Top 10 Ethical Hacking Courses & Certifications in 2023

The global cyber security market is poised for significant growth over the coming years. According to a report by Fortune Business Insights, the market was valued at $155.83 billion in 2022 and is projected to reach $376.32 billion by 2029. 

This rapid expansion reflects the mounting costs of cybercrime worldwide. It is estimated that the global price tag of cybercrime damage will increase by 15% annually over the next three years, hitting $10.5 trillion per year by 2025, as projected by Cybercrime Magazine. 

Moreover, a recent report projects that unfilled cybersecurity jobs will jump up to 3.5 million openings globally by 2025. With cyber threats ramping up in scale and sophistication, companies are scrambling to bulk up their cybersecurity teams and fill critical gaps. However, the supply of skilled professionals is lagging way behind demand, leading to major talent shortfalls.

Companies are shelling out big bucks for ethical hackers who can pinpoint vulnerabilities, shore up defenses, and help turn the tide against the growing legions of cybercriminals looking to break in and wreak havoc. For those looking to break into the field of ethical hacking, getting the right training and certifications under your belt is a must.

In this blog, we will lay out the top 10 ethical hacking courses and certifications that you should check out if you want to get a leg up in this exciting and lucrative field. Whether you are just dipping your toe into cybersecurity or are already well-versed in hacking methods, these programs run the gamut from foundational to highly advanced.

From comprehensive online programs you can knock out on your own schedule, to intensive bootcamps that fully immerse you in hacking techniques, these top-tier training options will launch you forward in your ethical hacking education and career.

So plug in and power up your learning – here are the best of the best for getting schooled in ethical hacking.

Top 10 Ethical Hacking Courses & Certifications

Below, we’ll be breaking down the top 10 ethical hacking courses and certifications to check out in 2023 and beyond. We’ll be diving into the key details and features of each option to help you narrow down and zero in on the best picks depending on your goals and background. 

Let’s jump right in and get cracking on the top courses and certs that will launch you forward in this burgeoning field.

1. CEH Certification

The Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) credential has become one of the most popular and valued certifications for information security professionals. CEH provides comprehensive training in the latest hacking techniques and methodologies. By learning to think like hackers, CEH-certified professionals can set up more robust security systems and protect their organizations against malicious attacks.

Key Benefits of CEH Training:

• Hands-on experience with current hacking tools and techniques through intensive labs and exercises. Students learn by doing.
• Covers the full ethical hacking methodology, including reconnaissance, scanning, gaining access, maintaining access, and covering tracks.
• Up-to-date curriculum covering the latest operating systems, technologies, and exploit tactics hackers are using in the wild.
• Develop skills to conduct penetration tests and security assessments effectively. Learn to find vulnerabilities proactively.
• Understand system weaknesses, attack vectors, and preventative countermeasures to harden security infrastructure.
• CEH credential is globally recognized and validates your skills as an ethical hacking professional.

By completing CEH training and earning certification, information security specialists can master hacker tools and techniques to better defend organizations from cyber threats. CEH builds hands-on expertise in proactive vulnerability assessments, penetration testing, and mitigating system exploits.

2. CSWAE – Certified Secure Web Applications Engineer

The Certified Secure Web Application Engineer (CSWAE) course prepares programmers to design and build secure web-based systems that are resilient to cyber-attacks.

Key features of the CSWAE course:

• Covers techniques to bake security into web apps right from the design phase using protocols like OAuth and OpenID.
• Explains input validation, proper error handling, and principles like least privilege and trust no one.
• Delves into securely storing sensitive data, robust access controls, and cryptography.
• Discusses web app vulnerabilities like XSS, SQLi, CSRF, etc., and ways to code around them.
• Teaches methodologies to carry out risk analysis, threat modeling, and vulnerability assessments.
• Explains fuzzing, penetration testing, and using dynamic scanners to flag flaws.
• Covers mitigation strategies through WAF, security gateways, rate limiting, etc.
• Prepares developers to create web apps that hold up under adverse conditions.

With organizations increasingly falling prey to internet-based assaults, the need for bulletproof web applications has never been more dire. This course arms web developers with the expertise to identify vulnerabilities and mitigate risks through robust design and coding practices.

3. CSLO – Certified Security Leadership Officer

The Certified Security Leadership Officer (CSLO) course by Mile2 is tailored for mid to senior-level managers who lead information security teams. It aims to equip engineers to take on leadership roles and bridge the gap between cybersecurity and business operations.

Key features of the CSLO course:

• Covers skills to head up security operations centers and incident response teams.
• Explain steps to carry out risk assessments, analyze vulnerabilities, and undertake mitigation planning.
• Discusses strategies to align security programs with business goals and promote security awareness across the organization.
• Delves into security frameworks, compliance requirements, audits, and building organizational resilience.
• Examines security technologies like firewalls, IDS/IPS, encryption, access controls, etc.
• Focuses on leadership traits like strategic thinking, communication, collaboration, and stakeholder engagement.
• Prepares managers to drive security roadmaps, budgets, acquisition, and staffing.
• Enables leaders to get a handle on security challenges and drill down to address issues proactively.

