Free Practice Questions for ISC2 Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) Certification
Study with 297 exam-style practice questions designed to help you prepare for the ISC2 Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP). All questions are aligned with the latest exam guide and include detailed explanations to help you master the material.
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Key information about ISC2 Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)
- Multiple choice
- Ordering
- Matching
Chinese, English, German, Japanese, Spanish
Multiple choice and advanced innovative items, Computerized Adaptive Testing (CAT)
700 out of 1000 points
Minimum five years cumulative, full-time experience in two or more of the eight domains of the CISSP Exam Outline. A post-secondary degree or additional ISC2 credential may satisfy up to one year of experience. Part-time work and internships may also count. Candidates without full experience can become an Associate of ISC2 by passing the exam and have six years to earn the required experience.
180 minutes
100 - 150
Exam Topics & Skills Assessed
Skills measured (from the official study guide)
Domain 1: Security and Risk Management
Subdomain 1.1: Understand, adhere to, and promote professional ethics
- ISC2 Code of Professional Ethics - Organizational code of ethics
Subdomain 1.2: Understand and apply security concepts
- Confidentiality, integrity, and availability, authenticity, and nonrepudiation (5 Pillars of Information Security)
Subdomain 1.3: Evaluate and apply security governance principles
- Alignment of the security function to business strategy, goals, mission, and objectives - Organizational processes (e.g., acquisitions, divestitures, governance committees) - Organizational roles and responsibilities - Security control frameworks (e.g., International Organization for Standardization (ISO), National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Control Objectives for Information and Related Technology (COBIT), Sherwood Applied Business Security Architecture (SABSA), Payment Card Industry (PCI), Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP)) - Due care/due diligence
Subdomain 1.4: Understand legal, regulatory, and compliance issues that pertain to information security in a holistic context
- Cybercrimes and data breaches - Licensing and Intellectual Property requirements - Import/export controls - Transborder data flow - Issues related to privacy (e.g., General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), California Consumer Privacy Act, Personal Information Protection Law, Protection of Personal Information Act) - Contractual, legal, industry standards, and regulatory requirements
Subdomain 1.5: Understand requirements for investigation types (i.e., administrative, criminal, civil, regulatory, industry standards)
Understand requirements for investigation types (i.e., administrative, criminal, civil, regulatory, industry standards)
Subdomain 1.6: Develop, document, and implement security policy, standards, procedures, and guidelines
Develop, document, and implement security policy, standards, procedures, and guidelines
Subdomain 1.7: Identify, analyze, assess, prioritize, and implement Business Continuity (BC) requirements
- Business impact analysis (BIA) - External dependencies
Subdomain 1.8: Contribute to and enforce personnel security policies and procedures
- Candidate screening and hiring - Employment agreements and policy driven requirements - Onboarding, transfers, and termination processes - Vendor, consultant, and contractor agreements and controls
Subdomain 1.9: Understand and apply risk management concepts
- Threat and vulnerability identification - Risk analysis, assessment, and scope - Risk response and treatment (e.g., cybersecurity insurance) - Applicable types of controls (e.g., preventive, detection, corrective) - Control assessments (e.g., security and privacy) - Continuous monitoring and measurement - Reporting (e.g., internal, external) - Continuous improvement (e.g., risk maturity modeling) - Risk frameworks (e.g., International Organization for Standardization (ISO), National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Control Objectives for Information and Related Technology (COBIT), Sherwood Applied Business Security Architecture (SABSA), Payment Card Industry (PCI))
Subdomain 1.10: Understand and apply threat modeling concepts and methodologies
Understand and apply threat modeling concepts and methodologies
Subdomain 1.11: Apply supply chain risk management (SCRM) concepts
- Risks associated with the acquisition of products and services from suppliers and providers (e.g., product tampering, counterfeits, implants) - Risk mitigations (e.g., third-party assessment and monitoring, minimum security requirements, service level requirements, silicon root of trust, physically unclonable function, software bill of materials)
