Certified Ethical Hacker Renewal [Step-by-Step Guide]

As cybersecurity becomes an alarming concern, mid-market and large enterprises have invested heavily in recruiting “ethical” or white-hat hackers to access the vulnerabilities in their systems. These certified professionals tend to have the same expertise as criminal hackers but are liable to inform the organizations before any illegal activity can compromise their systems. Individuals interested in this career path are expected to validate their skills to organizations, usually through earning a certification. This article aims to guide individuals in the Certified Ethical Hacker Renewal process, which is a certificate issued by the EC-Council for becoming a white-hat hacker.

EC Council’s Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) certification is one of the leading pathways for individuals to become Certified Ethical Hackers, consecutively ranking above all the other certifications in recent years. Accredited and endorsed by National Cyber Security Center and United States Department of Defense (DoD), this online accreditation ensures individuals are equipped with the knowledge of the latest security threats. (If that sounds amazing check our Ethical Hacking training online course!). For the same reason, the EC Council makes it mandatory for certified professionals to renew their CEH Certification over a period of time.

Why Renew your CEH Certificate?

Renewal of the certificate is obligatory under EC-Council’s guidelines. The CEH Certificate corroborates the person’s continued proficiency as technology evolves and new security threats surface. Certain organizations also require active CEH certificates to continue employment such as the United States Department of Defense. And if you tend to switch jobs regularly, it is a best practice to keep yourself proficiently trained in the latest methodologies that are implemented in the industry, which is a common requirement for job applications. Another worthwhile reason to get renewal for your CEH certificate is to explore newer material, auto-renewing other EC Council certificates, and create a positive impression on your resume.

How Many Years CEH Certification is Valid

Your CEH validity lasts for three years from the date of issue, just like any other certificate from the EC-Council. Renewal of the certification requires you to earn 120 ECE credits, usually through the EC-Council Continuing Education (ECE) Program, over these three years, which will extend the certified ethical hacker validity duration for another three years.

Maintaining validity also requires a Certified Ethical Hacker renewal fee, which is USD 80 annually for a single certification, and an additional USD 20 for every other certificate.

What is ECE Scheme and ECE Credits

• ECE Scheme:

The EC-Council introduced the ECE (EC-Council Continuation Education) Scheme to comply with international standards and to ensure that certified individuals act in accordance with any new requirements that might come up as technology progresses. The scheme sets a validity period of 3 years for all EC-Council-issued certificates for the same reason.

• ECE Credits:

ECE Credits are required during your certification renewal and are awarded on various instances. 120 ECE Credits in total are needed for CEH certification renewal over the course of 3 years. You can refer to the guide below to figure out how to accumulate 120 ECE Credits over your certificate validity period.

Step-by-Step Guide to Renew CEH Certification

Below, we will cover all the steps required to renew your CEH Certification. From the prerequisites of renewing your CEH certificate, to earning ECE Credits.

1. Requirements for renewing CEH Certification

• CEH Renewal requirements include earning 120 ECE Credits over 3 years, preferably 40 ECE Credits and a minimum of 20 ECE Credits per year. These can be earned through several ways which will be outlined below.
• An annual membership fee is also required for maintaining the validity of your CEH Certificate. This turns out to be USD 80 and is the total CEH renewal cost.
• Certified individuals must also comply with the EC-Council’s Code of Ethics. 

2. CEH ECE Credits Sources to Renew CEH Certification

EC-Council certified professionals can earn ECE Credits through various qualifying activities. Here are a few ways you can qualify for earning more ECE Credits in less time and effort:

1. Enroll in Online IT Security Courses (60 CEH ECE Credits)

Completing an IT Security related course approved by the EC Council grants up to 60 ECE Credits. They are a great way to stay connected with the latest approaches in the industry and improve your ethical hacking skill set. Infosec-related courses can be made available either in in-person classes or online training, so be on an active lookout! Once you have completed the course, you can login to your Aspen portal to gain the ECE credits.

2.  Follow Meetings, Seminars, Conferences about IT Security (16 CEH ECE Credits)

Attending meetings, seminars or conferences related to IT Security can also award you ECE Credits. Currently, attendees can gain 1 ECE Credit per hour by partaking in such events, which are approved by the EC Council. They are also a great way to stay updated with the latest approaches and advancements in the industry. While the specific duration of the event can vary, they can earn you around 16 ECE Credits; plus, the added benefit of gaining additional knowledge makes them worth mentioning here! You can check our cyber security certificate programs online here which is EC-Council certified.

3. Read an IT Security Related Resource (5 CEH ECE Credits)

The EC Council also approves up to 5 ECE Credits for reading resources related to cybersecurity. These can include research papers, magazines, blogs, or any other informational resource.