The course provides an in-depth understanding of current security landscapes, best practices, and technologies. It helps managers gain proficiency in spearheading IT security projects and driving security policies and procedures.

4. Certified Professional Ethical Hacker Certification Course

The CPEH course sets the foundation for a career in ethical hacking and penetration testing. It delivers the core methodologies to think offensively in order to strengthen your organization’s defensive posture.

One of the key benefits of the CPEH course is learning how to carry out ethical hacking simulations to uncover weaknesses. Performing authorized penetration tests allows you to take a proactive approach to security by identifying gaps before malicious actors discover them. The course teaches you how to gather intelligence, exploit systems, and evade detection like real adversaries do.

But the training goes beyond offense by also providing the defense side. You will learn countermeasures to prevent intrusions, secure systems from vulnerabilities, set up effective monitoring, and respond to incidents. By experiencing offensive tools hands-on in a safe environment, you will be prepared to protect against them.

5. Computer Hacking Forensic Investigator | CHFI

The Computer Hacking Forensic Investigator (CHFI) course from the EC-Council provides comprehensive training in the investigative skills and tools required to properly extract, analyze, and report on digital evidence.

Offered through an authorized training center, the CHFI course delivers an effective methodology for conducting computer forensic investigations. Students learn best practices for handling digital evidence, including proper search and seizure protocols, maintaining chain of custody, evidence acquisition, preservation, analysis, and reporting.

The intensive 5-day program covers major forensic investigation scenarios encountered in modern cybersecurity. Students gain hands-on experience using industry-standard forensics tools such as AccessData’s Forensic Toolkit, Guidance Software’s Encase, and more. Course material is vendor-neutral, providing students with an overview of different software options.

Key topics covered include understanding hard disks and file systems, data acquisition and analysis, email investigations, network forensics, mobile forensics, and more. Students walk through realistic case studies at each stage of the investigative process.

CHFI provides essential skills and knowledge for a career in digital forensics. It is designed for a broad audience, including law enforcement, military personnel, system administrators, security professionals, bankers, legal professionals, and anyone concerned with maintaining network integrity and investigating cybersecurity breaches.  

The CHFI course culminates with a rigorous exam covering all course material. Students who pass demonstrate they have mastered internationally-recognized standards for digital forensics methodologies. CHFI certification validates capabilities and promotes credibility as a digital investigator.

6. CPTC- Certified Penetration Testing Consultant

The Certified Penetration Testing Consultant (CPTC) course digs deep into the specific penetration testing techniques and methodologies used to compromise operating systems. This course is tailored for IT security professionals and network administrators who want to broaden their skills and work hand-in-hand with a penetration testing team.

The course focuses on taking trainees through the nitty-gritty of the exploitation process and equips them with the ability to carry out buffer overflow attacks against programs running on Windows and Linux platforms. It also covers how to get around security features like Data Execution Prevention (DEP) and Address Space Layout Randomization (ASLR) that are meant to thwart such exploits.  

Key features of the CPTC course:

• Provides in-depth coverage of penetration testing tools and techniques to carry out professional security assessments.
• Hands-on labs to practice various exploits like buffer overflows, bypassing DEP/ASLR, etc.
• Teaches methodologies to probe networks, unearth vulnerabilities, and zero in on weak spots.
• Covers crafting specially formed payloads, injecting shells, and escalating privileges.
• Explains generating well-documented reports outlining the discovered vulnerabilities and how to fix them.
• Prepares trainees to kick-start their careers as certified penetration testers.

In a nutshell, the CPTC course arms infosec professionals with the end-to-end skillset to carry out penetration tests, compromise systems by exploiting vulnerabilities, and work efficiently as part of red teams.

7. CC – Certified in Cybersecurity Training

This comprehensive Certified in Cybersecurity course covers everything from cybersecurity basics to advanced defense techniques. Students will learn about operating systems, networks, and internet fundamentals. 

The curriculum provides detailed training on major platforms like Windows, macOS, and Linux. Through hands-on exercises, students gain practical experience in identifying vulnerabilities, detecting malware, and responding to incidents.

Key topics covered in the certification include:

• Cybersecurity principles and best practices
• Securing networks, cloud services, and applications
• Identifying and mitigating vulnerabilities
• Detecting and analyzing malware
• Investigating cyber incidents and crimes
• Ethical hacking techniques
• Cryptography and encryption methods

The course is designed for beginners with no prior cybersecurity knowledge, as well as IT professionals looking to specialize in the field. It provides all the core skills and knowledge required to start a career in cybersecurity.  

Students who complete the training will be competent to take on roles such as Security Analyst, Incident Responder, Threat Hunter, and Cybersecurity Engineer. The certification also prepares for advanced certifications like CEH, CompTIA Security+, CISSP, etc.

