You can see it againUnder pressure people bring back shapes and positions long after the wording has gone.
Picture superiority · Shepard 1967, Standing 1973
ISC2Certified Information Systems Security Professional
The Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) certification validates your ability to design, implement, and manage a best-in-class cybersecurity program. It is for experienced security practitioners, managers, and executives who lead organizational security strategy and operations. Earning CISSP proves your expertise across eight security domains and grants you ISC2 membership with access to exclusive resources and a global community of cybersecurity leaders.
Exam formatMultiple choice and advanced item types
Duration180 minutes
DeliveryPearson VUE
Passing score700 out of 1000
Free questions1773
Content last reviewed 30 July 2026 · Up to date
The certification
What Certified Information Systems Security Professional proves, and what it asks of you
What this certification covers, who it is written for, and what the exam itself looks like on the day.
8domains
62objectives
452concepts
US $50exam fee
What it is
What this certification is
What it validates, who it is written for, and the experience it assumes.
About this certification
The Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) is the world's premier cybersecurity certification, recognized globally as a benchmark for security leadership. It validates an information security professional's deep technical and managerial knowledge and experience to effectively design, engineer, and manage the overall security posture of an organization. CISSP covers eight comprehensive domains, from security and risk management to software development security, ensuring relevance across all disciplines in the field.
Earning the CISSP demonstrates that you have what it takes to lead an organization's information security program. It proves your expertise in designing, implementing, and managing best-in-class cybersecurity programs, and it opens doors to advanced career opportunities and higher earning potential. As an ISC2 member, you join a community of cybersecurity leaders and gain access to exclusive resources, educational tools, and peer-to-peer networking opportunities.
Who it’s for
The CISSP is ideal for experienced security practitioners, managers, and executives who are responsible for leading an organization's information security program. It is designed for professionals who need to prove their knowledge across a wide array of security practices and principles, including those in positions such as Chief Information Security Officer, Chief Information Officer, Director of Security, IT Director/Manager, Security Systems Engineer, Security Analyst, Security Manager, Security Auditor, Security Architect, Security Consultant, and Network Architect. If you are a seasoned cybersecurity professional looking to validate your expertise, advance your career, and gain the support of a community of leaders, the CISSP is the credential for you.
Recommended experience
A minimum of five years of cumulative, full-time experience in two or more of the eight CISSP domains is required. A post-secondary degree in computer science, IT, or a related field, or an approved credential, may waive up to one year of experience. Experience in security and risk management; Experience in asset security; Experience in security architecture and engineering; Experience in communication and network security; Experience in identity and access management; Experience in security assessment and testing; Experience in security operations; Experience in software development security
The syllabus
What you’ll learn
Every domain and objective ISC2 measures, with the weight they carry on the exam.
The official ISC2 exam outline · checked 30 July 2026 · See the source
Security and Risk Management
- 1.1 - Understand, adhere to, and promote professional ethics
- 1.2 - Understand and apply security concepts
- 1.3 - Evaluate and apply security governance principles
- 1.4 - Understand legal, regulatory, and compliance issues that pertain to information security in a holistic context
- 1.5 - Understand requirements for investigation types (i.e., administrative, criminal, civil, regulatory, industry standards)
- 1.6 - Develop, document, and implement security policy, standards, procedures, and guidelines
- 1.7 - Identify, analyze, assess, prioritize, and implement Business Continuity (BC) requirements
- 1.8 - Contribute to and enforce personnel security policies and procedures
- 1.9 - Understand and apply risk management concepts
- 1.10 - Understand and apply threat modeling concepts and methodologies
- 1.11 - Apply Supply Chain Risk Management (SCRM) concepts
- 1.12 - Establish and maintain a security awareness, education, and training program
Asset Security
- 2.1 - Identify and classify information and assets
- 2.2 - Establish information and asset handling requirements
- 2.3 - Provision information and assets securely
- 2.4 - Manage data lifecycle
- 2.5 - Ensure appropriate asset retention (e.g., End of Life (EOL), End of Support)
