The Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) exam is not an enjoyable undertaking. This grueling, exhaustive, challenging, and taxing exam will either leave you better prepared to be the best cyber security professional you can be, or leave you wondering if barber college is a better option. But preparing for the exam itself needn't be that way. In this book, IT security and education professional Matt Walker will not only guide you through everything you need to pass the exam, but do so in a way that is actually enjoyable. The subject matter need not be dry and exhausting, and we won't make it that way. You should finish this book looking forward to your exam and your future. Whether it’s done for noble or bad purposes, the art of hacking remains the same. Using a specialized set of tools, techniques, knowledge, and skills to bypass computer security measures allows someone to hack into a computer or network. The purpose behind their use of these tools and techniques is really the only thing in question. Whereas some use these tools and techniques for personal gain or profit, the good guys practice them in order to better defend their systems and, in the process, provide insight on how to catch the bad guys. As a matter of fact, that differentiation defines the ‘ethical’ hacker from the bad guys; the ethical hacker proceeds only with the permission of the target organization and operates with a written, agreed upon contract and rules of engagement before attempting any attacks.