- Why No Verified C)SP Pass Rate Exists
- What Mile2 Actually Publishes About the Exam
- The Number Conflicts You Must Not Confuse
- Format and Delivery: 100 Multiple-Choice Items
- Where Candidates Likely Lose Points, Domain by Domain
- A Domain-Ordered Preparation Sequence
- Attempts, Bundles and What to Verify Before You Pay
- After You Pass: Validity and Renewal
- Frequently Asked Questions
- No verified, published candidate pass rate exists for Mile2 Certified Security Principles; any specific percentage you see quoted is unsupported.
- The C)SP assessment is 100 multiple-choice items, and the course PDF states an 80% passing grade.
- A 70% figure on Mile2's Canadian site sits in a box naming Certified Network Principles, not C)SP.
- The 12 listed domains are unweighted preparation topics, so study breadth rather than guessing a heavy domain.
Why No Verified C)SP Pass Rate Exists
Searching for a pass rate on Certified Security Principles usually produces confident-sounding percentages. Treat them with suspicion. After reviewing the public Mile2 course outline, policy documents, product pages and learning-system listings, there is no published statistic for how many candidates pass the C)SP exam on a first or any attempt. The issuer does not release cohort results in the materials we reviewed, and third-party sites that quote a figure almost never cite a source.
This matters because pass-rate numbers shape decisions. A candidate who believes the exam passes "most people" may under-prepare, while one who reads a scary figure may delay unnecessarily. The honest position is that the data on outcomes is absent, but the data on requirements is available, and requirements are what you can actually act on. This article lays out what is verifiable, flags where Mile2's own pages disagree, and shows how to translate those facts into a preparation plan. For a qualitative read on difficulty, see our complete difficulty guide for the C)SP exam.
What Mile2 Actually Publishes About the Exam
Certified Security Principles is issued by the Mile2 Cybersecurity Institute. It is an entry-level, broad-coverage credential: the public course outline walks through IT security fundamentals, risk, cryptography, identity and access, data, network, host, application and mobile security, day-to-day operations, and compliance. If you are still orienting yourself, our explainers on what C)SP certification is and what C)SP stands for cover the naming and scope in more detail.
The verifiable exam facts are modest but useful:
- Item count and type: 100 multiple-choice items, per the Mile2 Policies and Procedures document (dated 5-26-2026).
- Passing grade: 80%, stated in the exam paragraph of the correctly named C)SP course PDF.
- Delivery: online, through your Mile2 account and learning management system.
- Prerequisites: none mandatory. Mile2 suggests roughly 12 months of server-administration experience, or the Mile2 C)SA1, C)SA2, C)HT, C)OST and C)NP foundation, or equivalent knowledge.
- Course format: a five-day live English-language course advertising 40 CEUs, though Mile2 training is not required to sit the exam.
Notice what is missing: a verified fixed time limit for this specific exam, a percentage-weighted blueprint, and any outcome statistics. We deliberately do not fill those gaps with guesses. Our C)SP requirements guide covers eligibility in depth.
The Number Conflicts You Must Not Confuse
The single most common error in C)SP pass-rate discussions is mixing up passing scores that belong to different Mile2 products. Two figures circulate, and they are not interchangeable.
| Figure | Where It Appears | Belongs to C)SP? |
|---|---|---|
| 80% passing grade | C)SP course PDF, exam paragraph for the correctly named course | Yes |
| 70% passing statement | Exam box on mile2.ca naming Certified Network Principles | No, not assigned to C)SP |
| 100 multiple-choice items | Mile2 Policies and Procedures, page 17 | Yes |
| Fixed exam duration | No C)SP-specific value verified | Unconfirmed |
The Canadian certification page also carries a C)SA1 completion label alongside its Certified Network Principles exam box, which is why we do not assign that 70% figure to Certified Security Principles. Candidates who skim that page and plan around a 70% target are preparing for a lower bar than the course PDF describes. For a deeper look at how the threshold plays out, read our guide to the C)SP passing score.
