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CEH (Certified Ethical Hacker) - Complete Research & Study Kit

CEH (Certified Ethical Hacker) - Complete Research & Study Kit

Section titled “CEH (Certified Ethical Hacker) - Complete Research & Study Kit”

Status (Aug 2026): EC-Council’s CEH v13 is the current program. v12 retires once v13 stabilises. Exam format held at 125 MCQs / 4 hours / ~70% pass with a new AI-powered question bank. Pass strategy: Theory coverage from these docs + hands-on in TryHackMe + PortSwigger + HTB.

Folder Structure

Section titled “Folder Structure”
C:\Project\isc2\ceh\
├── README.md                         ← you are here
├── 00-master-strategy.md             ← 8-week study plan + decision matrix
├── 99-cheatsheet.md                  ← last-mile review (one-pager density)
│
├── research\                         ← deep-dive research (~19K words total)
│   ├── 01-exam-logistics.md          ← 1,796 words · 20 sources
│   ├── 02-domain-1-2-threats-defense.md  ← 2,194 words · 20 sources
│   ├── 03-domain-3a-reconnaissance.md    ← 2,385 words · 17 sources
│   ├── 04-domain-3b-system-network-attacks.md ← 2,997 words · 41 sources
│   ├── 05-domain-3c-app-crypto-cloud.md   ← 3,499 words · 33 sources
│   ├── 06-domain-4-procedures-legal.md    ← 2,209 words · 12 sources
│   ├── 07-tools-labs-and-practice-plan.md ← 2,499 words · 15+ sources
│   └── 08-career-market-and-comparison.md ← 3,000 words · 59 sources
│
├── domains\                          ← (empty)  -  domain flashcards TBD
├── tools\                            ← (empty)  -  install cheatsheets TBD
├── practice\                         ← (empty)  -  practice questions TBD
├── plans\                            ← (empty)  -  week-by-week plans TBD
└── career\                           ← (empty)  -  resume/interview material TBD

Quick Decision: Should You Do CEH?

Section titled “Quick Decision: Should You Do CEH?”

If you are in Singapore and already passed (ISC)² CC (your other cert in this folder’s parent): CEH pairs well - it moves you from governance/defense vocabulary to offensive tradecraft. Plan for 8-10 weeks part-time.

Choose CEH if…

  • You need a recruiter-recognized cert to clear HR screens.
  • You want a credential on the US DoD 8140 approved list (CSSP roles).
  • You prefer multiple-choice over 24-hour hands-on exams (vs OSCP).
  • You need a government/clearance-friendly cert.
  • Budget: ~S$2,200 (SkillsFuture-eligible in SG, drops effective cost to S$75-S$317).

Don’t choose CEH - pick a different cert if…

  • Pure offensive security credibility matters more than HR recognition → OSCP.
  • Cheapest + practical → HTB CPTS (S$280) or PNPT (S$520).
  • Web app focus → BSCP (S$140) is unbeatable.
  • You’re already mid-career offensive → OSCE³ or GPEN.

Full decision matrix in research/08-career-market-and-comparison.md.

How To Use This Kit

Section titled “How To Use This Kit”

Phase 1 - Decide (1 day). Read 00-master-strategy.md to confirm CEH is the right next step. Confirm eligibility path (ANSI self-study if you have 2+ years infosec; else official training).

Phase 2 - Theory sprint (4 weeks). Read the 6 domain research files in order. Make flashcards from the cheat tables.

Phase 3 - Hands-on (3 weeks). Use research/07-tools-labs-and-practice-plan.md to set up a Kali VM + TryHackMe + PortSwigger. Hit the CEH-aligned THM rooms.

Phase 4 - Mock exam + review (1 week). Use the EC-Council official practice test (or Boson CEH) + the cheatsheet to lock in the must-memorise facts.

Phase 5 - Exam day. See research/01-exam-logistics.md for booking, ID, and reschedule rules.

Total Research Stats

Section titled “Total Research Stats”
Metric Value
Research files 8
Total words ~19,580
Total sources cited ~212
Authoritative domains EC-Council, MITRE ATT&CK, NIST, OWASP, Nmap, First.org, PTES, SANS, Dragos, CISA, EC-Council Singapore, IMDA, PDPC
Generated 2026-08-28, Singapore
Validity window 6-12 months (re-verify pricing & version)

Sources of Truth (Bookmark These)

Section titled “Sources of Truth (Bookmark These)”
  • EC-Council CEH program: https://www.eccouncil.org/programs/certified-ethical-hacker-ceh/
  • EC-Council Candidate Handbook v7.1 (1 Jul 2025)
  • DoD 8140 Cyber Workforce Matrix V2.0 (Mar 2025)
  • MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise (latest)
  • OWASP Top 10 (2021) + 2025 draft
  • NIST SP 800-115 (Technical Guide to Information Security Testing)
  • PTES (Penetration Testing Execution Standard)
  • Nmap Reference Guide (nmap.org/book)
  • Singapore CMCA (Computer Misuse and Cybersecurity Act)
  • Singapore PDPC (PDPA Guidelines)

Maintenance

Section titled “Maintenance”

This kit is dated August 2026. EC-Council updates CEH roughly every 3-4 years (v12 → v13). Re-verify before exam booking:

  • Exam format and question count
  • Price and retake policy
  • Approved country list
  • Recertification ECE credit changes
  • iLab / CodeRed subscription inclusion

If v14 lands mid-2027, redo research/01 and re-check the blueprint deltas in research/02-06.