EC-Council Calls on 1,000 of the World’s Best Hackers to Unlock $1 Million in Cyber Training for Underserved Communities
As AI models like Anthropic’s Claude Mythos automate vulnerability discovery at an unprecedented scale, Hackers4Humanity challenges elite penetration testers to donate skills instead of money
EC-Council - Building a Culture of Security
The premise is simple: EC-Council is offering 1,000 penetration testing professionals a fully sponsored attempt at the CPENT AI examination, one of the industry’s most demanding practical certifications. For every participant who passes, EC-Council will donate $1,000 in cybersecurity training and certification credits to vetted nonprofit partners. Participants who complete the challenge, but are unable to succeed, will still generate $250 toward the same mission.. The potential total impact: $1,000,000 in funded cybersecurity education for people who could never otherwise afford it.
Why This Matters Now: The Post-Mythos Reality
The launch comes at a defining moment for the cybersecurity industry. In April 2026, Anthropic revealed its Claude Mythos Preview model, capable of autonomously discovering and exploiting software vulnerabilities at a scale previously achievable only by elite human researchers. In testing, the model identified thousands of zero-day vulnerabilities across major operating systems and browsers, generating working exploits on the first attempt in more than 83% of cases. The UK AI Security Institute further confirmed Mythos completed expert-level cybersecurity tasks 73% of the time, tasks no AI model could perform before April 2025.
The implications are profound. AI has compressed days of human-led penetration testing into hours of automated execution. Anthropic restricted Mythos access under Project Glasswing, while OpenAI responded with GPT-5.5-Cyber, a specialized defensive model, signaling that the AI cybersecurity arms race is already underway.
Meanwhile, the global cybersecurity workforce shortage continues to range between 2.8 million and 4.8 million professionals, according to the World Economic Forum, while Fortinet reported that 86% of organizations experienced breaches last year, with more than half linking incidents directly to cybersecurity skills shortages.
Hackers4Humanity was built around a core conviction: AI will not replace humans. Humans with AI will replace humans without. The initiative exists to make sure the communities being disrupted by AI aren’t permanently left behind.
“Penetration testing has never been about running tools. It’s about thinking like an adversary understanding what a defender missed, and adapting when the environment pushes back. AI doesn’t change that. It amplifies it. We’re not looking for people who can prompt an AI. We’re looking for professionals who can think, and then use AI to execute ten times faster. Those are the people who will define the next decade of offensive security.” said Jay Bavisi, Founder and Group President, EC-Council.
Bavisi added that the initiative is as much about access as it is about excellence.
“Hackers4Humanity identifies exactly that caliber of professional. And when they pass, we contribute to build the next generation, the people in underserved communities who have the aptitude but never had the access. AI will widen every skills gap that already exists unless we deliberately close them. This is how we start.”
How Hackers4Humanity Works
• Participating organizations and individuals nominate skilled penetration testers for a fully sponsored CPENT AI examination attempt. There is no financial ask. Participants donate time and expertise, not money.
• For every successful certification: $1,000 in cybersecurity training credits is allocated to nonprofit partner organizations and distributed to individuals in underserved communities.
• For every completed attempt: $250 in training credits is generated, ensuring that every participant’s effort contributes to the mission regardless of outcome.
• Impact reporting: Program reach, geographic distribution, and success stories will be reported quarterly while maintaining participant confidentiality.
• Each participant receives a single fully sponsored attempt with no retakes permitted under the program, reinforcing the performance-driven integrity of the challenge.
Inside the CPENT AI Challenge
The CPENT AI (Certified Penetration Testing Professional) exam is one of cybersecurity’s most rigorous fully practical assessments, conducted across live enterprise environments in either two 12-hour sessions or one 24-hour marathon. Candidates scoring a 70% earn C|PENT AI certification, while a 90% score qualifies for Licensed Penetration Tester or LPT (Master) credential and Hall of Fame recognition at HackerHalted 2026.
Nonprofit and Ecosystem Partners
Training credits generated through Hackers4Humanity will be distributed through established nonprofit organizations focused on expanding cybersecurity access in underserved populations:
• CyberPeace Foundation
• NPower
• WiCyS Foundation
• EC-Council Foundation
Additional distribution partners will be announced as the program scales.
Addressing the AI-Driven Cybersecurity Divide
Enterprise AI adoption is accelerating faster than the workforce capable of securing and governing these systems. The emergence of Mythos-class AI models has exposed a widening gap between offensive AI capability and human defensive readiness, particularly across developing economies with limited access to advanced cybersecurity training.
Hackers4Humanity addresses this gap through an outcome-based model that converts demonstrated penetration testing expertise into funded cybersecurity education, helping expand workforce access in underserved communities globally.
Participation Details
Nominations, including self-nominations, are open through the official program website. Eligible candidates must be active penetration testing professionals with verifiable experience, or Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) credential holders with a minimum of two years in information security. Current C|PENT holders are not eligible.
Apply or Nominate: www.eccouncil.org/hackers4humanity
About EC-Council
EC-Council is the creator of the Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) program and a global leader in cybersecurity and AI education, training, and certification. Founded in 2001, the organization has certified over 400,000 professionals across 174 countries and is trusted by government agencies, defense organizations, and Fortune 100 companies worldwide. An ISO/IEC 17024 accredited certification body, EC-Council’s credentials are recognized by the U.S. Department of Defense under DoD Directive 8140 and are held by professionals across the Army, Navy, Air Force, and leading global enterprises. EC-Council operates across four divisions: Education, University, Services, and Technology. For more information, visit www.eccouncil.org.
Media Contact: press@eccouncil.org
About Hackers4Humanity
Hackers4Humanity is EC-Council’s global initiative to bring cybersecurity training to underserved communities through skill-based contribution rather than financial donation. In its inaugural program, skilled penetration testers from around the world are invited to take on the fully sponsored C|PENT AI examination. For every professional who passes, EC-Council commits $1,000 in cybersecurity training and certification to individuals in underserved communities through vetted nonprofit partners. For every completed attempt, $250 is allocated regardless of outcome. The initiative is built on a single principle: the cybersecurity community’s greatest asset is its expertise, and that expertise can be converted into opportunity for those who need it most.
Media Contact: press@eccouncil.org
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