Introduction
Embarking on the journey to earn the CEH Master certification was a transformative experience for me. It was more than just a credential; it was a commitment to deepening my knowledge and skills in ethical hacking and cybersecurity. As a professional already immersed in the cloud and cybersecurity domain, the CEH Master certification represented a significant milestone in my career. Here, I want to share my journey — the challenges I faced, the strategies I employed, and the lessons I learned.
Why I Chose CEH by EC-Council
The field of cybersecurity is constantly evolving, and staying relevant requires continuous learning. The CEH (Certified Ethical Hacker) certification is globally recognized and provides a comprehensive understanding of ethical hacking techniques and tools. I purchased this certification for $450 during the EC-Council cybersale, as it not only tests theoretical knowledge but also validates hands-on skills through a practical exam. This dual focus on knowledge and application made the CEH Master designation particularly appealing, aligning perfectly with my career goals.
Preparation for the Certification
Earning the CEH Master certification involved tackling two components: the Practical exam and the ANSI (knowledge) exam. The following sections break down my approach to each.
Part 1: Preparing for the CEH Practical Exam
I began by thoroughly reviewing the exam blueprint and analyzing previous question types. The CEH Practical exam required me to solve 20 real-world challenges within 6 hours. This gave me a clear understanding of the exam’s structure and helped me identify the key areas to focus on.
1. Organizing study materials into a single PDF
The CEH Practical book is divided into 20 modules, each with its own PDF. To streamline my preparation, I combined all of them into one document using Foxit PDF Editor Pro, then bookmarked each module with multiple colors — along with topics and tasks — to create a clear overview. Without this overview, starting from the beginning felt overwhelming and disorganized. Bookmarks helped me locate sections and navigate the material far more effectively.
2. First read, then practice in EC-Council iLabs
Once I started, I read each task and the associated concepts, focusing on: what the concept is about, why it is necessary, how the problem can be solved, and which tools or techniques apply. After grasping the theory, I practiced each task in the iLabs environment, which provides six machines (Parrot OS, Windows 11, Windows Server 2019, Windows Server 2022, Ubuntu, and Android). I repeated each task two or three times to build confidence.
If a task didn’t work as described in the manual, I referred to video tutorials for guidance. I was meticulous and did not skip a single task. This rigorous approach took roughly two months of serious, committed practice.
3. Mastering service enumeration
Some tasks required accessing systems through specific services — FTP, SMTP, SMB, RDP, SSH, NetBIOS, and SNMP. Without gaining access to the machines running these services, it was impossible to proceed. So I focused on learning and practicing techniques to enumerate and interact with each: understanding their configurations, vulnerabilities, and how to exploit them effectively. (My notes.)
4. Strengthening weak areas
After completing all modules, I assessed my understanding and revisited the areas where I felt less confident — revisiting both theory and practical exercises. The areas I concentrated on included networking, enumeration, privilege escalation, sniffing, DDoS, session hijacking, hacking web servers, hacking web applications, hacking wireless networks, and cryptography. Dedicating extra time here solidified my knowledge before the exam.
5. Practice on CEH Engage
After finishing iLabs, I extended my preparation to CEH Engage, which provides advanced, dynamic scenarios for testing practical skills. Working through these challenges sharpened my ability to think critically and apply solutions under time constraints. (My notes.)
6. Final preparation before the exam
I scheduled my CEH Practical exam for December 20, 2024, at 1:45 AM — deliberately choosing a late-night slot for a stable connection and a quiet environment. I adjusted my routine and slept during the day to stay well-rested. By this point, with weeks of focused practice behind me, I was confident and calm. I had done the hard work; it was just a matter of showing up and performing.
7. Exam hour
My exam started right on schedule. After the room and passport checks, the proctor explained the rules and granted permission to begin. The environment was similar to CEH Engage: one machine running Parrot OS and another running Windows 11, with three network subnets to work with (10.10.55.0/24, 192.168.44.0/24, and 192.168.200.0/24).
