As the demand for cybersecurity professionals continues to grow, the role of a Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) has become one of the most sought-after positions in the field. Ethical hackers use the same tools and techniques as malicious hackers—but for a good purpose: to protect organizations from attacks by identifying vulnerabilities before they can be exploited.

In this article, we bring you a candid interview with Amit Sharma, a Certified Ethical Hacker with over six years of experience in penetration testing and red team operations. He shares his personal experiences, study strategies, common mistakes to avoid, and practical tips for aspiring CEHs.

Q1: What inspired you to become a Certified Ethical Hacker?

Amit Sharma: My journey started during college when I attended a seminar on cybersecurity. I was fascinated by the idea of hacking—but legally, for good. After graduation, I worked in IT support, but I always had the urge to understand how systems could be broken into and defended. CEH was a natural fit because it offered structured training on how to think like a hacker.

Q2: How did you prepare for the CEH exam?

Amit: I gave myself about 3 months to prepare. I used the official EC-Council courseware, which includes eBooks, videos, and iLabs for hands-on practice. I broke down my preparation into three phases:

• Month 1: Focused on theory—modules like footprinting, scanning, enumeration, and malware.
• Month 2: Dedicated entirely to labs. I practiced using tools like Metasploit, Nmap, Burp Suite, and Wireshark. I also built a home lab using Kali Linux and DVWA.
• Month 3: Took mock tests, reviewed the MITRE ATT&CK framework, and brushed up on legal and ethical hacking practices.

One thing I’d emphasize is practice—you can’t just memorize tools. You have to understand how they work and why you use them in certain scenarios.

Q3: What was the most challenging part of the exam for you?

Amit: Time management. The CEH exam consists of 125 multiple-choice questions to be completed in 4 hours. Some questions are lengthy and scenario-based, and you have to read carefully before answering. I made the mistake of spending too much time on the first 30 questions and had to rush toward the end.

Also, questions about compliance frameworks and legal aspects were more detailed than I expected. Fortunately, I had reviewed HIPAA, GDPR, and PCI-DSS just a few days before the exam.

Q4: What resources would you recommend to someone preparing for CEH?

Amit: Besides the EC-Council courseware, here’s what I found helpful:

• Books:
  • CEH Certified Ethical Hacker All-in-One Exam Guide by Matt Walker
  • Hacking: The Art of Exploitation by Jon Erickson (great for deeper understanding)
• Labs:
  • EC-Council’s iLabs (CyberQ) for structured hands-on practice
  • TryHackMe and Hack The Box for real-world scenarios
• Online Platforms:
  • YouTube channels like NetworkChuck and The Cyber Mentor
  • Reddit’s r/ceh and r/netsec for community advice

Just be cautious with unofficial brain dumps—they can be outdated or incorrect. Focus on understanding concepts.

Q5: Can you describe a real-world application of what you learned in CEH?

Amit: Absolutely. A few months after getting certified, I was hired to perform a vulnerability assessment for a mid-sized financial company. Using techniques I learned in CEH—like port scanning, service enumeration, and exploiting weak authentication—I discovered an exposed SMB share and gained access to sensitive internal documentation.

More importantly, I provided a detailed remediation plan. That’s something CEH emphasizes: ethical responsibility. You’re not just there to break things—you’re there to help fix them.

Q6: What are some common mistakes CEH candidates make?

Amit:

1. Skipping hands-on labs: You can’t pass with theory alone.
2. Ignoring legal and ethical hacking topics: These often appear in the exam and reflect the “ethical” part of CEH.
3. Over-relying on dumps: Memorizing questions won’t help with scenario-based problem solving.
4. Neglecting emerging topics: CEH v13, for example, includes fileless malware, cloud security, and MITRE ATT&CK—all of which are exam-relevant.

Q7: What does a day in your life as a CEH look like?

Amit: I currently work as a penetration tester in a cybersecurity consulting firm. A typical day might include:

• Running vulnerability scans using Nessus or OpenVAS
• Writing custom scripts to automate reconnaissance
• Preparing penetration test reports for clients
• Participating in red team exercises, where we simulate real-world attacks
• Staying updated with the latest exploits and tools

It’s a dynamic and challenging job. No two days are the same, and that’s what keeps it exciting.

Q8: Is CEH worth it in 2025?

Amit: Yes—if you use it the right way. CEH is often criticized for being too theoretical, but it provides a strong foundation and industry-recognized credibility. It helped me land interviews and gain trust in client-facing roles. That said, I always recommend combining CEH with practical learning—like OSCP or CHFI—to build a well-rounded skill set.

Q9: What advice would you give someone just starting out?

Amit: Start with learning the fundamentals—networking, operating systems, and basic scripting. Then dive into CEH with a mix of theory and practice.

Here are my top tips:

• Create a study plan and stick to it
• Build a home lab to apply what you learn
• Use practice exams to identify weak areas
• Don’t just learn how to hack—learn how to think like a hacker

Also, stay curious. The best hackers aren’t the smartest—they’re the most inquisitive.

Final Thoughts

Amit’s journey is a great example of how the CEH certification can open doors and empower cybersecurity professionals with both the knowledge and credibility to succeed. His practical insights highlight that passing CEH is not about memorization, but about understanding the attacker’s mindset, mastering the tools of the trade, and maintaining a strong ethical foundation.

Whether you’re an IT professional looking to pivot into cybersecurity or a student aiming to build a career in ethical hacking, the CEH certification can be a significant first step—if approached with the right mindset.

Helpful Link

For official CEH exam details, training materials, and registration, visit:
https://securevalley-training.net/certified-ethical-hacker-ceh-fr/https://securevalley-training.net/certified-ethical-hacker-ceh-fr/