A side-by-side comparison of 36 professional certifications across Project Management, Cloud & Platform, Networking, Cybersecurity, Data & AI, Finance & Accounting, IT Service Management, Software Development. Compare verified vendor examination formats, passing rules, renewal requirements, and domain outlines.
| Attribute | CISSP (ISC)² | OSCP OffSec | CEH EC-Council | CISA ISACA | GCIH SANS/GIAC | CCSP ISC2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full Title | Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) | Offensive Security Certified Professional (OSCP) | Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) | Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) | GIAC Certified Incident Handler (GCIH) | Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP) |
| Issuing Body | (ISC)² | OffSec | EC-Council | ISACA | SANS/GIAC | ISC2 |
| Credential Tier | Expert | Professional | Professional | Professional | Professional | Expert |
| Domain Area | Cybersecurity | Cybersecurity | Cybersecurity | Cybersecurity | Cybersecurity | Cybersecurity |
| Exam Format | A proctored computer-based exam with 100 to 125 items of multiple-choice and advanced item types across the eight CISSP domains, in English, over a three-hour session. | A proctored practical exam on a real network within a 24-hour session, requiring machine and network compromise plus a full penetration testing report. | A proctored exam with multiple-choice items plus a practical component with an exam lab, covering the CEH objectives across attack phases. | A proctored exam of multiple-choice items across the CISA domains covering IS audit process, governance, risk, control and information asset protection. | A proctored multiple-choice exam drawn from the GIAC detection and incident-handling curricula, with practical skills validated by accompanying lab work. | A proctored computer-based exam of multiple-choice and advanced item types across the four CCSP domains, with English-language availability by exam. |
| Penalty Rule | Set by the issuer — most vendor exams apply none | Set by the issuer — most vendor exams apply none | Set by the issuer — most vendor exams apply none | Set by the issuer — most vendor exams apply none | Set by the issuer — most vendor exams apply none | Set by the issuer — most vendor exams apply none |
| Validity Period | CISSP credentials renew every three years through a continuing-education programme with a required number of CPE credits and an annual payment, per (ISC)² policy. | The credential does not expire under OffSec's published policy, though renewals are available; check the current certification policy. | CEH credentials renew every three years through a renewal assessment or by earning EC-Council continuing-education credits. | CISA renews annually through a continuing-education programme with a required CPE reporting and annual maintenance fee. | GIAC certifications are valid for three years and renewed through a GIAC re-certification exam. | Credentials renew every three years through continuing education with an annual maintenance fee, per ISC2 policy. |
| Prerequisites | (ISC)² requires a minimum of five years of cumulative work experience, four of which must be in security, with waivers for qualifying education. Read the current experience requirements before applying. | OffSec publishes no formal prerequisites, though OSCP-level knowledge is expected for useful performance. | EC-Council requires either two years of documented information security work experience or completion of an approved EC-Council training course as the route to sitting the exam. | ISACA requires experience in the audit, control or security areas with waivers for education or certifications; the current waiver conditions are published by ISACA. | No formal prerequisite is required; GIAC sets no experience gate for the exam, though the associated curricula are demanding. | ISC2 requires five years of cumulative paid work experience in IT, including three years in information security and at least one year in one of the CCSP domains, with waivers for education and certifications. |
| Official Domains | 6 domains (Security and Risk Management, Asset Security...) | 4 domains (Penetration testing methodology and reporting, Network attack vectors and pivoting...) | 4 domains (Reconnaissance, scanning and enumeration, System hacking and exploitation vectors...) | 4 domains (Information Systems Auditing Process, Governance and Risk Management...) | 4 domains (Incident detection and analysis, Incident response, containment and eradication...) | 4 domains (Cloud Security Architecture and Design, Cloud Security Operations...) |
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