---
url: "https://xcademia.com/courses/xcademia-cyber-security-executive"
title: Xcademia Cyber Security Executive
description: "Earn XCISO through a 6-day CISO programme. NIS2 personal liability, DORA Article 5, NIST CSF Govern. Practitioner-assessed. CCISO alternative UK. No MCQs."
publishedAt: "2026-04-20T05:08:27.539484+00:00"
updatedAt: "2026-04-20T10:55:48.6259+00:00"
type: course
code: "CYB-0309"
level: Expert
duration_days: "6"
track: "Cyber Executive & CISO Leadership "
category: "Cybersecurity & Ethical Hacking"
credential_tier: tier3
price_gbp: "5995"
---

# Xcademia Cyber Security Executive

> The XCISO Certification Programme is the practitioner standard for security executives who govern enterprise security programmes, lead organisations through cyber crises, communicate risk at board level, and take personal accountability under NIS2, DORA, and UK GDPR senior management obligations. Assessed on Day 6 through a supervised CISO governance and crisis scenario. No MCQs. No 150-question exam. Executive practitioners assessed by executives.

## Overview

The CISO role has changed fundamentally. NIS2 Article 20 makes senior management personally accountable for cybersecurity. DORA Article 5 places ICT risk governance obligations directly on the management body. UK GDPR Article 24 requires demonstrable accountability at leadership level. The CCISO from EC-Council is a 150-question multiple choice exam that tests CISO knowledge recall across five domains. XCISO is built for professionals who need to demonstrate actual executive security governance capability.

Across six instructor-led days, XCISO covers every dimension of the modern CISO role: governance framework design and board reporting, enterprise risk management in CISO language, regulatory personal liability under NIS2 and DORA, security programme design and investment justification, security operations oversight, crisis leadership and media communication, supply chain governance, AI security governance at executive level, and the CISO career strategy that sustains long-term effectiveness.

On Day 6, participants navigate a complex CISO governance scenario: a major incident is unfolding, regulatory notifications are due, the board wants a briefing, media are calling, and the security programme budget is under threat. The senior practitioner observes governance decisions, regulatory compliance, and executive communication quality throughout. XCISO certificate and Practitioner Assessment Report issued together. Aligned with EC-Council CCISO five domains, NIST CSF 2.0 Govern function, ISO 27001:2022 Clause 5, NIS2 Article 20, DORA Article 5, NCSC CAF, and UK Cyber Security Council CISO competency framework.

## Prerequisites

- Minimum 5 years of senior security management or programme leadership experience across at least three security domains
- Working knowledge of enterprise security governance frameworks: ISO 27001, NIST CSF, or equivalent
- Experience communicating security risk to executive or board-level audiences

## What you will learn

- Design and govern enterprise security programmes across all five CCISO domains aligned to NIST CSF 2.0, ISO 27001:2022, and NIS2 senior management obligations
- Communicate cyber risk at board level using FAIR-based quantification and executive reporting formats that align security investment to business objectives
- Meet personal accountability obligations under NIS2 Article 20, DORA Article 5, and UK GDPR Article 24 with documented governance evidence
- Lead security operations oversight including SOC governance, MSSP management, threat intelligence programme sponsorship, and supply chain risk governance
- Govern AI security, zero trust transformation, and post-quantum cryptography migration at executive programme level
- Lead organisations through cyber crises with regulatory notification compliance, board communication, and media management capability

## Skills you will gain

- CISO governance framework design
- Enterprise risk management (FAIR)
- NIS2 Article 20 personal accountability
- DORA Article 5 management body obligations
- Security programme design and KPIs
- SOC and MSSP oversight
- Supply chain and third-party risk governance
- AI security governance (EU AI Act)
- Security budget and CFO communication
- Crisis leadership and board briefing
- Media communication governance
- CISO career and personal resilience

## Career progression

- CISO
- Deputy CISO
- Head of Information Security
- Director of Cyber Security
- VP of Security
- Security Programme Director

## Framework alignment

- EC-Council CCISO (5 domains)
- NIST CSF 2.0 Govern Function
- ISO 27001:2022 Clause 5
- NIS2 Article 20 and 23
- DORA Article 5 to 6
- NCSC CAF
- UK Cyber Security Council CISO Framework
- FAIR Methodology

## Curriculum

1. **Module 1**
2. **Module 2**
3. **Module 3**

## Exam & certification

You will receive an Xcademia certificate of completion based on participation and successful completion of labs and scenario simulations.

## Delivery options

- **Live Online** — Join live instructor-led sessions from anywhere. Interactive, engaging, and flexible.
- **Onsite Training** — We come to you. Training delivered at your workplace for teams of 6 or more.
- **Venue-Based** — Classroom training at a professional venue. Ideal for focused, immersive learning.
- **Blended** — Combine online and in-person learning for maximum flexibility and impact.

## Frequently asked questions

**How does XCISO compare to EC-Council CCISO?**

CCISO is a 150 multiple choice exam across five domains requiring $999 exam, $100 application fee, and $2,500 to $3,500 training, plus 120 ECE credits every 3 years. XCISO is 6 instructor-led days assessed on Day 6 through a live CISO governance and crisis scenario observed by a senior practitioner. The Practitioner Assessment Report documents governance decisions, regulatory compliance, and executive communication quality.

**Does XCISO cover NIS2 personal liability for CISOs?**

Yes explicitly. Day 1 covers NIS2 Article 20 personal management accountability, mandatory security training obligations, and Article 23 notification timelines the CISO must govern. Day 5 covers regulatory notification decision governance under live crisis conditions. This is the regulatory content that CCISO does not address at UK and EU specificity.

**Is XCISO suitable for aspiring CISOs as well as current CISOs?**

Yes. XCISO is designed for both current CISOs who want to validate and document their capability, and senior security professionals (Head of Security, Deputy CISO, Security Programme Director) who are preparing for their first CISO appointment. The programme covers the full breadth of CISO responsibilities rather than a single domain.

**How does XCISO address the board communication challenge?**

Board communication is woven throughout the programme. Day 4 covers security investment business cases for CFO audiences. Day 5 covers board briefing during active incidents and post-crisis credibility management. The Day 6 capstone includes preparing an emergency board briefing mid-crisis. Participants leave with a board communication framework, not just presentation tips.

**What salary and market positioning does XCISO support?**

UK CISO salaries range from £100,000 to £250,000+ depending on sector and organisation size. Financial services CISOs consistently command premiums above this range. The Practitioner Assessment Report gives XCISO holders documented evidence of executive governance capability across all five CCISO competency domains.

## Course at a glance

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Code | CYB-0309 |
| Duration | 6 days |
| Level | Expert |
| Track | Cyber Executive & CISO Leadership  |
| Category | Cybersecurity & Ethical Hacking |
| Credential tier | tier3 |
| Price (GBP) | £5995 |

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## About this content

This Markdown course profile is the citation-grade twin of [Xcademia Cyber Security Executive](https://xcademia.com/courses/xcademia-cyber-security-executive). It is published by **Xcademia** (UK Companies House 12322710) and is available for AI search engines and large language models to index, summarise, and cite.

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