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PECB · CLEHLead Ethical Hacker

PECB Certified Lead Ethical Hacker Course & Exam Australia

Expand your ethical-hacking and IT-security skills and learn to lawfully assess the security of systems and discover their vulnerabilities. Certified Lead Ethical Hacker teaches the latest ethical-hacking methods and tools and a methodology for conducting penetration tests aligned to the Penetration Testing Execution Standard (PTES) and the Open Source Security Testing Methodology Manual (OSSTMM). Built on the principle of practising what you learn, it runs on hands-on lab sessions across reconnaissance, exploitation, privilege escalation, pivoting, and reporting — so that by the end you can plan, manage, and perform information-security penetration tests.

Available Australia-wide, in New Zealand and across Asia Pacific — and, because self-study and eLearning are delivered online through the myPECB platform, from anywhere in the world. Live online classes run in Australian time zones; in-person classroom delivery in Melbourne and Sydney is available on request. Base prices are published in AUD, and every course page supports available local currencies including NZD. An Australian billing address adds 10% GST; a non-Australian billing address has no Australian GST.

The PECB Certified Lead Ethical Hacker training course costs $1,165 + GST through Aegentra Academy, an official PECB authorised training partner in Australia. That price includes the official PECB examination voucher, the full course materials, 12 months of myPECB access, and one free exam resit within 12 months.

Official course provider
PECB
Professional pathway
Lead Ethical Hacker
Self-Study
12 months access
Initial attempt and one free retake
2 exam attempts included
/ Purchase order

Certified Lead Ethical Hacker course price and enrolment options

/ What you get

What's included in the Certified Lead Ethical Hacker course fee

The official PECB course and exam package starts at $1,165 + GST — with no separate exam fee after enrolment. Optional Aegentra Labs exam preparation is clearly priced separately.

Course materials
  • 450+ pages of comprehensive training materials
  • Hands-on lab sessions and practical examples
  • 12 months access via myPECB
Exam package
  • Official PECB CLEH exam voucher
  • 6-hour practical exam + report (open book)
  • Two attempts (initial + one free resit within 12 months)
  • PECB digital certificate on pass
Practitioner extras
  • 35 CPD credits on completion
  • PTES and OSSTMM-aligned methodology
  • Kali Linux hands-on practice
  • Aegentra Academy support inbox
/ Exam requirements & credential

Certified Lead Ethical Hacker exam format, duration and pass mark

The exam voucher is included in your enrolment, and so is one free resit if you don't pass first time. Both the exam and the credential are issued directly by PECB.

Format
Open-book, hands-on practical + report writing
Duration
6 hours
Questions
Two parts — a practical exam (compromise at least two target machines through penetration testing) and a written findings report. Covers six competency domains: information gathering; threat modelling and vulnerability identification; exploitation techniques; privilege escalation; pivoting and file transfers; and reporting
Pass mark
Practical — compromise ≥2 targets and pass the report
Language
English (other PECB languages available on request)
Credential experience requirements

On passing you can apply for the PECB Certified Lead Ethical Hacker credential — requires two years of penetration-testing and cybersecurity experience, and signing both the PECB Code of Ethics and the CLEH Code of Conduct.

/ Before you enrol

Clear answers about price, tax, exams, and certification.

These answers use this course's current catalogue record and PECB's published exam, certification, and maintenance policies.

What is included in the Certified Lead Ethical Hacker course fee?

The published price is A$1,165 for Self-Study, before tax. It includes the official PECB course materials, 12 months of access, the first exam attempt, one free retake, and the certification application fee. PECB’s partner-course policy also includes the first year of the Annual Maintenance Fee where maintenance applies; Foundation and Provisional credentials are maintenance-exempt. There is no separate first-exam or certification-application charge after enrolment.

What will PECB charge to maintain the Certified Lead Ethical Hacker credential?

PECB’s current maintenance policy lists no maintenance fee for Foundation, Provisional, or Transition credentials. For all other PECB certifications, the published fee is $390 per three-year certification cycle, together with the applicable CPD requirements and continued adherence to the PECB Code of Ethics. PECB sets this fee and may change it, so check the linked policy before renewal.

Can I pay in NZD or another currency, and when is Australian GST added?

Yes. Every Academy course supports AUD and multiple local currencies, including NZD, USD, SGD, GBP, EUR, INR, AED, MYR, PHP, IDR, and VND when a live quote is available. Currency and tax are separate: an Australian billing address adds 10% GST, while a non-Australian billing address has no Australian GST. For example, an Australian working in New Zealand may pay in NZD and use an Australian billing address, but 10% GST will still be added because the billing address is Australian.

