- Identify the components of the authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA) framework
- Categorize techniques used by malicious actors as defined by the MITRE ATT&CK framework
- Explain the concept of Zero Trust and define its key principles
- Identify and describe the characteristics of an advanced persistent threat (APT)
Palo Alto Networks Certification Training Course
Palo Alto Networks Certified Cybersecurity Practitioner Certification Training Course
We'll get you ready for the Palo Alto Networks Certified Cybersecurity Practitioner exam, the foundational credential Palo Alto Networks recommends in place of the retired PCCET.
Course focus: Zero Trust, MITRE ATT&CK, NGFWs and ZTNA, SASE and SD-WAN, cloud security and CNAPP, endpoint security and XDR, and SOC operations, mapped to the official Practitioner blueprint.
Course Overview
What the Cybersecurity Practitioner course covers and who it's for.
Palo Alto Networks retired the PCCET exam on January 31, 2025 and points candidates to Cybersecurity Practitioner and Cybersecurity Apprentice instead. If you came here for PCCET, this is the course we now teach in its place.
Per Palo Alto Networks, Practitioner validates cybersecurity concepts and the skills needed for basic use of the Palo Alto Networks portfolio. We follow the six domains in the official datasheet: cybersecurity, network security, secure access, cloud security, endpoint security and security operations.
Accumentum is an independent training provider. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by or a partner of Palo Alto Networks, and this isn't official Palo Alto Networks training. Palo Alto Networks sets exam content, fees and policies, so check paloaltonetworks.com before you book.
Course Objectives
Get ready for Cybersecurity Practitioner the way the exam is built.
01
Cover the Whole Blueprint
Work through all 6 domains in the official Cybersecurity Practitioner datasheet, weighted the way the exam weights them.
02
Go Deep on Cloud Security
Cloud Security is 20% of the exam score per Palo Alto Networks, so it gets the most class time.
03
Practice in a Lab
Hands-on lab work on the tasks the Cybersecurity Practitioner blueprint lists, not just slides.
04
Be Ready for Test Day
The exam is in person at a Pearson VUE test center with multiple choice, matching and ordering items. We practice all three.
Who Should Attend
- People moving into a cybersecurity career.
- IT staff who want a vendor-backed foundation before a Specialist exam.
- Former PCCET candidates whose exam was retired.
- Anyone continuing on a Palo Alto Networks certification path.
Prerequisites
- Palo Alto Networks doesn't list a required prerequisite certification, and we don't have enrollment prerequisites either.
- Palo Alto Networks lists no required work experience. Basic networking knowledge helps, and Apprentice is a good warm-up if you're brand new.
Pathway Map
The Cybersecurity Practitioner course in 6 modules.
Each module is one domain from the official datasheet, with its exam weight.
Course Content
- Describe key characteristics of Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA)
- Explain the function of stateless firewalls and next-generation firewalls (NGFWs)
- Explain the purpose of microsegmentation
- Explain the purpose and function of common network security technologies
- Define and explain Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) and differentiate from Secure Service Edge (SSE)
- Identify challenges related to confidentiality, integrity, and availability of information and applications
- Explain the security function of common technologies
- Describe the purpose of Software-Defined Wide Area Networking (SD-WAN) solutions
- Identify and describe major cloud architectures and topologies
- Identify and describe major challenges related to cloud security
- Identify and describe technologies used to secure cloud environments
- Identify and describe the functions of a Cloud Native Application Protection Platform (CNAPP)
- Identify and explain Indicators of Compromise (IOCs)
- Explain the limitations of signature-based anti-malware software
- Explain the concept of User and Entity Behavior Analytics (UEBA)
- Explain endpoint detection and response (EDR) and extended detection and response (XDR)
- Identify and describe key characteristics of threat hunting
- Explain the process and outcomes of incident response
- Explain the functions of a security information and event management (SIEM) platform
- Explain the functions of security orchestration, automation, and response (SOAR)
Course Features
How we teach Cybersecurity Practitioner.
Instructor-Led Classes
Live instruction with time for questions, so you aren't figuring out the hard parts alone.
Hands-On Labs
Lab work tied to the tasks in the Cybersecurity Practitioner blueprint.
Blueprint Mapping
Every module maps to a domain in the official Cybersecurity Practitioner datasheet.
Exam Strategy
Practice with multiple choice, matching and ordering questions, plus test center tips.
Certification Exam
About the Cybersecurity Practitioner exam.
Cybersecurity Practitioner Exam Readiness
Our students pass at a 98.8% rate across Accumentum courses. We'll get you ready for Cybersecurity Practitioner the same way.
Per Palo Alto Networks, Cybersecurity Practitioner is a Foundational level exam priced at $150 USD, and taxes may apply. Since August 1, 2025, Palo Alto Networks exams are delivered in person at Pearson VUE test centers only. Exams are in English, with multiple choice, matching and ordering questions.
The certification is valid for two years and you renew by retaking the exam. If you fail, the waits before retakes are 15, 30 and then 90 days. Full details are on the official Cybersecurity Practitioner page.
