EC-Council · 2026 Edition
A complete preparation guide written by EC-Council-certified engineers. 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
200
Exam questions
700/1000
Pass mark
Exam code
CND
Full name
EC-Council Certified Network Defender (CND, 312-38, Blueprint v4.0)
Vendor
EC-Council
Duration
120 minutes
Questions
200 items
Passing score
700/1000 (scaled)
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
Endpoint Protection
Tip: Study the official exam objectives for this domain before practising questions.
Phase 2
Enterprise Cloud Virtual And Wireless Network Protection
Tip: Study the official exam objectives for this domain before practising questions.
Phase 3
Network Security Controls Protocols And Devices
Tip: Study the official exam objectives for this domain before practising questions.
Phase 4
Incident Detection Response And Threat Prediction
Tip: Study the official exam objectives for this domain before practising questions.
Phase 5
Network Attacks And Defense Strategies
Tip: Study the official exam objectives for this domain before practising questions.
Phase 6
Network Defense Management
Tip: Study the official exam objectives for this domain before practising questions.
Phase 7
Application And Data Protection
Tip: Study the official exam objectives for this domain before practising questions.
Phase 8
Network Perimeter Protection
Tip: Study the official exam objectives for this domain before practising questions.
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.