Reconnaissance Concepts 2.2 Footprinting Sources & Techniques 2.3 Network Scanning Concepts 2.4 Banner Grabbing, OS Fingerprinting & Scanning Beyond IDS/Firewall 2.5 Enumeration 2.6 Vulnerability Scanning & Countermeasures

3 Vulnerability Analysis & System Hacking Phases

3.1 Vulnerability Analysis Concepts 3.2 System Hacking Methodology Overview 3.3 Gaining Access: Password Attack Concepts 3.4 Privilege Escalation Concepts 3.5 Maintaining Access: Backdoors, Rootkits & Persistence 3.6 Covering Tracks, Anti-Forensics & Blue-Team Detection

4 Malware Threats, Sniffing & Social Engineering

4.1 Malware Concepts and Taxonomy 4.2 Malware Analysis and Detection 4.3 Sniffing Concepts and Layer 2 Attacks 4.4 Sniffing Countermeasures and Detection 4.5 Social Engineering Types and Human Psychology 4.6 Social Engineering and Insider Threat Defenses

5 Network & Perimeter Hacking

5.1 Denial of Service and DDoS Attacks 5.2 Session Hijacking 5.3 Evading IDS and IPS (Defensive Focus) 5.4 Evading Firewalls 5.5 Evading Honeypots and Defensive Deception 5.6 Network Security Controls and Architecture 5.7 Packet Analysis and Secure Protocols for Defenders

6 Web Server & Web Application Hacking

6.1 Web Server Attacks & Hardening 6.2 OWASP Top 10 Overview 6.3 Injection: SQL Injection & Command Injection 6.4 Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) & CSRF 6.5 Authentication, Session & Access-Control Flaws 6.6 API & Web App Security Testing Concepts

7 Wireless Network Hacking

7.1 Wireless Concepts and Standards 7.2 Wireless Encryption 7.3 Wireless Threats and Attack Concepts 7.4 Wireless Security Countermeasures

8 Mobile Platform, IoT & OT Hacking

8.1 Mobile Platform Threats & Security Models 8.2 Mobile Attack Vectors & Risks 8.3 Mobile Device Management & Enterprise Defense 8.4 IoT Hacking Concepts & Defense 8.5 OT, ICS & SCADA Security

9 Cloud Computing & Cryptography

9.1 Cloud Computing Concepts 9.2 Cloud Threats & Attack Surfaces 9.3 Cloud Security Controls 9.4 Cryptography Fundamentals 9.5 PKI & Cryptographic Applications 9.6 Cryptanalysis, Crypto Attacks & Best Practices

1.1 CEH Exam Format, Cost & Eligibility

Key Takeaways Explain This Topic AI

The CEH v13 knowledge exam (code 312-50) has 125 multiple-choice questions in a 4-hour window with no negative marking

There is no single fixed pass mark: EC-Council applies a difficulty-adjusted cut score from 60% to 85% per exam form, not a curve against other candidates

The voucher costs roughly $950 through the ECC Exam Center (remote proctored) or about $1,199 through Pearson VUE; the self-study eligibility application adds a $100 non-refundable fee

Two eligibility routes: complete official EC-Council training (waives the experience requirement) or prove 2+ years of information security work experience via the eligibility application

CEH is ANAB/ANSI ISO/IEC 17024 accredited and is listed in the DoD 8140 Qualification Matrix (V2.1) for 7 work roles; qualification depends on the work role, proficiency level, and applicable matrix. CEH Master requires both the knowledge exam and the 6-hour CEH Practical.

Last updated: September 2026

About the EC-Council Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) Exam

Quick Answer: The Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) v13 knowledge exam (exam code 312-50 ) is a 125-question, 4-hour multiple-choice test administered by EC-Council (the International Council of E-Commerce Consultants). There is no fixed pass mark — EC-Council applies a per-form cut score between 60% and 85% . The voucher is about $950 via the ECC Exam Center or $1,199 via Pearson VUE , plus a $100 eligibility application fee for self-study candidates.

CEH v13 is marketed by EC-Council as the world's first AI-powered ethical hacking certification: the training weaves artificial intelligence into all five phases of hacking and adds an AI-driven practice range. The credential validates that you understand how attackers find and exploit weaknesses so that you can defend systems lawfully . The exam is conceptual — it tests methodology, tool purpose , attack/countermeasure pairings, and terminology, not your ability to type live exploits at speed.

