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CCISO Certification

The CCISO Certification is an industry-leading, security certification program that recognizes the real-world experience necessary to succeed at the highest executive levels of information security. Bringing together all the components required for a C-Level position, the CCISO program combines audit management, governance, IS controls, human capital management, strategic program development, and the financial expertise vital to leading a highly successful information security program. The job of the CISO is far too important to be learned by trial and error. Executive-level management skills are not areas that should be learned on the job.

The material in the CCISO Program assumes a high-level understanding of technical topics and doesn’t spend much time on strictly technical information, but rather on the application of technical knowledge to an information security executive’s day-to-day work. The CCISO aims to bridge the gap between the executive management knowledge that CISOs need and the technical knowledge that many sitting and aspiring CISOs have. This can be a crucial gap as a practitioner endeavors to move from mid-management to upper, executive management roles. Much of this is traditionally learned as on the job training, but the CCISO Training Program can be the key to a successful transition to the highest ranks of information security management.

Minimum Requirements

  • In order to qualify to sit for the CCISO Exam without taking any training, candidates must have five years of experience in each of the 5 CCISO domains verified via the Exam Eligibility Application.
  • To sit for the exam after taking training, candidates must have five years of experience in three of the five CCISO Domains verified via the Exam Eligibility Application.

About the Exam

  • Level 1 – Knowledge: This cognitive level of questions is used to recall memorized facts. This is the most basic cognitive level rarely accepted on certifications as it merely recognizes the candidate’s ability to memorize information. It can be effectively used when asking for basic definitions, standards or any concrete fact. This level appears on both the CCISO and EISM exam.
  • Level 2 – Application: This cognitive level of questions is used to identify the candidate’s ability to understand the application of a given concept. It differs from Knowledge based questions in the sense that it requires the understanding and correct applicability of a given concept – not just the concept itself. This type of question often quires additional context before the actual question is provided in the stem. This level appears on both the CCISO and EISM exam.
  • Level 3 – Analysis: This cognitive level of questions is used to identify the candidate’s ability to identify and resolve a problem given a series of variables and context. Analysis questions differ greatly from Application based questions in the sense that they require not only the applicability of a concept but also how a concept, given certain constrain can be used to solve a problem. This level appears on the CCISO and not on the EISM exam.