Certified Ethical Hacker and CompTIA PenTest+ are cybersecurity certifications. ethical hacking or penetration testing is the process of identifying the target system’s vulnerabilities and weaknesses lawfully and legitimately. The CompTIA PenTest+ Certification is intended for professionals who identify, report, exploit, and manage the target system’s vulnerabilities. It is an intermediate-level certification that enables individuals to plan and execute a network’s weaknesses.
Another cybersecurity certification is CEH. This certification is intended for IT who can manage an organization’s security aspects that overarches cloud, physical, and hybrid environments. In this course, professionals can have an in-depth understanding of the latest hacking tools, practices, and techniques used by malicious hackers. EC-Council offers this certification. It requires individuals to attend official training at Accredited Training Centres (ATCs), like Koenig Solutions, or iClass, EC-Council’s learning portal.
Pen testers use the same techniques, tools, and skills as malicious hackers, whereas ethical hackers perform this with permission. As both these certifications are intermediate-level certifications and have the same intent, candidates get confused in choosing the best one. The below discussion can help you decide the certification that best fits you.
How Difficult Are CompTIA+ PenTest And CEH Certification Exams?
Both certifications are intermediate-level cybersecurity certifications, which require a strong understanding and in-depth security knowledge. They are intended for professionals who possess at least some experience in the security field. Therefore, both certification exams require immense practice and a comprehensive study plan.
CompTIA PenTest+ Exam
The CompTIA PenTest+ exam consists of 85 questions, and the time duration is 165 minutes. Questions consist of different formats, like the multiple-choice single answer, multiple-choice multiple answers, performance-based, and drag-and-drop. This exam tests an individual’s skills in performing penetration testing, vulnerability management, and vulnerability assessment.
CompTIA PenTest+ Exam Eligibility
There are no specific eligibility criteria to appear for the CompTIA PenTest+ exam. However, there are certain recommendations made by CompTIA to ensure the success of candidates. CompTIA recommends that applicants should possess at least three to four years of hands-on experience in information security, as well as CompTIA Network+ and CompTIA Security+ certifications.
Certified Ethical Hacker Exam
The Certified Ethical Hacker exam consists of 125 multiple choice questions, and the time duration is 240 minutes. This certification exam primarily concentrates on malware attacks, the latest hacking tools and techniques, and newly emerging attack vendors in cyberspace.
Certified Ethical Hacker Exam Eligibility
The Certified Ethical Hacker exam requires applicants to attend training at iClass, a learning portal of EC-council, or an Accredited Training Centre (ATC), like Koenig Solutions. Individuals who have not attended official training have to submit proof of having at least two years of working experience in the information security domain.
Advantages Of CompTIA PenTest+ Vs. Certified Ethical Hacker
- CompTIA PenTest+ Offers 3X More Job Opportunities
CompTIA PenTest+ Certification offers more job opportunities than Ethical Hacker Certification. The below table demonstrates job roles one can acquire through both certifications.
| Certified Ethical Hacker Job Roles | CompTIA PenTest+ Job Roles |
| Penetration Tester | Penetration Tester |
| Security Consultant | Security Consultant |
| Auditor | Auditor |
| Network Security Specialist | Network Security Specialist |
| Ethical Hacker | Vulnerability Tester |
| Site Administrator | Security Analyst (II) |
| – | Vulnerability Assessment Analyst |
| – | Application Security Vulnerability Analyst |
- CompTIA PenTest+ Exam Is Performance-Based
The CompTIA PenTest+ exam consists of multiple-choice questions, performance-based and hands-on simulation. On the other hand, the ethical hacker exam only consists of multiple-choice questions. Most employers look for professionals possessing performance-based and hands-on skills, which can be demonstrated by the CompTIA PenTest+ Certification.
- CompTIA PenTest+ Costs Much Less
The CompTIA PenTest+ exam costs much less than the ethical hacker exam. The ethical hacker exam costs $1,119 and does not contain performance-based and hands-on questions. On the contrary, the CompTIA PenTest+ exam includes hands-on, performance-based, and multiple-choice questions, and the cost is $370.
- CompTIA PenTest+ Includes More Than Technical Skills
CompTIA PenTest+ includes extra skills than technical ones. It covers significant soft skills, like project flow, business processes, professionalism, and best practices in penetration testing. The Certified Ethical Hacker course does not include these soft skills.
Conclusion
Koenig Solutions is a market leader in providing best-in-class training for IT certifications, including CompTIA PenTest+ and Ethical Hacker Certification. You can learn from skilled and experienced Certified Ethical Hacker instructors. Subject matter experts (SMEs) provide updated study material. Moreover, you can take advantage of one-to-one training mode to learn at your own convenience.