By enrolling in CCS Learning Academy’s Certified in Cybersecurity Training, you can gain industry-recognized skills to defeat cyber threats. The program will equip you to protect critical systems and data from malicious attacks. 

8. CIHE – Certified Incident Handling Engineer

The Certified Incident Handling Engineer (CIHE) course helps prepare IT professionals to effectively detect, analyze, and respond to cybersecurity events.  

In this comprehensive training program, students learn to create incident-handling processes from start to finish. The curriculum covers developing response strategies for various attack types, recovering from security events, and establishing an incident response team. 

Hands-on labs in a simulated cyber range environment allow learners to get first-hand experience investigating and responding to realistic cyberattacks.

Key topics covered in the CIHE course include:

• Designing and implementing incident response plans
• Utilizing tools for monitoring, detection, analysis, and containment
• Performing digital forensic investigations
• Managing communications during and after an incident
• Conducting post-incident analysis and creating after-action reports
• Applying laws, regulations, and compliance standards

The goal of the course is to equip participants with the technical and strategic skills to minimize damages caused by cyber incidents. Upon completion, CIHE-certified professionals can bring an organized, methodical approach to handling security events in their organization.

9. CDFE – Certified Digital Forensic Examiner

Mile2’s Certified Digital Forensics Examiner (CDFE) certification provides comprehensive training for anyone looking to advance their career in the hacking field.

The CDFE course teaches students the latest methodologies and tools for conducting computer forensic investigations. Through hands-on activities, students learn forensically sound techniques for evaluating crime scenes, collecting and documenting evidence, conducting interviews, maintaining chain of custody, and reporting findings.

Key topics covered include:

• Fundamentals of digital forensics, including data acquisition, analysis, and reporting methodologies.
• Industry best practices for evidence handling and chain of custody.
• Understanding common sources of digital evidence, such as computers, mobile devices, and networks.
• Using leading forensic tools like EnCase, FTK, and open source options.
• Recovering and analyzing data from operating systems, file systems, archives, and databases.
• Legal aspects of digital investigations, including policies, procedures, and compliance standards

Upon completing the CDFE certification, students will have the skills and knowledge needed to properly identify, collect, and analyze digital evidence. The credential demonstrates proficiency in using forensic tools and following investigative protocols that are court-admissible.

The CDFE certification can help set you apart and prepare you for roles such as cybercrime investigator, forensic analyst, and e-discovery specialist. Mile2’s training keeps you current with the latest advances in technology and methodologies for tackling today’s cyber threats.

10. CCSO – Certified Cloud Security Officer

Mile2’s Certified Cloud Security Officer (CCSO) course provides comprehensive training to help IT professionals master the unique security challenges of cloud environments.  

This in-depth eLearning program goes beyond superficial introductions to cloud security by pairing practical knowledge from leading experts with hands-on lab exercises. Through interactive lessons and scenarios, learners gain skills to architect, implement, and manage robust cloud security measures across private, public, and hybrid cloud models.

Key topics covered in Mile2’s CCSO course include:

• Core cloud computing concepts and architectures like IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS
• Securing virtual machines, containers, serverless functions, and other cloud workloads
• Cloud network security, including VPCs, ACLs, load balancers, and more
• Identity and access management for cloud administrators and users
• Data protection techniques like encryption, tokenization, and key management
• Cloud storage security with objects, files, and block storage
• Monitoring, auditing, and compliance for cloud environments
• Incident response and forensics in the cloud

The CCSO course outlines security best practices across major cloud providers like AWS, Azure, and GCP. Learners perform hands-on labs in simulated cloud environments to reinforce critical skills.

By clearing the CCSO exam after taking this course, professionals can earn an advanced certification that validates their ability to safeguard critical assets migrated to the cloud. The CCSO is an invaluable certification for security engineers, cloud architects, and any IT leader with responsibility for cloud security.

Conclusion

To sum up, ethical hacking has become highly sought after in recent years as companies look to beef up their cybersecurity. The certifications we have highlighted equip students with in-demand abilities to find vulnerabilities, exploit systems, and suggest fixes.

Gaining an ethical hacking certification will give your career a leg up. It shows employers you are serious about cybersecurity and have proven skills. The certificates also look great on your resume. Furthermore, the training teaches you loads of useful hacking techniques to break into networks and stop cyber criminals.

If you are keen to break into cybersecurity, check out CCS Learning Academy. Our online courses are top-notch and will prepare you for leading certifications like CEH and OSCP. The instructors really dig into the technical concepts and give you hands-on practice hacking networks. You’ll come away with job-ready skills. Plus, the flexible online format allows you to learn at your own pace.

To wrap up, cybersecurity is a growing field, and ethical hacking skills are in high demand. Consider getting certified today to future-proof your career. CCS Learning Academy offers phenomenal training to pass the tests and wow interviewers. The time is now to skill up with an ethical hacking certification.

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