CCNA Cybersecurity (formerly CyberOps Associate): is the SOC analyst exam worth taking?
Cisco renamed the CyberOps Associate twice: to Cybersecurity Associate, and on February 3, 2026 to CCNA Cybersecurity. The exam kept its number, 200-201, and is now called CCNACBR v1.2. It costs $300 in the US (November 2026). A first attempt costs from $349.99 with a book to $4,695 with a five-day class. With IT support experience, 2 to 3 months of study is a sensible plan (our estimate).
Key facts
- The CCNA Cybersecurity exam, 200-201 CCNACBR, costs $300, lasts 120 minutes, is offered in English and has no prerequisites. (Cisco, checked November 5, 2026)
- Since February 3, 2026, active Cybersecurity Associate (formerly CyberOps Associate) holders were moved to CCNA Cybersecurity automatically, with no change to the exam topics. (Cisco Learning Network, checked November 5, 2026)
- The current exam version is v1.2; Cisco added AI-related topics when it moved the exam from v1.1. (Cisco Learning Network, checked November 5, 2026)
- The certification is valid for three years; you renew by passing the current exam or a higher Cisco exam, or with 30 continuing education credits. (Cisco, checked November 5, 2026)
Three names, one exam
If you have seen CyberOps Associate, Cybersecurity Associate and CCNA Cybersecurity, they are the same credential. Cisco first renamed the CyberOps track to Cisco Cybersecurity and moved the exam from 200-201 CBROPS v1.1 to v1.2 with new AI topics. Then, effective February 3, 2026, it renamed the associate and professional levels to CCNA Cybersecurity and CCNP Cybersecurity, and changed only the names. Courses and books still use all three names, and the exam acronym appears as both CBROPS and CCNACBR. Match on the number, 200-201, and the version, v1.2.
Who CCNA Cybersecurity is for
Cisco aims it at entry-to-mid-level IT professionals who want to become SOC analysts, network security engineers or IT security operations specialists, and says it proves "essential cybersecurity skills, concepts, and technologies, including security monitoring, analysis, and response." In practice it is an analyst's exam: reading alerts, logs and packet captures and following an incident process. It is not a firewall-configuration exam, despite the CCNA name.
A good fit if
- You want a first SOC analyst or security monitoring role and already know basic networking
- Your security team works with Cisco Secure Endpoint, Secure Firewall or ISE alongside open-source tools such as Wireshark
- You hold CCNA and want a security credential from the same vendor
Think twice if
- You have no networking or IT background: Cisco says the exam assumes foundational networking and IT knowledge
- Job ads you are targeting ask for a vendor-neutral baseline such as Security+ by name
- You want to build and configure Cisco security infrastructure: that is CCNP Security territory
Consider instead: Security+ for a vendor-neutral baseline, CySA+ for a vendor-neutral analyst exam, or CCNA first if networking is still new to you.
What the 200-201 exam covers
Cisco sets no formal prerequisite. Its official course recommends familiarity with Ethernet and TCP/IP, working knowledge of Windows and Linux, and basic network security concepts. The exam is 120 minutes, in English only, graded pass or fail, with performance-based, multiple-choice and drag-and-drop questions. Cisco has announced no newer version than v1.2.
| Area | Weight |
|---|---|
| Security concepts | 20% |
| Security monitoring | 25% |
| Host-based analysis | 20% |
| Network intrusion analysis | 20% |
| Security policies and procedures | 15% |
Security monitoring and the two analysis areas make up 65% of the exam, so time spent reading real logs, alerts and packet captures pays off more than memorizing definitions.
Routes to exam day
Cisco offers a guided learning path on Cisco U. (part of its paid Essentials plan) and an official five-day instructor-led course, Understanding Cisco Cybersecurity Operations Fundamentals (CCNACBR), taught by Cisco and its learning partners; the course earns 28 continuing education credits. Cisco Networking Academy also lists a CyberOps Associate course; we could not read its cost. For self-study, the Cisco Press Official Cert Guide or a video course such as CBT Nuggets' v1.2 course covers the topics, and Wireshark, which Cisco names among the tools the exam prepares you for, gives you real packet captures to analyze. A five-day class suits people whose employer pays and who want an instructor to walk through the labs.
