Marine Corps COOL Snapshot - Certified Network Defender (CND)

The following Marine Corps Enlisted MOSs provide training and/or experience that contributes to attaining this credential:

	Enlisted Occupation	Occupation Type	Related As	COOL$
	1721 Defensive Cyberspace Operator	MOS	Some	COOL Bucks
	2611 Cryptologic Cyberspace Analyst	MOS	Some	COOL Bucks

The following civilian occupations are related to this credential:

	Civilian Job	Job Family	Bright Outlook	Registered Apprenticeship	Local Salary Info
	Network and Computer Systems Administrators	Computer and Mathematical		Apprenticeship	find local salary

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

Attainability:

Eligibility Requirements (View Details)

Credential Prerequisite
Experience: 2 years
Education
Training
Membership
Other
Fee

Note: This credential may have multiple options for a Service member to meet eligibility requirements. Requirements listed here are based on the minimum degree required. To view other options, see the Eligibility tab.

Exam Requirements (View Details)

Exam
Written Exam
Oral Exam
Practical Exam
Performance Assessment

Exam Administration (View Details)

In-person exam
Remote proctored on-line exam
Third-party test vendor

RECERTIFICATION SUMMARY

Renewal Period: 3 years

Continuing Education
Exam
Continuing Education OR Exam
Fee
Other

AGENCY CONTACT INFORMATION

International Council of Electronic Commerce Consultants (EC-Council)

101C Sun Avenue NE
Albuquerque, NM 87109

Phone: 1-844-662-3509

Email: Johanna.pirolo@eccouncil.org

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Education/Training and/or Experience REQUIREMENTS

Option 1:

Candidate must have completed "Official” training through an EC-Council Authorized Training Center (ATC). Accepted “Official” training solutions: Instructor-Led (ILT) or Academic Learning.

Option 2:

In order to be considered for the EC-Council certification exam without attending official training, candidate must have at least two years of work experience in the Information Security domain.

Other REQUIREMENTS

The Certified Network Defender (CND) credential has the following other requirements:

Prior to attempting the exam, candidate required to AGREE to the following terms found in the Candidate Handbook:
- EC-Council Non-Disclosure Agreement terms
- EC-Council Candidate Application Agreement terms
- EC-Council Candidate Certification Agreement terms

The age requirement for attending the training or attempting the exam is restricted to any candidate that is at least 18 years old. However, an exception is possible if candidate provides the accredited training center/EC-Council a written consent of a parent/legal guardian and a supporting letter from an institution of higher learning. Only candidate from nationally accredited institution of higher learning shall be considered.

