ISSEP
1Systems Security Engineering Foundations
24%
2Risk Management
20%
3Security Planning and Engineering
22%
4Systems Security Implementation, Verification, and Validation
20%
5Secure Operations, Change Management and Disposal
14%
Exam guide · ISSEP
ISC2 ISSEP exam guide
The ISSEP exam has 125 questions and takes 3 hours. You need 700 out of 1000 to pass. It costs $599 (standard registration in the Americas; set by region). ISC2 hasn’t announced a retirement date.
Last updated
The exam at a glance
ISC2 ISSEP
- Questions
- 125
- Time
- 3 hours
- Passing score
- 700 / 1000
- Experience required
- CISSP + 2 years in its domains (or 7 years in total)
- Level
- Concentration
- Role
- Security Systems Engineer
- Exam code
- ISSEP
From ISC2’s own pages, checked every week (last on November 5, 2026). The cost is checked every week too. How we check our facts
Versions and dates
What’s changing, and when
ISC2 hasn’t announced a retirement date for ISSEP. We check ISC2’s site every week, and this page changes the day it does.
Exam domains
What the exam covers
Each domain’s share of the exam, as ISC2 publishes it. Spend your study time in the same proportion.
Prepare
Start on ISSEP today
Free tools to find your weak domains and plan your weeks, then full practice exams in OpenpassAI.
Free practice test
10 ISSEP questions
Original questions across the exam’s domains, each with an explanation, and your score by domain.
Take the testFree study plan
A week-by-week plan
Pick your exam date and weekly hours, and get a plan weighted like the domains above.
Make my planISC2 certifications
Where ISSEP fits
Every ISC2 certification on one map, with each exam’s facts checked weekly.
See the ISC2 page
Take it further in OpenpassAI
Full ISSEP practice exams
Timed exams weighted like the real one, an AI tutor that explains every answer, and a readiness score for each domain.
FAQs
Got Questions? We’ve Got Answers.
Find quick answers or contact our support team.
How many questions are on the ISC2 ISSEP exam?
The ISSEP exam has 125 questions, and you get 3 hours.
What is the passing score for ISC2 ISSEP?
You need 700 out of 1000.
How much does the ISC2 ISSEP exam cost?
$599 (standard registration in the Americas; set by region). Check ISC2’s site for the price in your country.
When does ISSEP retire?
ISC2 hasn’t announced one yet. We check ISC2’s site every week, and this page changes the day it does.
What experience do I need for ISC2 ISSEP?
ISC2 requires CISSP + 2 years in its domains (or 7 years in total) to certify. You can take the exam before you have it.
How should I study for ISC2 ISSEP?
Weight your time like the exam: Systems Security Engineering Foundations carries the most (24%). Take the free practice test to find your weakest domains, make a study plan around them, and before you book, sit full-length timed practice exams until you pass them comfortably.
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