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ISC2 CC Study Guide

ISC2 Certified in Cybersecurity (CC)

ISC2 Certified in Cybersecurity (CC) is ISC2's entry-level certification for people starting a career in cybersecurity, with no work experience required. It covers security principles, security governance, identity and access management, network and cloud security, and security operations and incident response, with foundational AI concepts woven through all five domains. The exam has 100 to 125 items in two hours.

  • Exam code CC
  • Entry level
  • 5 exam domains

This guide is free, with no sign-up. It explains every ISC2 CC exam topic in plain English, one chapter at a time. Read them in order or jump straight to the topic you need.

  • 5chapters
  • 16topics
  • 6diagrams and exhibits
  • 48 minfast track
Start with Security Principles
  • Every topic follows the same simple pattern: what it is, how it works, common mistakes
  • Diagrams and real command output where a picture explains it best
  • Exam tips and worked subnetting and IPv6 practice, with answers

How the exam is weighted

Each domain is worth this share of the exam, so spend your study time in proportion. Select a domain to open its chapter.

Chapters

Open a chapter to see its topics and how long each takes.

1Security Principles4 topics · 12 min fast trackThe CIA triad, AAA, non-repudiation, privacy, risk management, governance, security controls and the ISC2 Code of Ethics.
  1. 1Cybersecurity Concepts3 min
  2. 2Risk Management Concepts3 min
  3. 3Governance and Security Controls3 min
  4. 4Professional and Ethical Conduct3 min
Read the chapter overview →
2Security Governance3 topics · 9 min fast trackGovernance, risk and compliance planning, business continuity and disaster recovery, security awareness and measuring effectiveness.
  1. 1Governance, Risk and Compliance3 min
  2. 2Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery3 min
  3. 3Security Awareness and Measuring Effectiveness3 min
Read the chapter overview →
3Identity and Access Management (IAM) Concepts2 topics · 6 min fast trackIdentity lifecycle management from role definition to deprovisioning, and logical access controls such as least privilege and SoD.
  1. 1Identity Lifecycle Management3 min
  2. 2Logical Access Controls3 min
Read the chapter overview →
4Networking and Cloud Security Concepts3 topics · 9 min fast trackOSI and TCP/IP, IPv4 and IPv6, VPNs, firewalls, wireless, IoT and ICS, segmentation, defense in depth, zero trust and cloud security.
  1. 1Network Security Fundamentals3 min
  2. 2Network Security Architecture3 min
  3. 3Cloud Security3 min
Read the chapter overview →
5Security Operations and Incident Response4 topics · 12 min fast trackData handling and encryption, logging, triage and threat intelligence, incident response, asset protection and security testing.
  1. 1Data Security3 min
  2. 2Security Operations3 min
  3. 3Incident Response3 min
  4. 4Asset Protection and Security Testing3 min
Read the chapter overview →

Ready for more practice?

The full ISC2 CC question bank has 671 questions, with timed practice exams and an explanation for every answer.

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This study guide is independent and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by ISC2. Vendor names, certification names and exam codes are trademarks of their respective owners and are used for identification only.