Certified Network Defender (CND)

The EC-Council Certified Network Defender (CND) v3 is a defence-focused network security certification that trains professionals to protect, detect, respond to, and predict threats on enterprise networks. CND covers a wide range of defensive technologies including firewalls, IDS/IPS, VPNs, endpoint security, and zero-trust architecture. It is ideal for network administrators and security engineers who want to build robust, proactive defences across modern IT environments.

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What is the Certified Network Defender (CND)?

Who Should Take This Course?

Network Administrators and Engineers
IT Security Professionals responsible for network defence
System Administrators managing enterprise infrastructure
Security Operations Center (SOC) Tier 1 and Tier 2 Analysts
Network Architects designing secure infrastructure
IT professionals transitioning into cybersecurity defence roles
Anyone pursuing CompTIA Security+ or CEH as a next step

What You Will Learn in the CND Course

A comprehensive curriculum covering all exam objectives with hands-on labs and real-world practice.

Network Security Fundamentals and Architecture

Build a strong foundation in network security concepts and design.

Network security goals: confidentiality, integrity, availability
Network security architecture and segmentation strategies
OSI and TCP/IP model security considerations
Zero-trust network architecture principles

Network Perimeter and Access Control

Protect the network perimeter and control access to resources.

Firewall types, architectures, and rule management
IDS/IPS deployment and signature tuning
Proxy servers, web filters, and content inspection
Network Access Control (NAC) and 802.1X authentication

Endpoint and Application Security

Secure endpoints and applications connected to the network.

Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) deployment
Patch management and vulnerability remediation
Application whitelisting and software restriction policies
Mobile device management (MDM) and BYOD security

Threat Detection and Network Monitoring

Monitor network traffic and detect threats in real time.

Network traffic analysis with Wireshark and NetFlow
SIEM integration for network event correlation
Baseline monitoring and anomaly detection
Honeypots and deception-based detection strategies

Secure Network Protocols and Data Security

Implement secure protocols and protect data in transit and at rest.

TLS/SSL implementation and certificate management
VPN technologies: IPSec, SSL VPN, and remote access
Wireless network security: WPA3, 802.1X, and rogue AP detection
Data encryption standards and key management

Incident Response and Network Recovery

Respond to network security incidents and recover quickly.

Network incident response procedures and playbooks
Business continuity and disaster recovery for network services
Network forensics and traffic-based evidence collection
Post-incident network hardening and control improvement

Course Prerequisites

Pre-requisites training is free when you purchase the course from ProSupport

Basic understanding of networking (TCP/IP, DNS, DHCP, HTTP)
Familiarity with Windows Server and Linux administration
Knowledge of common network devices: routers, switches, firewalls
CompTIA Network+ or equivalent networking knowledge recommended
No prior security certification required for this course

Exam Information

Everything you need to know about the CND certification exam.

Exam Component	Details
Exam Name	Certified Network Defender v3
Exam Code	312-38
Exam Type	Multiple Choice
Total Questions	100
Passing Score	70%
Exam Duration	240 minutes
Language	English
Exam Provider	EC-Council / Pearson VUE
Exam Focus	Network defence architecture, perimeter security, endpoint protection, threat detection, secure protocols, and incident response
Exam Registration	EC-Council Exam Center (eccouncil.org/programs/certified-network-defender-cnd/)
Retake Policy	EC-Council retake policies apply; additional exam fee required
Certification Validity	3 years (120 ECE credits for renewal)