Show Written Exam Requirements / Hide Written Exam Requirements

Written Exam v 2.0 Retiring January 2021

Computer Network and Defense Fundamentals (5%)
- Understanding computer network
- Describing OSI and TCP/IP network Models
- Comparing OSI and TCP/IP network Models
- Understanding different types of networks
- Describing various network topologies
- Understanding various network components
- Explaining various protocols in TCP/IP protocol stack
- Explaining IP addressing concept
- Understanding Computer Network Defense(CND)
- Describing fundamental CND attributes
- Describing CND elements
- Describing CND process and Approaches
Network Security Threats, Vulnerabilities, and Attacks (5%)
- Understanding threat, attack, and vulnerability
- Discussing network security concerns
- Reasons behind network security concerns
- Effect of network security breach on business continuity
- Understanding different types of network threats
- Understanding different types of network security vulnerabilities
- Understanding different types of network attacks
- Describing various network attacks
Network Security Controls, Protocols, and Devices (8%)
- Understanding fundamental elements of network security
- Explaining network access control mechanism
- Understanding different types of access controls
- Explaining network Authentication, Authorization and Auditing (AAA) mechanism
- Explaining network data encryption mechanism
- Describing Public Key Infrastructure (PKI)
- Describing various network security protocols
- Describing various network security devices
Network Security Policy Design and Implementation (6%)
- Understanding security policy
- Need of security policies
- Describing the hierarchy of security policy
- Describing the characteristics of a good security policy
- Describing typical content of security policy
- Understanding policy statement
- Describing steps for creating and implementing security policy
- Designing of security policy
- Implementation of security policy
- Describing various types of security policy
- Designing of various security policies
- Discussing various information security related standards, laws and acts
Physical Security (6%)
- Understanding physical security
- Need of physical security
- Factors affecting physical security
- Describing various physical security controls
- Understanding choosing Fire Fighting Systems
- Describing various access control authentication techniques
- Understanding workplace security
- Understanding personnel security
- Describing Environmental Controls• Describing Environmental Controls
- Importance of physical security awareness and training
Host Security (7%)
- Understanding host security
- Understanding need of securing individual hosts
- Understanding threats specific to hosts
- Identifying paths to host threats
- Purpose of host before assessment
- Describing host security baselining
- Describing OS security baselining
- Understanding and describing security requirements for different types of servers
- Understanding security requirements for hardening of routers
- Understanding security requirements for hardening of switches
- Understanding data security at rest, motion and use
- Understanding virtualization security
Secure Firewall Configuration and Management (8%)
- Understanding firewalls
- Understanding firewall security concerns
- Describing various firewall technologies
- Describing firewall topologies
- Appropriate selection of firewall topologies
- Designing and configuring firewall ruleset
- Implementation of firewall policies
- Explaining the deployment and implementation of firewall
- Factors to considers before purchasing any firewall solution
- Describing the configuring, testing and deploying of firewalls
- Describing the managing, maintaining, administrating firewall implementation
- Understanding firewall logging
- Measures for avoiding firewall evasion
- Understanding firewall security best practices
Secure IDS Configuration and Management (8%)
- Understanding different types of intrusions and their indications
- Understanding IDPS
- Importance of implementing IDPS
- Describing role of IDPS in network defense
- Describing functions, components, and working of IDPS
- Explaining various types of IDS implementation
- Describing staged deployment of NIDS and HIDS
- Describing fine-tuning of IDS by minimizing false positive and false negative rate
- Discussing characteristics of good IDS implementation
- Discussing common IDS implementation mistakes and their remedies
- Explaining various types of IPS implementation
- Discussing requirements for selecting appropriate IDSP product
- Technologies complementing IDS functionality
Secure VPN Configuration and Management (6%)
- Understanding Virtual Private Network (VPN) and its working
- Importance of establishing VPN
- Describing various VPN components
- Describing implementation of VPN concentrators and its functions
- Explaining different types of VPN technologies
- Discussing components for selecting appropriate VPN technology
- Explaining core functions of VPN
- Explaining various topologies for implementation of VPN• Explaining various topologies for implementation of VPN
- Discussing various VPN security concerns
- Discussing various security implications for to ensure VPN security and performance
Wireless Network Defense (6%)
- Understanding wireless network
- Discussing various wireless standards
- Describing various wireless network topologies
- Describing possible use of wireless networks
- Explaining various wireless network components
- Explaining wireless encryption (WEP, WPA,WPA2) technologies
- Describing various authentication methods for wireless networks
- Discussing various types of threats on wireless networks
- Creation of inventory for wireless network components
- Appropriate placement of wireless AP
- Appropriate placement of wireless antenna
- Monitoring of wireless network traffic
- Detection and locating of rogue access points
- Prevention of wireless network from RF interference
- Describing various security implications for wireless network
Network Traffic Monitoring and Analysis (9%)
- Understanding network traffic monitoring
- Importance of network traffic monitoring
- Discussing techniques used for network monitoring and analysis
- Appropriate position for network monitoring
- Connection of network monitoring system with managed switch
- Understanding network traffic signatures
- Baselining for normal traffic
- Disusing the various categories of suspicious traffic signatures
- Various techniques for attack signature analysis
- Understanding Wireshark components, working and features
- Demonstrating the use of various Wireshark filters
- Demonstrating the monitoring LAN traffic against policy violation
- Demonstrating the security monitoring of network traffic
- Demonstrating the detection of various attacks using Wireshark
- Discussing network bandwidth monitoring and performance improvement
Network Risk and Vulnerability Management (9%)
- Understanding risk and risk management
- Key roles and responsibilities in risk management
- Understanding Key Risk Indicators (KRI) in risk management
- Explaining phase involves in risk management
- Understanding enterprise network risk management
- Describing various risk management frameworks
- Discussing best practices for effective implementation of risk management
- Understanding vulnerability management
- Explaining various phases involve in vulnerability management
- Understanding vulnerability assessment and its importance
- Discussing requirements for effective network vulnerability assessment
- Discussing internal and external vulnerability assessment
- Discussing steps for effective external vulnerability assessment
- Describing various phases involve in vulnerability assessment
- Selection of appropriate vulnerability assessment tool
- Discussing best practices and precautions for deploying vulnerability assessment tool
- Describing vulnerability reporting, mitigation, remediation and verification
Data Backup and Recovery (9%)
- Understanding data backup
- Describing the data backup plan
- Describing the identification of data to backup
- Determining the appropriate backup medium for data backup
- Understanding RAID backup technology and its advantages
- Describing RAID architecture
- Describing various RAID levels and their use
- Selection of appropriate RAID level
- Understanding Storage Area Network (SAN) backup technology and its advantages
- Best practices of using SAN
- Understanding Network Attached Storage (NAS) backup technology and its advantages
- Describing various types of NAS implementation
Network Incident Response and Management (8%)
- Understanding Incident Handling and Response (IH&R)
- Roles and responsibilities of Incident Response Team (IRT)
- Describing role of first responder
- Describing first response activities for network administrators
- Describing Incident Handling and Response (IH&R) process
- Understanding forensic investigation
- People involved in forensics investigation
- Describing forensics investigation methodology

