The EC-Council exam that has the code 312-39 is required for getting the Certified SOC Analyst (CSA) certification. It offers candidates the opportunity to gain the necessary competence to join a security operations center, also known as SOC.

Audience for 312-39 Exam

In particular, the final 312-39 evaluation aims at both Tier I and II SOC Analysts. In addition, this test can be a chance for advancement for Security & Network Administrators or Engineers, Network Defense Technicians or Analysts, together with Network Security Specialists and Operators. Besides, such an exam targets the entry-level specialists who started their careers in cybersecurity or any individual who wants to hold a valid certification as a SOC Analyst. All in all, this exam is ideal for anyone who wants to become an expert in identifying high-level solutions in the cybersecurity domain and combine them with traditional defense methods.

Relevant Details of Actual Exam

The 312-39 exam developed by EC-Council was designed to help candidates validate that they have a solid understanding of the tasks that a SOC Analyst usually has. Therefore, it offers examinees the opportunity to go through the SOC workflow. In all, the main evaluation contains 100 questions that are of the multiple-choice format, which means that the test-takers should have a solid knowledge of the verified topics to be able to choose all correct answers. In addition, the exam duration is 3 hours, and the registration procedure will be initiated and finished on the vendor’s exam portal. When it comes to eligibility, the applicants who register for the EC-Council 312-39 exam should demonstrate that they have 12 months of practical experience in security or network admin domains. Once candidates bring the proof, and it is validated by the vendor itself, they become elicit for the exam in question. Otherwise, they are required to visit the official class developed by EC-Council for this test.

Details of Exam Blueprint

The applicants who register for the concerned test can obtain the passing score from the first try if they go through a consistent training process and develop a consolidated understanding of the succeeding area:

• Effectively operate & manage security solutions and overcome issues;
• Understand how the cyber threats work and their impact on the organization as well as become proficient in developing attack methodology and learning about IoCs;
• Prevent incidents, analyze logging details, and extract the conclusions from events’ analysis;
• Use security information to detect different types of incidents and manage events in an effective way;
• Identify enhanced methods for incident detection by using the threat intelligence tool features;
• Manage responses to incidents.

Dependable Preparation Options

The candidates who want to get the passing mark in the 312-39 exam can use the following preparation materials to improve their knowledge:

• Certified SOC Analyst (CSA) Training Program

  The CSA preparation program is officially organized and provided by EC-Council. While there is no official duration and schedule, the vendor recommends attendees block three days for this class. It focuses on aspiring and beginner Tier I and II SOC Analysts who want to speed up their career progress and become proficient in performing entry to intermediate-level tasks. It offers attendees the opportunity to acquire some of the most in-demand skills and learn from some of the most popular and skilled trainers in the world how to act as a SOC Analyst and contribute to the team. Note that the course follows the exam blueprint. So, the candidates will gain full compliance with the framework developed by the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education. In particular, the entrants who attend this course will learn how to use defensive data and measure as well as collect it from multiple sources. Thus, they will be able to identify, report, and analyze the reports that might appear to the current network configuration and protect them from potential threats. Besides, this training class will help the attendees get a higher level of understanding of end-to-end SOC technologies, procedures, and workflow processes. What is more, they will become professional in detecting incidents with the help of the Security Information and Event Management tool. So, they will learn how to use anomaly and signature-based detection technologies. The learning objectives of this course also include the use of threat intelligence tools to detect incidents. Additionally, the test-takers will improve their knowledge on deploying the SIEM tool via this comprehensive training.

• Blue Team Handbook: SOC, SIEM, and Threat Hunting (v1.02): a Condensed Guide for the Security Operations Team and Threat Hunter by Don Murdoch

  This book is available on Amazon.com, and it offers valuable insights on how security operations have an impact on the organization. Its comprehensive information made this guide a useful companion for the staff working in international organizations and students at the most prestigious universities in the world. Here, the readers will find valuable notes and details on how to manage and build a team dedicated to security operations and SIEM management. What is more, the author shares his conclusions after 17+ years of experience in this domain. So, all the details presented in such a manual are filtered through his expertise and exposed as real-world examples. For a candidate who wants to pass the EC-Council 312-39 exam, this book is a gem as it helps to consolidate the knowledge of the tested topics and comes with additional explanations of security operations.

• Jump-start Your SOC Analyst Career: a Roadmap to Cybersecurity Success by Tyler Wall and Jarrett Rodrick

  This training material is available on Amazon.com as well. It debuts with insights on the importance of SOC Analysts and their knowledge of cybersecurity for an organization. The following chapters help the candidates for the 312-39 evaluation understand how to handle information security concepts and create both internal and external teams. This material is effective in the preparation process for the EC-Council test in question as it offers insights on how to use the SIEM, Firewalls, Sandboxing, and other tools useful for SOC Analysts.

Conclusion

One of the best strategies that a candidate for the official EC-Council 312-39 test could have is to focus his/her attention on training. The starting point should be checking the exam official blueprint and understanding what’s expected from their side. Once they have a clear view of the measured objectives, the examinees should check for available official training classes and identify relevant books on Amazon. By grasping these simple steps, the applicants’ self-confidence will boost, and they will have higher chances to obtain the passing score from the first try.