CCISO : Chief Information Security Officer
Constant and instant exchange of information is the most basic feature of today’s ever changing world. Organisations rely on sophisticated computer databases and networks to share digital information on daily basis. However, given the incidents of cyber-attacks and security breaches this digitalised era is prone to various threats. Therefore, there is an increasing demand for professionals who have the skills and expertise to ensure security of information.
The Chief Information Security Officer is one of the highly regarded titles in the domain of information security. Certification like CCISO – Certified Chief Information Security Officer exam validates your skills and recognises your knowledge. Further, this certification differentiates you from others in the competitive industry by equipping you with all the required skills.
Consistency and commitment are required when studying for the CCISO test. To prepare, you’ll need to consult information from reliable and trustworthy sources. Furthermore, the exam’s extensive syllabus makes it a difficult nut to crack. Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered with our lessons and a study guide to help you master the CCISO test.
What is CCISO Exam?
The Certified CISO (CCISO) programme is the first of its kind in terms of training and certification for information security executives at the highest levels. The CCISO focuses on the implementation of information security management concepts from an executive management perspective, rather than on technical competence. For present and prospective CISOs, the programme was created by sitting CISOs. Furthermore, it is intended to advance middle managers to the rank of Executive Executives while also honing the talents of current InfoSec leaders. The CCISO exam is developed to train the next generation leaders.
Chief Information Officers collaborate closely with leaders to build an organization’s information security policies. They also keep an eye on security flaws, keep up with new technology, and manage resources to improve efficiency and effectiveness. They also supervise teams of computer analysts, information security specialists, and other professionals tasked with identifying, neutralising, and removing security risks.
Why go for the CCISO Exam?
The CCISO Certification test is an industry-leading program that acknowledges the real-world expertise required to perform at the top executive levels of information security. This test has a number of well-documented advantages. It will undoubtedly enhance your academic achievements!
Proves Knowledge and Experience
Your abilities will be validated by the Chief Information Security Officer (CCISO) certification test, which will show your employers that you are serious about your career. Furthermore, passing this test proves that you have the knowledge and expertise necessary to design and monitor Information Security for the entire company.
Bridges the gap
The CCISO aims to bridge the gap between the executive management knowledge that CISOs need and the technical knowledge that many aspiring CISOs have. This is a crucial gap as a practitioner endeavours to move from mid-management to upper, executive management roles.
Moreover, the CCISO Training Program can be the key to a successful transition to the highest ranks of information security management.
Combines varied skill sets
By bringing together all the components required for a C-Level positions, the CCISO program combines audit management, governance, IS controls, human capital management, strategic program development, and the financial expertise vital to leading a highly successful IS program.
Propel your career
The CCISO designation is a recognition of your knowledge and achievements that will propel your career.
Exam Details: CCISO
Before commencing on your preparation journey you must have a look at the exam details. Familiarising yourself with basic exam policies is essential to crack the exam.
The CCISO exam covers 150 questions which are to be completed in a time frame of 150 minutes. These questions are in multiple choice and multi response format. The exam is based on cloud computing technologies and costs you $999 USD.
Type of Questions
As this exam is a practical-based exam, so, the Chief Information Security Officer (CCISO) exam questions will be of scenario-based multiple-choice types. These questions analyse your decision making and leadership skills by testing you with questions from the real world.
Target Audience: CCISO
The target audience for the CCISO exam is mainly from the following domains-
- Firstly, Governance (Policy, Legal & Compliance)
- Secondly, IS Management Controls and Auditing Management (Projects, Technology & Operations).
- Subsequently, Management – Projects and Operations
- Then, Information Security Core Competencies.
- Lastly, Strategic Planning & Finance
Eligibility for the CCISO exam
You must have a minimum of five years of experience in each of the five CCISO areas to be qualified for the CCISO test. Professional certification holders in any CCISO domain can request a three-year waiver. You can also finish the approved training course with 5 years of IT management experience and 3 of the 5 CCISO domains.
Recertification and Validity
From the date of certification, all EC-Council certificates will be valid for three years. During these three years, the certification must be updated by enrolling in the EC-Council Continuing Education (ECE) Program. Your certification validity will be extended for another year from the month of expiry once you have completed the ECE programme for three years.
CCISO Exam Retake Policy
If you are unable to clear the CCISO exam in the very first attempt don’t worry, as EC-Council does allow you retakes for the same exam. You are allowed five retakes in a year. If once cleared, you are not allowed to reattempt it. The retake policy is as follows-
- If you are going for your first retake then no cooling period or waiting period is required.
- If you are not able to clear the first retake then a second attempt is allowed only after 14 days period. All other subsequent retakes require the same 14 day period.
CCISO Exam FAQs
For clarity about the exam policies visit CCISO Exam FAQs
Chief Information Security Officer (CCISO) Interview Questions
Now, let us look at some Chief Information Security Officer (CCISO) Interview Questions and see what types and patterns can be expected.
Course Content : CCISO
The CCISO is not a technical exam rather a leadership exam. The course is divided into 5 domains. Each domain deep dives into scenarios taken from the experience of Chief Information Officers. The domains further include various subtopics that provide better clarify about the exam concepts.
