ISC2 Certified in Cybersecurity (CC)

cybersecurity Entry-Level Updated: 2025-01-15 Methodology

The ISC2 Certified in Cybersecurity (CC) is a free entry-level certification designed for individuals starting their cybersecurity career. It covers foundational security concepts and is backed by ISC2, the same organization behind CISSP, making it an excellent stepping stone into the field.

$65K
Avg Salary
80%
Pass Rate
8.0K
Job Listings
30h
Study Time
0

Exam Details

Exam CodeCC
0
Duration2 hours
Questions100
Passing Score700/1000
ProviderISC2
Difficulty3/10

Salary Data

Professionals holding the ISC2 Certified in Cybersecurity (CC) certification earn between $50,000 and $80,000 annually, with an average of $65,000.

Job market demand trend: Growing

Prerequisites

  • No experience required

Skills Covered

Security PrinciplesAccess ControlsNetwork SecuritySecurity OperationsIncident Response Fundamentals

Best Study Resources

Official (Free)

ISC2 Free CC Online Self-Paced Training

 Book

ISC2 CC Study Guide — Official

 Course

Mike Chapple — CC Video Course

Comparisons Featuring ISC2 Certified in Cybersecurity (CC)

CompTIA Security+ vs ISC2 CC: Best Entry-Level Security Cert?

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is the ISC2 CC exam really free?
Yes. ISC2 offers both the self-paced training course and the exam voucher at no cost. This initiative was launched to help close the cybersecurity workforce gap and lower barriers to entry.
How does ISC2 CC compare to CompTIA Security+?
CC is easier and free, making it ideal for absolute beginners. Security+ is more comprehensive, more widely recognized in job postings, and covers a broader range of topics. Many professionals earn CC first, then pursue Security+.
What career opportunities does the CC certification open?
CC can help you land entry-level roles such as Junior Security Analyst, IT Security Support, Help Desk with security focus, and Security Operations Center (SOC) Tier 1 positions. It also provides a foundation for pursuing SSCP and eventually CISSP.

Data Sources

  • Salary data — Aggregated from job postings and salary surveys (US median)
  • Job listings — Active postings across major job boards
  • Pass rates — Community-reported estimates (not official vendor data)
  • Exam details — ISC2 official documentation