CCNP Security Core: 350-701 SCOR 2.0

The SCOR 350-701 is the core exam required for the CCNP Security certification. It tests your knowledge across six domains: security concepts, network security, cloud security, Secure Service Edge, endpoint protection, and identity and access. The 2.0 version of the exam adds coverage of AI/LLM vulnerabilities, post-quantum cryptography, Splunk, and Cisco Secure Access. If you've studied from older materials, it's worth reviewing what's changed before sitting the exam again.

To earn CCNP Security, you need to pass two exams: the SCOR 350-701 core exam and one concentration exam of your choice. Concentration options include exams focused on firewalls, wireless security, identity management, secure email, and others. The exam codes for these exams are 300-710 SNCF (Securing Networks with Cisco Firepower), 300-715 SISE (Implementing and Configuring Cisco Identity Services Engine), 300-720 SESA (Securing Email with Cisco Email Security Appliance), 300-725 SWSA (Securing the Web with Cisco Web Security Appliance), 300-730 SVPN (Implementing Secure Solutions with Virtual Private Networks), 300-735 SAUTO (Automating and Programming Cisco Security Solutions).Passing the SCOR 350-701 alone earns you a Cisco Certified Specialist - Security Core certification, so it has standalone value even before you add a concentration.

It's a genuinely difficult exam. You're expected to know a wide breadth of topics such as cryptography concepts, configure Cisco firewalls and VPNs, understand cloud security architecture, troubleshoot AAA, and interpret security telemetry, among other things. Most candidates with two or more years of networking experience find it challenging but achievable with focused study and lab practice. Expect to spend at least two to three months preparing if you're coming in with solid CCNA-level knowledge.

That depends on where you want to specialize. If you work mostly with firewalls and network perimeter security, the SNCF (Securing Networks with Cisco Firepower) is a natural follow-on. If identity and access management is your focus, look at the SISE exam. If you're moving into cloud or SecOps roles, the SVPN or SASE concentrations may be a better fit. None of them are easy, so the right pick is the one that aligns with your day job or target role, not just the one that sounds most familiar.

Yes. Splunk is part of the SCOR 2.0 blueprint, and this course covers it — including ingesting cloud logging data and using it alongside SIEM/SOAR workflows. Beyond the exam, Splunk is widely used in security operations roles, so the time you spend on it here translates directly to real-world work.