Certifications for Ethical Hackers: Are you the kind of person who just loves to peep into others’ matters or can’t bear the curiosity to know about other’s personal and social life? Well in today’s time it has become really easy to get to know about other’s untold anecdotes when people are so strongly engaged with social media and other computer devices.
The more they are on the internet, the more they are open to the risk of being hacked. Hacking has become common nowadays. So for a person like you, hacking is the best way to get into others’ lives. But of course, this kind of activity is against ethics and it’s not legal as well. But don’t worry, there is a way out for you to satisfy your curiosity. The solution is Ethical Hacking.
Ethical Hacking is a qualified way of breaking into other computer devices to gain authorized access to data, weaknesses, vulnerabilities, security, and other stuff of the target devices. Ethical Hacking gives you a certificate as a license for hacking that allows you to hack into target systems legally without holding you liable for any breach of data. Below are the Top 10 best Certifications for Ethical Hacking.
Best Ethical Hacking Certification in 2021
1. CEH (CERTIFIED ETHICAL HACKER)
CEH is a certificate issued by the International Council of Electronic Commerce (EC-Council), an organization that provides cybersecurity training, a Department of education, and certification for the IT security field. A person can take the CEH exam after learning from Accredited Training Center or EC-Council’s online class or with just self-study.
But in the case of self-study, a candidate has to fill up a form with proof of information security-related work experience of a minimum of two years. CEH is of two types- CEH and CEH Practical. CEH is a four hours multiple-choice question-based exam whereas CEH Practical is a six-hour lab-based exam where you are required to put the skills on the test.
2. Certified Penetration Testing Engineer:
CPTE is a cybersecurity certificate issued by an America-based IT security institution called Mile2. This certification exam requires candidates to have five key skills on information security which are penetration, scanning, exploitation, data collection, and enumeration. Certified Penetration Testing Engineer examination is an online exam of two hours where a candidate is required to answer 100 multiple-choice questions.
3. ECSA:
ECSA or EC-Council Certified Security Analyst is a level up of CEH. It is another certification that is provided by the International Council of Electronic Council. This exam is basically held to test the candidates of their analytical skills on hacking techniques. The ECSA exam is a two-stage process.
First, you have to sit in a lab penetration testing exam and finish the given task in an allocated time, and then you have to submit a report on the penetration test with details of how you accomplished the task, pointing out the loopholes and also providing a kind of antidote to your penetration. Once you pass this stage, you have to attempt a four-hour exam of 150 multiple-choice questions.
4. CREST:
CREST or Council of Registered Ethical Security Testers is an organization that represents various IT institutions and provides them with the service of cybersecurity. It also grants recognition to other organizations and individuals for cybersecurity management, hacking solutions, and threat intelligence.
CREST also paves a career path for its candidates as the ones who get its accreditation can be recruited by the CREST itself or other organizations under them. CREST’s assessment mainly evaluates the ability of candidates on penetration testing skills.
The CREST exam consists of two parts. First, you are required to take a practical exam to test the skills where you are supposed to find the frangibility of a common network and then you have to answer multiple-choice questions to check on your technical knowledge.
5. OSCP:
OSCP or Offensive Security Certified Professional is a certification provided by an international company named Offensive Security. The company deals with penetration testing and information technology security services.
OSCP is one of the most recognized certifications of Ethical Hacking in the IT industry. OSCP predominantly focuses on practical penetration testing skills in a lab environment. OSCP provides its learners with high-level training through online classes where the learner is furnished with lab access. Once the course is completed.
Candidates are expected to take a 24 hours OSCP exam in a lab to finish their exam tasks and submit a report detailing the procedure used in penetration testing.
6. CISM:
CISM or Certified Information Security Manager is a certification provided by Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA) that provides its services on IT management and security.
CISM is basically for those who want a kind of upper position job in Ethical Hacking. This is so because CISM grants certification of not only Ethical Hacking but also includes hacking risk management and security governance.
To get CISM certification, you need to clear the CISM exam within 5 years of filling the application together with full-time work experience in the CISM job practice area.
7. Foundstone Ultimate Hacking:
Foundstone Ultimate Hacking is for those who just want to do some hacking. It is a certification for Ethical Hacking provided by Foundstone Professional Services, a division of McAfee that teaches and trains its learners to manage networks and hacking and prepare them as IT, professionals. It is a 6 days course with an exam on the last day.
8. GIAC:
GIAC or Global Information Assurance Certification is an IT body that specializes in the certification of cybersecurity and is offered by the SANS Institute. GIAC is conducted in two levels. The first is called the silver level where you have to attempt multiple choice questions and the second is the gold level where you have to submit a research paper.
9. CISA:
CISA or Certified Information Systems Auditor is another certification entity under ISACA offering certification to professionals of IT security control and audit. CISA requires a candidate to pass an extensive exam with the relevant work experience as it tests the candidate’s proficiency in technical skills.
10. CISSP:
CISSP or Certified Information Systems Security Professional is a certification in information security offered by IISSCC (International Information System Security Certification Consortium). To get a CISSP certification, a candidate has to pass an exam and obtain work experience within 6 years.
Conclusion:
With this certificate, you could also get a good high-paying job in various government and private sector institutions as a professional hacker. To get an Ethical Hacking certificate, exams are held by various organizations to test your skills in assessing data, application, or computer systems. There are various examinations conducted for Ethical Hacking that are recognized worldwide.