What is the difference between Self-Study and eLearning for Certified Lead Ethical Hacker?

The currently published self-paced option is Self-Study at A$1,165 before tax, using the official PECB slide-based materials. A separate recorded eLearning price is not currently published for this course. The official exam package is still included, and instructor-led delivery is available only when a confirmed cohort is shown or arranged with Aegentra Academy.

Can I sit the Certified Lead Ethical Hacker exam remotely from New Zealand or another time zone?

Yes. PECB publishes remote online exam sessions that candidates can take from home or another suitable location through the PECB Exams application. The published course record lists these exam facts: duration — 6 hours; format — Open-book, hands-on practical + report writing; assessment — Two parts — a practical exam (compromise at least two target machines through penetration testing) and a written findings report. Covers six competency domains: information gathering; threat modelling and vulnerability identification; exploitation techniques; privilege escalation; pivoting and file transfers; and reporting; pass mark — Practical — compromise ≥2 targets and pass the report; language — English (other PECB languages available on request). New Zealand candidates should choose a published session that suits their local time, meet PECB’s identity and technical requirements, and complete the system check before exam day. PECB’s general exam policy does not publish a New Zealand restriction.

Which credential tier will I receive after the Certified Lead Ethical Hacker exam, and who assesses it?

On passing you can apply for the PECB Certified Lead Ethical Hacker credential — requires two years of penetration-testing and cybersecurity experience, and signing both the PECB Code of Ethics and the CLEH Code of Conduct. Passing the exam does not by itself guarantee the highest experience-based credential tier. PECB requires an online certification application and reference contact details, and its Certification Department decides whether the education, professional experience, and relevant professional activity requirements are met.

What evidence does PECB accept for the experience or project hours for Certified Lead Ethical Hacker?

PECB’s public certification-process page does not publish a closed list of documents that automatically proves project hours. It requires the online application and contact details for references who may be contacted to validate your experience. Keep a dated activity log showing the organisation or client, your role, the relevant professional activity, dates, responsibilities, and hours; retain employer or client confirmations, statements of work, timesheets, or similar records in case PECB asks for support. The PECB Certification Department assesses the application and makes the final decision.

/ Training prerequisites

What you should know before starting Certified Lead Ethical Hacker

  • No formal prerequisite to attend, though a working knowledge of networking, Linux, and information-security fundamentals is strongly recommended. The Lead Ethical Hacker credential itself requires two years of penetration-testing and cybersecurity experience.
/ Who this course is for

Who should take the Certified Lead Ethical Hacker course

  • Individuals seeking to learn the main techniques used to conduct penetration tests
  • Information-security professionals mastering ethical hacking and penetration-testing techniques
  • Those responsible for the security of information systems — security officers and cybersecurity professionals
  • Information-security team members enhancing their security knowledge
  • Managers or expert advisors learning to manage ethical-hacking activities
  • Technical experts learning to plan and perform a penetration test
/ What you'll learn

By the end of this course you'll be able to:

  • Master the concepts, methods, and techniques used by cybersecurity organisations and ethical hackers to conduct penetration tests.
  • Acknowledge the correlation between penetration-testing methodologies, regulatory frameworks, and standards.
  • Acquire a comprehensive knowledge of the components and operations of ethical hacking.
  • Plan, manage, and perform an end-to-end information-security penetration test and report the findings.
/ Curriculum

Certified Lead Ethical Hacker course curriculum

5 modules, fully on-demand. Click any module to see the topics inside.

01Day 1 — Introduction to ethical hacking
  • Penetration testing standards, methodologies, and frameworks (PTES, OSSTMM)
  • Fundamental concepts of ethical hacking
  • Network fundamentals and cryptography
  • Kali Linux fundamentals
  • Initiating the penetration test and analysing scope
  • Legal implications and contractual agreements
02Day 2 — Reconnaissance phase
  • Passive reconnaissance
  • Active reconnaissance
  • Identification of vulnerabilities
03Day 3 — Exploitation phase
  • Threat model and attack plan
  • Evading intrusion detection systems
  • Server-side, client-side, and web-application attacks
  • Wi-Fi attacks
  • Privilege escalation, pivoting, and file transfers
  • Maintaining access
04Day 4 — Post-exploitation and reporting
  • Cleaning up and destroying artefacts
  • Generating a findings report
  • Recommendations for mitigating identified vulnerabilities
05Day 5 — Certification exam
  • PECB Certified Lead Ethical Hacker exam
  • 6-hour, two-part practical + report (open book)
  • Compromise at least two target machines

Free learning resources

Put the course concepts into practice.

