ISC2 certification practice
Practise Certified Information Systems Security Professional CISSP across all 8 official exam domains — Security and Risk Management, Asset Security, Security Operations, Security Architecture and Engineering, and more — with original exam-style questions, full explanations, and wrong-answer analysis. Courseiva helps you prepare with realistic practice questions, topic-based revision, explained answers and structured study routes.
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
New here? Start with this
Recommended: 25-question diagnostic
Covers all 8 domains · takes ~5 min · no account needed · shows your weak areas immediately
Key facts for the Certified Information Systems Security Professional CISSP exam.
Exam cost
$749 USD / ~£600
Duration
Up to 240 minutes (4 hours) — CAT format
Question count
100–150 questions (CAT adaptive)
Passing score
700 / 1000
Validity
3 years
Delivered by
Pearson VUE
Online proctored
Yes — available
Retake policy
100% free — no account required
Everything on Courseiva for CISSP is free — no subscription, no trial, no email wall.
Courseiva provides free Certified Information Systems Security Professional CISSP (CISSP) practice questions with original exam-style questions, detailed explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics. Courseiva is an independent platform and is not affiliated with ISC2.
30 days between first and second attempt; 90 days thereafter; 180 days after fourth attempt
Question formats
The ISC2 Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) is the most widely recognised and respected cybersecurity certification globally, validating deep expertise across eight security domains known as the Common Body of Knowledge (CBK). These domains span security and risk management, asset security, security architecture, network security, identity and access management, security assessment, security operations, and software development security. The CISSP uses Computerised Adaptive Testing (CAT) for English exams, adjusting question difficulty dynamically to assess competence more precisely. Earning the CISSP is a significant career milestone that opens doors to senior security architect, CISO, and security director roles worldwide.
Official prerequisite
Five years of cumulative paid work experience in two or more of the eight CISSP CBK domains. A four-year college degree or approved credential can waive one year of experience. Candidates without experience can pass as an Associate of ISC2.
Recommended experience
Broad hands-on experience in security roles; familiarity with all eight domains; prior certifications such as Security+, SSCP, or CISM are helpful but not required
5+ years in information security across multiple domains; most successful candidates have 7–10+ years of broad security experience
Should you skip this exam?
Skip if you have fewer than 3–4 years of hands-on security experience — consider Security+, SSCP, or CISM first to build the foundational breadth the CISSP demands
Courseiva study tip
Think like a manager, not a technician — CISSP questions often have two technically correct answers, and you must pick the one that best aligns with risk management, business objectives, and security governance principles
UK salary range
£80,000–£120,000
US salary range
$130,000–$180,000
Job roles that cite CISSP
What certification to take next
The CISSP exam costs $749 USD. After passing, an annual ISC2 membership fee of $125 USD applies to maintain the certification.
The English-language CISSP uses Computerised Adaptive Testing (CAT) and presents between 100 and 150 questions. The exam ends early if the system determines with statistical confidence that you have passed or failed. Linear (fixed-form) exams in other languages contain 250 questions.
The passing score is 700 out of 1000 on a scaled basis. Because the CAT format adapts to your performance, the score reflects competency across all domains rather than a simple percentage of correct answers.
The CISSP is widely considered one of the hardest IT certifications in existence, with pass rates estimated at around 20–30% on first attempt. The difficulty is not purely technical — the exam tests managerial judgement and the ability to prioritise risk-based decisions, which catches many technically strong candidates off guard.
No degree is required, but you do need five years of paid work experience in at least two of the eight CISSP domains. A four-year degree or certain approved credentials can substitute for one year of the experience requirement. Candidates without the experience can still pass and become an Associate of ISC2, then complete the experience within six years.
The CISSP is valid for three years. Renewal requires 120 CPE credits over the three-year cycle (at least 40 per year) and the annual ISC2 membership fee of $125.
The CISSP is most relevant for senior roles: Security Architect, Security Manager, CISO, Security Director, and Security Consultant. It is frequently listed as required or preferred in job postings for roles paying over $120,000 in the US and £80,000 in the UK.
See how CISSP stacks up against related certifications.
Courseiva Exam Intelligence
Data confidence: BuildingDerived from Courseiva's continuously updated practice dataset: 747 exam-style questions. Updated 2 July 2026.
Question difficulty mix
Average time per question: 95s
8
Exam domains
official blueprint domains covered by the bank
747
Questions
exam-style questions in the CISSP bank
Practice modes
Choose a mode that matches your current study phase. Use topic practice early on and mock exams closer to your exam date.
All CISSP Questions
Browse the full question bank organised by domain and difficulty.
Practice Test
Start a 20-question session with a full explanation after each answer.
Mock Exam
Simulate the real exam with a timed, full-length question set.
Quick 25
A 25-question warm-up — ideal for a short daily study session.
Flashcards
Reinforce key terms, commands, and protocol facts with flashcards.
Domain Practice
Focus exclusively on one exam domain to target your weakest area.
50-Question Set
Mid-length practice set covering all domains.
