CISM Self-Paced Training & Online Course
Certified Information Security Manager
Study for the CISM exam on your own schedule. ISACA’s official on-demand Online Review Course, covering all four exam domains, plus ISACA’s official Review Manual, the question database, and your exam registration.
ISACA lists these four items at $2,193 separately, and bundles them at $1,860. One payment. No cohort dates to wait for.
- ISACA Online Review Course, all four exam domains
- Official CISM Review Manual, eBook edition
- Official QAE database, 6-month subscription
- A practice exam to gauge your readiness
- Your ISACA exam registration, included
- Six months of access, with your progress saved
Your ISACA exam registration is included. ISACA applies a six-month window to redeem and a further six months to use it, so plan your sitting accordingly.
The full ISACA kit, not just a course
You get ISACA’s own official study materials, the question database serious candidates practise on, and your exam registration. Here is the whole list, with what each piece costs if you buy it from ISACA yourself.
| What you get | What it is | ISACA list price |
|---|---|---|
| ISACA Online Review Course | ISACA’s own on-demand course: narrated interactive eLearning modules covering all four exam domains, roughly 16 hours of seat time, with a practice exam. | ISACA list $895 |
| Official CISM Review Manual | ISACA’s own exam-prep manual, the eBook edition, written to the current exam content outline. | ISACA list $139 |
| Official QAE database | ISACA’s Questions, Answers and Explanations database, a 6-month subscription, so you practise on real ISACA-style items. | ISACA list $399 |
| Your CISM exam registration | The exam itself, registered and paid for. You sit it whenever you decide you are ready. | ISACA list $760 |
| Six months of access | Six months from purchase, delivered through the Learning Access tab of your MyISACA dashboard, with your progress saved between logins. | Included |
| 20 CPE on completion | Completing the course earns 20 CPE toward the ISACA certifications you already hold. You self-report them. | Included |
| Total at ISACA list prices | What the four ISACA items above cost if you bought them yourself, without a membership. ISACA’s own bundle of the same four is $1,860. | Total $2,193 |
| Your price | One payment, and you keep $698 against ISACA’s list price and $365 against ISACA’s own bundle. | $1,495 |
ISACA list prices are ISACA’s published non-member prices, checked August 2026, and they do change. Self-paced does not include the live instruction, the free retake or the year of ISACA membership that come with the boot camp. See the full comparison below.
All four CISM exam domains, on your schedule
The course works straight through ISACA’s CISM exam content outline: four job-practice domains, each weighted as it is on the exam. You cover every area the 150-question exam tests, in whatever order and at whatever pace suits you.
Information Security Governance
17%- Enterprise governance: culture, organizational structure, and how security strategy aligns to business goals.
- Frameworks, standards, and the legal and regulatory landscape that shape the program.
Information Security Risk Management
20%- Risk identification and assessment: threats, vulnerabilities, and business impact.
- Risk response: treatment options, monitoring, and reporting to stakeholders.
Information Security Program
33%- Program development: resources, asset classification, policies, and awareness.
- Program management: controls, testing, metrics, and integrating security into operations.
Incident Management
30%- Incident readiness: plans, playbooks, classification, and training before anything goes wrong.
- Incident response: containment, communication, recovery, and business continuity and disaster recovery.
Domains and weightings follow ISACA’s official CISM exam content outline. The CISM exam is 150 questions in 4 hours, scored 200 to 800, with 450 to pass.
Self-paced or the live 4-day boot camp
Both cover the same CISM exam domains. The difference is structure, accountability, and what is bundled with your seat.
| Self-paced | Live boot camp | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1,495 | $2,499 |
| When you start | Today, the moment you enroll | On a fixed cohort date |
| Format | ISACA Online Review Course, self-directed | Live 4-day, instructor-led, virtual or on-site |
| Instructor access | No live instructor | James (Slim) Beamon, a certified ISACA instructor |
| ISACA exam registration | Included | Included |
| Official Review Manual eBook | Included | Included |
| ISACA QAE database | 6-month subscription | 6-month subscription |
| One year of ISACA membership | Not included | Included |
| Free retake | Not included | Included if you do not pass |
| Access window | Six months from purchase | Live 4-day plus the pre-study learning path |
| Best if | You are disciplined, on a budget, and want to move at your own speed | You want structure, an instructor, and a fixed timeline to keep you accountable |
Self-paced CISM, answered
What is included in the self-paced CISM course?
