(ISC)² Certification
Executive Level

Certified Information SystemsSecurity Professional (CISSP)

The world's premier certification for information security management professionals. CISSP validates your expertise in designing, implementing, and managing a world-class cybersecurity program from a strategic perspective.

Exam Duration

3 hours

Exam Cost

$749 USD

Question Format

125-175 Questions

Experience Requirements

CISSP requires significant professional experience in information security domains.

5 years of cumulative professional work experience in 2 or more domains
OR 4 years of professional experience with college degree
OR 4 years of professional experience with qualifying credential
Endorsement by an (ISC)² certified professional

Why Choose Zertly for Your CISSP Preparation?

Our platform emphasizes the managerial and strategic thinking required for CISSP success.

Management-Focused Practice

Questions designed to test your strategic thinking and executive-level security decision making.

Risk-Based Scenarios

Practice with real-world scenarios emphasizing business risk and impact assessment.

Adaptive Learning Engine

AI-powered system that adapts to your knowledge level across all eight CISSP domains.

Comprehensive Domain Coverage

In-depth coverage of all eight CISSP domains with detailed explanations and frameworks.

CISSP Eight Domains and Breakdown

Master all eight security domains to demonstrate comprehensive cybersecurity leadership.

Security and Risk Management

15% of exam
Understand and align security function to business strategy
Understand legal and regulatory issues that pertain to information security
Understand professional ethics
Develop and maintain information security policies, standards, procedures and guidelines
Identify and analyze risk
Develop risk mitigation strategies

Asset Security

10% of exam
Classify information and supporting assets
Establish information and asset handling requirements
Provision resources securely
Manage data lifecycle
Ensure appropriate asset retention and disposal

Security Architecture and Engineering

13% of exam
Apply security design principles
Understand security models and frameworks
Select controls based on security requirements
Understand security capabilities of information systems
Assess and mitigate vulnerabilities in security architectures
Design and implement secure network architecture

Communication and Network Security

13% of exam
Implement secure network architecture
Secure network components
Implement secure communication channels
Prevent network attacks

Identity and Access Management

13% of exam
Control physical and logical access to assets
Manage identification and authentication of people and devices
Integrate identity as a service
Manage identity and access provisioning lifecycle
Implement authentication systems

Security Assessment and Testing

12% of exam
Design and validate assessment strategies
Conduct security control testing
Collect security process data
Analyze test outputs and generate reports
Conduct or facilitate security audits

Security Operations

13% of exam
Understand and support investigations
Understand requirements for investigation types
Conduct logging and monitoring activities
Securely provision resources
Understand and apply foundational security operations concepts

Software Development Security

11% of exam
Understand and integrate security in the Software Development Life Cycle
Identify and apply security controls in development environments
Assess software security effectiveness
Assess security impact of acquired software

Key Security Topics Covered in CISSP

Comprehensive coverage of enterprise security management and strategic implementation.

Security Governance

Risk Management

Business Continuity

Legal and Regulatory Compliance

Data Classification

Asset Management

Privacy Protection

Secure Disposal

Security Architecture

Security Models

Cryptography

Hardware Security

Network Security

Secure Protocols

Network Attacks

Wireless Security

Access Controls

Identity Management

Authentication

Privileged Access Management

Vulnerability Assessment

Penetration Testing

Security Audits

Control Testing

Incident Response

Digital Forensics

Security Monitoring

SIEM Systems

Secure SDLC

Code Review

Application Security

DevSecOps

CISSP Exam Preparation Tips

Strategic preparation approaches for the most challenging information security certification.

Study Resources

  • (ISC)² official CISSP study guide and practice tests
  • Hands-on experience in multiple security domains
  • Security frameworks and standards documentation
  • Zertly's comprehensive practice questions across all 8 domains

Exam Day Strategies

  • Think like a manager, not a technician - focus on risk and business impact
  • Choose the "most correct" answer from a business/risk perspective
  • Understand the adaptive nature - don't get discouraged by difficult questions
  • Master security governance, compliance, and risk management concepts

Frequently Asked Questions

Get answers to the most common questions about the CISSP certification.

What are the experience requirements for CISSP certification?

CISSP requires 5 years of cumulative professional work experience in 2 or more of the 8 domains. This can be reduced to 4 years with a college degree or qualifying credential. Military experience and certain other credentials may also qualify for experience waivers.

What is the exam format for CISSP?

The CISSP exam is adaptive (CAT) with 100-150 questions. You have up to 3 hours to complete it. The exam adapts based on your answers - if you answer correctly, questions get harder; if incorrect, they get easier. You pass when the system determines your competency level.

How long is the CISSP certification valid?

CISSP certification is valid for 3 years. To maintain certification, you must earn 120 CPE (Continuing Professional Education) credits during the 3-year cycle, with at least 40 credits per year. You also need to pay annual maintenance fees.

How does Zertly help me prepare for the CISSP exam?

Zertly provides AI-generated practice questions covering all 8 CISSP domains, realistic exam simulations, detailed explanations, and personalized study plans. Our platform adapts to your learning style and helps you focus on weak areas across the comprehensive CISSP knowledge base.

Ready to become a CISSP?

Master the eight domains of information security with Zertly's AI-powered practice tests, comprehensive study materials, and personalized feedback designed for the CISSP professional-level exam.