Validates knowledge of security governance, executive leadership, program management, core security competencies, and strategic planning, finance and procurement.
CCISO is EC-Council's certification for security executives and people becoming a CISO. It covers governance and audit, executive leadership, security program management, core security competencies, and strategy, finance and procurement.
Commenters rarely see CCISO in job descriptions, and one top reply had never met a working CISO who held it. Several recommend CISM if recognition is the goal.
A CCISO holder who also has CISSP and CCSP describes CCISO as covering the business skills that technical security people need, where CISSP is more technical.
CCISO is valid for three years and renews through EC-Council's continuing education program.
Conferences, training, webinars and writing earn credits. Register each year's credits by February 1. If you miss the requirement, the certification is suspended for up to 12 months and then revoked.
EC-Council continuing education fees ↗
Security management credential that more job postings name.
Broad senior security credential across eight domains.
ISC2's management concentration for CISSP holders.
GIAC's security leadership certification.
Five years of information security management experience. With official CCISO training, you need it in 3 of the 5 domains. Without training, you need it in all 5 domains and pay a $100 application fee. EC-Council approves it before you can buy a voucher.
The exam voucher is $999. On the self-study route you also pay the $100 application fee, so $1,099 in total. A retake voucher is $499.
An EC-Council certification for people who have taken CCISO training and have at least two years of experience in one domain. You can move to the full CCISO exam once you meet the experience requirement.
CCISO covers the business side of the CISO role in depth. CISSP and CISM appear in far more job postings, so many people hold one of them first.
Last updated October 2026