Four ISACA items: the official CISM Online Review Course (narrated interactive eLearning modules, roughly 16 hours of seat time, covering all four exam domains), the official CISM Review Manual eBook, the Questions, Answers & Explanations database, and your CISM exam registration. The live instruction, the free retake and the year of ISACA membership are boot camp only.
How long do I have access?
Six months from the date of purchase, delivered through the Learning Access tab of your MyISACA dashboard. Your progress saves between logins, so you can stop and pick up where you left off.
Will I get the updated material when the exam outline changes?
No, and this matters right now. ISACA is updating the CISM Exam Content Outline effective 3 November 2026, with updated preparation material expected on sale in September 2026. Buying the current material does not grant access to the updated material later. If you intend to sit the exam after 3 November 2026, talk to us before you buy so you do not pay twice.
Is the ISACA exam registration included?
Yes. Your CISM exam registration is included in the $1,495 price, along with ISACA’s official Online Review Course, the Review Manual eBook and the question database. You sit the exam whenever you decide you are ready.
Do I earn CPE for the self-paced CISM course?
Yes. Completing the CISM Online Review Course earns 20 CPE, which count toward the ISACA certifications you already hold. You self-report them. This is ISACA CPE and is separate from NASBA CPE, which applies to our third-party risk management training.
Is this ISACA’s own courseware?
Yes. Risk Tide is an ISACA Accredited Training Organization, so the self-paced course is ISACA’s official CISM Online Review Course, with ISACA’s own Review Manual, question database and exam registration bundled in. You are not buying a third-party rewrite of the exam content.
Why is this cheaper than buying from ISACA directly?
As an Accredited Training Organization we set our own price on the same official ISACA course. The four ISACA items in this package list at $2,193 separately without a membership, and ISACA’s own bundle of them is $1,860.
What are the requirements for CISM certification?
ISACA requires five years of information security experience including three years in a security management role. The management years cannot be waived, and up to two of the remaining years can be substituted.
What does the CISM exam look like?
The exam is 150 questions, scored on a 200 to 800 scale, with 450 required to pass. Your voucher is included, and you schedule the exam with ISACA when you feel ready.
Who is the self-paced CISM course for?
Security managers, aspiring CISOs, and consultants advising on security governance. It suits you if you are self-disciplined and would rather study around your job than block out 4 consecutive days.
How long is the exam voucher valid?
Six months. Since 16 April 2026 ISACA applies a six-month window across exams, question databases and online review courses: the product must be redeemed within six months of purchase, and once redeemed you have six months to use it, including scheduling and sitting the exam. Tell us if your timeline is longer so we can advise before you buy rather than after.
Can I get a refund?
No. ISACA’s policy on online learning is that access is granted immediately on purchase, so all purchases of the online course are final and no refunds or exchanges are provided. If you are unsure whether self-paced or the live boot camp suits you, ask us before you buy rather than after.
Should I choose self-paced or the live boot camp?
Self-paced is the lower-cost, start-today option, it covers the same exam domains, and you get the same ISACA study materials and exam registration either way. What the boot camp adds is live instruction, a free retake and a year of ISACA membership. The live 4-day boot camp is better if you want a live instructor and a fixed timeline to hold you to. Both are delivered by Risk Tide as an ISACA Accredited Training Organization.
Begin your CISM prep this afternoon
No cohort to wait for and no calendar to negotiate. Enroll, get immediate access to every lesson, and take a full year to get exam-ready.
ISACA lists the same course and exam registration at $1,655.
Your ISACA exam voucher is included. You register and schedule the exam with ISACA when you are ready.
ISACA Accredited Training Organization
NASBA National Registry of CPE Sponsors
TPRM TRAINING