I began by scanning the networks with Nmap:
nmap -sV -sC -A -T4 -oN 10_scan_results.txt 10.10.55.0/24
Breakdown of the options:
-sV — detect service versions-sC — enable the default set of scripts for additional service information-A — enable OS detection, version detection, script scanning, and traceroute-T4 — set an aggressive timing template for faster scans-oN — write plain-text output to a file10.10.55.0/24 — the target subnet
The -oN flag was especially useful: it produced a text file that made it easy to search for network details and services while solving questions. Parrot OS was a bit slow, but manageable. After three hours I had completed 14 tasks and took a short break, then finished the rest within two more hours — about five hours total. Before submitting, I reviewed all questions and answers twice. When I told the proctor I was ready, they asked, “Are you sure?” I was. After submitting, I saw my result: 200/200. And just like that, it was a good, good, good morning!
8. Receiving the Practical certification
The proctor guided me to download the certificate from the ASPEN portal. It generated automatically and arrived instantly. Seeing it felt incredibly rewarding — a tangible recognition of all the time, effort, and perseverance I had invested. Alhamdulillah!
Part 2: Preparing for the CEH ANSI Exam
After the Practical exam, I shifted focus to the CEH ANSI exam, which tests theoretical knowledge of ethical hacking concepts, methodologies, and tools. I scheduled it for January 11, 2025, at 11:00 AM, building on the modules I’d already studied for the Practical.
1. Creating a unified study resource
I combined all modules into a single PDF — a comprehensive overview of every concept in one place. The final document ran to 3,451 pages. I bookmarked each module and Learning Objective (LO), color-coding categories and sections so I could quickly locate topics and focus where I needed most.
2. Focusing on the Learning Objectives
Given limited time, I prioritized the Learning Objectives in each module. When I struggled with an LO, I referred to the relevant portions of the text, paying close attention to bolded terms and key highlights. This let me cover the critical topics efficiently without reading all 3,451 pages in detail.
3. Exam preparation with Cyber Quotient
I used the Cyber Quotient platform, which offers multiple-choice questions organized by topic. Its biggest benefit was highlighting my weaker areas, so I could focus my effort where it counted and build confidence topic by topic.
4. Simulated exam practice
Cyber Quotient also provided two simulated exams of 125 questions each, mirroring the real CEH ANSI exam in type and pattern. These gave me a realistic experience of the structure and timing, and helped me sharpen my time management.
5. Final practice exams
For final preparation, I used the Certified Ethical Hacker v12 Practice Exams by Viktor Afimov on Udemy ($13) — 4 tests with 475 questions. Each included detailed explanations, so whenever I missed a question I reviewed the reasoning and reinforced the concept.
6. Exam day
I woke at 4:00 AM for a last review ahead of my 11:00 AM exam. I began with full concentration, touching every question and marking uncertain ones for review to keep momentum. It took about 3 hours 40 minutes of the 4-hour window. The exam wasn’t entirely smooth — I hit two disconnections, and just before submitting, Chrome froze. The proctor calmly advised me to switch to Firefox, and after logging back in I submitted successfully.
Checking my ASPEN dashboard, I saw I had scored 118 out of 125 — a pass, with a detailed breakdown across all sections.
7. Receiving the ANSI certification
The proctor said it would take 5–10 days; the certificate would appear on the ASPEN dashboard and arrive by email. To my delight, I received it within 5 days.
8. CEH Master certification
Along with the ANSI certification, I also received the CEH Master certification — the completion of a dream achievement. This milestone validated my skills and confirmed my commitment in the field of ethical hacking and cybersecurity.
Conclusion
The journey to the CEH Practical, ANSI, and Master certifications was a rewarding experience in my pursuit of expertise in ethical hacking and cybersecurity. My preparation focused on hands-on practice for the Practical exam, consolidating all modules into a unified resource for the ANSI exam, and refining my understanding through simulated exams and targeted study. With determination and a focused approach, I completed both exams and earned the CEH Master certification — a significant achievement, and a deeper commitment to staying ahead in an ever-evolving field.
Helpful resources I used:
Thank you for reading about my journey. If you have any questions or need guidance, feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn.
