The 8 CISSP Domains Explained [2025 Updated] With Exam Tips

Becoming a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) has been a pivotal point in my career as a security analyst in information security. The CISSP certification, granted by ISC (the International Security Certification Consortium), stands out as one of the most sought-after but challenging IT certifications available. Achieving this certification not only validates my expertise but also imparts comprehensive cybersecurity knowledge across the 8 CISSP domains.

A career as a computer security expert can be successful if you earn the Certified Information Systems Security Professional certificate. However, passing the exam isn’t enough to obtain certification. In addition, there is an added experience requirement for at least one of the CISSP domains and five years of working experience.

CISSP Exam Overview

Features	Details
Exam Name	Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)
Offered By	(ISC)²
Exam Format	Computerized Adaptive Testing (CAT)
Length of Exam	3 hours
Number of Questions	100-150 (varies based on performance)
Passing Score	700 out of 1,000 points (scaled score based on question difficulty)
Content Areas Covered	8 domains of CISSP
Re-certification	Required every 3 years

What are the CISSP Domains?

If you're looking to move up the IT professional ladder, a technical certification may be a good option for you. The Certified Information Systems Security Professionals (CISSP) module is one of the most well-known and respected certifications in the field. CISSP certification validates a professional's ability to implement and manage security architectures for their enterprise and is administered by the international nonprofit organization (ISC)2. 

There are eight domains covered in the CISSP examination. Candidates must demonstrate expertise in all CISSP 8 domains to earn the certification. 

CISSP Domain Name	Percentage in the CISSP exam (total 100%)
Security and Risk Management	15%
Asset Security	10%
Security Architecture and Engineering	13%
Communications and Network Security	14%
Identify and Access Management	13%
Security Assessment and Testing	12%
Security Operations	13%
Software Development Security	10%

What Is (ISC)² CISSP CBK?

The (ISC)2 CBK is a compilation of subjects important to cybersecurity experts everywhere. As a result, cybersecurity and IT/ICT professionals worldwide can discuss, debate, and settle issues about their profession with a shared understanding, taxonomy, and lexicon. It creates a common framework of information security terms and principles. 

Get a head start on your CISSP examination by enrolling in a top-level Information Systems Security Professional certification course right now! 

The 8 CISSP Domains Explained

It takes more than just passing the CISSP exam to become a CISSP. Candidates must have five years of hands-on experience working in at least two of the eight CISSP areas on a full-time basis.

The 8 CISSP domains are as follow:

1. Security And Risk Management 

It makes up around 15% of the CISSP exam. This is the CISSP domain with the most content, giving you a thorough overview of all you should know about information systems management. It includes - 

• The confidentiality, integrity, and availability of information; 
• Security governance principles 
• Compliance requirements 
• Difficulties with information security law and regulation 
• IT policies and procedures 
• Risk-based management concepts 

2. Asset Security 

The CISSP domain focuses on resource protection. It addresses roughly 10% of the CISSP exam. Information management and the concept of information ownership are two subjects covered by asset security. It includes the abilities of many jobs about data management, ownership, and processing, privacy concerns, and usage limitations. It covers - 

• Managing requirements 
• Data security restrictions 
• Safeguarding privacy 
• Asset's retention 
• Categorization and possession of data 

3. Security Architecture And Engineering 

13% of the CISSP exam is made up of security engineering. Several significant information security principles are covered in this sector, including - 

• Engineering processes using secure design principles.
• Fundamental concepts of security models 
• Security capabilities of information systems 
• Assessing and mitigating vulnerabilities in systems 
• Cryptography 
• Designing and implementing physical security 

4. Communications and Network Security 

The CISSP domain is concerned with establishing and maintaining network security. It comprises roughly 13% of the CISSP exam. It talks about the capacity to build dependable communication channels and network security. Questions on diverse network design characteristics, communication norms, separation, transmitting, and wireless communications will be presented to applicants. Network security and communications features include -

• Protecting network parts
• Protecting communication channels
• The use of layout values in network design and their protection

5. Identity and Access Management 

About 13% of the CISSP exam is devoted to identity and access management. Information security experts can better grasp how to limit users' access to data with the aid of this CISSP domain. It includes -

• Physical and logical access to assets
• Identification and authentication
• integrating third-party identification services with identity as a service
• Authorization mechanisms
• The identity and access provisioning lifecycle

6. Security Assessment and Testing 

This CISSP domain includes the tools and techniques used to assess the security of procedures and identify flaws, mistakes in coding or layout, vulnerabilities, and potentially problematic areas that policies and systems are unable to address. It comprises roughly 12% of the CISSP exam. Security testing and assessment include:

