Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) Practice Tests

This Certified Ethical Hacker practice test helps you review reconnaissance, scanning, enumeration, exploitation concepts, web application attacks, malware, wireless security, cloud security, and defensive countermeasures. The goal is to improve your ability to identify the right technique or tool from a scenario, not simply remember labels.

Use the free questions to benchmark your starting point, then practice in focused sessions by reviewing every explanation after submission. CEH preparation benefits from repetition because many answer choices are close; understanding why the wrong options fail is essential for raising your score.

The Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH), now in its 13th version (CEH v13), is EC-Council's flagship offensive security certification that validates a professional's ability to identify, exploit, and remediate vulnerabilities using the same tools and techniques as malicious hackers — but within a lawful, authorized context. Spanning 20 security domains and over 550 attack techniques, CEH v13 covers the full spectrum of ethical hacking methodology: from footprinting and reconnaissance through system hacking, malware analysis, social engineering, web application attacks, SQL injection, wireless network exploitation, and cloud and IoT security. The curriculum also integrates AI-driven hacking techniques, making CEH v13 the first ethical hacking certification to incorporate AI and machine learning as core competencies. Launched in September 2024, CEH v13 reflects the evolving threat landscape with updated modules on cloud environments (AWS, Azure), OT/ICS systems, and AI-powered offensive tools. The certification is globally recognized, listed on the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) Approved Baseline Certifications list (DoD 8570/8140), and is administered through EC-Council's exam code 312-50.

CEH is designed for mid-career IT and security professionals who want to formalize and validate their offensive security knowledge. Primary target roles include penetration testers, security analysts, SOC analysts, network security engineers, security auditors, security consultants, and IT managers responsible for defensive strategy. Candidates typically have a background in networking, operating systems, or system administration and are looking to transition into or advance within offensive and red-team security roles. The certification is also widely pursued by professionals in government, defense contracting, and financial services who need credentials recognized by the DoD or regulated-industry compliance frameworks.

EC-Council does not enforce a formal degree requirement, but candidates must satisfy one of two eligibility paths. The first path requires completing an official EC-Council-accredited CEH training course, after which the candidate is automatically eligible to sit the exam. The second path allows self-study candidates with at least two years of verifiable information security work experience to apply directly by submitting an eligibility application form and paying a $100 non-refundable fee for EC-Council review. Regardless of path, candidates are strongly expected to have working knowledge of TCP/IP networking, Windows and Linux operating systems, and foundational security concepts. Familiarity with tools such as Nmap, Wireshark, and Metasploit is practically necessary to succeed on both the knowledge exam and the optional practical exam.

The CEH knowledge exam (exam code 312-50) consists of 125 multiple-choice questions to be completed in 240 minutes (4 hours). Questions are a mix of knowledge-based and scenario-based multiple-choice items. The exam is delivered either online via remote proctoring through EC-Council's portal or in person at Pearson VUE testing centers worldwide. Scoring uses a scaled model, meaning the exact passing threshold varies by exam form difficulty — typically falling between 60% and 85%, with approximately 70% as a general benchmark. The certification is valid for three years, after which holders must earn 120 EC-Council Continuing Education (ECE) credits or retake the exam. Separately, EC-Council offers the CEH Practical, a 6-hour, 20-challenge hands-on exam conducted in a live cyber range; passing both the knowledge exam and the practical earns the CEH Master designation.

The CEH certification is one of the most widely recognized offensive security credentials globally, directly qualifying holders for roles such as penetration tester, security analyst, cybersecurity engineer, SOC analyst, security consultant, and information security manager. Salary data from PayScale and Glassdoor indicates CEH-certified professionals earn an average base salary ranging from approximately $86,000 to over $147,000 in the United States, with penetration testers typically earning $95,000–$145,000 and information security managers reaching $90,000–$175,000. CEH holders who transition from network administration roles report salary increases of up to 54% according to EC-Council data. The certification's inclusion on the U.S. Department of Defense Approved Baseline Certifications list (DoD 8570/8140) makes it a mandatory or strongly preferred credential for government, military, and defense contractor positions — an advantage not shared by many competing certifications. Compared to alternatives like CompTIA PenTest+ (entry-level) or OSCP (more hands-on/advanced), CEH occupies a well-recognized middle ground that balances breadth of knowledge with industry name recognition, making it particularly effective for professionals entering or advancing within offensive security who need a credential that resonates with HR and hiring managers across both the public and private sectors.

CEH is one of EC-Council's most heavily monitored exams, and confirmed cheating results in permanent loss of the certification and removal from EC-Council's public CEH registry, with a ban from EC-Council's other programs possible for serious violations.

There is an obvious irony in an ethical-hacking credential being earned unethically, and employers in this field notice. CertCompanion's CEH bank has 594 practice questions, 30 free, covering the same 20 domains EC-Council actually tests, from reconnaissance to cloud and IoT security.