This chapter first orients you to the test mechanics, then covers the official Information Security and Ethical Hacking Overview domain, which is 6% of the exam but supplies vocabulary used in every other domain.

Exam Format at a Glance

  • Detail Information
  • Exam name Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH v13), knowledge exam
  • Exam code 312-50 (v13)
  • Questions 125 multiple-choice (single best answer)
  • Time limit 4 hours (240 minutes)
  • Passing score Form-based cut score, 60%–85% (no single fixed %)
  • Negative marking None — answer every question
  • Delivery ECC Exam Center (remote proctored) or Pearson VUE test center

Accreditation ANAB/ANSI under ISO/IEC 17024 ; listed in the DoD 8140 Qualification Matrix (V2.1) for 7 work roles

Validity 3 years, maintained through the EC-Council Continuing Education (ECE) program

With 125 questions in 240 minutes you have about 1 minute 55 seconds per question . That pace is generous, so a flag-and-review strategy works well: answer confidently, flag anything uncertain, and revisit flagged items before submitting. Because there is no negative marking, you should never leave a blank — a guess has positive expected value.

Why the Pass Mark Is a Range

Many candidates expect a clean "70% to pass." EC-Council instead statistically rates the difficulty of every item and assembles questions into multiple exam forms . Each form is assigned its own cut score so that a harder form requires a lower raw percentage and an easier form requires a higher one. The published band is 60% to 85% . This is not a curve against the other people testing that day — your result depends only on your form's calibrated difficulty. Practically, use full-length practice to identify weak areas; no third-party practice percentage guarantees that you will clear the cut score on a live form.

Cost and Delivery Options

  • Item Approximate Cost (USD)
  • ECC Exam Center voucher (remote proctored) ~$950
  • Pearson VUE voucher (test center) ~$1,199
  • Eligibility application (self-study route) $100 (non-refundable)
  • CEH Practical exam (separate credential) Priced separately

The ECC Exam Center is EC-Council's own remote-proctored platform and is usually the lower-cost path. Pearson VUE delivers the same exam at physical testing centers. Vouchers are typically valid for one year from issuance and are non-transferable.

Eligibility: Two Routes

Official training route. Complete an EC-Council CEH course (online iClass, an Authorized Training Center, or an academic partner). Training waives the experience-based eligibility application.

Self-study / experience route. Submit the eligibility application demonstrating at least two years of information security work experience , with a verifying manager, and pay the $100 non-refundable application fee. EC-Council reviews applications before you can purchase a voucher.

CEH, CEH Practical, and CEH Master

These are commonly confused on exam day and in interviews:

CEH (knowledge exam) — the 125-question, 4-hour multiple-choice test this guide prepares you for. Often called CEH ANSI because the credential is ANSI/ISO 17024 accredited.

CEH Practical — a separate 6-hour exam with 20 real-world challenges performed in a live cyber range. It tests hands-on skill, not multiple-choice recall.

CEH Master — awarded when you pass both the knowledge exam and CEH Practical.

Recognition: ANSI Accreditation and the DoD 8140 Matrix

CEH's accreditations make it valuable for employment and government work. It is accredited by the ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB) under ISO/IEC 17024 , the international standard for personnel certification bodies — meaning the exam is independently audited for fairness and validity. DoDM 8140.03 cancelled DoD 8570.01-M in 2023. The DoD 8140 Qualification Matrix (V2.1) lists CEH for 7 work roles. Under DoD 8140 , qualification is tied to a specific Defense Cyber Workforce Framework work role and proficiency level. Check the current DoD qualification matrices and the position’s requirements; holding CEH does not by itself satisfy every qualification requirement for every cyber role.

Retake Policy and Maintenance

No mandatory wait before your second attempt; a 14-day wait applies before attempts 3, 4, and 5 .

Maximum 5 attempts in a 12-month period ; a 12-month wait then applies before a sixth attempt.

CEH is valid for 3 years , maintained through the EC-Council Continuing Education (ECE) program by earning ECE credits and keeping membership current. Plan recertification from day one.

  • Official Resources
  • EC-Council CEH Certification Page — official program and exam overview
  • CEH Learning Framework — official 20-module / 5-phase framework
  • CEH Eligibility Process — application steps and fee
  • EC-Council Exam Retake Policy — attempt limits and wait periods