Exam guide
Start with a short practice session, review each missed answer, then return to the topics that caused mistakes.
Certified Information Systems Security Professional CISSP spans 8 official exam domains (Security and Risk Management, Asset Security, Security Operations, and more). Questions test whether you can apply each objective in a realistic scenario, not just recall a definition.
Related practice questions
Use these internal links to move from the exam guide into focused topic practice pages.
Practise CISSP questions linked to Security and Risk Management.
Practise CISSP questions linked to Asset Security.
Practise CISSP questions linked to Security Operations.
Practise CISSP questions linked to Security Architecture and Engineering.
Practise CISSP questions linked to Communication and Network Security.
Practise CISSP questions linked to Security Assessment and Testing.
Practise CISSP questions linked to Software Development Security.
Practise CISSP questions linked to Identity and Access Management.
Practise CISSP questions linked to CISSP fundamentals.
Practise CISSP questions linked to CISSP scenario.
Practise CISSP questions linked to CISSP troubleshooting.
Practice directory
Every practice set is a unique selection of questions — numbered tests, domain-focused sessions, and topic-specific quizzes.
Showing 8 of 52 tests. See all 52 CISSP practice tests →
Official blueprint
Target weak areas by practising questions from a single domain. Each domain page shows all questions, difficulty breakdown, and a focused practice session.
Practise CISSP questions in this domain →
Practise CISSP questions in this domain →
Practise CISSP questions in this domain →
Practise CISSP questions in this domain →
Practise CISSP questions in this domain →
Practise CISSP questions in this domain →
Practise CISSP questions in this domain →
Practise CISSP questions in this domain →
Deep-dive questions
The most-searched CISSP questions — each with a detailed explanation, worked example, and full answer breakdown.
Browser-based calculators and references used when studying for CISSP.
TCP/UDP Port Reference
Search 90+ well-known ports by name, number, or protocol — with exam context
Password Strength Checker
Entropy bits, character set, and crack time estimate — computed locally
Encryption Algorithm Reference
Symmetric, asymmetric, and hash algorithms — key sizes and exam context
Term reference
These terms appear frequently in CISSP questions. Understanding them precisely reduces guessing and improves scores.
Acceptable use policy
An acceptable use policy is a set of rules that an organization creates to define how employees and other users may use its computer systems, networks, and data.
Access control
Access control is the security practice of determining who or what is allowed to view, use, or enter a resource, and under what conditions.
Access key
An access key is a unique identifier and secret code pair used to authenticate requests to cloud storage services, ensuring only authorized users or applications can access data.
Access port
An access port is a switch port that connects to a single end device, like a computer or printer, and carries traffic for only one VLAN.
Access review
An access review is a periodic audit process where administrators check and confirm which users have permissions to what resources, ensuring only authorized people retain access.
Access token
A digital key that a computer system gives you to prove your identity and grant you permission to access specific resources or perform actions.
Alerting policy
An alerting policy is a set of rules that defines when to send notifications about a system condition that needs attention.
Anti-malware
Anti-malware is software that detects, prevents, and removes malicious software from computers, networks, and devices.
Learn the concepts
15 book-style chapters cover every CISSP objective in plain English. Read the theory here, then test it with practice questions.
Chapter 1
Security Governance and Principles
12 min read
Chapter 2
Security Architecture and Models
12 min read
Chapter 3
Asset Security: Classification and Handling
12 min read
Chapter 4
Asset Security: Privacy and Data Retention
12 min read
Chapter 5
Cryptography and Its Applications
12 min read
Chapter 6
Secure Network Architecture and Components
12 min read
Chapter 7
Identity and Access Management (IAM)
12 min read
Chapter 8
Access Control Models and Mechanisms
12 min read
Free study guide
The Courseiva CISSP study guide covers exam format, the official domain blueprint with weights, a structured study plan, and domain-specific tips for each section. Use it alongside practice questions to build both conceptual depth and exam confidence.
Sample questions
Original exam-style questions — not copied from any exam or dump site. Open a question for the full answer breakdown.
An application authenticates users using session tokens. A security analyst finds that the application does not invalidate session tokens after logout, allowing session fixation at…
Which of the following is the primary purpose of the CIA triad in information security?
Your organization is a medium-sized e-commerce company with a hybrid infrastructure: on-premises datacenter and AWS cloud. The security team recently conducted an internal vulnerab…
An organization is implementing role-based access control (RBAC). Which two components are fundamental to the RBAC model? (Select TWO.)
A hospital chain collects and stores electronic health records (EHR) for millions of patients. The EHR system is hosted in a private cloud and accessed by doctors, nurses, and admi…
An organization's security policy requires that privileged accounts have their passwords changed every 30 days and be monitored. Which solution effectively manages these requiremen…
Related certifications
Studying for CISSP? These related ISC2 certifications share concepts and are common next steps.
Certified in Cybersecurity
CC · 976 practice questions
CCSP
CCSP · 964 practice questions
SSCP
SSCP · 920 practice questions
Ways to study CISSP