- 2.6 - Determine data security controls and compliance requirements
Security Architecture and Engineering
- 3.1 - Research, implement and manage engineering processes using secure design principles
- 3.2 - Understand the fundamental concepts of security models (e.g., Biba, Star Model, Bell-LaPadula)
- 3.3 - Select controls based upon systems security requirements
- 3.4 - Understand security capabilities of Information Systems (IS) (e.g., memory protection, Trusted Platform Module (TPM), encryption/decryption)
- 3.5 - Assess and mitigate the vulnerabilities of security architectures, designs, and solution elements
- 3.6 - Select and determine cryptographic solutions
- 3.7 - Understand methods of cryptanalytic attacks
- 3.8 - Apply security principles to site and facility design
- 3.9 - Design site and facility security controls
- 3.10 - Manage the information system lifecycle
Communication and Network Security
- 4.1 - Apply secure design principles in network architectures
- 4.2 - Secure network components
- 4.3 - Implement secure communication channels according to design
Identity and Access Management (IAM)
- 5.1 - Control physical and logical access to assets
- 5.2 - Design identification and authentication strategy (e.g., people, devices, and services)
- 5.3 - Federated identity with a third-party service
- 5.4 - Implement and manage authorization mechanisms
- 5.5 - Manage the identity and access provisioning lifecycle
- 5.6 - Implement authentication systems
Security Assessment and Testing
- 6.1 - Design and validate assessment, test, and audit strategies
- 6.2 - Conduct security control testing
- 6.3 - Collect security process data (e.g., technical and administrative)
- 6.4 - Analyze test output and generate report
- 6.5 - Conduct or facilitate security audits
Security Operations
- 7.1 - Understand and comply with investigations
- 7.2 - Conduct logging and monitoring activities
- 7.3 - Perform Configuration Management (CM) (e.g., provisioning, baselining, automation)
- 7.4 - Apply foundational security operations concepts
- 7.5 - Apply resource protection
- 7.6 - Conduct incident management
- 7.7 - Operate and maintain detection and preventative measures
- 7.8 - Implement and support patch and vulnerability management
- 7.9 - Understand and participate in change management processes
- 7.10 - Implement recovery strategies
- 7.11 - Implement Disaster Recovery (DR) processes
- 7.12 - Test Disaster Recovery Plans (DRP)
- 7.13 - Participate in Business Continuity (BC) planning and exercises
- 7.14 - Implement and manage physical security
- 7.15 - Address personnel safety and security concerns
Software Development Security
- 8.1 - Understand and integrate security in the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC)
- 8.2 - Identify and apply security controls in software development ecosystems
- 8.3 - Assess the effectiveness of software security
- 8.4 - Assess security impact of acquired software
- 8.5 - Define and apply secure coding guidelines and standards
On the day
The exam itself
Everything ISC2 publishes about sitting it, and nothing we inferred.
Prerequisites
Minimum of five years of cumulative, full-time experience in two or more of the eight CISSP domains.
CertificationCertified Information Systems Security Professional
Exam formatMultiple choice and advanced item types
Duration180 minutes
Questions100–150 questions
Passing score700 out of 1000
DeliveryPearson VUE
LanguagesChinese, English, German, Japanese, Spanish
PricingUS $50
Certification levelProfessional
After you pass
Where this credential goes next
The path ISC2 lays out, how the credential is kept, and where to book.
Step-by-step path to Certified Information Systems Security Professional
PrerequisiteMinimum of five years of cumulative, full-time experience in two or more of the eight CISSP domains.
Credential earnedCertified Information Systems Security Professional Professional level certification Renewal and maintenance
CISSP certification is valid for three years. To maintain the credential, you must earn continuing professional education (CPE) credits and pay an annual maintenance fee (AMF). Stay current with the latest technologies and maintain your certification.
Learn more about renewal requirements Lifecycle status
This certification is currently active and available. ISC2 maintains this certification to validate current skills and industry relevance.
Exam status: ActiveMaintained by ISC2
Exam registration
Register for the exam through Pearson VUE, ISC2’s authorized testing partner.
Schedule your examVisit the official ISC2 certification page for exam policies and requirements.
View the official pageYour coach
And when you are serious, your coach Pip takes over
Your coach in the app reads what you have answered with the book closed and tells you one thing to do tonight. It will not count an answer you gave with the page open, and it will tell you when you are not ready.
See how the coach worksBefore you book
Questions people ask
How does the CISSP relate to the Certified in Cybersecurity (CC) and SSCP certifications?
CC is an entry-level certification for those new to cybersecurity, while SSCP is for hands-on security professionals with at least one year of experience. CISSP is the advanced credential for experienced practitioners and leaders. Earning CC or SSCP can help build foundational knowledge and prepare for the CISSP.
Do I need to earn a lower-level ISC2 certification before taking the CISSP?
No, the CISSP can be taken directly. However, you must meet the required work experience in at least two of the eight domains. If you lack the experience, you can pass the exam and become an Associate of ISC2, then earn the required experience within six years.
Is the CISSP exam available in languages other than English?
Yes, the CISSP exam is available in Chinese, English, German, Japanese, and Spanish. Chinese language exams are only offered during specific appointment windows: March 1-31, June 1-30, September 1-30, and December 1-31.
What is the retake policy for the CISSP exam?
ISC2 exam retake policies are detailed in the exam policies and procedures. Generally, if you fail an exam, you must wait a specified period before retaking it. For Peace of Mind Protection purchases, there is a 30-day waiting period between attempts.
Can I purchase exam vouchers or get discounts for the CISSP exam?
ISC2 offers a Peace of Mind Protection option that includes two exam attempts at a lower cost than two single exams. This can be purchased with the exam or as part of training bundles. Discounts may be available through ISC2 membership or other promotions.
Is there a hands-on or lab component in the CISSP exam?
No, the CISSP exam is a Computerized Adaptive Test (CAT) consisting of multiple choice and advanced item types. There is no hands-on lab component.
How soon will I receive my CISSP exam results?
You will receive a preliminary pass/fail result at the test center immediately after completing the exam. Official results and score reports are typically available within a few weeks.
What job roles does the CISSP certification map to?
The CISSP is ideal for experienced security practitioners, managers, and executives, including roles such as Chief Information Security Officer, Chief Information Officer, Director of Security, IT Director/Manager, Security Systems Engineer, Security Analyst, Security Manager, Security Auditor, Security Architect, Security Consultant, and Network Architect.
Can I recertify by passing a different ISC2 exam?
Yes, earning an advanced ISC2 certification, such as ISSAP, ISSEP, or ISSMP, may help you meet CPE requirements and demonstrate continued expertise, but it does not automatically renew the CISSP. You must still earn CPE credits and pay the AMF.
Are there regional differences in CISSP exam delivery?
Yes, the CISSP exam is delivered at ISC2 Authorized PPC and PVTC Select Pearson VUE Testing Centers. Chinese language exams are only available during specific appointment windows, and availability may vary by region.
Information freshness · Content last reviewed on 2026-07-30 Up to date
Practice free questions 1773 questions, free, no account needed.
The curriculum
The whole exam, mapped and written
Every domain, every objective, and every concept ISC2 measures — each one written out.
8domains
62objectives
452concepts
378free pages
The domains, and what sits inside them
Every objective below is a page you can open and practise now, without an account.
The official ISC2 exam outline · checked 30 July 2026 · See the source
1Security and Risk Management343 questions
1.1 - Understand, adhere to, and promote professional ethics4 concepts · 6 pagesOpen →1.2 - Understand and apply security concepts6 concepts · 5 pagesOpen →1.3 - Evaluate and apply security governance principles5 concepts · 5 pagesOpen →1.4 - Understand legal, regulatory, and compliance issues that pertain to information security in a holistic context11 concepts · 7 pagesOpen →1.5 - Understand requirements for investigation types (i.e., administrative, criminal, civil, regulatory, industry standards)10 concepts · 8 pagesOpen →1.6 - Develop, document, and implement security policy, standards, procedures, and guidelines7 concepts · 7 pagesOpen →1.7 - Identify, analyze, assess, prioritize, and implement Business Continuity (BC) requirements8 concepts · 7 pagesOpen →1.8 - Contribute to and enforce personnel security policies and procedures7 concepts · 6 pagesOpen →1.9 - Understand and apply risk management concepts9 concepts · 7 pagesOpen →1.10 - Understand and apply threat modeling concepts and methodologies4 concepts · 5 pagesOpen →1.11 - Apply Supply Chain Risk Management (SCRM) concepts7 concepts · 6 pagesOpen →1.12 - Establish and maintain a security awareness, education, and training program3 concepts · 5 pagesOpen →
2Asset Security146 questions
2.1 - Identify and classify information and assets9 concepts · 7 pagesOpen →2.2 - Establish information and asset handling requirements5 concepts · 5 pagesOpen →2.3 - Provision information and assets securely3 concepts · 5 pagesOpen →2.4 - Manage data lifecycle7 concepts · 6 pagesOpen →2.5 - Ensure appropriate asset retention (e.g., End of Life (EOL), End of Support)10 concepts · 4 pagesOpen →2.6 - Determine data security controls and compliance requirements4 concepts · 4 pagesOpen →
3Security Architecture and Engineering307 questions
3.1 - Research, implement and manage engineering processes using secure design principles11 concepts · 5 pagesOpen →3.2 - Understand the fundamental concepts of security models (e.g., Biba, Star Model, Bell-LaPadula)3 concepts · 2 pagesOpen →3.3 - Select controls based upon systems security requirements7 concepts · 6 pagesOpen →3.4 - Understand security capabilities of Information Systems (IS) (e.g., memory protection, Trusted Platform Module (TPM), encryption/decryption)15 concepts · 9 pagesOpen →3.5 - Assess and mitigate the vulnerabilities of security architectures, designs, and solution elements15 concepts · 6 pagesOpen →3.6 - Select and determine cryptographic solutions7 concepts · 6 pagesOpen →3.7 - Understand methods of cryptanalytic attacks13 concepts · 9 pagesOpen →3.8 - Apply security principles to site and facility design7 concepts · 6 pagesOpen →3.9 - Design site and facility security controls9 concepts · 7 pagesOpen →3.10 - Manage the information system lifecycle9 concepts · 8 pagesOpen →
4Communication and Network Security101 questions
5Identity and Access Management (IAM)159 questions
5.1 - Control physical and logical access to assets7 concepts · 6 pagesOpen →5.2 - Design identification and authentication strategy (e.g., people, devices, and services)10 concepts · 8 pagesOpen →5.3 - Federated identity with a third-party service4 concepts · 5 pagesOpen →5.4 - Implement and manage authorization mechanisms7 concepts · 6 pagesOpen →5.5 - Manage the identity and access provisioning lifecycle5 concepts · 4 pagesOpen →5.6 - Implement authentication systems11 concepts · 5 pagesOpen →
6Security Assessment and Testing132 questions
6.1 - Design and validate assessment, test, and audit strategies4 concepts · 5 pagesOpen →6.2 - Conduct security control testing10 concepts · 7 pagesOpen →6.3 - Collect security process data (e.g., technical and administrative)8 concepts · 8 pagesOpen →6.4 - Analyze test output and generate report3 concepts · 4 pagesOpen →6.5 - Conduct or facilitate security audits4 concepts · 4 pagesOpen →
7Security Operations433 questions
7.1 - Understand and comply with investigations5 concepts · 6 pagesOpen →7.2 - Conduct logging and monitoring activities12 concepts · 9 pagesOpen →7.3 - Perform Configuration Management (CM) (e.g., provisioning, baselining, automation)5 concepts · 6 pagesOpen →7.4 - Apply foundational security operations concepts5 concepts · 5 pagesOpen →7.5 - Apply resource protection4 concepts · 5 pagesOpen →7.6 - Conduct incident management7 concepts · 7 pagesOpen →7.7 - Operate and maintain detection and preventative measures8 concepts · 6 pagesOpen →7.8 - Implement and support patch and vulnerability management9 concepts · 6 pagesOpen →7.9 - Understand and participate in change management processes10 concepts · 8 pagesOpen →7.10 - Implement recovery strategies7 concepts · 7 pagesOpen →7.11 - Implement Disaster Recovery (DR) processes7 concepts · 6 pagesOpen →7.12 - Test Disaster Recovery Plans (DRP)6 concepts · 3 pagesOpen →7.13 - Participate in Business Continuity (BC) planning and exercises8 concepts · 7 pagesOpen →7.14 - Implement and manage physical security2 concepts · 5 pagesOpen →7.15 - Address personnel safety and security concerns7 concepts · 6 pagesOpen →
8Software Development Security152 questions
8.1 - Understand and integrate security in the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC)5 concepts · 6 pagesOpen →8.2 - Identify and apply security controls in software development ecosystems12 concepts · 9 pagesOpen →8.3 - Assess the effectiveness of software security8 concepts · 7 pagesOpen →8.4 - Assess security impact of acquired software5 concepts · 5 pagesOpen →8.5 - Define and apply secure coding guidelines and standards4 concepts · 6 pagesOpen →
Not a table of contents
Every line on this map already opens
In front of every objective the practice pages are already there, free and without an account. This is one objective, opened.
1.1 - Understand, adhere to, and promote professional ethics6 pagesOpen →
Free in front of it
26 questions on this objective, five to a page. Every range above is a real page, open now, with no account.
Reading the map is not the same as knowing the ground
The curriculum tells you what is on the exam. Proving you know it is a different job — and it is the one the closed-book run does.
Free questions
1773 questions. No account, no card.
The whole bank is open. 5 questions to a page, every answer explained, and a discussion thread on each one.
1773questions
378pages
62objectives
Freealways
Browse by domain
Every objective, and every page range, is a link — so you can pick up exactly where you left off.
1Security and Risk Management343 questions
2Asset Security146 questions
3Security Architecture and Engineering307 questions
4Communication and Network Security101 questions
5Identity and Access Management (IAM)159 questions
6Security Assessment and Testing132 questions
7Security Operations433 questions
8Software Development Security152 questions
What a practice page gives you
1Five to a page
Short enough to finish, long enough to matter.
2Every answer explained
Not only which one is right — why the others are wrong.
3A discussion on each
Ask, answer, and vote. Every question has its own thread.
A question, and the idea behind it
Every question comes from a concept
These are not trivia. Each one is written against a concept in the book, so when you get one wrong there is somewhere to go and find out why.
The visual book
See it once. Carry it into the exam.
The pages shown here come from our AI-900 book — an example of how each concept is written in plain language and, where the idea needs one, drawn as a full page you can take in at a glance.
452concepts
1773free questions
Why a picture, and not another paragraph
Three reasons, and each one is a real finding rather than a slogan.
You can see it againThe whole idea at onceWhere it starts, what happens in the middle, what comes out, and the mistake to avoid.
Multimedia principle · MayerThe look-alikes sit togetherThe pairs the exam tests are drawn side by side, so the difference is seen, not told.
Dual coding · PaivioWhat one page is made of
You are never asked to read a poster here — only to see how one is built. After that, every other page is legible at a glance.
1A numbered strip on top
The idea as a sequence, followed with a finger before a word is read.
2Panels for the parts
What it is, how the machine learns it, when it is the right tool.
3The trap, framed
The distinction the exam tests, given its own box instead of buried in prose.
4One line at the bottom
The sentence to carry into the exam room.
Open book, on purpose
Answer it with the picture beside you
This is the part that teaches. The illustration and the written explanation stay where they are while you work, so a scenario stops being a memory test and becomes something you can simply look at.
It teaches · it does not count
A smartphone uses AI to unlock when the owner looks at the camera. Which AI capability is being used?
AImage classification
BFacial recognition
COptical character recognition
DObject detection
Look at the five steps. Detect finds a face, align straightens it, encode turns it into numbers, search compares it with a stored face, and decide answers one question: is this the same person? Classification would only say “a face”. Detection would only draw a box. Neither decides whose.
Then the page shuts, and it starts counting
The same questions come back with the book closed — that run is the one that counts. After it, your coach picks one thing for tonight, sized to the time you have, and brings pages back before you lose them.
Testing effect · Roediger & Karpicke 2006 · spacing effect · Cepeda et al. 2006
Official resources
Straight from ISC2
Where the exam is defined, scheduled and scored.
2official links
452concepts mapped
The source
ISC2’s own pages
We link to them rather than repeat them, so nothing here goes stale behind them.
Checked against the source
Every objective on the official ISC2 outline already has questions here
We build from the official skills outline, not from a summary of it — 62 objectives, 452 concepts written under them, and free questions against every one. When ISC2 changes the outline, this page changes with it.
62objectives on the outline→452concepts written→1773free questions
An official page tells you what will be asked. It cannot tell you what you will get right.
That is the only question worth answering the night before, and no link answers it. You answer it by taking the questions with the book closed, and seeing what comes back.