CyberCitizen Certification

Why certify in cybersecurity with CyberCitizen?

CyberCitizen is a foundational assessment for digital safety and cybersecurity awareness in educational and professional environments. Widely used to evaluate essential knowledge related to online security, data protection, and responsible digital behavior, CyberCitizen helps establish a common baseline for cybersecurity literacy. A CyberCitizen certification helps students and job seekers demonstrate their proficiency in cybersecurity fundamentals and digital safety practices and supports their academic success and long-term career readiness.

The Tosa CyberCitizen certification measures practical knowledge of cybersecurity fundamentals with no prerequisites. It is well suited for students and adult learners who want to validate their understanding of online safety, data protection, secure digital practices, and responsible use of digital technologies.

Skills Assessed

The Tosa CyberCitizen certification exam evaluates four key domains:

The Cyber Security World

The candidate will be tested on their knowledge of the different cyber security players and their roles: the attackers and their targets, the key people to contact within a company, the public players. This domain also covers knowledge of the main types of attack (vectors, targets, potential impacts), and the knowledge and skills related to digital identity and authentication.

Security in the Workplace

The candidate should demonstrate their ability to secure their data and devices in the workplace by identifying data exposure on a workstation and limit them, handling removable devices and external storage, recognize the main social engineering attack techniques and know how to protect data and people from the human factor. Questions also cover updating software and downloading from trusted sources.

Security on the Move

The candidate is assessed on their ability to travel and work in an external environment securely, by physically securing the access to their terminals, safely use and protect data on their smartphones, and using the correct tools and techniques to securely use a wireless network. The questions also assess their ability to limit the data exposed during an external trip.

Cyber Security at Home

The questions of this domain cover the essential cyber security risks, tools and behaviors while being at home or working remotely. The candidate is tested on their ability to recognize a phishing attempt and take the proper action, to use cloud storage and backups, and to securely handle external files. They will also be tested on their awareness of the risks related to their personal data exposure and their ability to protect their privacy.

Certification Exam Specifications

Test Format

The Tosa certification for CyberCitizen lasts one hour and uses a 35-question adaptive exam drawn from a pool of more than 90 items, including multiple-choice, interactive, and live in-application tasks. The test evaluates a candidate’s skills and knowledge in the four domains presented above and selects questions from five difficulty levels depending on the abilities of the test taker.

Exam Conditions

Tosa certification exams are not open book. The certification tests must be taken in a secure environment and are proctored at all times in accordance with the Tosa Exam Policy. Adaptive testing produces a unique sequence of items for each candidate, reducing the risk of cheating and item memorization. In-person and remote proctoring options are available.

Validity and Retakes

The certification is valid for 3 years. Earners may retest anytime to improve their score or to maintain their certification. There is a minimum 24-hour waiting period between two retakes. Candidates receive a new version of the test with each attempt.

Score, Proficiency Level, and Award

The result of the exam is a numeric score between 1 and 1000 points associated to a proficiency level. It is calculated using a pattern-scoring model (IRT). The minimum score required to earn the certification is 351. Certification earners receive a Tosa certification diploma that indicates the test date, the score, and the proficiency level achieved. It contains a unique authentication code for online verification. Earners with a score of 551 and above are also eligible to receive a Credly digital badge.

Preparing for a Certification Exam

Reaching a productive level or higher typically requires around 150 hours of training and hands-on practice with CyberCitizen, depending on prior knowledge and learning format. To prepare for the Tosa exam, we recommend that learners: