CCNP Security after the August 2026 update: SCOR v2.0 and one concentration
SCOR, the core exam, costs $400 and each concentration exam costs $300, so the exams alone come to $700 (November 2026). Preparing for SCOR runs from $469.99 with a book and the exam fee to $4,700 with a five-day class. Plan on 3 to 5 months for SCOR alongside a security job, then 1 to 2 months for the concentration (our planning figure).
Key facts
- SCOR (350-701) costs $400, lasts 120 minutes, and has no prerequisites; each of the four concentration exams costs $300 and lasts 90 minutes. (Cisco, checked November 5, 2026)
- SCOR v2.0 became the live version on August 27, 2026; Cisco calls it the first major revision of the SCOR blueprint. (Cisco blog, checked November 5, 2026)
- Cisco retired the SVPN, SESA and SWSA concentration exams in late August 2026, with no direct replacement for SVPN. (Cisco, checked November 5, 2026)
- CCNP Security is valid for three years; professional-level recertification takes 80 continuing education credits or qualifying exams. (Cisco, checked November 5, 2026)
What CCNP Security proves, and for whom
Cisco says CCNP Security shows you can "design and implement cloud security architecture, user and device security, network security, assurance, and more." It is a professional-level credential built around Cisco's own security products: Secure Firewall, Identity Services Engine (ISE), Secure Access and the design work that ties them together. It is not the same as CCNP Cybersecurity, which is Cisco's renamed CyberOps Professional track for security operations analysts.
A good fit if
- You configure or support Cisco Secure Firewall, ISE or Cisco Secure Access at work
- You already hold CCNA, or work at that level, and want to specialize in security
- Your employer or a Cisco partner role expects Cisco professional-level certifications
Think twice if
- You have no hands-on time with Cisco security products: Cisco's SCOR course recommends working knowledge of Cisco IOS and security basics, and the concentrations are product-specific
- Your work is in a SOC rather than building defenses: CCNA Cybersecurity and CCNP Cybersecurity follow that path
- You want a vendor-neutral security management credential for a manager or architect role
Consider instead: CCNA Cybersecurity for security operations work, Security+ or CySA+ for vendor-neutral security, or CCNP Enterprise if most of your job is routing and switching.
SCOR v2.0 and the four concentrations
Cisco sets no formal prerequisite for any of the exams. Its official SCOR course recommends familiarity with Ethernet and TCP/IP, working knowledge of Windows and Cisco IOS, and basic network security concepts before you start; treat that as the real entry point. SCOR is 120 minutes and mixes performance-based, multiple-choice and drag-and-drop questions. Passing it alone earns the Cisco Certified Specialist, Security Core certification, and each concentration pass earns its own specialist certification too.
What changed in August 2026. Cisco moved SCOR to v2.0 on August 27, 2026 and calls it the first major revision; its own advice to people who studied v1.1 material is to treat v2.0 as new content. The SCAZT concentration became SSCA (same exam number and title, new scope), and SVPN, SESA and SWSA were retired. Cisco's blog gives August 26 as the last test day for retiring versions and its retired-exams list gives August 27. A SCOR v1.1 pass you already hold still combines with any current concentration.
| SCOR v2.0 area | Weight |
|---|---|
| Security concepts | 20% |
| Network security | 25% |
| Cloud security | 15% |
| Secure service edge | 10% |
| Endpoint protection and detection | 15% |
| Network access, visibility and enforcement | 15% |
| Exam | What it covers | Pick it if you work on |
|---|---|---|
| 300-710 SNCF | Securing networks with Cisco firewalls (v1.2) | Cisco Secure Firewall and its management center |
| 300-715 SISE | Implementing and configuring Cisco Identity Services Engine (v1.2) | Network access control, 802.1X, guest and posture |
| 300-740 SSCA | Designing and implementing secure cloud access for users and endpoints (v2.0, formerly SCAZT; English only) | Cisco Secure Access and cloud-delivered security |
| 300-745 SDSI | Designing Cisco security infrastructure (unchanged in the August update) | Security architecture and design rather than one product |
Studying for SCOR v2.0
Cisco points SCOR candidates to guided learning paths and labs on Cisco U., and runs an official five-day instructor-led course, Implementing and Operating Cisco Security Core Technologies (SCOR), delivered by Cisco and its learning partners; the course earns 30 continuing education credits. If you work with Cisco security gear every day, self-study with a book, a practice-exam set and lab time can cover SCOR. The catch in late 2026 is that much third-party material predates v2.0: the Cisco Press guide was published in November 2023 and Boson says its practice exams are still being updated. Check every product against the v2.0 exam topics. A five-day class suits people who learn faster with an instructor and an employer paying, and who can then spend several weeks practicing.
SCOR preparation prices
Each total adds the $400 SCOR fee, since none of these listings says a voucher is included. Budget another $300 exam plus study time for the concentration.
| Route | Provider and course | Published price | Exam fee | First attempt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Self-study book | Cisco Press, CCNP and CCIE Security Core SCOR 350-701 Official Cert Guide, 2nd edition (published November 2023, before SCOR v2.0); list price shown, on sale at $55.99 on the day we checked. Checked November 5, 2026. | $69.99 | + $400 SCOR exam | $469.99 |
| Practice exams | Boson, ExSim-Max for Cisco 350-701 SCOR, three practice exams, one-year subscription that renews automatically; Boson says it is updating the set to SCOR v2.0, with a free upgrade for existing users. Checked November 5, 2026. | $99 | + $400 SCOR exam | $499 |
| Live class, 5 days | Fast Lane, Implementing and Operating Cisco Security Core Technologies (SCOR), online or classroom, stated to prepare for the SCOR v2.0 exam; 43 Cisco Learning Credits. Checked November 5, 2026. | $4,300 | + $400 SCOR exam | $4,700 |
| Live class, 5 days | ONLC Training Centers, SCOR v3.0 course (CSCOR2); the outline still describes the exam as v1.0, so ask which exam version it teaches. Checked November 5, 2026. | $4,295 | + $400 SCOR exam | $4,695 |
| Live virtual, 5 days | Global Knowledge, SCOR course version 3.0, virtual sessions listed from January 25 to 29, 2027 onward. Checked November 5, 2026. | $4,295 | + $400 SCOR exam | $4,695 |
| Live class, 5 days | Learning Tree, SCOR training, listed as the v1.0 course with Stealthwatch and Umbrella labs; older than the v2.0 exam. Checked November 5, 2026. | $4,295 | + $400 SCOR exam | $4,695 |
Further costs: a failed attempt costs the full fee again, and Cisco makes you wait five calendar days before a retake. The Boson subscription renews each year unless you cancel. Lab access is the other cost: Cisco Secure Firewall and ISE are hard to practice without hosted labs, so ask what a class or subscription gives you after it ends.
Questions to ask a SCOR training provider
- Is the course built for SCOR v2.0? Fast Lane says its course prepares for v2.0. ONLC's outline lists course v3.0 but still names exam v1.0; Global Knowledge lists course v3.0 without an exam version; Learning Tree still lists a v1.0 course. Ask for the exam version in writing.
- Is an exam voucher included? None of the class listings in the table says so; ask whether a voucher or retake is in the price.
- Which labs, and for how long? SCOR v2.0 gives secure service edge its own 10% area; ask whether labs cover Cisco Secure Access and how long access lasts after class.
- Will the date run? Fast Lane marks guaranteed-to-run sessions on its schedule; ask other providers whether your date is guaranteed.
- Does the price cover the concentration? None of these classes does. Price the SNCF, SISE, SSCA or SDSI course on its own.
Renewing CCNP Security
The certification lasts three years. Cisco's professional-level recertification takes 80 continuing education credits, or you recertify by passing qualifying exams; Cisco gives no extensions. The official SCOR course is worth 30 credits on its own.
Getting an employer to fund CCNP Security
Cisco accepts Cisco Learning Credits for every CCNP Security exam, and Fast Lane prices its SCOR class at 43 credits. If your company buys Cisco security products, ask whether it holds learning credits before anyone pays cash. For a team, decide the concentration per person by the product each one runs.
CCNP Security questions
- How much does CCNP Security cost?
- $700 in exam fees: $400 for SCOR and $300 for one concentration, as of November 2026. Training is extra.
- I passed SCOR v1.1. Do I have to retake it?
- No. Cisco says a v1.1 pass still combines with any current security concentration, and you have three years from your first CCNP-level exam to pass the second.
- What happened to SVPN?
- Cisco retired SVPN in late August 2026 with no direct replacement concentration; site-to-site and remote access VPN labs now sit in Cisco's SCOR course. Pick SNCF, SISE, SSCA or SDSI instead.
- Is CCNP Security the same as CCNP Cybersecurity?
- No. CCNP Cybersecurity is the renamed CyberOps Professional for security operations. CCNP Security covers building and running Cisco security infrastructure.
Next step
Send us the Cisco security products you work on and your test date, and we will suggest a concentration and a SCOR v2.0 study route.
Ask for help choosing CCNP Security training
Sources
- Cisco: CCNP Security (exams, fees, length, prerequisites, validity), checked November 5, 2026
- Cisco Learning Network: 350-701 SCOR v2.0 exam topics and weights, checked November 5, 2026
- Cisco Learning Network: 300-710 SNCF v1.2 exam topics, checked November 5, 2026
- Cisco blog: security certification updates, your questions answered (August 27, 2026), checked November 5, 2026
- Cisco: retired exams (SESA, SWSA, SVPN), checked November 5, 2026
- Cisco Learning Network: certification roadmaps, checked November 5, 2026
- Cisco: SCOR training course (recommended knowledge, CE credits), checked November 5, 2026
- Cisco: recertification policy (80 CE credits at professional level, retake rules), checked November 5, 2026
- Cisco Learning Network: a new era for Cisco certifications (CCNP Cybersecurity rename), checked November 5, 2026
Prices are published list prices we recorded on the dates shown, not quotes. How we research.