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Exam Information
Official specifications published by Splunk
Exam Format
75 min
60
Not publicly disclosed
Professional
Registration
$130 USD
Pearson VUE or online proctoring
Validity
2 years
Pass the current version of the SPLK-5002 exam; Earn continuing education credits through Splunk training and activities
SPLK-5002 Exam Topics and Domains
SPLK-5002 is organized into 5 weighted domains. Expect to work with Splunk Enterprise Security, Splunk SOAR, Splunk Enterprise, Dashboards, and more.
1
Data Engineering
10%
Perform effective data review and analysis
Data quality assessmentSecurity data sources
Perform effective data review and analysis to ensure data quality for security operations
Create and maintain performant data indexing
Index optimizationData routing and filtering
Create and maintain performant data indexing infrastructure for security data
Understand and apply Splunk methods of data normalization
Common Information Model (CIM) implementationData normalization techniques
Understand and apply Splunk methods of data normalization for consistent security analytics
2
Detection Engineering
40%
Create and tune detections (i.e. Correlation Search)
Correlation search creationDetection tuning and optimizationMITRE ATT&CK framework integration
- Create and tune correlation searches for effective threat detection
- Optimize detection performance and reduce false positives
Incorporate context into detections (i.e. Correlation Search)
Asset and identity contextThreat intelligence integration
Incorporate contextual information from asset, identity, and threat intelligence frameworks into detections
Understand and create risk-based modifiers and detections
Risk-Based Alerting (RBA)Risk analysis and investigation
- Understand and implement risk-based detection strategies
- Create risk modifiers and configure risk thresholds
Generate effective Notable Events/findings
Notable event configurationAdaptive response actions
- Generate effective notable events with appropriate context and severity
- Configure adaptive response actions for automated enrichment
Create and maintain a detection lifecycle
Detection development lifecycleDetection content management
- Create and maintain a comprehensive detection lifecycle from development to retirement
- Implement effective content management practices for detections
3
Building Effective Security Processes and Programs
20%
Research, incorporate and develop threat intelligence
Threat intelligence sourcesThreat hunting
- Research, incorporate, and develop effective threat intelligence programs
- Conduct proactive threat hunting activities
Use common methodologies for risk and detection prioritization
Risk assessment frameworksDetection prioritization strategies
- Use common methodologies for risk assessment and detection prioritization
- Implement data-driven prioritization strategies
Generate documentation and standard operating procedures
Detection documentationStandard operating procedures (SOPs)
- Generate comprehensive documentation and standard operating procedures for security operations
- Create actionable runbooks and playbooks
4
Automation and Efficiency
20%
Develop automation and orchestration for standard operating procedures
SOAR automation fundamentalsIntegration development
- Develop automation and orchestration workflows for standard operating procedures
- Create effective SOAR playbooks and integrations
Optimize Case Management
Case management optimizationIncident tracking and reporting
- Optimize case management processes for improved efficiency
- Implement effective incident tracking and reporting
Describe and utilize REST APIs
Splunk REST API fundamentalsSOAR REST API
- Describe and utilize REST APIs for automation and integration
- Implement API-based workflows in security operations
Automate responses using SOAR playbooks
Response playbook designPlaybook testing and optimization
- Automate incident responses using SOAR playbooks
- Design, test, and optimize response automation workflows
Compare and validate integrations and automation capabilities of Enterprise Security and SOAR
ES and SOAR integrationAutomation capability comparison
- Compare and validate the automation capabilities of Enterprise Security and SOAR
- Select appropriate automation tools based on use case requirements
5
Auditing and Reporting on Security Programs
10%
Develop and optimize security metrics
Security metrics developmentMetrics optimization and reporting
- Develop and optimize meaningful security metrics for program assessment
- Measure and report on security operations effectiveness
Build and populate effective security reports
Security reporting requirementsAutomated report generation
- Build and populate effective security reports for various audiences
- Implement automated reporting workflows
Build and populate dashboards for program analytics
Dashboard design and developmentAnalytics dashboards for security programs
- Build and populate dashboards for security program analytics
- Create actionable visualizations for security operations
How do I earn this certification?
Passing SPLK-5002 earns the Splunk Certified Cybersecurity Defense Engineer certification. It sits in the Cybersecurity Defense track.
Current Level Exams
SPLK-3003 - Splunk SOAR Certified Automation DeveloperComplementary certification for automation specialists
Next Level Options
- SPLK-2003 - Splunk Enterprise Security Certified AdminAdvanced administrative skills for Enterprise Security
- SPLK-3003 - Splunk SOAR Certified Automation DeveloperDeep specialization in SOAR automation
Alternative Paths
- SPLK-2002 - Splunk Enterprise Certified AdminPlatform administration skills complement security operations
- SPLK-1002 - Splunk Core Certified Power UserAdvanced search and reporting skills for security analytics
- SPLK-4001 - Splunk O11y Cloud Certified Metrics UserObservability skills for comprehensive monitoring
Practice with Precision
The PlanetCert Simulator mirrors the real exam environment with authentic questions and timed pressure.
How to study for this exam?
Use the official PlanetCert Practice Test alongside the study plan below to prepare efficiently for SPLK-5002.
What's changed on this exam?
Current Status
- ACTIVE
- Last content update: 2024-06-01
- Announcement date: 2024-06-01
Updates
- Splunk Enterprise Security 8.0+ Enhanced risk-based alerting and threat intelligence features covered in Detection Engineering domain • Release date: 2025-08-01
- Splunk SOAR 6.3+ New playbook capabilities and app integrations covered in Automation and Efficiency domain • Release date: 2025-09-01
- MITRE ATT&CK Framework v16 Updated tactics and techniques relevant to detection mapping exercises • Release date: 2025-10-01
Who should take this exam?
- Splunk Certified Cybersecurity Defense Analyst (SPLK-5001) certification
- Power User level knowledge of Splunk Enterprise
- Familiarity with Administrator tasks in Splunk Cloud or Splunk Enterprise
- Hands-on experience with Splunk Enterprise Security
- Experience with Splunk SOAR