4. Presentation (12 CEH ECE Credits)

Sharing your knowledge about cybersecurity with other people in the profession can also award you with ECE Credits. The EC Council endorses this contribution to the industry by granting 3 ECE Credits per hour of presentation. On average, a four-hour presentation can earn you 12 ECE Credits.

5. Identify New Vulnerability (10 CEH ECE Credits)

A senior ethical hacker with advanced knowledge of the domain can also try to claim ten additional ECE Credits for discovering a new security vulnerability, either in the organization where they work or in any other system by themselves.

6. Other Sources (17 CEH ECE Credits)

Other sources for earning ECE Credits include volunteering for InfoSec events, which can earn you 1 ECE Credit per hour. Teaching IT Security related courses in an organization is also a viable option which can earn you 3 ECE Credits per hour with no maximum limit. This may also require a letter from your management affirming your role as the instructor for the course.

3. How Should You Submit Earned CEH ECE Credits?

ECE Credits earned can be recorded by logging into your Aspen Portal. Once you are in, select the add event tab and start inputting the details of the event. Note that the form also requires a piece of evidence that you have successfully participated in that activity or event. You can refer to the chart below to know how many credits will be awarded and what are the required evidence.

4. What Happens If I Do Not Submit 120 CEH ECE Credits in Three-Year Period?

If you are a certified individual and fail to meet the 120 ECE Credit requirement for three years, the EC Council will suspend your certificate. This results in you not being allowed to use the certification logos of the EC Council and revokes your access to their membership benefits.

Such members can also remediate their certificate suspension within a year from the date of expiry. If for some reason, you are also not able to redress the suspension for 12 months, it will result in revoking your CEH Certification, which will require passing the CEH exam again.

5. What Should You Do If EC Council Audits Your ECE Submission?

Your ECE Credit submission might get audited by the EC Council to ensure your submission is in line with their policies. Therefore, you should have sufficient evidence to show your involvement in activities that earn you ECE credits. Whenever you complete any such task, make sure to maintain ample proof in case of an audit. If sufficient evidence is provided, the credits are approved.

More Ways to Earn ECE Credits to Continue CEH Through Aspen Portal

If you have followed our guide up to this point and still lack a few ECE Credits for CEH certification renewal, continue reading. While we have listed the most common and effective sources of ECE Credits, there are a few more ways to earn them. Below we have listed the remaining sources that are currently accepted by the EC Council:

• Authoring a published Article, Book Chapter or White Paper - 20 credits 
• Building an IT Security Tool - 40 credits 
• Authoring a published InfoSec Book - 100 credits 
• EC-Council Beta Exam Testing - 80 credits 
• EC-Council Exam Survey - 20 credits 
• EC-Council Item Writing - 3 credits 
• EC-Council Job Task Analysis Survey - 40 credits 
• Higher Education Per Quarter - 10 credits 
• Higher Education Per Semester - 15 credits 

How to Become CEH Certified?

If you are an individual with an expired certificate or just someone wondering, “is a certified ethical hacker worth it?” We are here to guide you. Ethical hackers are one of the most in-demand individuals in the cybersecurity sector today. Becoming a certified ethical hacker starts with selecting a certificate that could help you advance in your CEH career, such as Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH), GIAC Penetration Tester (GPEN), CompTIA PenTest+ and Offensive Security Certified Professional (OSCP). While all of them offer excellent opportunities to widen your skill set, our pick is EC- Council’s Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH). 

After selecting the certificate, you want to pursue, it is time to find a course that can prepare you for the final practical exam. You can check our KnowledgeHut’s Ethical Hacking training online course for gaining practical skills through interactive sessions with hands-on labs guided by trainers certified by EC Council.

At the end of the course, you will be presented with a 4-hour exam consisting of Multiple-Choice Questions based on what you have learned throughout the course. Once you have passed the exam, the EC Council will issue a CEH Certificate in your name, and you will officially be CEH Certified.

Conclusion

While renewing your CEH certificate might seem tedious, it is undoubtedly crucial if you are striving to advance in your cybersecurity career. With a validity period of 3 years and a small membership fee, renewing your certificate without much effort is easily achievable. You are required to earn 120 ECE credits in that validity period, which, as we have discussed, is not tiresome. Once you have earned your credits, simply record them in your Aspen Portal, and the validity of your certificate will be extended to the next three years.

Ethical Hacking services are in great demand across all industries and can accelerate your present cybersecurity career to new heights.

Also, check out the interesting blog post on major benefits of earning the CEH certification in 2022.