ISC2

What ISC2 does

ISC2 (International Information Systems Security Certification Consortium, Inc.) is a 1996-founded, Massachusetts-incorporated non-profit membership organization that issues cybersecurity professional certifications and related training. Its core products are personnel certifications administered through Pearson VUE test centers globally, anchored by the 30-year-old CISSP credential and spanning CC, SSCP, CCSP, CGRC, CSSLP, and the ISSAP/ISSEP/ISSMP concentrations, with an AI Security Certification in development. The portfolio also includes adaptive self-paced and instructor-led training, classroom courses, certificates and express courses, the annual Security Congress and regional SECURE events, webinars, and a Peace of Mind Protection exam-retake service.

Revenue is generated through one-time exam fees, recurring Annual Maintenance Fees (AMF) for certification renewal, training and professional development subscriptions (90-365 day access tiers with member discounts), event registrations, and enterprise team training for organizations of 6+ employees. The go-to-market is community-led: a global chapter network, authorized training partners, and a member base drive demand, supplemented by an event-driven motion (Security Congress, SECURE regional events, virtual Spotlights) and thought-leadership content including the annual Cybersecurity Workforce Study (14,865 respondents).

The customer base spans individual cybersecurity professionals pursuing credentials and CPE credits, enterprise security organizations upskilling teams (995 security-leader respondents across Canada, Germany, India, Japan, the U.K., and the U.S. in ISC2's Enterprise Training Trends research), security operations teams, and government buyers including the U.S. Department of Defense under DoDM 8140. ISC2's competitive positioning rests on ANAB ISO/IEC 17024 accreditation, CISSP's brand equity, and an ecosystem of CPE partnerships with security vendors such as Palo Alto Networks, Fortinet, BlackHat, and RSA.

Name

ISC2

Legal name

International Information Systems Security Certification Consortium, Inc.

Website

https://isc2.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

ISC2 is a non-profit membership organization that issues globally recognized cybersecurity professional certifications (CISSP, CCSP, SSCP, CC, CGRC, CSSLP, ISSAP, ISSEP, ISSMP), delivers adaptive training and continuing education, and serves individual practitioners, enterprise security teams, and government agencies including the U.S. Department of Defense.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cybersecurity Professional Certification

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Computer Training (61142)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Information Technology (IT) & Cybersecurity Certifications (EDAAANAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Information Technology & Cybersecurity Certification Prep (CompTIA, Cisco, Microsoft, AWS, ISC2/ISACA) (EDANAIAF), Information Security, Privacy & IT Governance (CISSP CPE, Privacy CE) (EDAAALAL), Continuing Education (CE/CPD) & Provider Accreditation Bodies (EDADACAF)

Keywords

• Cybersecurity certifications
• Professional certification services
• Information security training
• Continuing professional education
• Cybersecurity workforce development

Headquarters

HQ city

Alexandria

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Certification Exam Fees: One-time exam fees for each certification exam (CC, SSCP, CISSP, CCSP, CGRC, CSSLP, ISSAP, ISSEP, ISSMP). Candidates purchase exam vouchers and schedule through Pearson VUE test centers.
2. Annual Maintenance Fees (AMF): Recurring annual membership fees paid by certified members to maintain their certification and membership status. Required after passing the exam and completing endorsement.
3. Training and Professional Development: Revenue from online self-paced training, online instructor-led training, classroom-based training, certificates, courses, express courses, and webinars that help professionals earn CPE credits.
4. Peace of Mind Protection: Exam retake protection offering two attempts within 180 days for a bundled price, providing insurance against initial exam failure.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

ISC2 develops, owns, and administers globally recognized cybersecurity professional certifications including CISSP, SSCP, CCSP, CC, CGRC, CSSLP, ISSAP, ISSEP, and ISSMP, along with supporting training (self-paced, instructor-led, classroom), professional development certificates and courses, and continuing professional education (CPE) resources. Certifications are delivered through Pearson VUE test centers globally, with candidates required to pass exams, complete peer endorsement, and pay recurring Annual Maintenance Fees to maintain credentialed member status.

Product overview

ISC2 is a certification and professional development organization offering a portfolio of cybersecurity certifications, training programs, and continuing education resources. The core offerings include flagship certifications (CISSP, SSCP, CCSP, CC, CGRC, CSSLP) and advanced concentration certifications (ISSAP, ISSEP, ISSMP) for specialized security domains. ISC2 also provides AI-focused offerings including the AI Security Certificate, AI for Cybersecurity Course, and a new AI Security Certification under development. Training is delivered through multiple channels: adaptive online self-paced learning, instructor-led virtual training, classroom-based sessions, and workshops. The organization supports certified professionals with CPE (Continuing Professional Education) opportunities through events, webinars, certificates, courses, and volunteering programs. The flagship annual event is the ISC2 Security Congress, supplemented by regional SECURE Events. Additional services include exam preparation tools (flash cards, study questions), the Peace of Mind Protection retake program, and research publications including the annual Cybersecurity Workforce Study.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CISSP - Certified Information Systems Security Professional