Format and Delivery: 100 Multiple-Choice Items
What the question style demands
Multiple-choice at the principles level typically tests recognition and judgment rather than command-line recall. Expect scenario-flavored items that ask which control, concept or process best fits a situation. Because the credential targets people who manage and support security rather than build exploits, questions lean toward "which is the appropriate response" and "which term describes this" more than deep technical derivations.
The supervision conflict
Mile2's own documents disagree on how the exam is administered. The Frequently Asked Questions page describes most standard exams as on-demand, without a live-proctor appointment. The Policies and Procedures document, however, describes a proctored, open-book assessment that requires advance scheduling (page 18). Both are online, but the supervision model and whether you may consult resources differ.
Do not assume which applies to you. Confirm the supervision method and permitted materials for your assigned exam before test day, because it changes how you should prepare. An open-book format rewards knowing where to find information quickly and understanding concepts; a closed format rewards memorization. Our guide to C)SP exam dates and scheduling walks through the booking side.
Where Candidates Likely Lose Points, Domain by Domain
Mile2 publishes twelve preparation topics, but they are unweighted. There is no verified percentage blueprint and no confirmed "heaviest" topic, so we cannot honestly tell you which domain carries the most questions. What we can do is point out where breadth-oriented candidates tend to be uneven. These observations are qualitative reasoning about the syllabus, not pass-rate data. For the full breakdown, see our complete guide to all 12 C)SP content areas.
Risk Management
Candidates with a technical background often under-study the vocabulary of risk: assets, threats, vulnerabilities, likelihood, impact and treatment options.
- Distinguish risk acceptance, mitigation, transfer and avoidance
- Understand qualitative versus quantitative assessment
- Link risk decisions to business context, not just technical severity
Understanding of Cryptography
This is frequently the topic where non-specialists feel least comfortable, since it mixes concepts and terminology.
- Symmetric versus asymmetric approaches and when each is used
- Hashing, digital signatures and integrity
- Key management and the role of certificates
Understanding Identity and Access Management
Expect questions about how identities are verified and what rights they receive.
- Authentication factors and authorization models
- Least privilege and separation of duties
- Account lifecycle: provisioning through deprovisioning
Managing Data Security
Here the public sources conflict. The detailed outline lists Module 06 as Data Security, covering storage, encryption options and data management, while the overview labels Module 06 as Managing Network Security. Study both data protection and network defense so the discrepancy cannot cost you.
- Data at rest versus data in transit protections
- Classification, retention and disposal
- Backup and storage considerations
Managing Network Security and Managing Server/Host Security
Network topics reward conceptual clarity: segmentation, filtering, monitoring and secure configuration. Host topics center on hardening, patching and baseline management.
- Firewall and segmentation concepts
- Hardening servers and endpoints
- Patch and configuration management
Application Security for Non-Developers
Because the audience is not coding, questions focus on recognizing common weaknesses and understanding secure development and deployment at a managerial level.
- Common web and application threat categories
- Why input handling and updates matter
- The role of testing and review
Understanding Mobile Device Security (IoT), Managing Day to Day Security, and Understanding Compliance and Auditing
These later topics are easy to rush. Mobile and IoT cover device management and the expanded attack surface; day-to-day security covers operational routines and incident handling; compliance and auditing covers frameworks, evidence and review.
- Device policy, encryption and remote management
- Monitoring, logging and response routines
- Audit evidence, controls and regulatory awareness
Spelling quirks in the public outline, such as "Intro to IT Security" in one place and "Understating Compliance and Auditing" in another, are typographical differences in Mile2's own documents, not separate subjects. Our C)SP cheat sheet condenses the must-know facts across these areas.
A Domain-Ordered Preparation Sequence
Since the topics are unweighted, a sensible plan front-loads the conceptual foundations that later topics depend on, and saves the most operational material for once the vocabulary is solid. Here is one ordering tied specifically to the C)SP syllabus. For a fuller plan, see the C)SP study guide.
