Book details of 'The Total CISSP Exam Prep Book: Practice Questions, Answers, and Test Taking Tips and Techniques'

Title	The Total CISSP Exam Prep Book: Practice Questions, Answers, and Test Taking Tips and Techniques
Author(s)	Thomas R. Peltier, Patrick D. Howard, Curran
ISBN	0849313503
Language	English
Published	June 2002
Publisher	Auerbach Pub

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The Virtual Bookcase Reviews of 'The Total CISSP Exam Prep Book: Practice Questions, Answers, and Test Taking Tips and Techniques':

Reviewer Rob Slade wrote:
Both the preface and the back cover copy stress the assertion that "until now, [CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional) candidates] were not afforded the luxury of studying a single, easy-to-use manual." Despite the reservations that I may have about the quality of their works, this statement must surely be a shock to Shon Harris (see reviews), Mandy Andress (see reviews), S. Rao Vallabhaneni , and Ronald Krutz and Russell Vines (see reviews) and Carl Endorf (wait for it). (Well, I suppose that, technically, Vallabhaneni's is *two* books ...) It would be difficult to say that you could use this volume for study, either. It doesn't actually have any tutorial material, other than some advice on how to write the exam. Some of the tips are outdated, and most of the rest of the content is rather generic, such as the suggestion to eat a hearty breakfast before you go. (I'd suggest that you go easy on the recommendation to drink lots of coffee before you head off: some of the proctors can be pretty sticky about letting you go to the washroom.) What it does have is ten chapters (one for each of the CBK [Common Body of Knowledge] domains) of twenty five "exam" questions each. That's twenty five questions for physical security (the smallest domain) and twenty five questions for telecommunications (the largest). The questions in the chapters have explanations of which answers are right and which are wrong. Then there is a sample "exam," and then the same exam with the answers. Sample exams are highly sought after: it makes sense to know the type and style of questions that you may encounter on the exam. There is only one problem: (ISC)^2 doesn't hand out sample exams. In fact, they guard the exam questions rather closely. The sample exams at cccure.org are a staple in CISSP study groups, and there is a commercial outfit that will sell you a set that they have made up. Essentially, of course, this is what Peltier et al have done. So the question is, how close are the sample questions in this book to the real thing. The answer, unfortunately, is not very. Different people worked on the questions for different chapters, so the level of success varies. (Security management has possibilities, telecommunications is rather ghastly.) Ultimately, though, these questions are not representative of what you will find on an actual CISSP exam. Those familiar with Bloom's Taxonomy of questions will know that you progress from simple questions of fact through synthesis of multiple facts through analysis based on synthesis to a level of judgement or critical thinking. Most of the questions a candidate will encounter on the CISSP exam are at the analytical or critical levels. Too many of the questions found in most sample exams are at the simple factual level. The questions in this current work do move beyond the simplistic, but they tend to turn on specific wording in some very weak references, rather than the principles and concepts encountered in the CISSP exam itself. (Appendix A is a bibliography used in the creation of the questions, and it is a decidedly poor one.) Some questions and answers are flatly wrong (planting malicious software is definitely *not* a passive attack). Others may have some point to their creation but get confused. One question states that a certain answer is not correct because the technology is not an encryption algorithm, but the "correct" answer isn't an algorithm either. This book may give you a very rough idea of the types of questions you may encounter, and the range of topics you may need to know. If you rely on it to prepare you for the exam, however, you may be in for a rude shock. copyright Robert M. Slade, CISSP, 2002 BKTCIEPB.RVW 20020823
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Book description:

Until now, those preparing to take the Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) examination were not afforded the luxury of studying a single, easy-to-use manual. Written by ten subject matter experts (SMEs) - all CISSPs - this test prep book allows CISSP candidates to test their current knowledge in each of the ten security domains that make up the Common Body of Knowledge (CBK) from which the CISSP examination is based on. The Total CISSP Exam Prep Book: Practice Questions, Answers, and Test Taking Tips and Techniques provides an outline of the subjects, topics, and sub-topics contained within each domain in the CBK, and with it you can readily identify terms and concepts that you will need to know for the exam.The book starts with a review of each of the ten domains and provides 25 sample questions with answers and references for each. It discusses successful approaches for preparing for the exam based on experiences of those who have recently passed the exam. It then provides a complete 250-question practice exam with answers. Explanations are provided to clarify why the correct answers are correct, and why the incorrect answers are incorrect. With a total of 500 sample questions, The Total CISSP Exam Prep Book gives you a full flavor of what it will take to pass the exam.