What is CISSP Certification? Explained in Detail

Cybersecurity is one of the most important and challenging fields in the modern world. As the threats and risks to Information Systems increase, so does the need for qualified and competent professionals who can protect them. One of the most widely recognised and respected credentials that can help professionals become qualified and stand out in the Cybersecurity industry is the Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) Certification. Want to know how? In this blog, you will explore What is CISSP Certification, who should apply for it, what are the benefits and requirements of getting it. Also, explore how much it costs, how to prepare for the exam, and what are the salary prospects.​

Table of Contents

1) What is CISSP Certification? 

2) What are the Benefits of getting the CISSP Certification? 

3) Who should Apply for the CISSP Certification?  

4) What are the Requirements for CISSP Certification? 

5) How to Get a CISSP Certification? 

6) How to prepare for the CISSP Certification Exam? 

7) CISSP salary 

8) What after the CISSP Certification? 

9) Conclusion 

What is CISSP Certification? 

Certification offered to Information Security Professionals is the CISSP Certification. It is a globally recognised Information Security Certification offered by the International Information System Security Certification Consortium, also known as (ISC)2. The Certificate validates an individual’s capability to effectively manage, implement, and design Cyber Security systems. As of July 2022, there are 156,054 (ISC)² members spread across 172 nations, who hold a CISSP Certification.

The certifications offered can validate your expertise and skillsets in different domains of Cyber Security. All their certifications are based on the Common Body of Knowledge (CBK).  

A brief history 

Sometime in the mid-1980s, a few great minds in the Cyber Security domain acknowledged a need for a vendor-neutral standard certification to provide structure and competence in the field. By November 1988, several organisations came together at the request of (SIG-CS). Together, they formed a non-profit organisation called the International Information Systems Security Certification Consortium (ISC)² in 1989. 

The first committee was formed in 1990. They created a Common Body of Knowledge or CBK, with the first edition releasing in 1992. CISSP was eventually launched in 1994.  

Changes in CISSP Certification over the course of time

The US National Security Agency adopted CISSP as a baseline for their ISSEP program. CISSP got accredited under the ANSI ISO/IEC Standard in June 2004. The US Department of Defense also approved CISSP as a requirement for their DoD Directive 8570 Certification. The UK National Academic Recognition Information Centre gave the CISSP Certification a Level 7 Award in May 2020. That basically means that the CISSP Certification is equivalent to a Master's degree in the UK! Now, Certified Cyber Security professionals can use it for higher education credits.

In 2017, the English version of CISSP exam was changed to Computerised Adaptive Testing (CAT). This made the exam efficient with shorter sessions and more accurate evaluation. CISSP, along with other (ISC)² Certifications, got recognised by the International Accreditation Forum (IAF) in May 2019. 

Back to CISSP basics

To get the CISSP Certification, you will have to sit through the CISSP exam. The exam has been called difficult as it covers several Information Security topics. You have to take a three-hour long exam with around 150 questions and score a minimum of 70% to pass the exam. 
 

 

What are the Benefits of Getting the CISSP Certification? 

Let’s come back to CISSP. If you’ve been wondering whether you should invest in a CISSP Certification, let us tell you some advantages of becoming CISSP certified - refer to the following list:

1) CISSP is an internationally recognised Certification. It means that you can work in any country of your choice.

2) While preparing for the CISSP exam, you’ll gain in-depth knowledge and skills to create a comprehensive security program.

3) The CISSP Certification gives you an edge over other candidates for any relevant job vacancy in the market.

4) As a Certified Information Systems Security Professional, you’ll gain access to career resources and get the chance to network with your peers.

5) You can validate all the skills and competence from your years of industry experience.

6) A CISSP credential increases your credibility and promises you a secure job.

7) The CISSP Certification training can help you expand your skillset.

8) A CISSP certified professional is trusted by organisations to develop Information Security standards, procedures, and policies.

9) As a CISSP you can join local (ISC)2 communities and meet like-minded individuals.

10) After getting your CISSP Certification, you get free subscriptions to Information Security magazines, (ISC)² textbooks, digital badges of expertise, and webinars conducted by (ISC)². 

Who should apply for the CISSP Certification? 

