Advice - on exam taking

[dmc1592108]

Hi everyone,

I just completed a class on CEH v7.1 last week.  I heard the news of the ANSI certification and the exam version change.  I was reading everyone's posts about v8 -- looking for opinions if I should hurry up and take the exam before the content changes, or wait it out until version 8?  This will be my first attempt at any certification - I'm a little nervous 

Thanks in advance!

[BillV]

What kind of background do you have? And how did you feel you knew the topics presented in the class?

The new exam (v8) has been changed a bit and was developed to make sure the candidate has the knowledge that should be required of an ethical hacker. This may make it more difficult than previous versions. At the same time, you shouldn't get questions on topics that have nothing to do with the subject, that are too vendor related, or that really don't belong on an ethical hacking exam.

I can't remember when the v7 exam will be retired but I'm sure you have plenty of time to take it, shouldn't have to hurry.

[DragonGorge]

If it were me, I'd take the v7. Unless I was an accomplished pentester with years of experience, I wouldn't want to chance it.

You already know how the info v7 covered could be characterized as a mile wide & a foot deep. I personally wouldn't want to take the chance that v8 maybe went 2 feet deep and I wasted my money on v7 training that didn't quite cover it v8.

[birch99]

v8 isnt supposed to be unveiled till Hackers Halted in October 2012.

[BillV]

The v8 exam was released as a beta at the beginning of the year (actually, may have been towards the end of last year). To my knowledge, it's supposed to be available now (which is what the ANSI accreditation is based on).

The v7 exam will not be retired until January 31, 2013 due to the v8 courseware not being released until this fall (sometime around Hacker Halted). Normally, it's 6 months from the release of the upgraded version of the exam but because the exam has been rolled out before the courseware, an extension has been granted.