As part of Cyber Awareness Month 2023, I'll be publishing a series of articles throughout October covering all the areas of knowledge required to earn the ISC2 CC certification, a globally recognised entry-level cybersecurity credential.

What its the ISC2 CC?

The ISC2 CC (Certified in Cybersecurity) certification is an entry-level credential, covering the foundational knowledge in cybersecurity. It's offered by ISC2, the world's leading cybersecurity professional organisation known for the CISSP certification.
This certification is ideal for IT professionals, career changers looking to transition into cybersecurity, executives interested in broadening their knowledge around cybersecurity, and college students or recent graduates.

What topic does the certification cover?

The CC exam covers five key security domains:

• Security Principles (26% of the exam questions)
• Business Continuity (BC), Disaster Recovery (DR) & Incident Response Concepts (10%)
• Access Controls Concepts (22%)
• Network Security (24%)
• Security Operations (18%)

What does the exam look like?

The CC exam consists of 100 multiple-choice questions and lasts for 2 hours. The passing grade is 700 out of 1000 points. The exam is to be taken in person in an accredited centre (Pearson VUE centres - available in 140 countries).

What is the cost?

As part of ISC2's commitment to closing the cybersecurity workforce gap, they are currently offering free online self-paced training and exams for a limited time. However, under normal circumstances, the exam fee is $199.

What are the post-certification requirements?

Once certified, you will need to earn 45 Continuing Professional Education (CPE) credits during your three-year certification cycle. Additionally, there's an Annual Maintenance Fee (AMF) of US$50.

Where can I find documentation to prepare for the certification?

As I mentioned, I'll be publishing a series of articles covering all the areas of knowledge. I will be publishing 6 articles through the month of October:

• Security Principles - read now
• Business Continuity (BC), Disaster Recovery (DR) & Incident Response Concepts - read now
• Access Control Concepts - read now
• Network Principles - read now
• Network Security - read now
• Security Operations - read now

In addition, you can have a look at the free online self-paced training from ISC2 and the excellent ISC2 CC Linkedin Learning video preparation from Mike Chapple.

So stay tuned for more detailed insights into each domain and tips on how to prepare for the exam!




Disclamer: This article is not legal or regulatory advice. You should seek independent advice on your legal and regulatory obligations. The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of HSBC or its staff. Artificial Intelligence Technology was used to read-proof this article.