Security executives, practitioners, and managers who want to validate their knowledge of Information Security principles and practices can gain a great deal from the CISSP Certification. Some professionals who should apply for the CISSP Certification include the following: 

A) Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) 

B) Chief Information Officer (CIO) 

C) Director of Security 

D) IT Director/ Manager 

E) Security Systems Engineer 

F) Security Analyst 

G) Security Manager 

H) Security Auditor 

I) Security Architect 

J) Security Consultant 

K) Network Architect 

What are the requirements for CISSP Certification? 

Professionals willing to obtain a CISSP Certification are required to give and pass an exam. However, not everyone is qualified to sit for the  CISSP Certification exam. There are certain eligibility criteria for professionals that they have to meet before they can apply for a CISSP Certification. The key prerequisites for a CISSP Certification are as follows:

1) The CISSP Common Book of Knowledge or the CBK mentions several domains. You need to hold a minimum five years of cumulative full-time work experience. Your work experience should span at least two different domains. 

2) A four-year college degree or an equivalent form the (ISC)² approved list can serve as one year of the required work experience.  

3) If you don’t have the required work experience to begin with, you can start your CISSP journey by becoming an Associate of (ISC)². You’ll need to pass the basic level of CISSP examination to become an Associate. Once you’re an Associate, you get 6 years' time to earn the required 5-year work experience. 

What are the domains of CISSP Certification? 

There are a few domains that you need to master to do well on your CISSP certification exam. 

They are as follows: 

1) Security and Risk Management 

2) Asset Security 

3) Security Architecture and Engineering 

4) Communication and Network Security 

5) Identity and Access Management 

6) Security Assessment and Testing 

7) Security Operations 

8) Software Development Security 

How to Get a CISSP Certification? 

Once you’ve decided that you want to get a CISSP Certification and made sure that you are eligible, the next step is to start preparing for the CISSP exam. But first, let’s talk about the exam format.

The CISSP Exam Format 

The CISSP exam outline is available on (ISC) website. It provides a detailed overview of all the domains that are covered in the exam. Let’s look at the CISSP exam format and scoring. 
 

Exam name	Duration	Questions	Language
CISSP (English)	4 hours	125-175 multiple choice and innovative questions	English
CISSP (Non-English)	6 hours	250 multiple choice and innovative questions	Spanish, Japanese, German, Korean
CISSP – ISSAP	3 hours	125 multiple choice questions	English
CISSP – ISSEP	3 hours	125 multiple choice questions	English
CISSP – ISSMP	3 hours	125 multiple choice questions	English

The exam also contains questions based on scenarios that could have more than one answer. Candidates need to score a minimum of 700 points from a maximum of 1,000 points to pass the CISSP exam.  

What is the Cost of CISSP Certification? 

To appear for the CISSP Certification exam, you are required to pay a fee. The pricing of the CISSP Certification might vary according to your region. Let’s take a look at the cost of CISSP certification according to your region: 
 

Region	Type of Certification	Cost of CISSP Exam	Cost of CISSP – ISSAP/ISSEP/ISSMP Exam
Asia Pacific	Standard registration	£620	£496
Europe	Standard registration	£561	£468
United Kingdom	Standard registration	£585	£479
Middle East	Standard registration	£620	£496
Africa	Standard registration	£620	£496
Others	Standard registration	£620	£496

The CISSP exam is conducted by Pearson VUE. You are charged for rescheduling and cancelling the CISSP exam. You can reschedule and sit for you exam within 365 days of scheduling your exam. You need to contact Pearson VUE either online or via phone. If you’re rescheduling or cancelling online, you need to do it at least 48 hours before your exam. If you’re doing it via phone, you can do it at least 24 hours before the exam.  

The fee is as follows:

A) Rescheduling the CISSP exam: £35 

B) Cancelling the CISSP exam: £70 

Gain the skills required to control an information security framework, join our Chief Information Security Office Training today! 

How to Prepare for the CISSP Certification Exam? 

Now that you know what is the CISSP exam format will be like, it’s time to start preparing for the CISSP Certification. Preparing for the exam could seem intimidating. That’s all the more reason why you need to prepare well. You want to walk into the exam hall feeling confident. There are two basic ways you can prepare for the CISSP Certification exam: 

A) CISSP training: There are various online training platforms that provide a comprehensive CISSP training program. The Knowledge Academy offers a CISSP Training program that will take you through each domain of CISSP and prepare you for the CISSP exam. The program has been curated by training experts to make sure you are well-prepared for your CISSP exam. 

B) Self-Study: (ISC)² has published self-study books and resources for professionals who are preparing to give the CISSP exam.  

