Effective Date: June 15, 2024

CGRC Certification Exam Outline

View and download the latest PDF version of the CGRC Certification Exam Outline:

About CGRC

A professional earning the Certified in Governance, Risk and Compliance (CGRC^®) is an information security practitioner who advocates for security risk management in pursuit of information system authorization to support an organization’s mission and operations in accordance with legal and regulatory requirements.

The broad spectrum of topics included in the CGRC Exam Outline ensure its relevancy across all disciplines in the field of information security. Successful candidates are competent in the following domains:

Security and Privacy Governance, Risk Management, and Compliance Program
Scope of the System
Selection and Approval of Framework, Security, and Privacy Controls
Implementation of Security and Privacy Controls
Assessment/Audit of Security and Privacy Controls
System Compliance
Compliance Maintenance

Experience Requirements

Candidates must have a minimum of two years cumulative work experience in one or more of the seven domains of the CGRC CBK.

A candidate that doesn’t have the required experience to become a CGRC may become an Associate of ISC2 by successfully passing the CGRC examination. The Associate of ISC2 will then have three years to earn the two years of required, relevant experience. Learn more about CGRC experience requirements and how to account for part-time work and internships at www.isc2.org/Certifications/CGRC/CGRC-Experience-Requirements.

Accreditation

CGRC is in compliance with the stringent requirements of the ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB) ISO/IEC Standard 17024.

Job Task Analysis (JTA)

ISC2 has an obligation to its membership to maintain the relevancy of the CGRC. Conducted at regular intervals, the Job Task Analysis (JTA) is a methodical and critical process of determining the tasks that are performed by security professionals who are engaged in the profession defined by the CGRC. The results of the JTA are used to update the examination. This process ensures that candidates are tested on the topic areas relevant to the roles and responsibilities of today’s practicing information security professionals.

CGRC Examination Information

Length of exam	3 hours
Number of items	125
Item format	Multiple choice and advanced item types
Passing grade	700 out of 1000 points
Exam language availability	English
Testing center	Pearson VUE Testing Center

CGRC Examination Weights

Domains	Average Weight
Security and Privacy Governance, Risk Management, and Compliance Program	16%
Scope of the System	10%
Selection and Approval of Framework, Security, and Privacy Controls	14%
Implementation of Security and Privacy Controls	17%
Assessment/Audit of Security and Privacy Controls	16%
System Compliance	14%
Compliance Maintenance	13%
Total	100%

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Domains

1.1 - Demonstrate knowledge in security and privacy governance, risk management, and compliance program

Principles of governance, risk management, and compliance
Risk management and compliance frameworks using national and international standards and guidelines for security and privacy requirements (e.g., National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), cybersecurity framework, Control Objectives for Information and Related Technology (COBIT), International Organization for Standardization/International Electrotechnical Commission (ISO/IEC))
System Development Life Cycle (SDLC) (e.g., requirements gathering, design, development, testing, and operations/maintenance/disposal)
Information lifecycle for each data type processed, stored, or transmitted (e.g., retaining, disposal/destruction, data flow, marking)
Confidentiality, integrity, availability, non-repudiation, and privacy concepts
System assets and boundary descriptions
Security and privacy controls and requirements
Roles and responsibilities for compliance activities and associated frameworks

1.2 - Demonstrate knowledge in security and privacy governance, risk management and compliance program processes

Establishment of compliance program for the applicable framework 1.3 - Understand regulatory and legal requirements

1.3 - Demonstrate knowledge of compliance frameworks, regulations, privacy, and security requirements

Familiarity with compliance frameworks (e.g., International Organization for Standardization/International Electrotechnical Commission (ISO/IEC), Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP), Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI-DSS), Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification)
Familiarity with other national and international laws and requirements for security and privacy (e.g., Federal Information Security Modernization Act (FISMA), Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), executive orders, General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR))

2.1 - Describe the system

System name and scope documented
System purpose and functionality

2.2 - Determine security compliance required

Information types processed, stored, or transmitted
Security objectives outlined for each information type based on national and international security and privacy compliance requirements (e.g., Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS), International Organization for Standardization/International Electrotechnical Commission (ISO/IEC), data protection impact assessment)
Risk impact level determined for system based on the selected framework

