Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) Exam Guide

The CISSP exam covers eight distinct domains: Security and Risk Management, Asset Security, Security Architecture and Engineering, Communication and Network Security, Identity and Access Management, Security Assessment and Testing, Security Operations, and Software Development Security. Each domain represents a critical area of security practice, from policy and governance to technical implementation and incident response.

The standard CISSP examination registration fee is U.S. $749. This covers the computerized adaptive testing experience at a Pearson VUE test center. Additional fees apply for cancellations ($100) and rescheduling ($50) if you need to modify your exam appointment.

The CISSP exam uses Computerized Adaptive Testing (CAT) and contains 100 to 150 questions. The passing score is 700 out of 1000 points. The adaptive format adjusts question difficulty based on your responses, allowing the exam to efficiently assess your competency level across the eight domains.

There is no verified current CISSP pass-rate figure in the official sources reviewed for this guide. An unsourced percentage, forum poll or prep provider's selected customer results should not be presented as the exam-wide rate. If a new report is published, check its date, sample and treatment of repeat attempts before comparing it.

Use the published requirements as your starting point

The exam owner's documentation and the linked references support the following preparation constraints. Read each in its own unit; a passing standard, content weight and experience requirement answer different questions.

The 700/1,000 passing standard is not an official 70% cohort pass rate. The adaptive exam can deliver different question counts, so its length alone is not a reliable result indicator. Exam success and meeting the certification experience requirement are separate matters.

What makes CISSP practice useful?

• For a scenario with several technically sound answers, identify the business objective, risk owner and appropriate decision sequence.
• Review an unfamiliar domain separately from the areas covered by your day job.
• Explain why a plausible control is inappropriate for the stated scope, authority or stage of the security process.

For each missed question, keep an error log with the topic, the assumption you made and why the closest alternative fails. Then answer a fresh question on the same concept. Repeating a familiar bank can measure answer memory rather than transfer to a new scenario.

This is a suggested diagnostic method, not a validated passing-probability model. If accuracy is weak without a timer, start with the CISSP study guide. If your main problem is recall, use the cheat sheet alongside explanation review. Use the practice link on this page for questions, and separate content review from an eligibility or booking issue.