CISSP: Certified Information Systems Security Professional Study Guide [Hardcover]

Ed Tittel (Author), Mike Chapple (Author), James Michael Stewart (Author)

Book Description

Series: Certification Study Guide | Publication Date: March 3, 2003

The CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional) certification was developed to validate mastery of an international standard for information security. Topics covered in this exam guide include security architecture, access control systems, cryptography, operations and physical security, law, investigation and ethics. The CD-ROM features an advanced testing engine with hundreds of sample exam questions, electronic flashcards and the entire book in PDF format.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Here's the book you need to prepare for the CISSP exam from (ISC)2. Written by a team of experienced security experts who know exactly what it takes to pass the test, this Study Guide provides:

Assessment testing to focus and direct your studies In-depth coverage of official test domains Hundreds of challenging practice questions, in the book and on the CD

Authoritative coverage of all test domains, including: Access Control Systems & Methodology Applications & Systems Development Business Continuity Planning Cryptography Law, Investigation & Ethics Operations Security Physical Security Security Architecture & Models Security Management Practices Telecommunications, Network & Internet Security

On the CD The enclosed CD is packed with vital preparation tools and materials, beginning with the Sybex testing engine for the CISSP exam. Loaded with hundreds of practice questions, it lets you test yourself chapter by chapter. You'll also find electronic flashcards for your PCs, Pocket PCs, and Palm handhelds, two bonus exams that will help you prepare for the test, and an electronic version of the entire book.

About the Author

Ed Tittel, CISSP, is the president and founder of LANWrights authoring group, and has been writing computer books since 1987. James Michael Stewart, CISSP, is a full-time writer, trainer, and researcher for LANWrights, Inc. He has written articles for numerous publications, including C-Net, InfoWorld, and Windows NT Magazine. Mike Chapple serves as Chief Information Officer of the Brand Institute, a brand identity consultancy based out of Miami, Florida.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 944 pages
• Publisher: Sybex Inc (March 3, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0782141757
• ISBN-13: 978-0782141757
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 7.8 x 2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #726,529 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Solid exam preparation tool, April 24, 2003

By 

J C O'Connor (Dublin, Ireland) - See all my reviews

This review is from: CISSP: Certified Information Systems Security Professional Study Guide (Hardcover)

I must admit a soft spot for Sybex (and Ed Tittel) study guides, having used them extensively for Microsoft exams. This book follows in that tradition, providing a good balance between detailed explanation and comprehensive coverage of the exam topics.

The bundled CD is useful. I raced through the 250 flash cards in an hour, which is good for jogging the memory. The four bonus exams, of 75 questions each, are good, but are not as difficult as the real thing. These exams provide grades broken down by each CISSP exam domain, which is excellent for identifying topics for revision.

One book can not guarantee coverage of all CISSP exam topics, particularly given the long list of references on the CISSP suggested reading list. I also skimmed through a friend's copy of Shon Harris's "All-in-One" exam guide. I would still rate this book higher, but Harris's book covers some topics in more detail then the Sybex book. The "All-in-One" practice exams are more difficult, though some of the questions are not clearly worded.

The biggest disappoint I have with the exam preparation experience is with the CISSP's ten domains. The examination questions are based on 'good exam fodder' from topics in the ten domains. The topics lean towards an academic approach to security, rather then knowledge needed by a working security professional.

The other references I would strongly suggest to help to gain a security brain, as well as a high exam score include: Stephen Northcutt's `Inside Network Perimeter Security', Ross Anderson's `Security Engineering', and Syngress's `Special Ops'. Maybe I should take one of the SANS security exams, which are much more practical in nature.

And best of luck with the exam!

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great material -- just not enjoyable reading, July 17, 2003

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: CISSP: Certified Information Systems Security Professional Study Guide (Hardcover)

As I took the CISSP exam, I kept thinking, "he really knew what he was talking about." If you were to know this book backwards and forwards, you would do well on the CISSP exam. However, this text suffers from a problem common among learning manuals -- if you didn't get a good sleep the night before you will be nodding off after only a few pages. It reads like a dictionary. Also, the summaries and tables were lacking in both quality and quantity.

After having said that, I have to admit that this book probably helped me the most out of the four I used to prepare for the exam. While Shon Harris' second edition of the All-In-One guide was much more readable and memorable, the content probably wasn't quite as good. Therefore, these two books probably tied as the ones on the top of my list were I to go through this process again.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very good resource, May 29, 2004

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: CISSP: Certified Information Systems Security Professional Study Guide (Hardcover)

I purchased and used both this text and the Shon Harris book. The text here is dry reading but very informative. As I got closer to taking the exam, I used it primarily for the practice exams and then used those to identify my weak areas. The practice exams give a very good breakdown by domain area of your strengths and weaknesses. I agree with another reviewer that the Shon Harris book is easier reading. If you are relatively new to the material and teaching yourself, you may want to go with that book as your primary text. However, if you are already pretty familiar with the material and knowledgeable about the technical aspect of networking, then this book would probably provide you more useful material. Both are outstanding texts but one is more useful than the other based upon where you are starting from.