Subdomain 1.12: Establish and maintain a security awareness, education, and training program
- Methods and techniques to increase awareness and training (e.g., social engineering, phishing, security champions, gamification) - Periodic content reviews to include emerging technologies and trends (e.g., cryptocurrency, artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain) - Program effectiveness evaluation
Domain 2: Asset Security
Subdomain 2.1: Identify and classify information and assets
- Data classification - Asset Classification
Subdomain 2.2: Establish information and asset handling requirements
- Information and asset ownership - Asset inventory (e.g., tangible, intangible) - Asset management
Subdomain 2.3: Provision information and assets securely
Provision information and assets securely
Subdomain 2.4: Manage data lifecycle
- Data roles (i.e., owners, controllers, custodians, processors, users/subjects) - Data collection - Data location - Data maintenance - Data retention - Data remanence - Data destruction
Subdomain 2.5: Ensure appropriate asset retention (e.g., End of Life (EOL), End of Support)
Ensure appropriate asset retention (e.g., End of Life (EOL), End of Support)
Subdomain 2.6: Determine data security controls and compliance requirements
- Data states (e.g., in use, in transit, at rest) - Scoping and tailoring - Standards selection - Data protection methods (e.g., Digital Rights Management (DRM), data loss prevention (DLP), cloud access security broker (CASB))
Domain 3: Security Architecture and Engineering
Subdomain 3.1: Research, implement and manage engineering processes using secure design principles
- Threat modeling - Least privilege - Defense in depth - Secure defaults - Fail securely - Segregation of Duties (SoD) - Keep it simple and small - Zero trust or trust but verify - Privacy by design - Shared responsibility - Secure access service edge
Subdomain 3.2: Understand the fundamental concepts of security models (e.g., Biba, Star Model, Bell-LaPadula)
Understand the fundamental concepts of security models (e.g., Biba, Star Model, Bell-LaPadula)
Subdomain 3.3: Select controls based upon systems security requirements
Select controls based upon systems security requirements
Subdomain 3.4: Understand security capabilities of Information Systems (IS) (e.g., memory protection, Trusted Platform Module (TPM), encryption/decryption)
Understand security capabilities of Information Systems (IS) (e.g., memory protection, Trusted Platform Module (TPM), encryption/decryption)
Subdomain 3.5: Assess and mitigate the vulnerabilities of security architectures, designs, and solution elements
- Client-based systems - Server-based systems - Database systems - Cryptographic systems - Industrial Control Systems (ICS) - Cloud-based systems (e.g., Software as a Service (SaaS), Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS)) - Distributed systems - Internet of Things (IoT) - Microservices (e.g., application programming interface (API)) - Containerization - Serverless - Embedded systems - High-Performance Computing systems - Edge computing systems - Virtualized systems
Subdomain 3.6: Select and determine cryptographic solutions
- Cryptographic life cycle (e.g., keys, algorithm selection) - Cryptographic methods (e.g., symmetric, asymmetric, elliptic curves, quantum) - Public key infrastructure (PKI) (e.g., quantum key distribution) - Key management practices (e.g., rotation) - Digital signatures and digital certificates (e.g., non-repudiation, integrity)
Subdomain 3.7: Understand methods of cryptanalytic attacks
- Brute force - Ciphertext only - Known plaintext - Frequency analysis - Chosen ciphertext - Implementation attacks - Side-channel - Fault injection - Timing - Man-in-the-Middle (MITM) - Pass the hash - Kerberos exploitation - Ransomware
Subdomain 3.8: Apply security principles to site and facility design
Apply security principles to site and facility design
Subdomain 3.9: Design site and facility security controls
- Wiring closets/intermediate distribution facilities - Server rooms/data centers - Media storage facilities - Evidence storage - Restricted and work area security - Utilities and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) - Environmental issues (e.g., natural disasters, man-made) - Fire prevention, detection, and suppression - Power (e.g., redundant, backup)
Subdomain 3.10: Manage the information system lifecycle
- Stakeholders needs and requirements - Requirements analysis - Architectural design - Development /implementation - Integration - Verification and validation - Transition/deployment - Operations and maintenance/sustainment - Retirement/disposal
Domain 4: Communication and Network Security
Subdomain 4.1: Apply secure design principles in network architectures
