topic Re: Cortex XDR Certification questions in Discussions

Cortex XDR Certification questions

tlmarques — Wed, 11 Feb 2026 14:38:03 GMT

The PCDRA exam was removed on April 30, 2025.

Now there are new certifications, Analyst and Enginee.

What is the exam code now?

I see that the study material is now only at https://learn.paloaltonetworks.com/learn/learning-plans/455/palo-alto-networks-certified-xdr-analyst. Is that correct?

And is this material for both certifications?

Re: Cortex XDR Certification questions

susekar — Tue, 03 Mar 2026 22:04:25 GMT

Hello @tlmarques ,

Greetings for the day.

Palo Alto Networks has recently redesigned its certification framework to align with real-world job roles across Security Operations, Network Security, and Cloud Security. This redesign includes the transition from established certifications such as the Palo Alto Networks Certified Detection and Response Analyst (PCDRA) to updated role-based certification tracks.

Exam Codes:

The available information does not specify the alphanumeric exam codes for the new Cortex XDR Analyst and Cortex XDR Engineer certifications.

For the most accurate and up-to-date exam codes, refer directly to the Palo Alto Networks certification portal.

Study Materials and Learning Resources:

The available materials do not explicitly confirm whether the URL below is the official primary learning plan for the new Analyst certification:

https://learn.paloaltonetworks.com/learn/learning-plans/455/palo-alto-networks-certified-xdr-analyst

However, the following resources are considered authoritative for preparing for Cortex analyst-level exams:

Primary Reference:

The Cortex XDR Architecture and Administration Guide is widely regarded as the most current and authoritative reference for certification preparation. Platform-based training materials may occasionally lag behind product updates.

Foundational Training

The EDU-160 (Cortex XDR: Architecture, Analytics, and Causality Analysis) course available in the Palo Alto Networks Learning Center provides foundational instruction covering architecture, analytics, and investigation workflows relevant to the Analyst and Engineer tracks.

If you feel this has answered your query, please let us know by clicking like and on "mark this as a Solution".

Thanks & Regards,
S. Subashkar Sekar

Re: Cortex XDR Certification questions

loloker625 — Fri, 10 Jul 2026 15:08:20 GMT

From what I've seen, the Cortex XDR Analyst and Cortex XDR Engineer certifications have taken the place of the previous PCDRA exam, so each follows its own learning path. The best place to confirm the current exam's details and objectives is the Palo Alto Learning Center. I practiced with Certs4Sure to reinforce the topics as I prepared, using official learning content as my primary resource. Despite the fact that the Analyst and Engineer tracks cover distinct skill sets, I would still recommend adhering to the official exam blueprint as a means of verifying my comprehension.