Written Exam v 3.0 Effective January 2021

Network Defense Management (10%)
- Network Attacks and Defense Strategies
- Administrative Network Security
Network Perimeter Protection (16%)
- Technical Network Security
- Network Perimeter Security
Endpoint Protection (15%)
- Endpoint SecurityWindows Systems
- Endpoint SecurityLinux Systems
- Endpoint SecurityMobile Devices
- Endpoint Security-IoT Devices
Application and Data Protection (13%)
- Administrative Application Security
- Data Security
Enterprise Virtual, Cloud, and Wireless Network Protection (12%)
- Enterprise Virtual Network Security
- Enterprise Cloud Network Security
- Enterprise Wireless Network Security
Incident Detection (14%)
- Network Traffic Monitoring and Analysis
- Network Logs Monitoring and Analysis
Incident Response (10%)
- Incident Response and Forensic Investigation
- Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery
Incident Prediction (10%)
- Risk Anticipation with Risk Management
- Threat Assessment with Attack Surface Analysis
- Threat Prediction With Cyber Threat Intelligence

Exam Preparation Resources

There are a number of resources available to help you prepare for the Certified Network Defender (CND) examination:

Best Sources

Related Courses
- EC-Council Cybersecurity Course Library

An additional resource is O'Reilly Learning Safari Books Online, a searchable digital library that provides online access to thousands of books, training videos and conference sessions. See the Educational Resources section on the Related Sites page here on COOL to learn how to get free access.

Testing Information

Exam Administration
Credential exams may be administered in-person at a testing site, proctored on-line remotely, or have options for both. If an exam is administered through a test vendor, the third-party test vendor box will be checked. The following test administration options apply to the Certified Network Defender (CND) credential where checked:
- In-person exam
- Remote proctored on-line exam
- Third-party test vendor

For more information on the International Council of Electronic Commerce Consultants (EC-Council) testing process, visit the agency website.

Third-Party Test Vendor Information
Testing for this credential is handled by Pearson VUE. The test centers are located in the U.S. They also have some test centers on military bases.

To find out more, use the following links on the Pearson VUE website:

RECERTIFICATION

Certified Network Defender (CND)

Renewal Period: 3 years

The Certified Network Defender (CND) credential has the following recertification information:

The CND credential is valid for a three-year period but can be renewed each period by successfully earning EC-Council Continued Education (ECE) credits. Certified members will have to achieve a total of 120 credits (per certification) within a period of three years.

Note: Marine Corps COOL will only pay recertification fees for the current billing cycle. Voucher requests for recertification fees must be submitted with proof of the current status of the certification (for example, a screen shot of your credentialing agency dashboard or a copy of a current fee receipt).