CNDA
EC Council Certified Network Defense Architect
EC Council Certified Network Defense Architect
› Quality score
Four-axis SecProve rubric, each 0–10. SecProve editorial assessment — each axis carries a written justification so you can push back on any single call without dismissing the whole score.
› Exam format
100 multiple-choice questions, 4 hours, proctored. Passing score: 70%.
First retake immediate; 14 days between attempts 2-3, 1 month between 3-4, 3 months between 4-5. Max 5 attempts/year.
› Recertification
Valid for 3 years. 120 ECE credits over 3 years + annual AMF (80 USD).
› 3-year cost of ownership
Excludes study materials, training, retake risk, and lost-wage opportunity. Use as a floor estimate.
› NICE Framework work roles
The NIST NICE work-role IDs this cert maps to. NICCS lookup.
› Core domains covered
The 2 domains this cert is centrally about. Passing the exam demonstrates working knowledge of each.
Reference architectures, control frameworks (NIST SP 800-53, CIS Controls), secure-by-design patterns, threat modeling, trust-boundary design, technology standards.
Firewalls, IDS/IPS, network segmentation, DNS security, SD-WAN, VPN, traffic analysis, wireless security.
› Prerequisites
Active security clearance + 2 years experience.
› Progression
requiredrecommendedWhere this cert fits in the typical learning path. Required edges are vendor-gated; recommended edges reflect de facto industry progression.
No vendor-gated prereqs.
No certs require this one.
No follow-on certs reference this one yet.
See this cert’s domains highlighted on the interactive map, or compare it against the rest of the catalog.