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Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) Syllabus
ISC2 advanced certification for experienced information security professionals.. The complete Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) outline — 8 subjects, 32 chapters and 102 topics — laid out so you can see exactly what has to be covered and tick each item off as you go.
Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) subjects
Each subject below has its own page with the full chapter → topic → sub-topic tree and a set of real exam-style flashcards.
5 chapters · 17 topics · 57 sub-topics
Asset Security4 chapters · 12 topics · 32 sub-topics
Security Architecture and Engineering5 chapters · 16 topics · 46 sub-topics
Communication and Network Security4 chapters · 13 topics · 38 sub-topics
Identity and Access Management (IAM)3 chapters · 10 topics · 31 sub-topics
Security Assessment and Testing3 chapters · 10 topics · 28 sub-topics
Security Operations5 chapters · 15 topics · 43 sub-topics
Software Development Security3 chapters · 9 topics · 28 sub-topics
Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) flashcard decks
488 question-and-answer cards across 8 decks, written against this syllabus. Preview any deck free.
- Security and Risk Management — 72 cards
- Asset Security — 51 cards
- Security Architecture and Engineering — 91 cards
- Communication and Network Security — 51 cards
- Identity and Access Management (IAM) — 51 cards
- Security Assessment and Testing — 50 cards
- Security Operations — 71 cards
- Software Development Security — 51 cards
How to work through the Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) syllabus
The outline on this page is arranged the way the syllabus itself is: subject, then chapter, then topic, then sub-topic. That last level is what most study plans skip, and it is where coverage actually goes wrong — a chapter marked "done" often has three sub-topics inside it that were never touched.
Weight your plan accordingly: Security and Risk Management carries 17 topics while Software Development Security carries 9. Giving both the same number of weeks is the most common planning mistake for Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP).
The ~135 hour estimate above is a first pass only: roughly 45 minutes per topic plus 12 minutes per sub-topic. Revision cycles, past papers and mocks sit on top of that number.
Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) syllabus FAQ
What subjects are in the Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) syllabus?
Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) covers 8 subjects: Security and Risk Management, Asset Security, Security Architecture and Engineering, Communication and Network Security, Identity and Access Management (IAM), Security Assessment and Testing, Security Operations and Software Development Security. Together they contain 32 chapters and 102 named topics.
How big is the Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) syllabus?
The full Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) outline breaks down into 32 chapters, 102 topics and 303 sub-topics. Security and Risk Management is the largest single subject with 17 topics across 5 chapters.
How long does it take to cover the whole Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) syllabus?
Roughly 135 hours for one full pass. That estimate allows about 45 minutes per topic plus 12 minutes per sub-topic, so it is first-pass coverage — revision, past papers and mock tests sit on top of it. At 3 hours a day that is about 6 weeks.
Are there Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) flashcards?
Yes — 488 question-and-answer flashcards across 8 decks, one per subject, written against this syllabus. A sample of every deck is readable on this site for free, and the complete decks are in the Examius app.
Is this Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) syllabus free to use?
Yes. Every page here is free to read, and importing the Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) syllabus into the Examius app to tick off topics as you finish them is free too, in United States and everywhere else. No account is needed to start.
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