CEH Certification Experience: From Curious Beginner to Ethical Hacker

I can still clearly recall the moment when everything made sense to me. I heard two people at the next table discussing a data breach while I was seated in my favorite coffee shop in Copenhagen, the kind with the uneven wooden tables and the soft jazz music playing in the background. One of them was in the finance industry, and they were in a panic due to an attack on the internal systems of their company. Thousands of people were impacted by the loss of customer data.

As I sipped my coffee, I became aware of something, but I remained silent. These attacks are not limited to remote locations. They are present and have an immediate impact on actual people. I made the decision to learn as much as I could about cybersecurity at that point, not from an outsider’s point of view but rather from the viewpoint of those who prevent these attacks from ever happening.

I became a Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) as a result of that.

Although I had heard of other certifications such as CISSP, CompTIA Security+, and others, CEH was the one that caught my attention. I was supposed to learn how hackers think from it. The actual methods, resources, and tactics that attackers employ so that I can learn how to protect myself from them—not the Hollywood version with hoodies and green code on screens.

I found the concept of “ethical hacking” to be potent. There was something about using the same information that criminals do, but using it to protect people instead. It had nothing to do with passing a test. It was about acquiring a set of skills that have practical applications in our everyday lives.

And believe me when I say that it was a little unnerving the first time I saw how much information hackers can obtain without ever touching a system.

Footprinting and reconnaissance, which is essentially information gathering, is the first step in CEH training. Imagine having the ability to identify a company’s weaknesses before attempting to undermine it.

You learn how to map out which servers are operating, scan networks, and even uncover information about employees by looking through public records using tools like Nmap and Maltego. The first time you do it, you realize how much of the world is visible to someone who knows where to look, even though it’s all legal.

To be honest, it was addictive and felt like detective work. I couldn’t help but wonder how many actual hackers were currently engaging in the same activity, albeit with malicious intent.

CEH takes you further after you discover what information is available. You learn how to identify open ports, active services, and susceptible software through scanning and enumeration. It’s similar to being given a map showing all the routes into a system.

During training, I recall practicing with a sample network and observing the scan results as they were received. It was similar to getting a behind-the-scenes look at how the internet functions. All of a sudden, concepts like “attack surface” and “vulnerability” weren’t merely words I had read in articles; rather, I could actually see and comprehend them.

Then came system hacking, which is the part that truly alters your viewpoint.

This was a really intense part, I won’t lie. The same methods that hackers employ to compromise systems are taught in CEH training. It includes privilege escalation, password cracking, and hiding your identity.

I experienced an odd mixture of responsibility and excitement when I managed to “break into” a practice machine for the first time. On the one hand, watching attackers take control was exciting. On the other hand, it helped me understand how crucial it is to have knowledgeable people on the defensive.

Because you never look at technology the same way after you realize how simple it is to take advantage of an old system or a weak password.

The fact that CEH encompasses more than just conventional computers shocked me the most. We discussed web application security and how vulnerabilities like SQL injection and cross-site scripting allow attackers to insert malicious code into websites.

Next came IoT devices and wireless networks. Consider how many voice assistants, thermostats, and smart cameras are currently in homes. If they are not adequately secured, they are all potential targets. We simulated wireless network attacks during training, and it was startling how easily a weak password could be cracked.

It changed the way I viewed my own Copenhagen apartment. The larger picture of cybersecurity in daily life now includes my smart TV, Wi-Fi router, and even my smartwatch.

Of course, attackers want data, not just access. This is where CEH’s cryptography component comes into play. Although these concepts may seem uninteresting at first, encryption, hashing, and secure communications are what allow your messaging app or online banking app to remain safe even in the event that data is intercepted.

I now have a much greater respect for the systems we frequently take for granted after learning about data protection. It’s similar to discovering the true mechanism of your door locks and realizing that you may require stronger ones.

The fact that CEH training never overlooks the “ethical” component is one aspect I really enjoyed. You learn how to assist in fixing things, not just how to break them.

Writing expert vulnerability reports that outline what was discovered, why it matters, and how to fix it was something we practiced. Finding a weakness is one thing, but clearly communicating it so that a business can take appropriate action is quite another.

That ability is surprisingly uncommon, which contributes to the high demand for CEH-certified professionals.

Prior to CEH, I believed that firewalls and antivirus software were the main components of cybersecurity. I now realize it’s much more. In a connected world, it’s about staying one step ahead of attackers.

The training made me realize how exciting and influential this work can be, so I’ve started looking at positions like SOC analyst and penetration tester. Protecting actual people, actual companies, and occasionally even vital infrastructure is more important than merely thwarting hypothetical attacks. If you’re considering a similar path, TrainingCamp’s cybersecurity articles provide excellent insights into various career opportunities in the field.

To be honest, the work is never dull. Defenders must adapt to the constant evolution of attackers. As the field continues to evolve, AI is changing how ethical hackers approach their work, creating new opportunities and challenges in cybersecurity.

CEH training is the ideal place to start if you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to think like a hacker and use that knowledge for good. It equips you with the technical know-how, practical outlook, and moral compass to contribute to cybersecurity.

It began for me out of curiosity in a Copenhagen coffee shop. Right now, it feels like the start of a career in which I can contribute to making the digital world a little safer. And that seems like something worth doing in the modern world.