IT & Cybersecurity
ISC2 CSSLP®Certified Secure Software Lifecycle Professional
ISC2 CSSLP (Certified Secure Software Lifecycle Professional) is the senior-level secure software development certification. It covers security across the full SDLC: requirements, architecture, design, implementation, testing, deployment, operations, maintenance, and supply chain. Unlike OSWE or GWAPT, CSSLP is a program-oriented cert focused on building security into software development at scale rather than performing app pen-tests. The eight-domain exam reflects current industry practice including SBOM management, DevSecOps integration, and supply chain security, which makes it the most relevant credential for AppSec leads at federal contractors subject to NIST SP 800-218 (SSDF) requirements.
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Exam facts
Everything you need to know about the ISC2 CSSLP® exam.
- Passing score
- 700 / 1000
- Format & length
- 125 questions · 3 hours
- Voucher cost
- ~$599 USD
- Prerequisites
- 4 years cumulative experience in 1+ of the 8 CSSLP domains (or 3 years + qualifying degree); Associate of ISC2 path available
- Validity
- 3 years (90 CPE hours required, plus $125 annual maintenance fee)
What’s tested
Key topics on the ISC2 CSSLP® exam.
The Cert Climb question bank is mapped to every domain on the official ISC2 CSSLP® exam blueprint, so what you study is what the test asks.
- Secure Software Concepts
- Secure Software Lifecycle Management
- Secure Software Requirements
- Secure Software Architecture & Design
- Secure Software Implementation
- Secure Software Testing
- Secure Software Deployment, Operations, Maintenance
- Secure Software Supply Chain
Who it’s for
Built for the people taking this exam.
Application security leads, secure SDLC program managers, senior developers moving into AppSec, and CISSP holders specializing in software security. Common at fintech, healthtech, and federal contractors with formal SDLC requirements.
Why it matters in 2026
The career signal.
CSSLP is DoD 8140-approved for IASAE Levels I and II and is the only widely recognized vendor-neutral cert focused specifically on secure SDLC governance. Federal contractors with software-development scope on contracts often need a documented number of CSSLPs on staff to satisfy DFARS and SSDF (NIST SP 800-218) obligations. It is also a strong differentiator for AppSec leads moving toward director-of-product-security roles, where management responsibility for the SDLC program (not just app pen-testing) is the actual job.
Sample question
What a ISC2 CSSLP® question looks like.
An organization permits employees to set their own access permissions on personal files and folders stored on the corporate network. Which access control model does this describe?
Why: Discretionary Access Control (DAC) allows resource owners to decide who may access their files and what level of access to grant. The owner exercises discretion over permissions. Mandatory Access Control (MAC) enforces centrally managed sensitivity labels and clearances — used in military classification systems. Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) ties permissions to predefined roles rather than individual owner choices. Attribute-Based Access Control (ABAC) evaluates a set of attributes associated with the requester and resource to make access decisions.
What you get
Everything you need to actually pass.
Full question bank
499 questions covering every objective on the official ISC2 CSSLP® exam blueprint, with detailed explanations on every option — right and wrong.
Quiz modes
Timed exam simulation, missed-only review, topic drills, and a daily question of the day. Practice the way you study best.
Flashcards
Spaced-repetition flashcards generated from each topic. Pull them up on a phone in the gap between meetings.
Progress tracking
See per-topic accuracy and answered counts. Find weak areas before they cost you on test day.
Per-category premium
Unlocking ISC2 CSSLP® unlocks every other IT & Cybersecurity exam in the Cert Climb catalog — pay once, stack credentials.
No-fluff explanations
Every wrong answer comes with a 2-3 sentence explanation of why it’s wrong, not just “the correct answer is X.” Pattern recognition is the whole game.
Read while you study
ISC2 CSSLP® articles & study guides
CompTIA Security+ (SY0-701) Study Guide — Pass on Your First Try in 2026
A no-fluff Security+ study plan: the SY0-701 domain weights, the 12 acronyms that crush most failures, performance-based question strategy, and a 6-week schedule that works for full-time learners.
How to Study for an IT Certification (and Actually Pass): A Practical 2026 Playbook
Most certification advice is about books. The hard part is the schedule, the focus, and the test-day mental game. Here's the system that's worked across CompTIA, Cisco, ISC2, and AWS.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about ISC2 CSSLP®
How many questions does the ISC2 CSSLP® bank have?
499 questions, organized into 8 subject areas mapped to the official exam objectives.
Is the free trial really free?
Yes. 30 questions, no credit card, no email-trap, no “activate by Friday or pay” spam. You either upgrade because the bank’s good, or you don’t.
What does premium cost?
Premium is sold per category and unlocks every IT & Cybersecurity exam in the Cert Climb catalog. Plans are 1-month, 3-month, or 12-month — see the upgrade modal for current pricing.
How current is the ISC2 CSSLP® content?
We track exam version updates and refresh the bank within weeks of new objectives. Where the version of an exam matters (e.g. CompTIA SY0-701 vs. SY0-601), question explanations call it out.
Can I cancel my subscription anytime?
Yes. Cancellation is one click from your profile. Your access continues through the end of the period you’ve already paid for.
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