Ethical hacking can be used to help determine that your company created the safest environment possible for your most valuable data. Whether it’s a local network, web application, or even a SQL database that is used to store sensitive records, the safety of that information is extremely important. If you run any type of business or organization that depends on the safety and security of your information, as most of us do, making sure it’s always safe and protected from cyber criminals is incredibly important.

When it comes to keeping a secure network or securing database records, many companies employee ethical hackers or even hire private security consultants to find the potential security holes before attackers locate these vulnerabilities. It’s only after you’ve found these vulnerabilities that you can then “patch” or secure these potential intrusion areas and put a stop to the potential threats.

If you’re interested in this field, one good place to start is to increase your knowledge of the field. There are several good certifications to get started. One is the CEH (Certified Ethical Hacker). Certified Ethical Hackers are used to ethically hack into their clients’ networks to make sure they are completely secure. The CEH exam requires candidates to have a wide knowledge of ethical hacking techniques and understand networking protocols. You can learn more by checking their website at http://www.eccouncil.org.

Related Posts
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Securing Cyberspace: Are You Ready?
Hacking Back in Self-Defense: Is It Legal; Should It Be?

Related Courses
Certified Ethical Hacker v7
Cybersecurity Foundations
Foundstone Ultimate Hacking

Make sure to give yourself plenty of time. My approach is to start with some pre-study. Go to the vendor’s web site, and look at the requirements for a particular test. For example, CompTIA exam requirements can be found at their web site. Next, look through the requirements to see what you know and what area you need to spend time studying.

One approach is to find a good book on the topic so that you become familiar with what the exam requires. You may want to follow that up with a certification class or boot camp. For instance, the CEH certification course provides you with a lot of good hands-on experience and a better understanding of the tools. After attending the course, start working though some practice tests to get a better idea of the type of questions you can expect to see on the certification exam.

In all, this process can take 60 to 90 days. What’s important is to not feel bad that you didn’t start yet but that you take positive action to move toward your goals. Good luck, and let me know what certifications you obtained this year.

NOTE: The ranking below are based on certifications that received the minimum number of responses required to derive a salary figure that is statistically accurate. There are certifications that pay more but aren’t represented due to their exclusive nature. These include CCIE: Cisco Certified Internetworking Expert and VCDX: VMware Certified Design Expert, for example.

1. CCDP: Cisco Certified Design Professional ($107,878) There are two tracks at the Associate and Professional levels — Designing and Networking. The Cisco Certified Design Professional (CCDP) certification demonstrates that the individual who passed the required exams possesses advanced knowledge of Cisco network design concepts and principles. The CCDP certified individual can discuss, design, and create advanced networks. With the CCDP certification, you can plan addressing and routing schemes, security, network management, data center, and IP multicast complex multi-layered enterprise architectures that include virtual private networking and wireless domains. The CCDP curriculum includes building scalable internetworks, building multilayer switched networks, and designing network service architecture.
2. ITIL Expert Certification ($107,092) What is this ITIL that we hear so much about? The Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITILv3) is a foundational process that provides for quality IT Service Management. The success of ITIL is through the use of documented and proven processes that cover the entire Service Lifecycle.

   The ITIL Expert level is the third of four levels. The ITIL Expert level certification is aimed at those individuals who are interested in demonstrating a superior level of knowledge of ITIL Version 3 (V3) in its entirety. Once you’ve achieved ITIL Expert level you will also satisfy the prerequisite entry criteria for the ITIL Master Level, the highest level of certification within the ITIL V3 scheme; though the Master level is still under development.