- Open System Interconnection (OSI) and Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) models - Internet Protocol (IP) version 4 and 6 (IPv6) (e.g., unicast, broadcast, multicast, anycast) - Secure protocols (e.g., Internet Protocol Security (IPSec), Secure Shell (SSH), Secure Sockets Layer (SSL)/Transport Layer Security (TLS)) - Implications of multilayer protocols - Converged protocols (e.g., Internet Small Computer Systems Interface (iSCSI), Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), InfiniBand over Ethernet, Compute Express Link) - Transport architecture (e.g., topology, data/control/management plane, cut-through/store-and-forward) - Performance metrics (e.g., bandwidth, latency, jitter, throughput, signal-to-noise ratio) - Traffic flows (e.g., north-south, east-west) - Physical segmentation (e.g., in-band, out-of-band, air-gapped) - Logical segmentation (e.g., virtual local area networks (VLANs), virtual private networks (VPNs), virtual routing and forwarding, virtual domain) - Micro-segmentation (e.g., network overlays/encapsulation; distributed firewalls, routers, intrusion detection system (IDS)/intrusion prevention system (IPS), zero trust) - Edge networks (e.g., ingress/egress, peering) - Wireless networks (e.g., Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Zigbee, satellite) - Cellular/mobile networks (e.g., 4G, 5G) - Content distribution networks (CDN) - Software defined networks (SDN), (e.g., application programming interface (API), Software-Defined Wide-Area Network, network functions virtualization) - Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) - Monitoring and management (e.g., network observability, traffic flow/shaping, capacity management, fault detection and handling)
Subdomain 4.2: Secure network components
- Operation of infrastructure (e.g., redundant power, warranty, support) - Transmission media (e.g., physical security of media, signal propagation quality) - Network Access Control (NAC) systems (e.g., physical, and virtual solutions) - Endpoint security (e.g., host-based) - Voice, video, and collaboration (e.g., conferencing, Zoom rooms) - Remote access (e.g., network administrative functions) - Data communications (e.g., backhaul networks, satellite) - Third-party connectivity (e.g., telecom providers, hardware support)
Subdomain 4.3: Implement secure communication channels according to design
Implement secure communication channels according to design
Domain 5: Identity and Access Management (IAM)
Subdomain 5.1: Control physical and logical access to assets
- Information - Systems - Devices - Facilities - Applications - Services
Subdomain 5.2: Design identification and authentication strategy (e.g., people, devices, and services)
- Groups and Roles - Authentication, Authorization and Accounting (AAA) (e.g., multi-factor authentication (MFA), password-less authentication) - Session management
Subdomain 5.3: Federated identity with a third-party service
- On-premises - Cloud - Hybrid
Subdomain 5.4: Implement and manage authorization mechanisms
- Role-based access control (RBAC) - Rule-based access control - Mandatory access control (MAC) - Discretionary access control (DAC) - Attribute-based access control (ABAC) - Risk-based access control - Access policy enforcement (e.g., policy decision point, policy enforcement point)
Subdomain 5.5: Manage the identity and access provisioning lifecycle
- Account access review (e.g., user, system, service) - Provisioning and deprovisioning (e.g., on /off boarding and transfers) - Service accounts management - Role definition and transition (e.g., people assigned to new roles) - Privilege escalation (e.g., use of sudo, auditing its use)
Subdomain 5.6: Implement authentication systems
- Registration, proofing, and establishment of identity - Federated Identity Management (FIM) - Credential management systems (e.g., Password vault) - Single sign-on (SSO) - Just-In-Time
Domain 6: Security Assessment and Testing
Subdomain 6.1: Design and validate assessment, test, and audit strategies
- Internal (e.g., within organization control) - External (e.g., outside organization control) - Third-party (e.g., outside of enterprise control) - Location (e.g., on-premises, cloud, hybrid)
Subdomain 6.2: Conduct security control testing
- Vulnerability assessment - Penetration testing (e.g., red, blue, and/or purple team exercises) - Log reviews - Synthetic transactions/benchmarks - Code review and testing - Misuse case testing - Coverage analysis - Interface testing (e.g., user interface, network interface, application programming interface (API)) - Breach attack simulations - Compliance checks
Subdomain 6.3: Collect security process data (e.g., technical and administrative)
- Account management - Management review and approval - Key performance and risk indicators - Backup verification data - Training and awareness - Disaster recovery (DR) and Business Continuity (BC)
Subdomain 6.4: Analyze test output and generate report
- Remediation - Exception handling - Ethical disclosure
Subdomain 6.5: Conduct or facilitate security audits
