Exam Overview

The 300-215 CBRFIR exam is a concentration examination in the CCNP Cybersecurity certification path. Passing it earns the Cisco Certified Specialist - Cybersecurity Forensic Analysis and Incident Response certification and satisfies the concentration exam requirement for CCNP Cybersecurity.

• Exam Code: 300-215 CBRFIR v1.2
• Level: Professional-level concentration and Specialist certification exam
• Duration: 90 minutes. Available language: English.
• Passing Score: Not officially disclosed by the certification provider.
• Grading and Results: Cisco uses pass/fail grading and states that results are available online within 48 hours.

Exam Structure

The 300-215 CBRFIR exam follows five official domains covering fundamentals, forensics techniques, incident response techniques, forensics processes, and incident response processes.

• Question Types: Not officially disclosed by the certification provider.
• Number of Questions: Not officially disclosed by the certification provider.
• Hands-On Questions: Not officially disclosed by the certification provider.

Exam Policies

Before completing CBRFIR exam registration, review Cisco's certification policies, Pearson VUE admission and identification rules, the Cisco candidate agreement, and the appointment terms displayed for the selected delivery method.

• Rescheduling: Online Proctored exams can be rescheduled up to 30 minutes before check-in. Test Center exams can be rescheduled up to 48 hours before the scheduled appointment.
• Cancellation: Online Proctored exams can be cancelled up to 30 minutes before check-in. Test Center exams can be cancelled up to 48 hours before the scheduled appointment.
• Retake Policy: After failing a Professional- or Specialist-level written exam, candidates must wait five calendar days, beginning the day after the unsuccessful attempt, before retaking the same exam.
• Retake Fee: Cisco states that candidates may retake an exam for the same cost unless an eligible safeguard, voucher, or promotion provides different terms. The full CBRFIR exam fee therefore normally applies to another attempt.

Certification Validity and Renewal Options

Passing the 300-215 CBRFIR exam earns the Cisco Certified Specialist - Cybersecurity Forensic Analysis and Incident Response certification and begins Cisco's standard active certification cycle.

• Validity: Cisco states that Specialist certifications remain active for three years from the date earned and must be recertified before expiration to remain active.
• Renewal Options: Renew the Specialist credential by earning 40 Continuing Education credits or by completing an eligible Cisco certification exam pathway under Cisco's current recertification policy.

Exam Fee

• Base Fee: The official CBRFIR exam fee is USD 300, excluding applicable taxes. Candidates may also redeem eligible Cisco Learning Credits during scheduling.
• Taxes: Local taxes, currency conversion, and regional checkout rules may affect the final CBRFIR certification cost. The payable amount is shown during registration.
• Example (India): Candidates in India are subject to 18% GST, bringing the total exam fee to USD 354 (USD 300 + USD 54 GST).

Prerequisites

Cisco publishes no formal prerequisite for the 300-215 CBRFIR exam. To earn CCNP Cybersecurity, candidates must pass the 350-201 CBRCOR core exam and one eligible concentration exam.

• Candidates should be comfortable with SOC operations, networking, endpoint and network telemetry, SIEM and SOAR workflows, malware analysis, evidence handling, threat intelligence, scripting, and incident response procedures.
• Preparation should combine the official CBRFIR syllabus with practical experience analyzing and responding to the security scenarios represented in the current blueprint.
• Cisco's official learning resources are recommended preparation for the 300-215 CBRFIR exam, but completing a specific course is not an exam prerequisite.

Exam Topics

The official CBRFIR syllabus v1.2 covers the following weighted domains:

• Fundamentals - 20%: Root cause analysis, network-device forensics, antiforensics, encoding and obfuscation, YARA concepts, malware-analysis tools, memory forensics, and evidence challenges in virtualized environments.
• Forensics Techniques - 20%: Fileless malware, host artifacts, IOC identification from processes, logs and network traffic, code recognition, scripting for data analysis, and common forensic libraries and tools.
• Incident Response Techniques - 30%: Alert interpretation, host and network correlation, attack-surface analysis, post-incident recommendations, mitigation, zero-day response, intelligence artifacts, and Cisco security solution capabilities.
• Forensics Processes - 15%: Antiforensic methods, modern web-server logs, malicious network traffic, file evaluation, binary interpretation, and command-line analysis.
• Incident Response Processes - 15%: Incident response goals, playbooks, malware report evaluation, endpoint file analysis, ad-hoc scanning, and structured threat-intelligence exchange.
• Blueprint Scope: Cisco identifies the published objectives as general guidelines; related forensic analysis and incident response topics may appear on a specific exam delivery.