3.1 - Identify and document baseline and inherited controls

3.2 - Select and tailor controls

Determination of applicable baseline and/or inherited controls
Determination of appropriate control enhancements (e.g., security practices, overlays, mitigating controls)
Specific data handling/marking requirements identified
Control selection documentation
Continued compliance strategy (e.g., continuous monitoring, vulnerability management)
Control allocation and stakeholder agreement

4.1 - Develop implementation strategy (e.g., resourcing, funding, timeline, effectiveness)

Control implementation aligned with organizational expectations, national or international requirements, and compliance for security and privacy controls
Identification of control types (e.g., management, technical, common, operational control)
Frequency established for compliance documentation reviews and training

4.2 - Implement selected controls

Control implementation consistent with compliance requirements
Compensating or alternate security controls implemented

4.3 - Document control implementation

Residual security risk or planned implementations documented (e.g., Plan of Action and Milestones (POA&M), risk register)
Implemented controls documented consistent with the organization's purpose, scope, and risk profile (e.g., policies, procedures, plans)

5.1 - Prepare for assessment/audit

Stakeholder roles and responsibilities established
Objectives, scope, resources, schedule, deliverables, and logistics outlined
Assets, methods, and level of effort scoped
Evidence for demonstration of compliance audited (e.g., previous assessments/audits, system documentation, policies)
Assessment/audit plan finalized

5.2 - Conduct assessment/audit

Compliance capabilities verified using appropriate assessment methods: interview, examine, test (e.g., penetration, control, vulnerability scanning)
Evidence verified and validated

5.3 - Prepare the initial assessment/audit report

Risks identified during the assessment/audit provided
Risk mitigation summaries outlined
Preliminary findings recorded

5.4 - Review initial assessment/audit report and plan risk response actions

Risk response assigned (e.g., avoid, accept, share, mitigate, transfer) based on identified vulnerabilities or deficiencies
Risk response collaborated with stakeholders
Non-compliant findings with newly applied corrective actions reassessed and validated

5.5 - Develop final assessment/audit report

Final compliance documented (e.g., compliant, non-compliant, not applicable)
Recommendations documented when appropriate
Assessment report finalized

5.6 - Develop risk response plan

Residual risks and deficiencies identified
Risk prioritized
Required resources identified (e.g., financial, personnel, and technical) to determine time required to mitigate risk

6.1 - Review and submit security/privacy documents

Security and privacy documentation required to support a compliance decision by the appropriate party (e.g., authorizing official, third-party assessment organizations, agency) compiled, reviewed, and submitted

6.2 - Determine system risk posture

System risk acceptance criteria
Residual risk determination
Stakeholder concurrence for risk treatment options
Residual risks defined in formal documentation

6.3 - Document system compliance

Formal notification of compliance decision
Formal notification shared with stakeholders

7.1 - Perform system change management

Changes weigh the impact to organizational risk, operations, and/or compliance requirements (e.g., revisions to baselines)
Proposed changes documented and approved by authorized personnel (e.g., Change Control Board (CCB), technical review board)
Deploy to the environment (e.g., test, development, production) with rollback plan
Changes to the system tracked and compliance enforced

7.2 - Perform ongoing compliance activities based on requirements

Frequency established for ongoing compliance activities review with stakeholders
System and assets monitored (e.g., physical and logical assets, personnel, change control)
Incident response and contingency activities performed
Security updates performed and risks remediated/tracked
Evidence collected, testing performed, documentation updated (e.g., service level agreements, third party contracts, policies, procedures), and submission/communication to stakeholders when applicable
Awareness and training performed, documented, and retained (e.g., contingency, incident response, annual security and privacy)
Revising monitoring strategies based on updates to legal, regulatory, supplier, security and privacy requirements

7.3 - Engage in audits activities based on compliance requirements

Required testing and vulnerability scanning performed
Personnel interviews conducted
Documentation reviewed and updated

7.4 - Decommission system when applicable

Requirements for system decommissioning reviewed with stakeholders
System removed from operations and decommissioned
Documentation of the decommissioned system retained and shared with stakeholders

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Additional Examination Information

Supplementary References

Candidates are encouraged to supplement their education and experience by reviewing relevant resources that pertain to the CGRC Exam Outline and identifying areas of study that may need additional attention.

View the full list of supplementary references at www.isc2.org/certifications/references.

Examination Policies and Procedures

ISC2 recommends that CGRC candidates review exam policies and procedures prior to registering for the examination. Read the comprehensive breakdown of this important information at www.isc2.org/register-for-exam.