You can see it againUnder pressure people bring back shapes and positions long after the wording has gone.
Picture superiority · Shepard 1967, Standing 1973
ISTQBCertified Tester Security Tester
The ISTQB® Certified Tester Security Tester (CT-SEC) certification validates your ability to plan, perform, and evaluate security tests from multiple perspectives—risk, requirements, vulnerability, and human factors. It is designed for testers with some security testing experience who want to deepen their expertise. Earning it demonstrates that you can align security testing with the software lifecycle, apply security mechanisms, and use the right tools and standards to protect your organization.
Exam formatMultiple choice
Duration120 minutes
DeliveryISTQB Member Boards
Passing score52 out of 80
Free questions1239
Content last reviewed 30 July 2026 · Up to date
The certification
What Certified Tester Security Tester 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.
9domains
49objectives
278concepts
What it is
What this certification is
What it validates, who it is written for, and the experience it assumes.
About this certification
The ISTQB® Certified Tester Security Tester (CT-SEC) certification focuses on planning, performing, and evaluating security tests from multiple perspectives including risk, requirements, vulnerability, and human factors. It also covers security testing tools and standards, giving you a comprehensive framework to identify and mitigate security risks throughout the software development lifecycle.
By earning CT-SEC, you demonstrate the ability to analyze security policies and procedures, evaluate the effectiveness of security mechanisms, and adopt an attacker mentality to uncover vulnerabilities in a protected environment. You will also learn to select and apply appropriate security testing tools, understand industry standards, and contribute to building information security awareness within your organization.
Who it’s for
The Security Tester certification is aimed at people who have some experience in security testing and wish to further develop their expertise in security testing. It is ideal for testers, security analysts, and quality assurance professionals who are responsible for ensuring the security of software systems. Candidates should be comfortable with fundamental testing concepts and have practical experience in security testing. The certification is designed to help you advance your career by validating your specialized skills in security testing.
Recommended experience
Candidates should have some experience in security testing and a solid understanding of software testing fundamentals. ISTQB recommends at least three years of relevant academic, practical, or consulting experience. Experience in planning and executing security tests; Knowledge of security risks, vulnerabilities, and attack vectors; Familiarity with security testing tools and standards; Understanding of the software development lifecycle and testing processes
The syllabus
What you’ll learn
Every domain and objective ISTQB measures, with the weight they carry on the exam.
The official ISTQB exam outline · checked 30 July 2026 · See the source
The Basis of Security Testing
- The Role of Risk Assessment in Security Testing
- Asset Identification
- Analysis of Risk Assessment Techniques
- Understanding Security Policies and Procedures
- Analysis of Security Policies and Procedures
- Purpose of a Security Audit
- Risk Identification, Assessment and Mitigation
- People, Process and Technology
Security Testing Purposes, Goals and Strategies
- Foundations of Security Testing
- Setting Security Testing Goals and Objectives
- Security Testing Approaches and Stakeholders
- Improving Security Testing Practices
Security Testing Processes
- Security Testing Process Overview
- Security Test Planning
- Security Test Design
- Security Test Execution and Evaluation
- Security Test Maintenance
Security Testing Throughout the Software Lifecycle
- Lifecycle Overview
- Requirements and Design
- Component and Integration Testing
- System, Acceptance, and Maintenance
Testing Security Mechanisms
- System Hardening
- Authentication and Authorization
- Encryption
- Firewalls
- Intrusion Detection
- Malware Scanning
- Data Obfuscation
- Security Training
Human Factors in Security Testing
- The Impact of Human Behavior on Security Risks
- Understanding the Attacker Mentality
- Common Motivations and Sources of Computer System Attacks
- Understanding Attack Scenarios and Motivations
- Social Engineering
- The Importance Of Security Awareness
- Increasing Security Awareness
Security Test Evaluation and Reporting
- Security Test Evaluation
- Confidentiality of Security Test Results
- Analyzing Interim Security Test Status Reports
Security Testing Tools
- Types and Purposes of Security Testing Tools
- Analyzing and Documenting Security Testing Needs
- Issues with Open Source Tools
- Evaluating a Tool Vendor's Capabilities
Standards and Industry Trends
- The Benefits of Using Security Testing Standards
- Applicability of Standards in Regulatory Versus Contractual Situations
- Selection of Security Standards
- Applying Security Standards
- Where to Learn of Industry Trends in Information Security
- Evaluating Security Testing Practices for Improvements
On the day
The exam itself
Everything ISTQB publishes about sitting it, and nothing we inferred.
Prerequisites
Must hold the Certified Tester Foundation Level (CTFL) certificate.
CertificationCertified Tester Security Tester
Exam formatMultiple choice
Duration120 minutes
Questions45 questions
Passing score52 out of 80
DeliveryISTQB Member Boards
LanguagesEnglish, Non-native language support (+25% time)
After you pass
Where this credential goes next
The path ISTQB lays out, how the credential is kept, and where to book.
Step-by-step path to Certified Tester Security Tester
PrerequisiteMust hold the Certified Tester Foundation Level (CTFL) certificate.
Credential earnedCertified Tester Security Tester Certification Renewal and maintenance
ISTQB certifications do not require renewal except for Expert Level. The CT-SEC certification does not require renewal. Stay current with the latest technologies and maintain your certification.
Learn more about renewal requirements Lifecycle status
This certification is currently active and available. ISTQB maintains this certification to validate current skills and industry relevance.
Exam status: ActiveMaintained by ISTQB
Exam registration
Register for the exam through ISTQB Member Boards, ISTQB’s authorized testing partner.
Schedule your examVisit the official ISTQB 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 CT-SEC relate to the newer Certified Tester Security Test Engineer (CT-STE) certification?
CT-SEC focuses on planning, performing, and evaluating security tests from multiple perspectives, while CT-STE equips professionals with essential skills to address evolving security testing challenges such as asset protection, audits, and adapting to new threats. Both are Specialist-level certifications, but CT-STE is a distinct, newer certification.
Is the CTFL prerequisite mandatory for CT-SEC?
Yes, you must hold the Certified Tester Foundation Level (CTFL) certificate to be eligible for the CT-SEC exam. This is a mandatory prerequisite.
Can I take the CT-SEC exam without attending accredited training?
Yes, self-study using the official syllabus and recommended reading material is an option. However, ISTQB highly recommends attending accredited training to ensure the materials are relevant and consistent with the syllabus.
What is the exam format for CT-SEC?
The CT-SEC exam consists of 45 multiple-choice questions. You have 120 minutes to complete it, with an additional 25% time if you are taking the exam in a non-native language.
Are there any hands-on or lab components in the CT-SEC exam?
No, the CT-SEC exam is a multiple-choice exam. There are no hands-on or lab components.
What job roles does the CT-SEC certification map to?
The CT-SEC certification is relevant for security testers, security analysts, and quality assurance professionals who are responsible for planning, performing, and evaluating security tests.
Can I proceed to other ISTQB certifications after earning CT-SEC?
Yes, holders of the CT-SEC certification may choose to proceed to other Core, Agile, or Specialist stream certifications.
Information freshness · Content last reviewed on 2026-07-30 Up to date
Practice free questions 1239 questions, free, no account needed.
The curriculum
The whole exam, mapped and written
Every domain, every objective, and every concept ISTQB measures — each one written out.
9domains
49objectives
278concepts
266free 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 ISTQB exam outline · checked 30 July 2026 · See the source
1The Basis of Security Testing230 questions
The Role of Risk Assessment in Security Testing8 concepts · 6 pagesOpen →Asset Identification9 concepts · 7 pagesOpen →Analysis of Risk Assessment Techniques6 concepts · 6 pagesOpen →Understanding Security Policies and Procedures6 concepts · 6 pagesOpen →Analysis of Security Policies and Procedures6 concepts · 6 pagesOpen →Purpose of a Security Audit10 concepts · 7 pagesOpen →Risk Identification, Assessment and Mitigation4 concepts · 5 pagesOpen →People, Process and Technology4 concepts · 6 pagesOpen →
2Security Testing Purposes, Goals and Strategies83 questions
3Security Testing Processes114 questions
4Security Testing Throughout the Software Lifecycle101 questions
5Testing Security Mechanisms213 questions
System Hardening4 concepts · 5 pagesOpen →Authentication and Authorization10 concepts · 7 pagesOpen →Encryption7 concepts · 6 pagesOpen →Firewalls8 concepts · 4 pagesOpen →Intrusion Detection8 concepts · 5 pagesOpen →Malware Scanning6 concepts · 7 pagesOpen →Data Obfuscation8 concepts · 5 pagesOpen →Security Training9 concepts · 7 pagesOpen →
6Human Factors in Security Testing175 questions
The Impact of Human Behavior on Security Risks7 concepts · 6 pagesOpen →Understanding the Attacker Mentality6 concepts · 6 pagesOpen →Common Motivations and Sources of Computer System Attacks3 concepts · 5 pagesOpen →Understanding Attack Scenarios and Motivations4 concepts · 5 pagesOpen →Social Engineering5 concepts · 5 pagesOpen →The Importance Of Security Awareness5 concepts · 5 pagesOpen →Increasing Security Awareness4 concepts · 5 pagesOpen →
7Security Test Evaluation and Reporting70 questions
8Security Testing Tools119 questions
9Standards and Industry Trends134 questions
The Benefits of Using Security Testing Standards4 concepts · 6 pagesOpen →Applicability of Standards in Regulatory Versus Contractual Situations6 concepts · 3 pagesOpen →Selection of Security Standards3 concepts · 4 pagesOpen →Applying Security Standards3 concepts · 5 pagesOpen →Where to Learn of Industry Trends in Information Security5 concepts · 6 pagesOpen →Evaluating Security Testing Practices for Improvements3 concepts · 5 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.
The Role of Risk Assessment in Security Testing6 pagesOpen →
Free in front of it
27 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
1239 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.
1239questions
266pages
49objectives
Freealways
Browse by domain
Every objective, and every page range, is a link — so you can pick up exactly where you left off.
1The Basis of Security Testing230 questions
2Security Testing Purposes, Goals and Strategies83 questions
3Security Testing Processes114 questions
4Security Testing Throughout the Software Lifecycle101 questions
5Testing Security Mechanisms213 questions
6Human Factors in Security Testing175 questions
7Security Test Evaluation and Reporting70 questions
8Security Testing Tools119 questions
9Standards and Industry Trends134 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.
278concepts
1239free 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 ISTQB
Where the exam is defined, scheduled and scored.
3official links
278concepts mapped
The source
ISTQB’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 ISTQB outline already has questions here
We build from the official skills outline, not from a summary of it — 49 objectives, 278 concepts written under them, and free questions against every one. When ISTQB changes the outline, this page changes with it.
49objectives on the outline→278concepts written→1239free 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.