Personally speaking (mostly lab work with some real-world experience):

• Metasploit first (why reinvent the wheel? if it works, go with that and move on to something more interesting)
• Modification of existing code (milw0rm, Packet Storm, etc.)
• Handwritten as last option (unless practice at exploit dev is the goal)

If all you're looking for is access to the box I'd stick with this order.

can you explain more what you mean by not organized well?

its organized by the HE methodology, that should be "well"

We use Counter Hack text at the college I teach for the intro class.  It's a good book.  I even like the follow up "Reloaded."  I picked up the Malware book too and that is also on my recommended reading list for my students.

It certainly won't hurt you to read it. Hell, read anything that will hold still long enough.

cleanwithit0607,

I'm currently working my way through the OSCP course, it is an excellent course from a learning perspective but as Pseud0 states it isn't aswell known as the CEH.

I haven't taken either CEH training or certification yet, however I have seen the CEH material from a colleague who has taken the course and exam and at first site I can see plenty common crossovers between the two in terms of topics. It seems to be training and testing methods that really separate the two certs.

I'd imagine (and hope to prove in the near future) that taking either cert so give you a good foundation to quickly achieve the other aswell (again I haven't sat the CEH so don't take this as gospel, hopefully someone who has each can confirm or deny this).

Good luck whichever way you go.

Are you talking about doing one between now and the time you take your Linux+ or are you trying to figure out what you're going to do afterwards?


I don't think so, but you can always fill out the application form from here, submit it and see if they'll approve you to take the exam.

BillV