• Vulnerability assessment and penetration testing
• Disaster recovery
• Business continuity plans
• Awareness training for clients

7. Security Operations

13% of the CISSP exam is devoted to security operations. The execution of plans is the topic of this CISSP domain. It includes:

• Understanding and supporting investigations
• Requirements for investigation types
• Logging and monitoring activities
• Securing the provision of resources
• Foundational security operations concepts
• Applying resource protection techniques
• Incident management
• Disaster recovery
• Managing physical security
• Business continuity

8. Software Development Security 

This CISSP topic involves how the security data system professional works to enforce security laws on software systems surrounded by an environment. Security for Software Development includes -

• Examining hazard evaluation
• Detecting weaknesses in source codes

CISSP Linear Examination Marking Scheme for 2025

Those who take the CISSP Common Body of Knowledge (CBK) exam will be tested on these CISSP 8 domains. The three-hour CISSP exam consists of 100–150 multiple-choice questions. The candidate must score at least 70% on the test to succeed. All applicants debate the CISSP pass rate because of how challenging the exam is. 

The CISSP has been revised, including recommended practices for mitigating such flaws, to underline the most important concerns that cybersecurity professionals are experiencing right now. Following are the CISSP domains and their respective weightage overall.

How to Become CISSP Certified in 2025?

Candidates must demonstrate that they have five years of expertise in information security to sit for the CISSP Exam. At least two of the (ISC)2 CISSP security domains must be represented in your experience (CBK). If you fall under one of the following criteria, you may be eligible for a one-year remission of the professional experience requirement: 

• You graduated from a four-year college. 
• You graduated with honors from the National Center of Academic Excellence in Information Security in the United States (CAEIAE) 
• You possess a credential from the (ISC)2-approved list, which includes the titles of Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA), Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE), and CompTIA Security+. 

You cannot combine two of these categories. Therefore, if a person has both an MCSE and a bachelor's degree, they can only take one year off the five-year professional experience requirement. Check out how hard is CISSP exam and how to pass it. 

How to Crack the CISSP Exam Like a Boss?

Undoubtedly, CISSP is a tough nut to crack. But with the right guidance and experts by your side, you can certainly make it. Here are a few tips to help you score high in this exam - 

Step 1: Learn About Your Examination 

The first step to success is understanding the challenge you will encounter. For additional information about the examination and how to prepare, including exam topics, sample questions, study materials, and more visit our CISSP certification site. 

Step 2: Make Your Unique Study Schedule

(ISC)²'s CBK for the CISSP consists of eight domains that cover a wide range of topics. The exam's material has been revised to reflect the most current problems and best practices cybersecurity professionals must deal with.  

You must ensure that you have enough time to complete the entire CBK at least once, which entails not just studying but also taking practice tests, participating in online forums, and devoting more time to analyzing weaker areas. 

Step 3: Enroll In An Exam Preparation Program

Even though choosing to simply employ a self-study approach could seem daring, it might not be the wisest course of action. It's critical to realize that, even for entry-level credentials, passing exams necessitates in-depth knowledge of multiple different topics. Along with a CISSP certification, it stands out amongst the crowd with a Cyber Security training program. 

Step 4: Give Mock Tests 

There should be no CISSP candidate who attempts the test without using practice questions. Mock tests are almost as crucial for determining strengths and weaknesses and focusing study efforts accordingly. Additionally, they must become accustomed to the brisk pace required to complete all questions within the allocated time.  

When choosing your question database source, any of the official (ISC)2 CISSP study guides are a great place to start, but make sure to also take into account additional possibilities from reliable training organizations to obtain a thorough picture of what to expect. 

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CISSP exam (2024 update) demands in-depth security knowledge across various domains. Don't underestimate the difficulty - many find the information volume and intensity surprising. This reflects the prestige of the CISSP certification.

However, there are ways to pass the test despite the difficulty, and every candidate has a chance of passing it if they prepare well and have a strong study strategy. Prepare yourself to succeed with KnowledgeHut’s Information Systems Security Professional certification course. 

Conclusion 

To qualify for the CISSP certification, I recommend professionals to develop an understanding of access control, architectural issues, and how to protect the computer systems by mitigating the cyber risk. In addition, they also should understand the organization’s current incident response procedures function to communicate these issues to clients and propose solutions for improving the security and safeguarding of the systems.

The CISSP certification is one of the most recognized information security certifications that will help the candidate increase their skills, allowing them to safeguard computer systems at large and get a high payroll.