CEH vs Security+ vs CCNA: Which Should You Choose?
Short answer: choose CCNA if you want strong networking foundations, Security+ if you want a broad, vendor-neutral grounding in security, and CEH if you specifically want to learn ethical hacking tools and techniques. Many people take them in that order.
CEH (Certified Ethical Hacker)
CEH is offered by EC-Council. It focuses on how attackers think and the tools and methods used to test systems, such as scanning, enumeration, web application attacks and malware basics. It suits people who want to work towards penetration testing or red-team style roles and who already understand basic networking and Linux.
CompTIA Security+
Security+ is offered by CompTIA and is vendor-neutral, meaning it is not tied to one company’s products. It covers security concepts broadly: threats and vulnerabilities, secure architecture, security operations and governance. It suits beginners aiming for general security or SOC-style roles.
Cisco CCNA
CCNA is offered by Cisco. It is mainly a networking certification covering IP addressing, routing and switching, network access, IP services and security fundamentals. Strong networking is useful in every security role, which is why many security learners start here.
Quick comparison
- Main focus: CEH is offensive security, Security+ is broad security knowledge, CCNA is networking.
- Best for: CEH suits aspiring ethical hackers, Security+ suits all-round beginners, CCNA suits future network and security engineers.
- Prior knowledge: CCNA and Security+ can be approached from a beginner level with study; CEH is easier if you already know networking and Linux.
How to choose
Want to be a pentester? Build networking and Linux skills first, then CEH, and add hands-on practice in labs.
Want a SOC or general security job? Security+ gives a wide base, and networking knowledge from CCNA makes alerts much easier to understand.
Not sure yet? Start with networking. It helps with all three paths.
Certificates are not enough on their own
A certification shows what you studied, but employers also look for practical skill: can you scan a network, read a log, or explain a vulnerability? Pair your study with regular lab practice and write up what you learn. Our guide to a cyber security career roadmap shows how the pieces fit together.
How we teach these topics
Our 6-Month Diploma in Cyber Security includes CEH and CCNA networking topics along with Linux, web penetration testing and SOC analyst skills, and our 1-Year Diploma goes deeper, including CCNA exam preparation. For the hacking-only route, see the Ethical Hacking course. You can book a free demo class to see how we teach before you decide.