91%

of the largest organisations have changed their cybersecurity strategy because of geopolitical volatility. WEF Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2026.

PECB Chief Information Security Officer certification

Security Strategy Needs a Leader.

Nine in ten of the largest organisations have reshaped their security strategy in response to geopolitical risk. PECB CISO shows you can build, run and report on the programme behind that strategy.

HRD Corp claimableYayasan Peneraju: may be eligibleKL or online

Exam

PECB CISO

Course

5 days

Course fee

RM7,500

Exam fee

Included

Next intake

15 Feb 2027

Quick answer

What is PECB Chief Information Security Officer?

PECB Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) is a certification for security leaders who design, run and improve an organisation’s information security programme. It covers the CISO role and ethics, compliance programmes, risk management, security architecture, controls, incident and change management, and security culture. It is framework-neutral, drawing on international standards, laws and regulations.

Exam facts verified against pecb.com on 23 Oct 2026

FOR

Security managers, IT managers and senior specialists moving into leadership

ROLES

CISO, head of information security, security programme manager

SKIP IF

You want hands-on technical skills. Start with Security+ or SSCP

01

The Credential

What you study, practise and sit to earn it.

Complete the five-day course, pass the exam on day 5 and sign the PECB Code of Ethics. With no experience you hold PECB Certified Information Security Officer; with five years’ experience you can apply for PECB Certified Chief Information Security Officer.

COURSE

5 days, exam on day 5

MATERIALS

450+ pages, practical examples

EXAM

80 Qs, open book

CREDENTIAL

PECB Certified CISO

Awarded by

PECB

Level

Advanced, leadership

Prerequisite

None to sit; 5 years’ experience for CISO

No experience yet?

Start as Information Security Officer

Validity

3 years, with CPD

CPD

31 credits for attendance

02

Decide in 60 Seconds

Four options people weigh against each other.

If you want to

Choose

Why

Lead the security programme, framework-neutral

→

PECB CISO

Five days on running security as a CISO

Manage security governance and risk

→

ISACA CISM

Governance, risk, programme and incident management

Lead security across every technical domain

→

ISC2 CISSP

Broad senior credential across eight domains

Run an ISO/IEC 27001 programme

→

ISO/IEC 27001 Lead Implementer

Five days on planning, building and running an ISMS

Is PECB CISO the right step for you?
0/4

Tick what applies. 3 or 4: you are ready for this course. Fewer: start with Security+ or ISO/IEC 27001 Foundation.

03

What the Exam Covers

Five competency domains from PECB’s CISO candidate handbook. Bars to scale.

5 domains, 80 questionsLargest: Controls, incidents and change, 26.25%

Security controls, incident and change management 26%
The CISO’s role in the security programme 25%
Compliance programme, risk management, architecture and design 25%
Security culture, monitoring, measurement and improvement 13%
Fundamental concepts of information security 11%

Source: PECB Chief Information Security Officer Candidate Handbook. Domain names shortened.

04

What the Course Covers

Five days: the role, the programme, then your exam.

Five days of instructor-led PECB training. You build the information security programme a CISO runs, from compliance and risk through controls and incidents to culture and measurement, with the certification exam on day 5.

Day 1

The CISO and the Programme

  • Information security fundamentals
  • The CISO’s role, responsibilities and ethics
  • Building the information security programme

Day 2

Compliance, Risk and Architecture

  • Choosing a compliance programme
  • Analysing current security capabilities
  • Risk management
  • Security architecture and design

Day 3

Controls and Incidents

  • Security controls in operation
  • Incident management
  • Change management

Day 4

Culture and Improvement

  • Awareness and training
  • Monitoring, measurement and assurance
  • Continual improvement

Day 5

Certification Exam

  • 80 multiple-choice questions, open book
  • 70% to pass

450+

pages of PECB training material with practical examples and exercises for each domain.

05

Why Now

What security leaders face, and why train with us.

87%

identified AI-related vulnerabilities as the fastest-growing cyber risk over 2025

WEF Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2026

48%

of breaches now involve a third party, up 60% in a year

Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report 2026

3%

of Malaysian organisations reach a Mature level of cyber readiness

Cisco Cybersecurity Readiness Index 2025

6 hrs

Six Hours to Report. Who’s Watching the Alerts?

