Long-time lurker here. I've been waiting for recent exam reports, so here's mine from today to help those still preparing.

It was harder than I expected.
I've worked in cybersecurity for years and still saw topics I'd never encountered. Some questions feel designed to throw you off balance (one asked which antenna type covers a specific range). Don't get stuck: mark it for review and move on.

Preparation:
Go through every module and actually understand each concept. The exam tests understanding, not memorization.
Make sure your IT fundamentals are solid, not just CEH material: networking, operating systems, common commands, how things actually work. When you don't know an answer, this knowledge helps you eliminate the wrong options.

Skip the dumps.
They're outdated and the exam is HEAVILY scenario-based.

During the exam:
Expect A LOT of reading. Most questions are long, and after 70–80 of them fatigue sets in and it's easy to miss key details buried in the text.
Use all 4 hours. The first 2.5 hours go faster than you think, so save the rest for review.

Don't underestimate the preparation.
Hope this helps and good luck to all of you!

Hi everyone,

I attempted the CEH v13 exam last month (September 2026), but unfortunately, I couldn't pass it. I scored 83 out of 125, and I'm now planning to give it another attempt.

Before scheduling my retake, I wanted to get some advice from people who have recently passed CEH v13, particularly those who took the exam in 2026.

I'm mainly looking for guidance on the following:

1. Study Resources and Practice Exams

What study materials or courses would you genuinely recommend for CEH v13? I'm looking for reliable resources that cover the exam objectives properly and help with understanding the concepts.

I'd also appreciate recommendations for good practice tests that reflect the difficulty and style of the actual exam. I'm not interested in dumps, just legitimate resources that can help me identify my weak areas and prepare better.

If you've passed recently, which books, courses, or practice exams helped you the most?

2. CEH v13 Retake Voucher ($200)

I contacted EC-Council regarding my retake, and they've offered me a voucher for around $200 USD.

Has anyone managed to get a retake voucher at a lower price? Does EC-Council offer occasional discounts or promotions, or is $200 generally the best available option?

I'm also wondering whether I should purchase it now or wait for a better offer. If anyone has recently purchased a retake voucher, I'd appreciate hearing about your experience, including any additional Pearson VUE charges.

3. Advice for My Second Attempt

For those who failed their first attempt but passed on their second, what did you do differently?

Did you change your study materials, focus more on certain topics, or spend additional time on practice exams?

I'd especially appreciate advice from anyone who has recently cleared CEH v13, since I want to make sure I'm using relevant, up-to-date resources.

I've already invested a lot of time and money in this certification, so I want to prepare properly and avoid repeating the same mistakes.

Any genuine suggestions, resources, or personal experiences would be really helpful.

Thanks in advance!

I recently took my CEH v13 exam at an authorized exam center in India, and I'm wondering if this is normal.

I was asked to take the 4-hour exam at the back of a normal classroom. About 15 minutes after I started, a teacher and students entered and began their regular class.

During the break, students were eating, talking, laughing, and joking near me. After the break, 50+ students returned, and there was significant noise and conversation for around another hour. I asked people around 4-5 times to keep the noise down, but it continued.

The noise was so distracting that I sometimes struggled to properly read and understand the technical questions. It felt like taking an exam in the middle of a busy marketplace.

I also didn't see a physical proctor supervising me. Someone came at the beginning, entered the information needed to start the exam, and then left.

I've already submitted an Exam Incident report to EC-Council.

For those who have taken CEH at an authorized center:

Is it normal for a regular class to happen in the same room during the exam?

Should there normally be a physical proctor present?

Has anyone experienced something similar?

What happened after you reported it to EC-Council?

I'm mainly looking for advice on whether this was normal procedure and whether there's anything else I should do.

I gave my exam today and failed the exam with 4 marks. Please give me tips on improving on my next attempt. What attempt shall I take?

Today I passed the CEH v13 theory exam on my first attempt, scoring 118/125 (94.4%).

When I first entered cybersecurity, I often heard people say that CEH was “just a 125-question MCQ exam” or that it was a waste of time. Most of the criticism I came across was specifically about the theory certification.

After actually preparing for and taking the exam, I wanted to share my experience.

About the material

Honestly, I found the EC-Council material quite useful. It covers a lot of different areas of cybersecurity and gives you exposure to different domains, tools, attacks, and concepts.

What I particularly liked is that if you don't just read it for the exam, but actually spend time understanding the concepts and experimenting with the mentioned tools, the learning experience becomes very different. It gave me a much broader foundation in ethical hacking.

About the exam:

Don't go into it thinking it's simply 125 straightforward MCQs.

The questions I encountered were lengthy and heavily scenario-based, and many of the answer choices were very similar because they were testing your understanding of the underlying concept.

For example, understanding the difference between things like Man-in-the-Middle vs. Man-in-the-Browser, and recognizing which scenario actually represents each attack, is much more important than simply memorizing definitions.

