EC-Council · 2026 Edition
CEH Study Guide — How to Pass Certified Ethical Hacker
A complete preparation guide written by EC-Council-certified engineers. Covers the exam format, all 6 blueprint domains, a week-by-week study plan, and proven tips for passing first time.
2–4 months
Prep time
Intermediate
Difficulty
125
Exam questions
700/1000
Pass mark
CEH Exam at a Glance
Exam code
CEH
Full name
Certified Ethical Hacker
Vendor
EC-Council
Duration
240 minutes
Questions
~125 items
Passing score
700 / 1000 (scaled)
Domains covered
6 blueprint domains
Recommended experience
Foundational IT knowledge recommended
Typical prep time
2–4 months
Why Earn the CEH?
This certification validates specialised skills recognised by employers globally and opens doors to higher-level roles.
Job roles this opens
CEH Exam Domains
Official EC-Council blueprint weights — study time should roughly match these percentages.
CEH Study Plan
Phase 1
Core concepts and foundational domains
Tip: Build a strong foundation before tackling advanced topics.
Phase 2
Intermediate domains and scenario practice
Tip: Focus on scenario-based questions — they dominate modern certification exams.
Phase 3
Weak domains and full mock exams
Tip: Use JT Exams domain analytics to target your lowest-accuracy areas.
CEH Exam Tips
Study the official exam blueprint — weight percentages tell you exactly where to invest prep time.
Practise scenario-based questions regularly — every modern cert exam is scenario-heavy.
Use spaced repetition to retain what you've learned (JT Exams does this automatically).
Book your exam date once you're scoring 80%+ consistently on practice tests.
Review explanations for every wrong answer, not just the question — the 'why' is what makes it stick.
Ready to practice CEH?
Apply everything in this guide with adaptive practice questions, AI explanations, and domain analytics.
CEH concept guides
Deep-dive explanations of the key topics tested on CEH — with exam key points and common misconceptions.