Intended Audience

The 300-215 CBRFIR exam is designed for professionals who investigate, operate, automate, and improve enterprise cybersecurity capabilities, including:

• Cybersecurity Engineers
• Cybersecurity Investigators
• Incident Managers
• Incident Responders
• Digital Forensics Analysts
• SOC Analysts
• CCNP Cybersecurity Candidates

Career Opportunities

Passing the 300-215 CBRFIR exam supports specialist roles aligned with the knowledge and operational skills in the current blueprint, including:

• Digital Forensics Analyst
• Incident Response Analyst
• Cybersecurity Investigator
• SOC Analyst
• Malware Analysis Specialist
• Security Incident Manager

Average Salary (Approximate)

Cisco does not publish salary data for CBRFIR credential holders. The ranges below use current employment-market estimates for Cybersecurity Analysts or closely related roles. Salaries vary by experience, employer, location, job role, and industry.

• U.S.: Approximately USD 66,794-164,853 per year for Cybersecurity Analysts (Indeed, July 2026).
• India: Approximately INR 432,000-985,000 per year for Cyber Security Analysts (Glassdoor, July 2026).
• United Kingdom: Approximately GBP 25,150-72,898 per year in total pay for Cyber Security Analysts (Glassdoor, July 2026).
• UAE: Approximately AED 180,000-300,000 per year in total compensation for Cybersecurity Analysts in the Greater Dubai area (Levels.fyi, July 2026).

Exam Delivery Options

During CBRFIR exam registration, candidates can review the delivery methods available for the 300-215 appointment and their location.

• Pearson VUE Test Center - Take the exam in a proctored environment at an authorized Pearson VUE test center, subject to local availability.
• Online Proctored Exam (OnVUE) - Cisco written certification exams, including 300-215, can be taken online, subject to country availability, system requirements, and the appointment options shown during scheduling.
• Online Exam Rules: Run the required system test, use an approved computer with webcam and microphone, present acceptable identification, maintain a clear private workspace, and remain under live-proctor supervision.
• Test Center Rules: Arrive according to the appointment instructions, bring the required identification, store prohibited items, accept Cisco's candidate agreement, and follow all check-in and proctor directions.

Exam Registration

Follow these steps to complete CBRFIR exam registration:

• Open Cisco's official exam scheduling portal and sign in with the Cisco account linked to the certification profile.
• Select the 300-215 CBRFIR exam and choose an available Pearson VUE test center or OnVUE online-proctored appointment, where offered.
• Confirm the exam language, date, time, delivery method, identification requirements, and the rescheduling and cancellation terms shown with the booking.
• Pay the CBRFIR exam fee, apply an eligible voucher, or redeem Cisco Learning Credits, then save the appointment confirmation.

After Passing the Exam

After passing the 300-215 CBRFIR exam, review the pass/fail result and certification record in Cisco CertMetrics.

• Passing earns the Cisco Certified Specialist - Cybersecurity Forensic Analysis and Incident Response certification and satisfies the concentration requirement for CCNP Cybersecurity.
• Use Cisco CertMetrics to access exam history, score reports, certificates, transcripts, certification logos, and the credential's expiration information.
• To earn CCNP Cybersecurity, also pass the current 350-201 CBRCOR core exam within Cisco's applicable written-exam validity window.

Why the 300-215 CBRFIR Exam Is Worth It

• Earns the Cisco Certified Specialist - Cybersecurity Forensic Analysis and Incident Response certification
• Satisfies the concentration requirement for CCNP Cybersecurity
• Validates current Cisco cybersecurity operations expertise
• Demonstrates focused knowledge aligned with the official CBRFIR syllabus