Certified Information Security Manager (CISM)
ISACA
ISACA's management-focused credential validating expertise in governing, building, and managing an enterprise information security program.
We have a course for this
Built from this exam's published objectives. The first module is free.
Baseline certification levels
This certification satisfies these DoD baseline levels — the IAT / IAM / IASAE / CSSP requirement many contracts still state. It's a separate question from the 8140 work roles above, and there is no official mapping between the two.
What this qualifies you for
Listed specifically for 6 work roles — up to Advanced proficiency. Because options cascade downward, a cert listed at Advanced also satisfies Intermediate and Basic for that role.
Also listed for 14 Cyberspace Enablers roles — but so is every other certification
The Enablers matrix isn’t role-differentiated: the same certification options are listed for all 14 roles at every proficiency level. We verified that across all 14. So this is true, and it carries no information about this credential specifically — which is why it isn’t in the count above.
Renewal
Annual maintenance fee: US$45 for ISACA members, US$85 for non-members (in addition to earning/reporting CPE).
This is the issuer’s clock. 8140 runs a second one — 20 hours of CPD a year, at every proficiency level, which applies even if you hold no certification at all. How that works
CISM job practice / Exam Content Outline update is effective 2026-11-03; the 2022 job practice (used here) remains current for all exams taken through 2026-11-02. Updated prep materials release ~September 2026. Domain weights for the new outline were not yet publicly posted by ISACA as of research date. Exam format (150 questions, 4 hours, scaled 200-800, passing 450), experience requirement, and CPE/maintenance-fee figures were confirmed via multiple secondary sources aggregating ISACA policy; ISACA's own overview page links out to policy documents rather than stating these inline.
Source: ISACA — CISM Exam Content Outline · dated 2026-07-17 · checked 2026-07-17
Verifying it
ISACA publishes a lookup a third party can use without your involvement.
Certification/credential number plus the holder's last name (verifiable by anyone, no holder login required).
CISM job practice / Exam Content Outline update is effective 2026-11-03; the 2022 job practice (used here) remains current for all exams taken through 2026-11-02. Updated prep materials release ~September 2026. Domain weights for the new outline were not yet publicly posted by ISACA as of research date. Exam format (150 questions, 4 hours, scaled 200-800, passing 450), experience requirement, and CPE/maintenance-fee figures were confirmed via multiple secondary sources aggregating ISACA policy; ISACA's own overview page links out to policy documents rather than stating these inline.
Source: ISACA — CISM Exam Content Outline · dated 2026-07-17 · checked 2026-07-17
Exam blueprint
Verified against ISACA’s published outline.
CISM · 2022 job practice
Current150 questions · 4 hours · scaled score 200-800 · passing 450
CISM job practice / Exam Content Outline update is effective 2026-11-03; the 2022 job practice (used here) remains current for all exams taken through 2026-11-02. Updated prep materials release ~September 2026. Domain weights for the new outline were not yet publicly posted by ISACA as of research date. Exam format (150 questions, 4 hours, scaled 200-800, passing 450), experience requirement, and CPE/maintenance-fee figures were confirmed via multiple secondary sources aggregating ISACA policy; ISACA's own overview page links out to policy documents rather than stating these inline.
Source: ISACA — CISM Exam Content Outline · dated 2026-07-17 · checked 2026-07-17