What is CISM?
CISM is ISACA’s Certified Information Security Manager certification, the management-level credential for professionals who build and lead information security programs. More than 65,000 professionals have earned it since 2002.
What roles does CISM prepare me for?
CISM validates security leadership: information security manager, security program lead, GRC leadership, and the CISO track. It is the natural next step when your work shifts from running tools to running the program.
What are the requirements for CISM certification?
ISACA requires five years of experience in information security, including at least three years in information security management across three or more CISM domains. Up to two years of the general requirement can be substituted with credentials like CISA or CISSP or a relevant postgraduate degree; the three management years cannot be waived. You can sit the exam first and apply once you meet the requirement.
How is the CISM boot camp structured?
Four full days of live, instructor-led training led by a certified ISACA instructor, working through all four CISM exam domains. You get a pre-study learning path, a 6-month subscription to ISACA’s official QAE database with unlimited practice exam attempts, and exam-strategy support so you walk in ready.
What does the CISM exam look like?
The CISM exam is 150 questions in 4 hours, scored on a 200 to 800 scale, with 450 required to pass. Your exam voucher is included, and after registering you have a scheduling window to sit the exam.
What if I don’t pass the CISM exam?
You can retake the exam at no additional cost. The whole program is built to get you exam-ready, and the free retake is there as a safety net.
What exactly does the free retake cover?
If you sit the CISM exam and do not pass, your next sitting is covered at no additional cost. The retake is one additional exam sitting, and it needs to fall inside your exam eligibility window. There is no extra charge and nothing to buy. Just tell us you need it and we arrange it.
Do I earn CPE for the CISM boot camp?
If you already hold ISACA or other professional credentials, the live instruction hours count as CPE toward them. It is a productive way to make progress on your annual CPE while preparing for a new certification.
What if I need to cancel or move to a different cohort?
16 or more days before the start date: cancel for a full refund, or move to a later cohort, with no penalty either way. 15 or fewer days before the start date: the seat is non-refundable, but you can still move to a later cohort for a $500 USD transfer fee, and the new seat needs to be used within six months of your original start date. Sending a colleague instead costs nothing, as long as you tell us before your ISACA materials have been issued in your name. If we cancel or move a cohort, you choose: a full refund, or a free transfer to any future cohort.
What currency are your prices in?
All prices on this site are in US dollars. Risk Tide Solutions is a Florida limited liability company and bills in USD. If you are paying from outside the United States, your bank or card issuer may add a foreign exchange or international transaction fee, and any taxes or duties that apply where you live are your responsibility. Your seat price also does not include local ISACA chapter dues, which chapters set individually, or ISACA’s certification application fee, which ISACA charges separately after you pass.
Is there a self-paced CISM course?
Yes. If you prefer to study on your own schedule, our self-paced CISM course is $1,649 and includes all four ISACA components: the Online Review Course, the Review Manual eBook, the Questions, Answers and Explanations database, and your exam registration. ISACA lists those four items at $2,193 separately without a membership. The live boot camp is best if you want structure, an instructor, and a fixed timeline to keep you accountable.