Use Aegentra’s existing templates, checklists, registers and mappings alongside your course. No account or email is required.

Browse all free Academy resources
/ Related reading

Related PECB CLEH resources

Free companion reading for anyone studying penetration testing with Kali Linux, PTES and OSSTMM — the offensive-security counterpart to defensive certifications:

Compare the family

See where this course fits

The Cybersecurity family page compares current levels, prices, delivery, audiences and exam facts before you choose a pathway.

Compare Cybersecurity pathways

Source and review status

How these course facts are governed

Price, delivery and course content are generated from Aegentra’s authoritative catalogue record. The official PECB course page and exam policy are linked directly below. Source-link checks and substantive human review are tracked separately so one is never presented as the other.

Official PECB sources

Editorial accountability

Harry Sidhu owns publication of this record. A separate course-specific substantive reviewer has not yet been recorded.

Substantive review status

Official source links are checked separately. A course-specific substantive review date will be published when completed.

/ Accreditation

Is the Certified Lead Ethical Hacker certification recognised in Australia?

Yes. PECB certifications are internationally accredited and are accepted on Australian resumes, tender responses and procurement panels. Australia has no separate national licence for Certified Lead Ethical Hacker — the recognition comes from the accreditation behind the credential, which is international.

PECB’s professional certifications are accredited under ISO/IEC 17024 — the international standard for bodies certifying persons — by IAS, UKAS, KAB and COFRAC. Its Foundation certificate programs are separately accredited by ANAB (ANSI National Accreditation Board) under ANSI/ASTM E2659.

Aegentra Academy is an official PECB authorised training partner in Australia, which is what allows this course to include the official PECB examination voucher rather than billing it separately. You can confirm that directly with PECB through the official PECB partner directory.

This official PECB course is sold and supported by Aegentra Academy. PECB supplies the course material, examination and professional credential scheme. Aegentra's wider practice also runs governance, risk and compliance engagements and Microsoft 365 hardening for Australian organisations. Named eLearning trainers are credited separately on this page when the course record supplies them.

Courses run online and self-paced through the myPECB platform, so professionals across Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Canberra and New Zealand enrol online. Instructor-led cohorts and in-person delivery in Melbourne and Sydney are available on request. Multi-seat team pricing is available for five or more seats — email Academy@aegentra.com.au for an enterprise quote. Tax invoices with GST and ABN are issued automatically at checkout.

/ Frequently asked

Certified Lead Ethical Hacker — frequently asked.

How long is the Lead Ethical Hacker course?

Five days — four days of hands-on training from reconnaissance through exploitation, post-exploitation, and reporting, followed by the certification exam on day five.

What does the CLEH exam involve?

A 6-hour open-book, two-part exam: a practical exam where you compromise at least two target machines through penetration testing, plus a written findings report. You may use the course materials and your own notes. It covers six competency domains from information gathering to reporting.

What experience do I need?

None to attend the training, though networking, Linux, and security fundamentals help. The PECB Certified Lead Ethical Hacker credential requires two years of penetration-testing and cybersecurity experience, and signing both the PECB Code of Ethics and the CLEH Code of Conduct.

What tools and methodologies are covered?

The course is built around industry standards including the Penetration Testing Execution Standard (PTES) and the Open Source Security Testing Methodology Manual (OSSTMM), with hands-on Kali Linux practice across reconnaissance, exploitation, privilege escalation, pivoting, and reporting.

What CPD credits do I earn?

Participants who complete the training receive an attestation worth 35 CPD (Continuing Professional Development) credits.

When can I start the course?

Immediately after payment. The Academy team confirms your seat with PECB and you receive login details by email — usually within one business day.

How long do I have access to the course?

You have 12 months of access from enrolment. That window covers the course material, the official PECB exam, and one free resit if you need it.

What if I fail the exam?

One PECB-issued resit is included in your enrolment at no extra cost. Aegentra does not publish a pass-rate claim without an audited cohort dataset.

Questions about invoicing, GST, group bookings, refunds or instructor-led delivery? Read the Academy FAQ.

$1,165AUD · EXCL. TAX