CCNP SNCF: Securing Networks with Cisco Firewalls

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CCNP SNCF: Securing Networks with Cisco Firewalls

Securing Networks with Cisco Firewalls

Passing this exam earns you the Cisco Certified Specialist – Securing Networks with Cisco Firewalls certification, as well as helping you work toward your Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) Security career certification.

This exam tests your knowledge of implementing and operating core security technologies, including network security, cloud security, content security, endpoint protection and detection, secure network access, visibility, and enforcements.

Securing Networks with Cisco Firewalls (300-710 SNCF) v1.2 official exam topics

The Securing Networks with Cisco Firewalls (300-710 SNCF) v1.2 is a 90-minute certification exam that validates your knowledge of Cisco Secure Firewall (formerly Cisco Firepower) and Cisco Secure Firewall Management Center (formerly Cisco Firepower Management Center). Passing this exam earns you the Cisco Certified Specialist - Network Security Firewalls certification and satisfies the concentration exam requirement for the CCNP Security certification. The exam covers:

  • Policy configurations
  • Integrations
  • Deployments
  • Management
  • Troubleshooting

1.0 Deployment (30%)

  • 1.1 Implement Secure Firewall Modes: Configure and verify routed mode and transparent mode across different network topologies.
  • 1.2 Implement Next-Generation IPS (NGIPS) Modes: Deploy and verify passive mode and inline mode (with fail-open or bypass options). 
  • 1.3 High Availability (HA) Options: Configure multi-instance clustering, active/standby failover pairs, and stateful link replication. 
  • 1.4 Virtual Appliance Deployments: Describe the setup and provisioning of Cisco Secure Firewallv (vFTD) across on-premises hypervisors and public cloud environments (AWS, Azure). 
  • 1.5 Modern Management Frameworks: Understand device onboarding using the local Firepower Device Manager (FDM), centralized Secure Firewall Management Center (FMC), and cloud-managed Security Cloud Control

 

2.0 Configuration (30%)

  • 2.1 Centralized Management Settings: Configure initial system settings, object management (networks, ports, URLs), and time/NTP configurations inside FMC.
  • 2.2 Advanced Policy Implementation: Build and apply nested security policies in FMC:
    • Access Control: Handle pre-filter policies, security zones, and application visibility and control (AVC).
    • Intrusion Prevention: Tailor Snort Rules, variable sets, and base rule profiles (Security over Connectivity).
    • Malware & File Actions: Build blocklists, local malware lookup policies, and sandbox profiles.
    • DNS & URL Filtering: Enforce categories, reputation checks, and custom domain lookups.
  • 2.3 Network Address Translation (NAT): Implement static, dynamic, twice-NAT, and port-forwarding variations. 
  • 2.4 Virtual Private Networks (VPN): Deploy Site-to-Site IPsec VPNs and Remote Access VPNs (AnyConnect/Cisco Secure Client) using localized user structures or external AAA. 

3.0 Management and Troubleshooting (25%)

  • 3.1 Operational Dashboards: Customize administrative views, trigger custom alarms, and automate compliance reporting metrics in FMC.
  • 3.2 Diagnostic Toolsets: Perform deep packet capture procedures via both the GUI and the raw device command-line interface (CLI).
  • 3.3 Active Component Troubleshooting: Diagnose data path traffic processing, check policy evaluation paths, isolate NAT engines, and analyze VPN tunnel failures using the CLI (packet-tracer and system logs).
  • 3.4 Snort Engine Optimization: Identify performance bottlenecks, check rule execution times, and switch between Snort 2 and Snort 3 architectures.

4.0 Integration (15%)

  • 4.1 Cisco Security Fabric Integration: Link Secure Firewall with core cloud engines:
    • Malware Defense: Integrate Cisco Secure Firewall Malware Defense (formerly AMP for Networks).
    • Endpoint Security: Connect Cisco Secure Endpoint (formerly AMP for Endpoints) for cross-platform event correlation. 
  • 4.2 Threat Intelligence Networks: Deploy Threat Intelligence Director (TID) to inject automated, third-party security intelligence feeds (STIX/TAXII). 
  • 4.3 Multi-Domain Orchestration: Implement external identity lookups and policy changes using Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) via pxGrid and Rapid Threat Containment (RTC) mechanics. 
  • 4.4 Extended Telemetry (XDR & SIEM): Export network traffic profiles, telemetry data, and connection events into cloud-native security dashboards and Splunk platforms for holistic SecOps viewing. 
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