CISSP exam format: domains, weightings and length
CISSP is examined across 8 domains. The weightings below decide how much of the exam each domain is worth — and therefore where preparation time pays off.
Domains and weightings
| Domain | Exam weight | Our questions |
|---|---|---|
| Security and Risk Management | 16% | 89 |
| Security Architecture and Engineering | 13% | 87 |
| Communication and Network Security | 13% | 63 |
| Identity and Access Management (IAM) | 13% | 63 |
| Security Operations | 13% | 48 |
| Security Assessment and Testing | 12% | 41 |
| Software Development Security | 10% | 59 |
| Asset Security | 10% | 47 |
Length and number of questions
- Time: 180 minutes
- Questions: about 137 according to the vendor — the vendor gives a range rather than a fixed count, so treat this as approximate.
- Passing score: 700 on a scale of 0–1000 — what CISSP needs to pass →
All 497 CISSP practice questions, every option explained →
Know which domain is costing you marks
The weightings tell you what the exam rewards. A readiness check tells you where you stand in each one.
Test your CISSP readiness — freeMore on CISSP
Domain weightings as published by the exam vendor · Question counts are from the Certsqill CISSP bank (497 questions).
