ISC2 Certified in Cybersecurity (CC) Online Training

Whether or not the Certified in Cybersecurity credential from ISC2 is worth it depends on your previous work experience and the positions you want to be competitive for. The ISC2 CC is an entry-level certification that is almost entirely knowledge-based. That means it's an excellent choice for brand-new IT professionals or students who just need to get their foot in the door, but may be too simplistic for working professionals.

The International Information System Security Certification Consortium is a non-profit professional organization of cybersecurity professionals. While that is its official legal name, the organization is primarily known by the brand name ISC2. Historically, it was referred to as (ISC)², which stood for ISC (Information System Security) and C (Certification Consortium) "squared." In 2023, the organization transitioned to the simplified ISC2 to improve digital accessibility and global recognition. As an organization, ISC2's goal is a safe and secure cyber world, which they believe is attainable through providing training, education, and certification to cybersecurity professionals. ISC2 creates and maintains certifications to benchmark competence, technical skill, and knowledge in the career field.

No, the Certified in Cybersecurity exam is not especially difficult. The ISC2 CC exam is designed to cover the basics without posing too steep of a challenge. But with no preparation and no experience at all, the CC exam can be difficult, as it covers every foundational concept of the cybersecurity career field. The exam topics include fundamental principles of security, how incident response works, how network access gets given and restricted, and how a cybersecurity team operates.

Depending on when you read this, the Certified in Cybersecurity credential from ISC2 is free. According to ISC2's website, as a part of their One Million Certified in Cybersecurity program, taking the CC certification exam is free. By registering for a free account with ISC2 and applying for the ISC2 Candidate program, you can take the Certified in Cybersecurity exam for free. A $50 annual membership fee is necessary to maintain the certification.

If you're new to IT or cybersecurity, the best way to prepare for ISC2 CC is with a course like this one – one that covers all the topics of the exam with short, to the point videos from experts. Have the fundamentals of security, incident response, access control and security operations explained to you by an expert in the field, at your own pace, with clear video explanations of each topic.