Exam Overview

The 300-710 SNCF exam is a professional-level concentration and specialist certification exam in the CCNP Security path. Passing earns the Cisco Certified Specialist - Securing Networks with Cisco Firewalls certification and satisfies an applicable concentration exam requirement. Cisco has announced that SNCF v1.1 will be updated to v1.2 after August 26, 2026.

• Exam Code: 300-710 SNCF v1.1
• Level: Professional-level concentration and Specialist certification exam
• Duration: 90 minutes. Available language(s): English and Japanese.
• Passing Score: Not officially disclosed by Cisco (commonly estimated at ~825 out of 1000).
• Grading and Results: Cisco uses pass/fail grading and states that results are available online within 48 hours.

Exam Structure

The 300-710 SNCF exam follows four weighted domains covering deployment, configuration, management and troubleshooting, and integration.

• 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 SNCF exam registration, review Cisco certification policies, Pearson VUE identification rules, the Cisco candidate agreement, and the appointment terms. Cisco has announced that SNCF v1.1 will be updated to v1.2 after August 26, 2026.

• 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, wait five calendar days, beginning the next day, before retaking it. After passing, wait at least 180 days before taking the identical exam number again.
• Retake Fee: A retake normally requires the full SNCF exam fee unless a valid safeguard, voucher, or promotion provides different terms.

Certification Validity and Renewal Options

Passing the 300-710 SNCF exam earns the Cisco Certified Specialist - Securing Networks with Cisco Firewalls certification and starts Cisco's active certification cycle.

• Validity: Cisco Specialist certifications remain active for three years from the date earned.
• Renewal Options: Renew by earning 40 Continuing Education credits or completing an eligible Cisco exam pathway under the current recertification policy.

Exam Fee

• Base Fee: The official SNCF exam fee is USD 300, excluding applicable taxes. Eligible Cisco Learning Credits may be redeemed during scheduling.
• Taxes: Local taxes, currency conversion, and regional checkout rules may affect the final SNCF 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 300-710 SNCF exam. To earn CCNP Security, candidates must pass the 350-701 SCOR core exam and one eligible concentration exam.

• Candidates should understand TCP/IP, routing, NAT, VPNs, certificates, high availability, intrusion prevention, malware and file controls, identity policy, decryption, Security Intelligence, Cisco Secure Endpoint, pxGrid, and firewall operations.
• Preparation should combine the official SNCF syllabus with practical experience designing, implementing, operating, monitoring, or troubleshooting the technologies represented in the current blueprint.
• Cisco's official learning resources are recommended preparation for the 300-710 SNCF exam, but completing a specific course is not an exam prerequisite.

Exam Topics

The official SNCF syllabus v1.1 covers the following weighted domains:

• Deployment - 30%: Routed and transparent Secure Firewall modes; passive and inline NGIPS modes; port channels, failover, ECMP, static route tracking, clustering; and virtual appliance deployment on premises and in cloud environments.
• Configuration - 30%: Management Center settings; access control, intrusion, malware and file, DNS, identity, decryption, and prefilter policies; discovery, application detectors, correlation, encrypted visibility; objects, NAT, VPN, QoS, certificates, routing, and Snort.
• Management and Troubleshooting - 25%: Management Center GUI and device CLI troubleshooting, dashboards and reports, packet captures, Packet Tracer, risk reports, and Cisco Defense Orchestrator, cloud-delivered Management Center, Device Manager, and Management Center.
• Integration - 15%: Secure Firewall Malware Defense, Cisco Secure Endpoint, Threat Intelligence Director, Cisco SecureX investigations, pxGrid, Rapid Threat Containment, and Cisco Security Analytics and Logging.
• Product Naming: Cisco's current exam page uses Cisco Secure Firewall and Cisco Secure Firewall Management Center; these replace the earlier Firepower product names while retaining exam code 300-710.
• Version Notice: The current SNCF v1.1 blueprint applies through August 26, 2026; Cisco has announced SNCF v1.2 for the refreshed Security program.

Intended Audience

The 300-710 SNCF exam is designed for professionals who design, implement, operate, monitor, or support modern security environments, including:

• Cisco Secure Firewall Engineers
• Network Security Engineers
• Firewall Administrators
• Security Operations Engineers
• Security Consultants
• Infrastructure Security Specialists
• CCNP Security Candidates

Career Opportunities

Passing the 300-710 SNCF exam supports specialist roles aligned with the knowledge and practical skills in the current blueprint, including:

• Cisco Secure Firewall Engineer
• Network Security Engineer
• Firewall Security Consultant
• Threat Prevention Engineer
• Security Operations Engineer
• Perimeter Security Architect

Average Salary (Approximate)

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

• U.S.: Approximately USD 63,109-219,755 per year for Security Engineers (Indeed, July 2026).
• India: Approximately INR 445,000-1,360,750 per year for Cyber Security Engineers (Glassdoor, July 2026).
• United Kingdom: Approximately GBP 40,146-88,821 per year for Security Engineers (Glassdoor, July 2026).
• UAE: Approximately AED 83,724-192,192 per year for Network Security Engineers in Dubai, annualized from Glassdoor's published monthly range (July 2026).

Exam Delivery Options

During SNCF exam registration, candidates can review the delivery methods available for the 300-710 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 300-710, 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 SNCF exam registration:

• Open Cisco's official exam scheduling portal and sign in with the Cisco account linked to the certification profile.
• Select the 300-710 SNCF exam and choose an available Pearson VUE test center or OnVUE online-proctored appointment, where offered.
• Confirm the exam version, language, date, time, delivery method, identification requirements, and booking terms. Cisco has announced that SNCF v1.1 will be updated to v1.2 after August 26, 2026.
• Pay the SNCF exam fee, apply an eligible voucher, or redeem Cisco Learning Credits, then save the appointment confirmation.

After Passing the Exam

After passing the 300-710 SNCF exam, review the pass/fail result and certification record in Cisco CertMetrics.

• Passing earns the Cisco Certified Specialist - Securing Networks with Cisco Firewalls certification and satisfies an applicable concentration exam requirement.
• Use Cisco CertMetrics to access exam history, score reports, certificates, transcripts, certification logos, and the credential's expiration information.
• To earn CCNP Security, also pass the current 350-701 SCOR core exam within Cisco's applicable written-exam validity window.

Why the 300-710 SNCF Exam Is Worth It

• Earns the Cisco Certified Specialist - Securing Networks with Cisco Firewalls certification
• Satisfies an applicable concentration exam requirement
• Validates current Cisco security expertise
• Demonstrates focused knowledge aligned with the official SNCF syllabus