According to the IAPP, candidates seeking their IAPP privacy certification must pass the MC based Certification Foundation exam which covers elementary concepts of privacy and data protection from a global perspective. The major exam components are: I. Introduction to Privacy: Common Principles and Approaches II. Information Security: Protecting and Safeguarding Personal Information III. Online Privacy: Using Personal Information on Websites and with Other Internet-related Technologies After this exam the next step is to take the CIPP/US exam which has a lot of legal topics. Simply put, to earn the CIPP designation you need to pass both exams. It is our opinion that you need to possess both technical knowledge and legal knowledge in order to succeed.