EC-Council · 2026 Edition
A complete preparation guide, edited by Johnson Ajibi, a network and security engineer with 12+ years' experience. Covers the exam format,all 8 blueprint domains, a week-by-week study plan, and proven tips for passing first time.
2–4 months
Prep time
Intermediate
Difficulty
100
Exam questions
60–85% (cut score varies by exam form)
Pass mark
Exam code
CND
Full name
EC-Council Certified Network Defender (CND, 312-38, Blueprint v4.0)
Vendor
EC-Council
Duration
240 minutes
Questions
100 items
Passing score
60–85% (cut score varies by exam form)
Domains covered
8 blueprint domains
Recommended experience
Foundational IT knowledge recommended
Typical prep time
2–4 months
Domain percentage weights are not currently available for this exam. The checklist below is still useful for planning your study.
Phase 1
Enterprise Cloud Virtual And Wireless Network Protection
Tip: Start with the official Enterprise Cloud Virtual And Wireless Network Protection objectives, then practise questions on it.
Phase 2
Network Security Controls Protocols And Devices
Tip: Cover the Network Security Controls Protocols And Devices objectives, then answer practice questions to confirm you can apply them.
Phase 3
Network Defense Management
Tip: Cover the Network Defense Management objectives, then answer practice questions to confirm you can apply them.
Phase 4
Incident Detection Response And Threat Prediction
Tip: Cover the Incident Detection Response And Threat Prediction objectives, then answer practice questions to confirm you can apply them.
Phase 5
Network Attacks And Defense Strategies
Tip: Cover the Network Attacks And Defense Strategies objectives, then answer practice questions to confirm you can apply them.
Phase 6
Application And Data Protection
Tip: Cover the Application And Data Protection objectives, then answer practice questions to confirm you can apply them.
Phase 7
Endpoint Protection
Tip: Cover the Endpoint Protection objectives, then answer practice questions to confirm you can apply them.
Phase 8
Network Perimeter Protection
Tip: Finish with Network Perimeter Protection, then re-test your weakest earlier domain before a mock exam.
Study the official exam blueprint — weight percentages tell you exactly where to invest prep time.
Practise scenario-based questions regularly — every modern cert exam is scenario-heavy.
Use spaced repetition to retain what you've learned (Courseiva does this automatically).
Book your exam date once you're scoring 80%+ consistently on practice tests.
Review explanations for every wrong answer, not just the question — the 'why' is what makes it stick.
Apply everything in this guide with adaptive practice questions, detailed answer explanations, and domain analytics.