Also, the percentage against each domain reflects its weightage in the real exam. Remember, to devote more time to domain with higher weightage.
However, the Chief Information Security Officer (CCISO) certification exam includes the following topics:
1.Governance and Risk Management- 16%
Define, Implement, Manage, and Maintain an Information Security Governance Program
- Form of Business Organization
- Industry
- Organizational Maturity
EC-Council Reference: GOVERNANCE, RISK MANAGEMENT, AND COMPLIANCE)
Information Security Drivers
Establishing an information security management structure
- Organizational Structure
- Where does the CISO fit within the organizational structure
- The Executive CISO
- Nonexecutive CISO
EC-Council Reference: CHIEF INFORMATION SECURITY OFFICER
Laws/Regulations/Standards as drivers of Organizational Policy/Standards/Procedures
EC-Council Reference: Code of Ethics
Managing an enterprise information security compliance program
- Security Policy
- Necessity of a Security Policy
- Security Policy Challenges
- Policy Content
- Types of Policies
- Policy Implementation
- Reporting Structure
- Standards and best practices
- Leadership and Ethics
- EC-Council Code of Ethics
EC-Council Reference: Enterprise Information Security
Introduction to Risk Management
EC-Council Reference: Risk Management Approach and Practices
2. Information Security Controls, Compliance, and Audit Management- 18%
Information Security Controls
- Identifying the Organization’s Information Security Needs
- Identifying the Optimum Information Security Framework
- Designing Security Controls
- Control Lifecycle Management
- Control Classification
- Monitoring Security Controls
- Remediating Control Deficiencies
- Maintaining Security Controls
- Information Security Service Catalog
EC-Council Reference: Information security controls
Compliance Management
- Acts, Laws, and Statutes
- Standards
- ASD—Information Security Manual
- Basel III
- FFIEC
- ISO 00 Family of Standards
- NERC-CIP
- PCI DSS
- NIST Special Publications
- Statement on Standards for Attestation Engagements No. 16 (SSAE 16)
EC-Council Reference: Governance,-Risk-Management-And-Compliance
Guidelines, Good and Best Practices
- CIS
- OWASP
EC-Council Reference: OWASP
Audit Management
- Audit Expectations and Outcomes
- IS Audit Practices
- ISO/IEC Audit Guidance
- Internal versus External Audits
- Partnering with the Audit Organization
- Audit Process
- General Audit Standards
- Managing and Protecting Audit Documentation
- Performing an Audit
- Evaluating Audit Results and Report
- Leverage GRC Software to Support Audits
EC-Council Reference: Audit Management
3. Security Program Management & Operations-22%
Program Management
- Defining a Security Charter, Objectives, Requirements, Stakeholders, and Strategies
- Executing an Information Security Program
- Defining and Developing, Managing and Monitoring the Information Security Program
- Defining and Developing Information Security Program Staffing Requirements
- Managing the People of a Security Program
- Managing the Architecture and Roadmap of the Security Program
- Program Management and Governance
- Business Continuity Management (BCM) and Disaster Recovery Planning (DRP)
- Data Backup and Recovery
- Backup Strategy
- ISO BCM Standards
- Continuity of Security Operations
- BCM Plan Testing
- DRP Testing
- Contingency Planning, Operations, and Testing Programs to Mitigate Risk and Meet Service Level Agreements (SLAs)
- Computer Incident Response
- Digital Forensics
EC-Council Reference: Certified Project Management
Operations Management
- Establishing and Operating a Security Operations (SecOps) Capability
- Security Monitoring and Security Information and Event Management (SIEM)
- Event Management
- Incident Response Model
- Threat Management
- Threat Intelligence
- Vulnerability Management
- Threat Hunting
EC-Council Reference: SOC
4. Information Security Core competencies -25%
Access Control
- Authentication, Authorization, and Auditing
- Authentication
- Authorization
- Auditing
- User Access Control Restrictions
- User Access Behavior Management
- Types of Access Control Models
- Designing an Access Control Plan
- Access Administration
EC-Council Reference: Identity and Access Management
Physical Security
- Designing, Implementing, and Managing Physical Security Program
- Physical Location Considerations
- Obstacles and Prevention
- Secure Facility Design
- Preparing for Physical Security Audits
EC-Council Reference: PHYSICAL-SECURITY-IN-NETWORK-SECURITY
Network Security
- Network Security Assessments and Planning
- Secondly, Network Security Architecture Challenges
- Then, Network Security Design
- Network Standards, Protocols, and Controls
EC-Council Reference: Network Security
Certified Chief
- Network Security Controls
- Wireless (Wi-Fi) Security
- Voice over IP Security
Endpoint Protection
- Endpoint Threats
- Then, Endpoint Vulnerabilities
- End User Security Awareness
- Endpoint Device Hardening
- Endpoint Device Logging
- Mobile Device Security
- Internet of Things Security (IoT)
EC-Council Reference: Endpoint Security
Application Security
- Secure SDLC Model
- Separation of Development, Test, and Production Environments
- Application Security Testing Approaches
- DevSecOps
- Waterfall Methodology and Security
- Agile Methodology and Security
- Other Application Development Approaches
- Application Hardening
- Application Security Technologies
- Version Control and Patch Management