Malaysia’s Cyber Security Act 2024 (Act 854) came into force on 26 August 2024. Critical infrastructure entities must report a cyber security incident within six hours, and managed SOC monitoring services now need a licence. Duties like these land on the security leader, who has to turn them into a programme the board can follow.

NACSA; Cyber Security (Notification of Cyber Security Incident) Regulations 2024

PECB Authorized Gold Partner

Delivering PECB’s official Chief Information Security Officer course

Exam included

Fee covers training, exam, certification and one free retake

HRD Corp registered

This course is HRD Corp claimable

KL or online

Instructor-led in class or live online

06

The Cost, All In

Every figure per person, in ringgit.

Fees

Five-day courseIncluded

Exam, certification fee and one free retakeIncluded

Funding

HRD Corp claim for employersClaimable

Yayasan Peneraju financing (Bumiputera)May be eligible

Course with exam

RM7,500

Dates

Where

Fee

Mon 15 to Fri 19 Feb 2027

Kuala Lumpur or online

RM7,500 incl. exam

Mon 10 to Fri 14 May 2027

Kuala Lumpur or online

RM7,500 incl. exam

Mon 9 to Fri 13 Aug 2027

Kuala Lumpur or online

RM7,500 incl. exam

Credential levels: pass the exam with no experience to hold PECB Certified Information Security Officer. Five years’ experience, two in information security, plus 300 hours of security programme work qualifies you for PECB Certified Chief Information Security Officer.

Training a team? We run private intakes on dates that suit your organisation, with HRD Corp claims handled alongside you.

07

Exam and Renewal

What exam day looks like, and what happens after you pass.

Credential

PECB Certified Chief Information Security Officer

Format

Multiple choice, open book, scenario-based

Questions

80

Passing score

70%

When

Day 5 of the course, on paper or online

Retake

One free retake within 12 months

Exam fee

Included in the course fee

EVERY 3 YEARS

Keep your CPD up

PECB credentials are valid for three years. Log continual professional development through the cycle to renew.

ANNUAL FEE

Maintenance fee applies

A PECB maintenance fee keeps the credential active. Your advisor confirms the current amount.

FAQ

Questions People Ask

What is PECB Chief Information Security Officer?

It is PECB’s certification for security leaders who design, run and improve an information security programme, covering the CISO role, compliance, risk, architecture, controls, incidents and security culture.

No. You need a basic understanding of information security. Pass with no experience and you hold PECB Certified Information Security Officer, then apply for the CISO credential once you have the experience.

Five years of professional experience, two of them in information security, plus 300 hours of information security programme activities.

At Trainocate Malaysia the five-day course is RM7,500 per person, including the exam, certification fee and one free retake. The course is HRD Corp claimable, and Malaysian Bumiputera learners may be eligible for Yayasan Peneraju funding.

80 multiple-choice questions, open book, with stand-alone and scenario-based questions. You need 70% to pass, and you can retake it once for free within 12 months.

Both suit security leaders. PECB CISO follows the CISO’s job, from building the programme to measuring it, in a five-day course with the exam included. ISACA CISM focuses on governance, risk, programme and incident management, and needs five years’ experience to certify.

PECB credentials are valid for three years. Log continual professional development and pay PECB’s maintenance fee to renew.

Lead the Security Programme

Pick an intake. An advisor confirms your seat, HRD Corp claims and Yayasan Peneraju eligibility with you.

  • Next intake: 15 to 19 Feb 2027
  • RM7,500, exam and one free retake included

Sources

  1. PECB: Chief Information Security Officer
  2. PECB: CISO candidate handbook (PDF)
  3. PECB: CISO training and certification
  4. PECB: Certification Maintenance Policy 2026 (PDF)
  5. World Economic Forum: Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2026
  6. Verizon: 2026 DBIR news release (19 May 2026)
  7. Trainocate: PECB-CISO course page
  8. Cisco 2025 Cybersecurity Readiness Index, Malaysia findings (via Cybersecurity Asia)
  9. NACSA: Cyber Security Act 2024 (Act 854)
  10. MAICSA: Act 854 regulations summary