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EC-Council · Cybersecurity · Associate

EC-Council Certified Ethical Hacker (C|EH) exam guide

Exam 312-50 (CEH v13)

The Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH v13) validates knowledge of attacker tools and techniques across 20 modules, from reconnaissance to cloud, IoT and OT hacking, with AI-assisted techniques added in v13. Its recognition among HR teams and DoD 8140 approval make it one of the most requested offensive security certifications.

Questions125
Time limit240 minutes
Passing score60-85% depending on exam form
Exam feeSee official page
Valid for3 years
DeliveryEC-Council exam portal (remote proctored) or Pearson VUE test center

Format: Knowledge exam: multiple choice. Optional practical: 20 challenges in a live cyber range (passing both earns CEH Master). Fee note: EC-Council sells the exam mainly bundled with training (packages from about $1,699 on demand); standalone voucher pricing varies by region and is not published on the certification page; $100 eligibility application fee without official training.

Who it's for

Security analysts, network administrators and junior penetration testers with about 2 years of IT security experience.

What the exam covers

Introduction to Ethical Hacking—
Footprinting, Reconnaissance, Scanning and Enumeration—
Vulnerability Analysis and System Hacking—
Malware, Sniffing, Social Engineering and DoS—
Session Hijacking and Evading IDS, Firewalls and Honeypots—
Web Server, Web Application and SQL Injection Attacks—
Wireless, Mobile, IoT and OT Hacking—
Cloud Computing and Cryptography—

A dash means the vendor does not publish a weight for that domain.

Eligibility & prerequisites

Required: Attend official EC-Council training, or apply for eligibility with proof of 2 years of information security experience and pay a $100 application fee.

Recommended: About 2 years of IT security experience.

Keeping it active

Valid 3 years. Maintain through the EC-Council Continuing Education (ECE) program: earn 120 ECE credits in the 3-year cycle and pay the annual ECE fee.

Skills & careers

Skills it validates

  • Reconnaissance, scanning and enumeration
  • Vulnerability analysis and system hacking
  • Web application and SQL injection attacks
  • Wireless, mobile, IoT and OT attack techniques
  • Cloud attack techniques
  • Evasion of IDS, firewalls and honeypots
  • Using AI-assisted hacking tools

Job roles

Penetration TesterEthical HackerSecurity AnalystVulnerability Assessment AnalystSOC AnalystRed Team Associate

DoD 8140

Recognized in the DoD 8140 qualification matrix for cyber defense and vulnerability assessment work roles (formerly 8570 CSSP Analyst, Incident Responder, Auditor). Open the DoD Workforce Navigator

Where it fits in your path

Planning a degree too? See how this cert earns college credit in the College Credit Navigator.

Build my study plan

  1. Week 1: Modules 1-4: ethical hacking concepts, footprinting, scanning and enumeration with Nmap and OSINT tools.
  2. Week 2: Modules 5-9: vulnerability analysis, system hacking, malware, sniffing and social engineering.
  3. Week 3: Modules 10-15: DoS, session hijacking, evasion, web servers, web apps and SQL injection.
  4. Week 4: Modules 16-20: wireless, mobile, IoT/OT, cloud and cryptography.
  5. Week 5: iLabs or home lab practice plus timed 125-question practice exams.

Make it yours: pick your exam date and weekly hours. We'll split your time by domain weight and give you a printable plan.

Exam-day tips

  • Know which tool does what (Nmap flags, Hydra, John, Wireshark filters); many questions are tool recall.
  • Memorize Nmap scan types and their flags.
  • Cryptography questions focus on algorithm types, key lengths and hashing.
  • Cut scores vary by form, so aim above 85% on practice tests.
  • If you plan to earn CEH Master, practice timed hands-on challenges for the 6-hour practical.

Key terms for this exam

All 249 terms Study with thinQcards™

Commonly confused on this exam

Frequently asked questions

How much does CEH cost?

EC-Council mostly sells CEH with training; packages start around $1,699 for on-demand. Self-study candidates pay a $100 eligibility fee plus the exam voucher, whose price varies by region.

Is CEH worth it in 2026?

It remains widely recognized by HR and is DoD 8140 approved, but hands-on employers often prefer PenTest+ or OSCP alongside it.

What is CEH Master?

Passing both the knowledge exam and the 6-hour, 20-challenge practical exam earns CEH Master.

CEH vs PenTest+?

CEH has stronger brand recognition; PenTest+ is cheaper and includes performance-based questions.

How do I renew CEH?

Earn 120 ECE credits over 3 years and pay the annual ECE fee.

Official page: www.eccouncil.org. Reviewed November 2026. Vendors change fees and objectives, so confirm with the vendor before you book. Spot something out of date? Tell us.