Accumentum is an independent training provider. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by or a partner of Palo Alto Networks, and this isn't official Palo Alto Networks training. Palo Alto Networks sets exam content, fees and policies, so check paloaltonetworks.com before you book.
Exam Blueprint
What the Cybersecurity Practitioner exam covers.
Palo Alto Networks splits the Cybersecurity Practitioner blueprint into 6 domains and 38 objectives. Here they are in full, with the sub topics the datasheet lists under each one.
Domain 1: Cybersecurity (19%)
1.1 Identify the components of the authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA) framework
1.2 Categorize techniques used by malicious actors as defined by the MITRE ATT&CK framework
1.3 Explain the concept of Zero Trust and define its key principles
- Continuous monitoring and validation
- Least privilege access enforcement
- Breach assumption
1.4 Identify and describe the characteristics of an advanced persistent threat (APT)
1.5 Explain the function of common security technologies
- Identity Providers (IdP), identity and access management (IAM), and multi-factor authentication (MFA)
- Mobile device management (MDM) and mobile application management (MAM)
- Secure email gateways and integrated cloud email security
Domain 2: Network Security (19%)
2.1 Describe key characteristics of Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA)
2.2 Explain the function of stateless firewalls and next-generation firewalls (NGFWs)
2.3 Explain the purpose of microsegmentation
2.4 Explain the purpose and function of common network security technologies
- Intrusion prevention system (IPS)
- URL filtering
- DNS Security
- VPN
- SSL/TLS Decryption (outbound / forward proxy)
2.5 Explain the limitations of signature-based network protection
2.6 Identify and describe the deployment options for NGFWs for networks operation on both bare metal and virtualized architectures
2.7 Identify and describe cybersecurity concerns unique to Operation Technology (OT) and internet of things (IoT) devices
2.8 Identify and describe Palo Alto Networks Cloud-Delivered Security Services (CDSS)
2.9 Explain the security function of Precision AI
Domain 3: Secure Access (14%)
3.1 Define and explain Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) and differentiate from Secure Service Edge (SSE)
3.2 Identify challenges related to confidentiality, integrity, and availability of information and applications
- Data and information
- Private applications
- Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) applications
- Artificial Intelligence (AI) applications, tools, and platforms
3.3 Explain the security function of common technologies
- Secure Web Gateway
- Enterprise Browser
- Remote Browser Isolation
- Data loss prevention (DLP)
- Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB)
3.4 Describe the purpose of Software-Defined Wide Area Networking (SD-WAN) solutions
3.5 Describe Prisma SASE solutions
- Prisma Access
- Prisma SD-WAN
- Prisma Access Browser
- Enterprise DLP
- AI Access
- Prisma AIRS
Domain 4: Cloud Security (20%)
4.1 Identify and describe major cloud architectures and topologies
4.2 Identify and describe major challenges related to cloud security
- Application Security
- Cloud Posture Security
- Cloud Runtime Security
4.3 Identify and describe technologies used to secure cloud environments (for example CSPM, CWPP)
4.4 Identify and describe the functions of a Cloud Native Application Protection Platform (CNAPP)
4.5 Explain the features and functionality of Cortex Cloud
Domain 5: Endpoint Security (15%)
5.1 Identify and explain Indicators of Compromise (IOCs)
5.2 Explain the limitations of signature-based anti-malware software
5.3 Explain the concept of User and Entity Behavior Analytics (UEBA)
5.4 Explain endpoint detection and response (EDR) and extended detection and response (XDR)
5.5 Explain Behavioral Threat Prevention
5.6 Identify and describe cybersecurity threats mitigated by the following endpoint security technologies
- Host-based Firewall and Host-based Intrusion Preventions Systems (HIPS)
- Device Control and USB Control
- Application Control
- Disk Encryption
- Patch Management
5.7 Explain the features and functionality of Cortex XDR
Domain 6: Security Operations (13%)
6.1 Identify and describe key characteristics of threat hunting
6.2 Explain the process and outcomes of incident response
6.3 Explain the functions of a security information and event management (SIEM) platform
6.4 Explain the functions of security orchestration, automation, and response (SOAR)
6.5 Explain the function of an Attack Surface Management (ASM) platform
6.6 Explain the features and functionality of Cortex solutions
- XSOAR
- Xpanse
- XSIAM
6.7 Identify and describe the services provided by Unit 42
Before You Start
Is Cybersecurity Practitioner the right fit for you?
Here is who Palo Alto Networks says the Cybersecurity Practitioner exam is for and what it expects you to bring, taken from the official datasheet.
Who Palo Alto Networks wrote this exam for
- Individuals who want to validate their knowledge, skills, and understanding of cybersecurity technologies and solutions
- Individuals transitioning into a cybersecurity career
- Individuals continuing their path in a Palo Alto Networks program
Knowledge, skills and abilities
- secure networking concepts, models, and protocols
- endpoint security components, standards, and protection
- cloud security concepts, models, and services
- security operations concepts and functions
- cybersecurity lifecycle, threats, identification methods, and prevention methods
- basic solutions provided by network security, cloud security, and security operations platforms at Palo Alto Networks and their component offerings
- current and emergent trends in information security (for example artificial intelligence, machine learning, and crowdsourced intelligence)
Recommended background
No prior work experience is required. Palo Alto Networks positions this exam as entry level.
