CISSP Certification - how to achieve it in 5 steps

CISSP stands for "Certified Information Systems Security Professional". In this article, we explain to you for whom the CISSP certification is interesting, which steps are necessary to obtain it and what is asked in the exam.

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What is the CISSP Certification?

CISSP certification has been offered by the International Information Systems Security Certification Consortium (ISC)2 since 1994. The certification is particularly widespread and recognized in the U.S., but has been gaining in popularity and reputation worldwide for years.

In Germany, too, this certification is regarded by employers and institutions as an important reference in the field of information security. This is not least due to the fact that obtaining the certificate requires a great deal of knowledge, which must be proven in an examination followed by an assessment. Therefore, we recommend not only acquiring the theoretical knowledge before participating in the certification, but also building up the relevant technical background in advance.

If you're interested in working in this field, feel free to check out our IT Security Consultant job openings.

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Your path to CISSP Certification

The certification process with its requirements consists of the following steps:

First, formal requirements on educational background and professional experience must be met. To obtain the certificate in full, five years of professional experience in various domains of certification must be demonstrated. Study and training are partially credited in this process.

The necessary knowledge for the exam can be obtained in various ways, there are no formal requirements for this. However, there are a number of offers: These range from literature and documents for self-study to various online courses and classroom events, which can be attended as a block or over a longer period of time. For each offer there is a wide selection of providers. Thus, there is a suitable path for every type of learner.

Registration for the exam is done directly through (ISC)2. The test consists of 250 multiple-choice questions over a 6-hour period, with 700 points out of a possible 1,000.

Another mandatory requirement is the recommendation or assessment by a certified CISSP or a person appointed by (ISC)2. This can be done up to 9 months after passing the exam. Without this recommendation, the CISSP cannot be obtained Therefore, for your own interest, this should be done as early as possible.

Here's how to achieve CISSP certification in 5 steps:

  • Demonstrate requirements for educational background and professional experience
  • Acquire knowledge for exam (online or in presence)
  • Registration for the exam directly via (ISC)2
  • Complete multiple choice exam
  • Submit recommendation/ assessment by certified CISSP/ person appointed by (ISC)2 (up to 9 months after passing exam).

Domains of the CISSP Certification exam

The CISSP comprises 8 so-called domains. These are queried in the exam according to a predefined key.

The CISSP exam asks about the following 8 areas:

  • Security and risk management
  • Security Assessment and Testing
  • Identitiy and Access Management (IAM)
  • Security Architecture and Engineering
  • Communication and Network Security
  • Asset Security
  • Software Development Security
  • Security Operations
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For whom is the CISSP Certification useful?

The course is designed for information security professionals and those interested in acquiring and demonstrating a comprehensive level of theoretical knowledge in this area.

The CISSP certification is particularly interesting for these professional groups:

  • Chief Information (Security) Officer
  • Security Analyst
  • Security Auditor
  • Network Architect
  • Security Consultant
  • Security Manager


Ultimately, CISSP certification is relevant and helpful in any position in the information security environment. However, it should be done at the right time and adequately complement the existing practical experience.

We also recommend that you check whether certification as a Systems Security Certified Practitioner (SSCP) is an option for you as a first step. For this, you only need one year of professional experience and the scope of the examination is limited to about half the effort of the CISSP.

ProSec supports you in obtaining the CISSP Certification

If you are interested in obtaining one of the above-mentioned certificates and would like to put the contents directly into practice, please take a look at our jobs page. We offer you the ideal framework in this exciting environment through a variety of job opportunities.

In doing so, we will provide you with time, financial and personal support to achieve your CISSP or SSCP certification.

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