Quantifiable outcome

• ISC2 certification holders earn salaries ranging from $94,948 to $159,030 globally depending on certification level
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability1 record

Feature2 records

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• 3Tree TechminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCPE Partner authorized to submit CPE activity on behalf of ISC2 members and provide professional development opportunities for earning CPE credits.
• Abnormal SecurityminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCPE Partner authorized to submit CPE activity on behalf of ISC2 members.
• AkamaiminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCPE Partner providing security-focused professional development opportunities for ISC2 members.
• Arctic WolfminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCPE Partner authorized to submit CPE activity on behalf of ISC2 members.
• AttackIQminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCPE Partner offering continuous security validation education for ISC2 members.
• BlackHatcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor security industry events brand partnership providing CPE-credited activities for ISC2 members.
• FortinetcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCPE Partner with training academy providing security certification preparation and CPE opportunities.
• Hack The BoxminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCPE Partner providing ethical hacking and cybersecurity training platforms for ISC2 members.
• LinkedIn LearningminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCPE Partner providing professional development courses eligible for CPE credit.
• Palo Alto NetworkscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCPE Partner with comprehensive security training offerings for ISC2 members.
• Recorded FutureminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCPE Partner providing threat intelligence education for ISC2 members.
• RSAcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCPE Partner from RSA Conference providing security industry events and education.
• SnykminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCPE Partner providing developer security training for ISC2 members.
• SophosminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCPE Partner offering cybersecurity events and training for ISC2 members.
• Trend MicrominorGTM or Marketing PartnerCPE Partner providing security training and certification preparation for ISC2 members.
• WiCyScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partnership supporting women in cybersecurity through DEI initiatives and workforce development programs.
• Pearson VUEcoreTechnology or IntegrationGlobal exam delivery partner administering ISC2 certification exams through professional test centers worldwide with biometric verification.
• Cyber Leadership InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Cyber Leadership Program workshop delivered virtually over 8 weeks, providing leadership development for cybersecurity professionals.
• ISC2 Authorized China AgencycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOfficial authorized agency managing ISC2 certification programs and member services in China.
• ISC2 JapancoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOfficial authorized agency managing ISC2 certification programs and member services in Japan, with Japanese language website support.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• ISACA: Non-profit professional association offering information security, governance, and audit certifications (CISA, CISM, CRISC, CGEIT) with similar membership-and-maintenance-fee model. Direct competitor for cybersecurity leadership credentials and continuing education wallet.
• SANS Institute: Leading provider of cybersecurity training and GIAC certifications, with deep technical curriculum and a global faculty. Competes directly with ISC2 for technical cybersecurity certification and enterprise training budgets.
• GIAC (SANS): Closest substitute for ISC2's technical certifications (SSCP, CSSLP), offering 30+ granular cybersecurity credentials. Frequently chosen by practitioners for hands-on technical depth versus ISC2's leadership-oriented portfolio.
• CompTIA: Vendor-neutral IT certification body offering Security+, CySA+, CASP+, and PenTest+ that compete with ISC2's entry-level CC and mid-tier certifications. Strong adoption in DoD 8140 and enterprise hiring pipelines.
• EC-Council: Cybersecurity certification body known for Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH), ECSA, and LPT credentials. Competes with ISC2 in ethical hacking and security engineering categories, particularly in emerging markets.

Emerging players

• OffSec: Issuer of OSCP, OSWE, and other hands-on offensive security certifications that emphasize practical skills verification. Emerging alternative to ISC2's exam-based model, gaining traction among technical practitioners and employers.
• Coursera: Online learning platform partnering with universities and companies to deliver professional certificates (including Google Cybersecurity Certificate, IBM Cybersecurity Analyst). Competes at entry-level and career-changer segments where ISC2's CC certification operates.

Broad incumbents

• Cisco (Certifications): Vendor certifications (CCNA Security, CCNP Security, Cisco Certified CyberOps Associate) bundled with Cisco's networking and security platform adoption. Complements but also competes with ISC2's network security credentials.
• Microsoft (Certifications): Issuer of Azure Security Engineer Associate, Cybersecurity Architect Expert, and SC-200 Security Operations Analyst credentials. Increasingly relevant as enterprises consolidate on Microsoft security stack.
• AWS (Certifications): AWS Certified Security - Specialty and related cloud/security credentials are widely adopted by cloud-first enterprises. Competes with ISC2's CCSP for cloud security certification wallet.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ISC2
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/ISC2TV
• Facebookfacebook.com/isc2fb
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/isc2

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ISC2