Foundations and Risk
- Course Introduction and Introduction to IT Security
- Risk Management vocabulary and treatment options
Cryptography and Identity
- Understanding of Cryptography, which needs the most repetition
- Understanding Identity and Access Management
Data, Network and Host
- Managing Data Security and Managing Network Security, covering both readings of Module 06
- Managing Server/Host Security
Applications, Mobile, Operations and Compliance
- Application Security for Non-Developers and Mobile Device Security (IoT)
- Managing Day to Day Security and Compliance and Auditing, then full-length timed practice
Because the passing grade is 80%, finish with several full 100-question practice sets and review every miss by domain. Original practice questions that mirror the multiple-choice style are the most efficient way to expose uneven coverage.
Key Takeaway
Without a published pass rate or domain weighting, your best defense is balanced coverage of all twelve topics and practice scores that clear 80% with room to spare. Test yourself on the full set at our C)SP practice test site before booking.
Attempts, Bundles and What to Verify Before You Pay
Pass-rate anxiety often becomes a question about retakes: how many tries do I get? The Mile2 sources are inconsistent enough that you should verify before purchasing. The C)SP Exam Combo product page lists an E-Book, an Exam Simulator and Exam Prep, but does not explicitly list the exam itself in that inclusion list. By contrast, the FAQ and the Exam Combos page describe combos as including the certification exam and two attempts.
| Item | What Sources Say | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Voucher in the Exam Combo | Product page inclusion list omits the exam; FAQ and Exam Combos page say it is included | Confirm before checkout |
| Number of attempts | FAQ and Exam Combos page describe two attempts | Confirm for your product |
| Bundle price | Earlier reviews recorded an advertised USD 500 price, with USD 795 noted as an original price | Treat as unverified; check live checkout |
Those price figures come from prior review records, not from the retrieved product text, so do not treat them as current checkout prices or as a standalone voucher fee. Our C)SP certification cost breakdown explains how to budget without relying on stale numbers.
After You Pass: Validity and Renewal
A passing result is not permanent. The credential is valid for three years. Mile2's renewal materials describe a standard route requiring 60 documented CEUs over the three-year period, a renewal purchase and an ethics/policy acknowledgment, with an alternative of passing the latest exam for an existing credential. The FAQ lists a USD 200 U.S. regional price for CEU renewal and no annual membership requirement.
Mile2's pages do not fully agree on the renewal mechanics. The course PDF presents a current exam and 20 annual CEUs as joint requirements, and the policy document couples annual CEUs with an exam-or-renewal-purchase requirement, which differs from the dedicated alternative-path page. Confirm the applicable route and deadline for your own certificate rather than assuming one description is complete.
If you are weighing whether the effort pays off, our analyses of whether the C)SP certification is worth it and the C)SP salary guide discuss value without inventing a pay premium, and the C)SP jobs overview looks at the roles where a broad security-principles credential is relevant.
Frequently Asked Questions
No verified candidate pass rate has been published for Mile2 Certified Security Principles. Any specific percentage you encounter is unsupported unless it names a primary Mile2 source, so plan around the documented requirements instead.
The C)SP course PDF states an 80% passing grade on a 100-item multiple-choice assessment. A 70% figure on Mile2's Canadian site appears in a box naming Certified Network Principles, so it is not assigned to C)SP.
No C)SP-specific fixed duration was verified. The FAQ's general statement about most exams and the five-day course length are not sufficient to state a time limit, so confirm the timer in your Mile2 account.
Mile2's pages conflict. The FAQ describes most standard exams as on-demand without a live-proctor appointment, while the Policies and Procedures document describes a proctored, open-book assessment scheduled in advance. Confirm your assigned supervision and permitted resources.
No. Mile2 training is not mandatory. Mile2 suggests about 12 months of server-administration experience, or the C)SA1, C)SA2, C)HT, C)OST and C)NP foundation, or equivalent knowledge. Review the C)SP training options if you want structured instruction.