CompTIA Security+ or CEH v13 to Start in Cybersecurity?

When you want to get into cybersecurity, two names come up almost every time: CompTIA Security+ and EC-Council's CEH (Certified Ethical Hacker). Both are known to recruiters, both are earned after a 5-day course, and both appear in many job ads. Yet they do not answer the same question.

Security+ answers "how do you protect an information system?". CEH v13 answers "how does an attacker go about compromising it?". One builds the defensive foundation every security job relies on; the other teaches offensive methodology. For a beginner, understanding this difference avoids spending time and money on a certification that comes too early.

Security+ (SY0-701) is a vendor-neutral certification covering the full set of fundamentals: common threats, vulnerabilities and attacks, secure architecture, identity and access management, cryptography, cloud security and Zero Trust, security operations, incident response, governance and risk management. It is a bird's-eye view of the profession, from the firewall to the security policy.

CEH v13 focuses on attack techniques, phase by phase: reconnaissance, scanning and enumeration, vulnerability analysis, system hacking, web, wireless, mobile, cloud and IoT attacks, social engineering, evading defences and, new in the "CEH AI" version, the use of artificial intelligence by attackers and defenders alike. It is very hands-on with tools (Nmap, Metasploit, Burp Suite and others), but it assumes you already have networking and systems basics.

Security+ is rated beginner level. There are no mandatory prerequisites; CompTIA recommends Network+ level knowledge and ideally around two years of IT administration experience with a security component. In practice, a help desk technician, a junior network administrator or an engineering school or OFPPT graduate with good TCP/IP basics can prepare for it.

CEH v13 is intermediate level. It assumes solid TCP/IP networking, hands-on Windows and Linux command-line skills and some security knowledge; EC-Council recommends two years of experience, and enrolling through official training waives the eligibility application. Without that foundation, you risk learning to run tools without really understanding what they reveal.

Both exams are taken in English and can be sat online with remote proctoring. Here are the facts side by side, with the public prices of our training (exam voucher included).

The difference in format has a practical impact on how you prepare. Security+ performance-based questions ask you, for example, to configure a setting, match controls to scenarios or analyse a situation, which rewards understanding over memorisation. CEH, with its 125 questions in 4 hours, mainly tests the breadth of your knowledge and your ability to stay focused through a long series of technical scenarios.

Security+ mainly opens entry-level defensive roles: tier 1 SOC analyst, security technician or administrator, security support at a managed services provider, assistant to a CISO. It is widely recognised internationally and is part of the US DoD 8140 framework; in Morocco, banks, telecom operators, offshoring centres and integrators in Casablanca and Rabat know it as proof of solid fundamentals. It leads naturally to CompTIA CySA+ (from 12,900 MAD), the certification for tier 2 SOC analysts.

CEH v13 targets roles focused on security assessment: junior pentester, technical auditor, offensive security consultant, or an analyst who wants to better understand the attacks they detect. It is very present in job ads and HR filters and is a common step towards more practical certifications such as OSCP+. For a very first job, it carries more weight when backed by some prior technical experience.

Either way, a certification does not replace experience: it helps you land the first interview and structures your knowledge, but your projects, labs and first assignments are what will convince employers over time.

For most beginners, the most logical order is Security+ first, then CEH v13. Security+ provides the vocabulary, concepts and big picture that make CEH much easier to absorb; it is also the more affordable investment to confirm your interest in the field. CEH then adds the attacker's perspective on top of a solid foundation.

There are exceptions. A system or network administrator with several years of experience and a clear interest in offensive security can start directly with CEH v13. Conversely, someone aiming for a SOC or governance role can take Security+ then CySA+ and come to CEH later, to understand adversary techniques.

GATech offers both courses in Casablanca, Rabat or live online, with the exam voucher included: Security+ from 10,900 MAD and CEH v13 from 21,900 MAD. If you are not sure where to start, our advisers can assess your level and suggest a path that fits your career plans.