CC: (ISC)² Certified in Cybersecurity

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Exam Resources

Official learning paths, exam details, skills measured, and community resources to supplement your study.

About the CC Exam

Your entry into cybersecurity — USD $199 exam, free study materials from ISC²

The (ISC)² Certified in Cybersecurity (CC) certification validates foundational knowledge in cybersecurity principles, network security, access controls, security operations, and incident response — designed for career changers, students, and IT professionals entering cybersecurity.

Who Should Take This Exam?

The CC is designed for beginners and career changers. No prior experience required.

Prerequisites: None — entry level

Typical study time: 2-4 weeks of part-time study

Exam Quick Facts

Detail	Value
Exam Code	CC
Title	(ISC)² Certified in Cybersecurity
Duration	120 minutes
Questions	100
Pass Score	700 / 1000
Cost	$199 USD
Provider	Pearson VUE
Validity	3 years (CPE required)
Prerequisites	None — entry level
Question Types	Multiple choice, Advanced innovative
Official Page	View on ISC² →

Exam Domains & Weights

The CC exam covers 5 domains. Focus your study time based on the weights below — higher-weighted domains have more exam questions.

Domain	Weight	Practice Qs
Security Principles	26%	62
Business Continuity, Disaster Recovery & Incident Response	10%	30
Access Controls Concepts	22%	54
Network Security	24%	58
Security Operations	18%	46
Total	100%	250

💡 Study tip: Security Principles carries the most weight (26%) — start there. Business Continuity, Disaster Recovery & Incident Response has the least (10%), but don’t skip it — exam questions can come from any domain.

Practice Exam — 250 Questions

Prepare for the CC with our 250-question practice exam covering all 5 exam domains. Every question includes detailed explanations and maps to official exam objectives.

What you get:

✅ Exam simulation mode with timer
✅ Spaced repetition for weak areas
✅ Detailed explanations for every question
✅ Progress tracking across domains
✅ 20 free questions — no account needed

ISC² Certification Path

Start with CC (Certified in Cybersecurity) for entry-level, then SSCP for technical security, then CISSP for management. CISSP concentrations (ISSAP, ISSEP, ISSMP) come after CISSP.

If you’re studying for the CC, you might also be interested in these ISC² certifications:

CCSP: (ISC)² CCSP — 250 practice questions
CGRC: (ISC)² CGRC — 250 practice questions
CISSP-ISSAP: (ISC)² CISSP-ISSAP — 250 practice questions
CISSP-ISSEP: (ISC)² CISSP-ISSEP — 250 practice questions
CISSP-ISSMP: (ISC)² CISSP-ISSMP — 250 practice questions

Study Tips

Start with the heaviest domain — focus your time where the exam focuses its questions
Use our practice exam — try the 20 free questions first to gauge your readiness
Review explanations — don’t just check if you got it right; read why each answer is correct
Simulate exam conditions — use the timed exam mode to practice under pressure
Check the official page — official exam details always have the latest objectives

Frequently asked questions

The CC questions I get most — usually from career changers asking ‘is this really my way in?’ and ‘is it actually free?’

Is ISC² CC really free? #

The exam fee was USD $50 (via the One Million Certified in Cybersecurity Pledge) for years — that promotion ended in mid-2025. The exam now costs USD $199. ISC² still offers free self-study materials (Official Study App + practice question pack) — register at isc2.org/certifications/cc for the free materials, even though the exam fee is back to standard.

Is the CC certification worth it for getting into cybersecurity? #

Yes — for absolute beginners. CC gives you an ISC² credential on your CV without years of work history (unlike CISSP, which needs 5 years). It signals you’ve taken cybersecurity seriously and passed a vendor-neutral foundational exam. The next step from CC is usually SSCP (technical) or CompTIA Security+, then eventually CISSP. CC by itself rarely lands the job — it gets your CV past the keyword filter.

How long does it take to prepare for CC? #

Two to four weeks of part-time study for most beginners. If you’ve done CompTIA Security+ or have an IT background, you might pass cold or with a week’s review. The exam is 100 questions over 2 hours covering 5 domains — Security Principles (26%) carries the most weight, so start there. Our 250-question practice exam maps to the latest exam objectives.

CC vs CompTIA Security+ — which should I take first? #

Honest answer: take whichever your target job posting asks for. Security+ has wider US and UK enterprise and government recognition. CC has growing international recognition and a cleaner ISC² upgrade path to SSCP and CISSP. Cost-wise CC is cheaper ($199 vs around $392). Most career changers do CC first (cheaper, easier, faster) then Security+ within 6 months once they’ve landed an entry role.

What does the CC cert require for renewal? #

45 Continuing Professional Education (CPE) credits over a 3-year renewal cycle, plus an annual maintenance fee (USD $50/year for CC holders as of 2026). CPEs come from training, webinars, contributing to security communities, attending conferences. ISC² publishes the full CPE handbook. If you don’t renew, the cert lapses but you can reinstate within a grace period.