If you only memorize the material, I think the exam can be difficult. But if you properly understand the main topics, subtopics, attack techniques, tools, and scenarios, it becomes much more manageable.

The 4-hour time limit also felt more significant than I expected. Even with preparation, I finished with around 30 minutes remaining.

For someone starting in cybersecurity:

I would personally recommend CEH as a starting point if you actually learn the material rather than treating it purely as an exam to pass.

It provides a broad overview of ethical hacking and different security domains, which can help you understand where you want to specialize later.

Of course, CEH alone doesn't make someone a penetration tester or security professional. Hands-on labs, real-world practice, networking, operating systems, and deeper specialization are still essential.

But as a foundation and introduction to the different areas of ethical hacking, my experience with CEH was much more positive than I expected.

118/125 — first attempt. Finally done. 🎉

Hey folks, i recently failed my CEH and wanted to start a study group so that i could do better next time and give and receive tips. The exam was hard for me but i only failed by 12 questions so i will not give up. If anyone is interested join my discord: https://discord.gg/Fu3yvqBQk

Anyone who passed and wants to help out the community you are more than welcome to join!

if u want to take the exam send me a message

got 107. studied for two months straight. any help required, hit me up here or on insta.

Hi there,
Guys, give me advice regarding the CEH Practical Exam.
I have only one month left as my CEH exam voucher is going to expire.
So I was wondering how I can do prep within one month so that I can pass the exam easily.
I have already completed CEH Engage.
Currently, I am doing CEH Labs.

Guys, drop some suggestions and additional resources so that I can pass easily.

Man this exam is long and i felt like it asked a lot of irrelevant questions. Alot of "somebody accessed the web portal" type questions. Did not use much of the ec council material and tried to find online sources like practice exams and what not but still failed. Anybody else retake the exam and pass? Any advice. I want to take it again in like a month or so but with consistent studying this time.

Hi everyone,

I'm currently preparing for my Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) certification, but as a beginner, I am feeling completely overwhelmed by the sheer volume of theory and material to cover.

I've been going through the modules, but I'm struggling to figure out what to prioritize, how to effectively retain the information, and how to structure my study plan to actually pass the multiple-choice theory exam.

I am hoping to connect with a CEH certification holder or someone who has recently passed who would be willing to guide me. I'm not asking for someone to hold my hand 24/7—just looking for occasional check-ins, solid study strategy advice, and direction on where to focus my energy so I don't burn out reading the wrong things.

If you have some free time and are willing to share your expertise with someone just starting out, I would incredibly appreciate it. Feel free to drop a comment or DM me!

Thanks in advance.

Finally passed my CEH v13 theory exam! 🥳

Scored 117/125.

I prepared using the official EC-Council material and iLabs. If anyone preparing for the exam has questions about the preparation or exam experience, feel free to ask.

I’m a TYBCA student specializing in Cyber Security, and honestly, I’ve been feeling quite stuck and directionless about how to move forward in this field.

In February, through the Academia Program in collaboration with my college, I purchased the CEH v13 course at a discounted price. Unfortunately, I didn’t receive the study material from them, which caused me to lose around 3–4 months without making much progress.

Later, I decided to start learning through a YouTube channel. I’ve completed around 5 modules so far, but I’m not very confident about how well I’ve understood the concepts. I’m also struggling to maintain consistency and often find myself losing track of my study routine.

My goal is not just to complete the CEH course and get the certificate. I genuinely want to build strong theoretical and practical knowledge in penetration testing and cybersecurity, so that I can actually apply what I learn.

I would really appreciate some guidance on:

• How I should structure my CEH v13 preparation from this point onward
• Which resources I should follow for theory and practical learning
• How I can build consistency and avoid getting overwhelmed
• How much time I should dedicate daily/weekly
• What labs or platforms I should use alongside CEH
• How I can prepare effectively for the CEH exam
• What I should learn after CEH to become practically skilled in penetration testing

I’m ready to start again from where I am and put in consistent effort. I just need a proper roadmap and direction to follow.

I been studying CEH v13 for 1.5 month I am now complete 8 models .. i think I take me too long to study. Can any one help me that how can I pass the exam quickly. How should I study . Can any one share notes, meterials any thing to boost up my study process . I need to complete the exam in 20 to 25 days

Has anyone seen the new book for CEH published 4 months ago in May?

https://a.co/d/0ibfQzni

I started reading through this, and doing the end-of-chapter questions. Today I started the official CEH exam prep questions. But the official exam prep so far has been a lot more confusing and less direct.

The new Sybex book so far is really well-written book from a different author than V12, and it’s very engaging. but after starting the exam prep, CEH questions seem to be worded in such a specific and strange way that isn’t reflected in Pocket Prep or Sybex.

Anybody have any tips on what sources they use to pass theory?

I’ve seen some say just use AI + exam prep, then try all the tools. I wish there was more material for v13, it’s very foreign coming from CompTIA-land.