CISSP Certification Salary

The (ISC)² conducts the (ISC)² Cybersecurity Workforce Study every year. This study also reveals the Average CISSP Salaries around the world.  Let’s take a look at CISSP salaries based on the region. 
 

Region	Average CISSP salary
Globally	£78,621
Asia Pacific	£49,213
Europe, Middle East and Africa	£69,831
Latin America	£18,894
North America	£103,279

Let’s look at the average annual CISSP salary from different countries. 
 

Country	Average annual salary
United Kingdom	£64,155
United States of America	£89,000
Canada	£93,000
Australia	£47,000
Singapore	£40,000
UAE	£60,000
India	£18,000

Now, let’s look at the average salaries according to the different CISSP job roles in each of these countries: 

CISSP salary in UK 

Here’s the average CISSP salary according to job titles.
 

Job title	Average annual salary
Chief Information Security Officer	£127,000
Information Security Manager	£92,000
Information Security Analyst	£72,000
Security Architect, IT	£98,000
Information Security Officer	£84,000
Senior Security Consultant	£96,000
Cyber Security Analyst	£69,000

United States of America 

Here’s the average CISSP salary according to job titles.
 

Job title	Average annual salary
Information Security Manager	$125,000
Cyber Security Engineer	$125,000
Cyber Security Analyst	$94,000
Information Security Analyst	$98,000
Chief Information Security Officer	$173,000
Security Engineer	$133,000
Information Technology (IT) Director	$114,000

Canada

Here’s the average CISSP salary according to job titles. 
 

Job title	Average annual salary
Information Security Manager	CA$111,000
Security Architect, IT	CA$113,000
Information Security Analyst	CA$86,000
Senior Security Consultant	CA$104,000
Security Analyst	CA$77,000
Information Security Specialist	CA$92,000
Information Technology (IT) Director	CA$123,000

Australia 

Here’s the average CISSP salary according to job titles. 
 

Job title	Average annual salary
Security Architect, IT	A$163,000
Information Security Manager	A$146,000
Chief Information Security Officer	A$98,000
Cyber Security Analyst	A$132,000
Senior Security Consultant	A$128,000
Security Consultant	A$94,000
Information Security Analyst	A$127,743

Singapore 

Here’s the average CISSP salary according to job titles.
 

Job title	Average annual salary
Information Security Manager	S$114,000
Chief Information Security Officer	S$198,000
Senior Security Consultant	S$113,000
Vice President, IT	S$181,000
Information Technology Director	S$166,000
Security Architect, IT	S$143,000
Security Consultant	S$61,000

UAE 

Here’s the average CISSP salary according to job titles. 
 

Job title	Average annual salary
Cyber Security Engineer	AED241,000
Chief Information Security Officer	AED591,000
Information Security Manager	AED350,000
Information Technology Manager	AED271,000
Security Consultant	AED202,000
Information Security Officer	AED398,000
Security Architect, IT	AED416,000

India 

Here’s the average CISSP salary according to job titles. 
 

Job title	Average annual salary
Information Security Manager	₹1,800,000
Chief Information Security Officer	₹3,300,000
Information Security Analyst	₹1,00,000
Cyber Security Analyst	₹1,00,000
Security Architect, IT	₹2,70,000
Senior Security Consultant	₹2,100,000
Security Engineer	₹1,600,000

 

What after the CISSP Certification? 

Once you’ve got your CISSP Certification, you can further validate your expertise in any of the three domains offered: 

A) Architecture (CISSP – ISSAP): This ISSAP Training & Certification validates your knowledge of designing security programs and managing risks to achieve organisational goals. 

B) Engineering (CISSP – ISSEP): This Certification validates your practical skills in incorporating secure business operations for an organisation. 

C) Management (CISSP – ISSMP): This Certification validates that you can successfully create and manage Information Security programs for an organisation. 

These are advanced CISSP Certifications that can help you gain in-depth knowledge in your chosen domain. In order to be eligible for these Certifications, you need to have at least two years of cumulative work experience in a relevant domain.
 

 

Conclusion 

We hope that after reading this blog you have understood everything about What is CISSP Certification. It is a valuable and prestigious credential that demonstrates a high level of knowledge and skills in Information Security. It can help you advance your career, increase your earning potential, gain recognition and credibility, and join a global network of cybersecurity leaders.

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