Study Plan
How we approach Cybersecurity Practitioner prep.
Cloud Security carries 20% of the exam, more than any other domain, so we spend the most lab and review time there.
Palo Alto Networks products change often, and the exam follows the current release. Read the release notes for anything you use in the lab so you aren't studying an old screen.
Our course follows the same blueprint, with on demand lessons you can pause and replay, and our students pass at a 98.8% rate across Accumentum courses.
Exam Policies
Cybersecurity Practitioner retakes, renewal and badges.
Once you pass Cybersecurity Practitioner, the certification stays valid for two years. Palo Alto Networks recertification means retaking the current exam.
Passing a higher level exam in the same track automatically extends your active lower level certifications in that track by two years.
If you don't pass, you get a results report broken down by domain. Palo Alto Networks requires a 15 day wait before a second attempt, 30 days before a third and 90 days before any attempt after that. After a pass you can't sit the same exam again for 18 months.
Exams are delivered in English through Pearson VUE, and candidates testing in non English speaking countries get a 30 minute time extension by default. Your badge and certificate come through Credly.
Career Outcomes
What Cybersecurity Practitioner does for your career.
Practitioner suits people stepping into junior security analyst, SOC tier 1 and security focused IT roles. It shows you know the concepts behind Zero Trust, SASE, cloud and endpoint security and how Palo Alto Networks tools fit them.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the median annual wage for information security analysts was $129,180 in May 2025. BLS also projects employment of information security analysts to grow 21 percent from 2025 to 2035, much faster than the average for all occupations. That figure is a national midpoint. Where you live, how long you have been in the field and who you work for all move the number. Source: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook.
Funding
Ways to pay for Cybersecurity Practitioner training.
Our funding page lays out every way to pay for training, and PathPay lists the courses that qualify for a monthly plan.
Veterans can look at VR&E benefits for career training, and our Veteran Skill Forge programs bundle several courses into one path. Questions about your situation? Contact us and we'll talk it through.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about our Cybersecurity Practitioner course.
Palo Alto Networks Certified Cybersecurity Practitioner is a Foundational level certification from Palo Alto Networks. Details are on the official certification page at https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/services/education/panw-cybersecurity-practitioner.
No. We're an independent training provider and we aren't a Palo Alto Networks partner. Our course follows the public exam blueprint in the official datasheet. Palo Alto Networks offers its own learning paths at learn.paloaltonetworks.com.
Palo Alto Networks retired the PCCET exam on January 31, 2025 and points candidates to Cybersecurity Practitioner and Cybersecurity Apprentice instead. If you came here for PCCET, this is the course we now teach in its place.
Palo Alto Networks lists Foundational exams at $150 USD, and taxes may apply. Vouchers are sold through Pearson VUE and expire 12 months after purchase. Check the current price before you buy.
No. Since August 1, 2025, Palo Alto Networks certification exams are delivered in person at Pearson VUE test centers only.
Two years from the date you pass. You renew by retaking the exam, and passing a higher level exam in the same track renews your active lower level certifications.
Palo Alto Networks doesn't list a required prerequisite certification, and we don't have enrollment prerequisites either. Palo Alto Networks lists no required work experience. Basic networking knowledge helps, and Apprentice is a good warm-up if you're brand new.
Instructor-led, with hands-on labs and practice questions. Ask us about upcoming class dates.
Use the registration page linked below, or email info@accumentum.net and we'll follow up with dates and next steps.
6. Per the official datasheet they are Cybersecurity (19%), Network Security (19%), Secure Access (14%), Cloud Security (20%), Endpoint Security (15%), Security Operations (13%).
Cloud Security at 20%, per the Palo Alto Networks datasheet.
No prior work experience is required. Palo Alto Networks positions this exam as entry level.
Palo Alto Networks lists individuals who want to validate their knowledge, skills, and understanding of cybersecurity technologies and solutions, individuals transitioning into a cybersecurity career and individuals continuing their path in a Palo Alto Networks program.
Palo Alto Networks requires a 15 day wait after a first failed attempt, 30 days after a second and 90 days after a third. Once you pass, you can't retake the same exam for 18 months.
Our PathPay page lists the courses that qualify for a monthly plan. For anything else, contact us and we'll go over options.
Enrollment
Enroll in Cybersecurity Practitioner training with Accumentum.
Enroll in our Cybersecurity Practitioner course to get ready for the Palo Alto Networks Certified Cybersecurity Practitioner exam with instructor-led classes and hands-on labs.
For dates and next steps, use the registration page linked below or email info@accumentum.net.
Ready to start on Cybersecurity Practitioner?
Tell us your target date and we'll help you plan the path.