I|SE is a foundational, self-paced course with a proctored multiple-choice exam (code 112-58, 75 questions, 2 hours, 70% to pass) and no prior IT experience required. Prepare from the ISEv1 blueprint's 11 weighted domains, using the course modules, five labs, and capstone project as learning support rather than a literal exam script.
What the ISE credential covers
IoT Security Essentials (I|SE) is EC-Council's foundational course on securing Internet of Things systems, from basic IoT concepts through threats, cloud security, threat intelligence, incident response, and security engineering.
EC-Council describes I|SE as a guide to securing IoT systems that moves from fundamentals to advanced security threats and security engineering, aiming to equip you to identify, assess, and mitigate security risks in IoT environments.
The course targets people with or without experience: students, graduates, career starters and changers, and IT or cybersecurity teams with little or no work experience. EC-Council states explicitly that no prior cybersecurity knowledge or IT work experience is required, so there is no eligibility barrier to enrollment.
Certification is earned by completing the course and passing the exam. Note that a foundational credential like this is a starting point; it is not positioned by the issuer as a specialist or advanced qualification.
Sources used: IoT Security Certification & Training | ISE Course | EC-Council — Official ISE course page: exam details, course outline, FAQs
Exam format and logistics
The ISE exam carries code 112-58, contains 75 multiple-choice questions, and lasts 2 hours. EC-Council publishes a 70% passing score, delivers the exam through its ECC Exam Center, and validates the credential for three years.
The official course page lists the exam details directly: exam code 112-58, 75 questions, a 2-hour duration, and a multiple-choice test format. Plan your pacing around those numbers: roughly 1.6 minutes per question if you move steadily through the paper.
The EC-Council certification page confirms the numbers the course page does not give: you need 70% to pass, and the exam (prefix 112-58) is available in the ECC Exam Center. The same page warns that EC-Council may revoke the certification of candidates who breach its examination policies.
The exam is proctored, meaning a trained supervisor watches your session to keep it fair and valid. EC-Council's candidate FAQ notes the proctor must be able to view both you and the exam throughout, or the result is invalid and the test must be rescheduled.
After a successful attempt, the credential stays valid for three years. You renew it by passing the I|SE exam again; no continuing-education fees or credits are required during the three-year term.
| Item | Verified detail |
|---|---|
| Exam code | 112-58 |
| Number of questions | 75 |
| Duration | 2 hours |
| Format | Multiple choice |
| Passing score | 70% |
| Supervision | Fully proctored by EC-Council |
| Exam center | ECC Exam Center |
| Credential validity | 3 years; recertify by passing the exam again |
| Voucher validity | 1 year |
Sources used: IoT Security Certification & Training | ISE Course | EC-Council — Official ISE course page: exam details, course outline, FAQs; IoT Security Essentials (I|SE) — https://cert.eccouncil.org/iot-security-essentials.html; EC-Council candidate FAQ: exam preparation and blueprint updates — Exam Preparation:
What the $299 package includes
The course is priced at $299 and bundles self-paced video training, five hands-on labs, over 900 pages of eCourseware, a capstone project, year-long courseware access, six-month lab access, and the proctored exam voucher.
The official page lists 8+ hours of premium self-paced video training and five lab practical exercises in a simulated lab environment. You also get year-long access to the courseware, though lab access expires after six months, so plan your hands-on work early.
The labs require a capable machine. EC-Council specifies an Intel i5 or better processor, 16-32 GB of memory, Windows, MacOS, or Linux, VMware Workstation Player or Oracle VirtualBox as the hypervisor, 100 GB or better of storage, and a current browser such as Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari, or Brave.
A capstone project built around capture-the-flag (CTF) challenges closes the course. EC-Council describes it as a chance to apply your knowledge against a genuine, controlled target system before you sit the proctored exam.
- 5 lab practical exercises in a simulated environment
- 8+ hours of self-paced video training
- 900+ pages of eCourseware
- Year-long courseware access; 6-month lab access
- Proctored exam voucher with 1-year validity
Sources used: IoT Security Certification & Training | ISE Course | EC-Council — Official ISE course page: exam details, course outline, FAQs; IoT Security Essentials - (I|SE) | CodeRed — Course checkout page: course description
The ISEv1 blueprint: domains and weights
EC-Council's published ISEv1 blueprint defines the scope of exam 112-58 as 11 weighted domains. IoT Networking and Communication and Basic Security carry the largest shares at 13% each, while IoT Incident Response and IoT Security Engineering are smallest at 5%.