- Internal (e.g., within organization control) - External (e.g., outside organization control) - Third-party (e.g., outside of enterprise control) - Location (e.g., on-premise, cloud, hybrid)
Domain 7: Security Operations
Subdomain 7.1: Understand and comply with investigations
- Evidence collection and handling - Reporting and documentation - Investigative techniques - Digital forensics tools, tactics, and procedures - Artifacts (e.g., data, computer, network, mobile device)
Subdomain 7.2: Conduct logging and monitoring activities
- Intrusion detection and prevention (IDPS) - Security information and event management (SIEM) - Continuous monitoring and tuning - Egress monitoring - Log management - Threat intelligence (e.g., threat feeds, threat hunting) - User and entity behavior analytics (UEBA)
Subdomain 7.3: Perform configuration management (CM) (e.g., provisioning, baselining, automation)
Perform configuration management (CM) (e.g., provisioning, baselining, automation)
Subdomain 7.4: Apply foundational security operations concepts
- Need-to-know/least privilege - Segregation of Duties (SoD) and responsibilities - Privileged account management - Job rotation - Service-level agreements (SLA)
Subdomain 7.5: Apply resource protection
- Media management - Media protection techniques - Data at rest/data in transit
Subdomain 7.6: Conduct incident management
- Detection - Response - Mitigation - Reporting - Recovery - Remediation - Lessons learned
Subdomain 7.7: Operate and maintain detection and preventative measures
- Firewalls (e.g., next generation, web application, network) - Intrusion detection systems (IDS) and intrusion prevention systems (IPS) - Whitelisting/blacklisting - Third-party provided security services - Sandboxing - Honeypots/honeynets - Anti-malware - Machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) based tools
Subdomain 7.8: Implement and support patch and vulnerability management
Implement and support patch and vulnerability management
Subdomain 7.9: Understand and participate in change management processes
Understand and participate in change management processes
Subdomain 7.10: Implement recovery strategies
- Backup storage strategies (e.g., cloud storage, onsite, offsite) - Recovery site strategies (e.g., cold vs. hot, resource capacity agreements) - Multiple processing sites - System resilience, high availability (HA), Quality of Service (QoS), and fault tolerance
Subdomain 7.11: Implement disaster recovery (DR) processes
- Response - Personnel - Communications (e.g., methods) - Assessment - Restoration - Training and awareness - Lessons learned
Subdomain 7.12: Test disaster recovery plans (DRP)
- Read-through/tabletop - Walkthrough - Simulation - Parallel - Full interruption - Communications (e.g., stakeholders, test status, regulators)
Subdomain 7.13: Participate in Business Continuity (BC) planning and exercises
Participate in Business Continuity (BC) planning and exercises
Subdomain 7.14: Implement and manage physical security
- Perimeter security controls - Internal security controls
Subdomain 7.15: Address personnel safety and security concerns
- Travel - Security training and awareness (e.g., insider threat, social media impacts, two-factor authentication (2FA) fatigue) - Emergency management - Duress
Domain 8: Software Development Security
Subdomain 8.1: Understand and integrate security in the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC)
- Development methodologies (e.g., Agile, Waterfall, DevOps, DevSecOps, Scaled Agile Framework) - Maturity models (e.g., Capability Maturity Model (CMM), Software Assurance Maturity Model (SAMM)) - Operation and maintenance - Change management - Integrated Product Team
Subdomain 8.2: Identify and apply security controls in software development ecosystems
- Programming languages - Libraries - Tool sets - Integrated Development Environment - Runtime - Continuous Integration and Continuous Delivery (CI/CD) - Software configuration management (CM) - Code repositories
Subdomain 8.3: Assess the effectiveness of software security
- Security weaknesses and vulnerabilities at the source-code level - Security of application programming interfaces (API) - Secure coding practices - Software-defined security
Subdomain 8.4: Assess security impact of acquired software
- Application security testing (e.g., static application security testing (SAST), dynamic application security testing (DAST), software composition analysis, Interactive Application Security Test (IAST)) - Auditing and logging of changes - Risk analysis and mitigation - Commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) - Open source - Third-party - Managed services (e.g., enterprise applications) - Cloud services (e.g., Software as a Service (SaaS), Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS))
Subdomain 8.5: Define and apply secure coding guidelines and standards
Define and apply secure coding guidelines and standards
Techniques & products