3. PMP: Project Management Professional ($103,570)The Project Management Institute’s (PMI) Project Management Professional (PMP) credential is recognized as the most important certification for project managers and is in heavy demand. The Project Management Professional credential demonstrates that you not only have the experience but also the education to successfully lead and direct projects. The PMP credential is for experienced project management professionals as the qualifications and testing and for this certification are rigorous. All of these factors ensure that the PMP credential is widely respected. The PMP experience and exam requirements focus on five process groups: Initiating, Planning, Executing, Controlling, and Closing.
4. CISSP: Certified Information Systems Security Professional ($100,735) The Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) credential is for security managers and professionals who develop policies and procedures in information security. The CISSP certification has become the gold standard in information security certifications and education. Earning and maintaining a CISSP certification is required for many governmental, military, and civilian security positions. The CISSP was the first credential in the field of information security, accredited by the ANSI (American National Standards Institute) to ISO (International Organization for Standardization) Standard 17024:2003. Earning your CISSP certification is not only an objective measure of excellence, but is a globally recognized standard of achievement.
5. CCDA: Cisco Certified Design Associate ($97,995)The Cisco Certified Design Associate (CCDA) demonstrates that the individual who passed the required exams has the requisite knowledge, experience and understanding required to design a Cisco converged network. A CCDA certified individual has the skills to design a routed and switched network infrastructure and services involving LAN, WAN, and broadband access for businesses and organizations.
6. CCNP: Cisco Certified Network Professional ($97,296)There are two tracks available at the Associate and Professional levels — Designing and Networking. The Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) demonstrates that you have the ability to plan, implement, verify, and troubleshoot local and wide-area enterprise networks. A CCNP certified individual is expected to work collaboratively with other Cisco specialists on advanced security, voice, wireless, and video solutions.
7. ITIL v2 Foundation & ITIL v3 Foundation ($96,128 & $93,250) ITIL v3 is the current version of this widely adopted best practices framework for IT management. The ITIL Foundation certification is the first of four levels in ITIL and offers those who are certified a general awareness of the key elements, concepts, and terminology used in the ITIL Service Lifecycle, including the linkages between Lifecycle stages, the processes used, and their contribution to Service Management practices.
8. CCNA: Voice ($92,837)There are two tracks at the Associate and Professional levels — Designing and Networking. The Cisco Certified Network Associate Voice (CCNA Voice) demonstrates that an individual possess the required associate-level knowledge and skills to administer a voice network, and validates skills in VoIP technologies such as IP PBX, IP telephony, handset, call control, and voicemail solutions.
9. AIS: HP Storage Works ($91,158) An HP Accredited Integration Specialist (AIS) is able to design, support, and integrate business-class solutions (potentially including platform, operating system, software, storage, network, and option components) to solve the business requirements of a customer. The AIS: Storage Works certification validates that you, as an HP technical professional, are fully able to prepare an HP Storage Works solution for a customer and can perform all aspects of installation and startup service.
10. AIS: HP ProLiant ML/DL/SL Servers ($87,332) An HP Accredited Integration Specialist (AIS) is able to design, support, and integrate business-class solutions (potentially including platform, operating system, software, storage, network, and optional components) to solve the business requirements of a customer. A certified HP technician will be able to fully prepare a ProLiant expandable tower (ML), rack mount (DL), or scalable (SL) server. The certified HP technician is able to perform all aspects of installation and startup tasks, including hardware configuration, operating system installation, HP driver installation, and full management instrumentation and place these systems into either a test environment or into production or be ready for the customer to install his applications.
11. VCP: VMware Certified Professional ($87,151) Virtualization and those who are knowledgeable with virtualization products are in heavy demand. VMware is one of the leading vendors of virtualization products, and earning a VMware certification is the first step toward gaining industry recognized expertise in virtual infrastructure and the industry recognition that goes along with it. The VMware Certified Professional (VCP) demonstrates that you have the skillset to successfully install, manage, and deploy VMware vSphere 4.
12. CompTIA Project+ ($87,057) The CompTIA Project+ certification (as is true for most CompTIA certifications) is an international, vendor-neutral certification that covers the entire project life cycle from initiation and planning through execution, acceptance, support, and closure.

    The Project+ certification covers the business and technical project management skills needed to successfully manage business projects. A Project+ certified Project Manager has the demonstrated required skills necessary to complete projects in a timely manner and within budget as well as emphasizing achieving buy-in from stakeholders and maintaining proper scheduling. The Project+ certification can be earned in a reasonable period of time and with less expense than other project management certifications. There are several advantages in earning a Project+ certification: you do not have any prerequisite, you do not have to submit an application, and you don’t have any continuing education requirements.

13. APS: HP Blade System Solutions ($86,554) The Accredited Platform Specialist (APS) — HP Blade System Solutions certification is a hardware support certification designed for HP field repair engineers. This certification validates the skills required by Field engineers who need to perform basic troubleshooting, repair, installation, configuration, and verification of the proper operation of HP Blade System products. Those earning this certification are mainly service technicians who work for HP or HP channel partners
14. CEH: Certified Ethical Hacker ($86,053) A Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) is a skilled security professional who understands the weaknesses and vulnerabilities in target systems and knows how to use this knowledge and specific tools as if he were a malicious hacker. Individuals who have earned the CEH certification from EC-council may fulfill job roles such as security officers, auditors, security professionals, site administrators, or anyone who is concerned about the integrity of the network infrastructure. An Ethical Hacker is an individual who is usually employed or contracted by an organization and who can be trusted to ethically penetrate corporate networks and/or computer systems using the same methods and tools as a hacker. The key point is that an Ethical Hacker has written authorization to probe and possibly penetrate the target network.
15. MCDBA: Microsoft Certified Database Administrator ($84,683) The roles and responsibilities of a database administrator are quite varied and as a consequence so is the necessary skill set. Access to information (both speed and accuracy) is critical to corporations and as a result, corporations are dependent on their databases. The Microsoft Certified Database Administrator (MCDBA) certification validates the unique skill set required to succeed in a variety of job roles, such as database administrator, database analyst, and database developer on SQL Server 2000. An MCDBA will most likely have knowledge of Visual Basic or other scripting languages, C/C++, Java, and other programming languages. A DBA must also have knowledge of the relational database language used for their database (Oracle’s PL/SQL, Microsoft’s T-SQL). For individuals who administer, develop, or analyze Microsoft SQL Server 2005 or SQL Server 2008 databases, Microsoft offers Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS) and Microsoft Certified IT Professional (MCITP) certification paths.

If you don’t see your certification listed above, visit the Global Knowledge web site for a complete listing of over 100 certifications and their respective average salaries.

The updated v7.0 course covers the following nineteen domains:

1. Introduction to Ethical Hacking
2. Footprinting and Reconnaissance
3. Scanning Networks
4. Enumeration
5. System Hacking
6. Trojans and Backdoors
7. Viruses and Worms
8. Sniffers
9. Social Engineering
10. Denial of Service
11. Session Hijacking
12. Hacking Webservers
13. Hacking Web Applications
14. SQL Injection
15. Hacking Wireless Networks
16. Evading IDS, Firewalls, and Honeypots
17. Buffer Overflows
18. Cryptography
19. Penetration Testing

The v7.0 release date is planned for March, 2011.  Look for classes to fill up fast as those eager to learn these cutting edge techniques will attend.  If you’re interested in learning more, check out https://eccouncil.wufoo.com/forms/ceh-v7/.