- Database Security
- Database Hardening
- Secure Coding Practices
EC-Council Reference: SDLC Models
Encryption Technologies
- Encryption and Decryption
- Cryptosystems
- Hashing
- Encryption Algorithms
- Encryption Strategy Development
EC-Council Reference: ENCRYPT AND DECRYPT YOUR DATA
Virtualization Security
- Virtualization Overview
- Secondly, Virtualization Risks
- Then, Virtualization Security Concerns
- Virtualization Security Controls
- Virtualization Security Reference Model
EC-Council Reference: The Evolution of Virtualization Security
Cloud Computing Security
- Overview of Cloud Computing
- Security and Resiliency Cloud Services
- Cloud Security Concerns and Security Controls
- Cloud Computing Protection Considerations
EC-Council Reference: CLOUD SOLUTIONS TRANSFORM NETWORK SECURITY
Transformative Technologies
- Artificial Intelligence
- Augmented Reality
- Autonomous SOC
- Dynamic Deception
- Software-Defined Cybersecurity
EC-Council Reference: CREATING CYBERSECURITY LEADERS FOR 2020 AND BEYOND
5. Strategic Planning and Finance- 19%
Strategic Planning
- Understanding the Organization
- Creating an Information Security Strategic Plan
EC-Council Reference: STRATEGIC BUSINESS CONTINUITY PLAN
Designing, Developing, and Maintaining an Enterprise Information Security Program
- Ensuring a Sound Program Foundation
- Architectural Views
- Creating Measurements and Metrics
- Balanced Scorecard
- Continuous Monitoring and Reporting Outcomes
- Continuous Improvement
- Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) Continual Service Improvement (CSI)
EC-Council Reference: Computer Society
Understanding the Enterprise Architecture (EA)
- EA Types
EC-Council Reference: Enterprise Architect
Finance
- Understanding Security Program Funding
- Analyzing, Forecasting, and Developing a Security Budget
- Managing the Information Security Budget
EC-Council Reference: Security Budget
Procurement
- Procurement Program Terms and Concepts
- Understanding the Organization’s Procurement Program
- Procurement Risk Management
Vendor Management
- Understanding the Organization’s Acquisition Policies and Procedures
- Applying Cost-Benefit Analysis (CBA) During the Procurement Process5
- Vendor Management Policies
- Contract Administration Policies
- Delivery Assurance
EC-Council Reference: Vendor Risk Management
Chief Information Security Officer (CCISO) Preparation Guide
Exam preparation is a full-time job in itself. To acquire this accreditation, you must put in a lot of effort, drive, and consistency on a daily basis. You must have access to true and authentic resources. As a result, this study guide will accompany you on your test preparation trip and will assist you in passing the exam. Let’s take it one step at a time.
Step 1- Review the Exam Objectives
Firstly, you need to begin with having a clear understanding of all the exam course objectives. Familiarising yourself with the exam policy is an important step before commencing with your guide. The course domains and subtopics are a foundation for your preparation. Therefore clarity about them is of great importance. It helps you build confidence and also plan your preparations. Visit the EC-Council official website to learn more about the Chief Information Security Officer (CCISO) certification exam policies.
Step 2- Refer Books- your ultimate friends
Books have always been a golden resource for the preparation of any exam. Books specifically designed for this exam brings in depth understanding of the key concepts of the course. We recommend you to refer to the Official book published by EC-Council CCISO Body of Knowledge.
Step 3- Go for a Training Course
Chief Information Security Officer (CCISO) training courses are the best way to prepare for the exam. They provide the best hand on practice for this practically oriented exam. Moreover, EC-Council offers various training courses to boost your preparations for the CCISO exam.
iWeek- Instructor led training
EC Council provides a training course called iWeek for the preparations for this exam. This includes live, online instructor led training course. It is an opportunity to learn from world-class instructors and collaborate with top Info security Professionals.
iLearn- Self Study Resources
EC Council offers an iLearn course that includes self-study environment. They deliver the most sought after courses in a streaming video format. Also, these video resources are significant in your preparations.
Step 4- Join a Community
Online forums and study groups play a critical role in preparing for an exam. They help you learn from the experts. Also online forums are fruitful as they connect you with other candidates appearing for the same. This collaboration is really beneficial in your preparations as they provide valuable insights about the exam and also bring clarity to your doubts.
Step 5- Practice Tests
Practice makes a man perfect and therefore attempting practice tests is of real significance in your journey towards the exam. These Chief Information Security Officer (CCISO) practice exam tests help you evaluate your preparations and assess your weaker areas. Strengthening your weaker domains helps you boost your confidence. Further, they provide a real time exam environment to check your accuracy and speed. Also they help you to time yourself accordingly. Attempt multiple practice tests to improve and excel the exam. Start using Chief Information Security Officer (CCISO) Practice Tests Now!