Price of a first attempt
Each total adds Cisco's $300 exam fee, because none of these listings includes a voucher.
| Route | Provider and course | Published price | Exam fee | First attempt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Self-study book | Cisco Press, CCNA Cybersecurity CCNACBR 200-201 Official Cert Guide, 1st edition (published December 2020, with a digital supplement for the later minor exam revision); list price shown, on sale at $39.99 on the day we checked. Checked November 5, 2026. | $49.99 | + $300 exam | $349.99 |
| Video course with labs | CBT Nuggets, CCNA Cybersecurity (200-201 CCNACBR) v1.2, about 15 hours of video with virtual labs and a practice exam, one year of access for a one-time payment. Checked November 5, 2026. | $225 | + $300 exam | $525 |
| Live virtual, 5 days | Global Knowledge, CCNACBR, Understanding Cisco Cybersecurity Operations Fundamentals v2.0, for the 200-201 CCNACBR v1.2 exam; the November 30 to December 4, 2026 session is marked guaranteed to run. Checked November 5, 2026. | $4,395 | + $300 exam | $4,695 |
Two costs outside the table: a retake costs another $300 after a five-day wait, unless you buy Cisco's $450 Exam Safeguard Plus, which includes a second attempt within 90 days. Cisco's $300 exam vouchers are valid for 365 days from purchase.
Comparing CCNA Cybersecurity courses
- Exam version. Global Knowledge and CBT Nuggets both name 200-201 v1.2. The Cisco Press guide predates v1.2 and relies on a digital supplement, so download it.
- Old names on the listing. A course still titled CBROPS or CyberOps can be current or out of date; ask whether it covers the v1.2 AI topics.
- Voucher. None of the three listings includes one. Ask whether a voucher or Exam Safeguard Plus can be bundled.
- Labs after class. CBT Nuggets includes virtual labs for its year of access; for a live class, ask how long lab access lasts once it ends.
Renewing CCNA Cybersecurity every three years
CCNA Cybersecurity lasts three years. Within that window, pass the current 200-201 exam or any higher-level Cisco exam, or earn 30 continuing education credits; the official course alone gives 28.
For SOC managers
For a team of junior analysts, the exam maps well to a SOC's daily work, and Cisco accepts Cisco Learning Credits for it. Compare per-seat self-study plus lab time with a private class quote; Global Knowledge's public class runs $4,395 a seat before the exam.
CCNA Cybersecurity questions
- Is CyberOps Associate still valid?
- Yes. Cisco moved active holders to CCNA Cybersecurity automatically on February 3, 2026, without a new exam.
- Is CCNA Cybersecurity part of CCNA?
- No. It is a separate associate certification with its own exam, 200-201. The routing and switching CCNA is 200-301.
- How much does the exam cost?
- $300 in the US as of November 2026, or Cisco Learning Credits.
- What comes after it?
- CCNP Cybersecurity (the renamed CyberOps Professional) for deeper SOC work, or CCNP Security if you move into building Cisco security infrastructure.
Next step
Describe your background and the security role you are after, and we will suggest whether this exam or another fits and how to prepare.
Ask for help choosing CCNA Cybersecurity training
Sources
- Cisco: CCNA Cybersecurity (exam, fee, prerequisites, FAQ, recertification), checked November 5, 2026
- Cisco Learning Network: 200-201 CCNACBR v1.2 exam topics and weights, checked November 5, 2026
- Cisco: 200-201 CCNACBR exam page, checked November 5, 2026
- Cisco Learning Network: Cisco Cybersecurity certifications (CyberOps rename, v1.2), checked November 5, 2026
- Cisco Learning Network: a new era for Cisco certifications (CCNA Cybersecurity from February 3, 2026), checked November 5, 2026
- Cisco: CCNACBR training course (recommended knowledge, CE credits), checked November 5, 2026
- Cisco U.: plans (Free, Essentials and All Access contents), checked November 5, 2026
- Cisco Press: new Cisco certifications (CBROPS guide digital supplement), checked November 5, 2026
Prices are published list prices we recorded on the dates shown, not quotes. How we research.