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EC-Council · Cybersecurity · Entry

EC-Council Network Defense Essentials (NDE) exam guide

Exam 112-51

Network Defense Essentials (NDE) is EC-Council's entry-level course and exam on securing networks: access control, firewalls and IDS, cloud and wireless security, cryptography and traffic monitoring. It is a starting point before CND or Security+.

Questions75
Time limit120 minutes
Passing scoreSee official page
Exam fee$299 USD
Valid forSee official page
DeliveryOnline, proctored by EC-Council

Format: Multiple choice. Fee note: Price of the self-paced course, which includes a proctored exam voucher valid one year.

Who it's for

Beginners, students and IT support staff who want foundational network security knowledge.

What the exam covers

Network security fundamentals—
Identification, authentication and authorization—
Administrative and physical controls—
Technical controls (firewalls, IDS/IPS, VPN, SIEM)—
Virtualization and cloud security—
Wireless, mobile and IoT security—
Cryptography and PKI—
Data security and traffic monitoring—

A dash means the vendor does not publish a weight for that domain.

Eligibility & prerequisites

Required: None.

Recommended: Basic networking knowledge.

Keeping it active

EC-Council does not list an ECE credit requirement for the Essentials series on its course pages; check your EC-Council (Aspen) account for any maintenance fee.

Skills & careers

Skills it validates

  • Network security controls and defense in depth
  • Authentication and access control
  • Firewall, IDS/IPS and VPN concepts
  • Wireless and IoT security basics
  • Cryptography and PKI fundamentals
  • Network traffic monitoring

Job roles

Network Support TechnicianJunior Network AdministratorIT Support SpecialistSecurity Operations TraineeHelp Desk Analyst

Where it fits in your path

Take before

No prerequisite certification needed.

You are here

EC-Council Network Defense Essentials (NDE)

Planning a degree too? See how this cert earns college credit in the College Credit Navigator.

Build my study plan

  1. Week 1: Modules 1-5 (fundamentals and controls).
  2. Week 2: Modules 6-10 (cloud, wireless, mobile, IoT, cryptography).
  3. Week 3: Data security, traffic monitoring, the 33 labs and capstone.
  4. Week 4: Review weak modules and take the exam within the one-year voucher window.

Make it yours: pick your exam date and weekly hours. We'll split your time by domain weight and give you a printable plan.

Exam-day tips

  • Know which control type (administrative, physical, technical) each example falls under.
  • Learn common ports and protocols for the traffic monitoring module.
  • Use the labs; the exam reuses their terminology.
  • Schedule within the one-year voucher window.

Frequently asked questions

How much is NDE?

$299 for the course including the exam voucher.

How many questions?

75 multiple-choice in 2 hours.

NDE vs CND?

NDE is entry level; CND is the full network defender certification.

Is NDE worth it?

As a cheap first step, yes; for jobs, follow it with Security+ or CND.

Do I need experience?

No.

Official page: www.eccouncil.org. Reviewed November 2026. Vendors change fees and objectives, so confirm with the vendor before you book. Spot something out of date? Tell us.