The blueprint, not the course page, is your scope authority: EC-Council develops its courseware independently of exam content, and its candidate FAQ states that exam material can include content not covered in the training. Treat the 11 course modules as learning aids and this table as your study checklist.
Each domain also lists subtopics. IoT Threats includes the OWASP IoT Top 10, the attack surface, and common IoT attacks; Basic Security spans the CIA triangle, WLAN security, and Zigbee security; Threat Intelligence covers the National Vulnerability Database and the Cyber Kill Chain; IoT Security Engineering covers the 12 practices of the Microsoft Secure Development Lifecycle and threat modeling.
Because the weights differ, an even split of your study time is a poor plan. Give the 13% domains the deepest coverage, revisit the 5% domains near the end, and check the exam details page before registering in case the blueprint has been updated.
| Blueprint domain | Weight |
|---|---|
| IoT Fundamentals | 10% |
| IoT Networking and Communication | 13% |
| IoT Processors and Operating Systems | 12% |
| Cloud and IoT | 7% |
| IoT Advanced Topics | 7% |
| IoT Threats | 12% |
| Basic Security | 13% |
| Cloud Security | 8% |
| Threat Intelligence | 8% |
| IoT Incident Response | 5% |
| IoT Security Engineering | 5% |
Sources used: Blue Print — https://cert.eccouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/IoT-Security-Essentials-ISEv1-Exam-Blueprint.pdf; EC-Council candidate FAQ: exam preparation and blueprint updates — Exam Preparation:
Plan your preparation around the outline
Work the modules in their published order, pair each security module with its foundation module when needed, and use the five labs and capstone to test yourself before the proctored exam.
Because the course is self-paced, the main planning decisions are sequencing and access windows. Finish the heavy lab work inside the first six months while lab access is live, and leave the exam voucher plenty of room inside its one-year validity in case you need a retake.
Use the capstone project as a readiness checkpoint rather than a formality. EC-Council designed it to let you demonstrate critical thinking and hands-on skills in a controlled target system; if you struggle there, that points to which blueprint domains to revisit before booking the exam.
When you plan, work from the blueprint table above rather than the module numbers. If a domain feels weak, the matching course module is where to rebuild it, but the blueprint determines what the exam can actually ask.
Practice exercise
Using the ISEv1 blueprint table above, decide for each topic which domain covers it and whether that domain weighs more or less than 10%: (a) the OWASP IoT Top 10; (b) the Cyber Kill Chain; (c) the OSI and TCP models; (d) the 12 practices of the Microsoft Secure Development Lifecycle.
Show answer
(a) IoT Threats — 12%, more than 10%. (b) Threat Intelligence — 8%, less. (c) IoT Networking and Communication — 13%, more. (d) IoT Security Engineering — 5%, less.
Each topic appears in the blueprint's subtopic lists: the OWASP IoT Top 10 under IoT Threats; the Cyber Kill Chain under Threat Intelligence; the OSI and TCP Model under IoT Networking and Communication; and the 12 Practices alongside Threat Modeling under IoT Security Engineering. Checking topics against the weighted domains like this tells you where extra study time pays off and which areas carry the least exam weight.
Sources used: IoT Security Certification & Training | ISE Course | EC-Council — Official ISE course page: exam details, course outline, FAQs; EC-Council candidate FAQ: exam preparation and blueprint updates — Exam Preparation:
Where I|SE fits in your next steps
EC-Council positions I|SE as a foundational step and suggests Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) as the next course for those moving toward deeper security expertise, while the other Essentials courses cover sibling domains.
After I|SE, EC-Council recommends training in its Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) course as the next step for building comprehensive security skills. The Essentials Series itself contains eight parallel courses: ethical hacking (EHE), network defense (NDE), digital forensics (DFE), DevSecOps (DSE), SOC operations (SCE), threat intelligence (TIE), cloud security (CSE), and ISE for IoT security.
On careers, keep expectations grounded. EC-Council states that the certification helps you gain foundational expertise that supports career advancement, but that securing a job depends on multiple factors including merits, other certifications, and experience. Treat I|SE as an entry credential that opens study routes, not a job guarantee.
Sources used: IoT Security Certification & Training | ISE Course | EC-Council — Official ISE course page: exam details, course outline, FAQs; EC-Council | Cyber Security Courses Online | Cybersecurity Training — Essentials Series listing and certification roadmap
Sources used
Facts checked against the official EC-Council ISE course page on 15 September 2026.: