Successful Strategy for CISSP Study and Exam Prep

Hello mates,

This is a high-level, study-friendly article for each of the 8 CISSP domains, designed to support your study group. Each one provides clear explanations, key concepts, and study tips.

Domain 1: Security and Risk Management

This foundational domain covers the principles of confidentiality, integrity, and availability (CIA triad), along with risk management, compliance, and professional ethics.

Key Topics:

CIA Triad & Governance
Risk Analysis (Qualitative/Quantitative)
Security Policies, Standards, Procedures, and Guidelines
Legal, Regulatory, and Privacy Requirements (GDPR, HIPAA, etc.)
Ethics (ISC2 Code of Ethics)

Study Tip:

Understand the difference between risk, threat, vulnerability, and impact. Practice calculating risk using simple formulas.

Domain 2: Asset Security

This domain focuses on protecting organizational assets, including data classification, ownership, privacy protection, and secure handling.

Key Topics:

Data Classification & Ownership
Information Lifecycle
Data Remanence & Secure Disposal
Privacy Protection (PII, SPI)
Data Security Controls (Encryption, Access Control)

Study Tip:

Know who is responsible for what: data owner vs. data custodian. Map data classifications to appropriate security controls.

Domain 3: Security Architecture and Engineering

This domain explores secure design principles, system components, and the implementation of cryptography and secure system architectures.

Key Topics:

Secure Design Principles (least privilege, defense in depth)
Security Models (Bell-LaPadula, Biba, Clark-Wilson)
Cryptography (symmetric/asymmetric, hashing, PKI)
Trusted Computing, TPM, and HSMs
Vulnerability Mitigation in Hardware and Software

Study Tip:

Focus on understanding how encryption works, how digital signatures ensure integrity and authenticity, and how models enforce access control.

Domain 4: Communication and Network Security

This domain focuses on network architecture, secure communication, and protocols.

Key Topics:

Network Models (OSI & TCP/IP)
Secure Network Components (Firewalls, IDS/IPS)
VPNs, Tunneling, and Remote Access
Secure Communication Protocols (HTTPS, TLS, IPsec)
Wireless Security (WEP, WPA2, WPA3)

Study Tip:

Draw the OSI model and list which security technologies operate at each layer. Understand how TLS handshake and VPN tunneling work.

Domain 5: Identity and Access Management (IAM)

This domain covers managing identities and controlling access to resources.

Key Topics:

Identification, Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting (IAAA)
Access Control Models (RBAC, ABAC, MAC, DAC)
Federated Identity (SAML, OAuth, OpenID Connect)
MFA, Biometrics, and Identity Proofing
Lifecycle of Identity (Provisioning/De-provisioning)

Study Tip:

Focus on access control types and how federated identity works. Be ready to differentiate between RBAC and ABAC in scenario questions.

Domain 6: Security Assessment and Testing

This domain emphasizes assessing the effectiveness of security controls and conducting various tests.

Key Topics:

Security Control Testing (vulnerability scans, penetration tests)
Log Reviews, Code Reviews
Audit Strategies and Types
Continuous Monitoring
Metrics and Reporting

Study Tip:

Understand what tests are performed at different stages (design vs. implementation vs. operations). Know the difference between a vulnerability scan and a penetration test.

Domain 7: Security Operations

This operational domain covers incident response, monitoring, and continuity planning.

Key Topics:

Incident Response (Preparation to Lessons Learned)
Forensics Basics
Logging and Monitoring
Disaster Recovery (RTO/RPO, BCP, Backups)
Administrative Controls (Separation of Duties, Job Rotation)

Study Tip:

Memorize the steps of the incident response lifecycle and understand what should be done at each phase. Know the definitions and calculations for RTO and RPO.

Domain 8: Software Development Security

This domain addresses the security considerations in the software development lifecycle.

Key Topics: