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.

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This book is NOT for those who are just beginning their study for the CISSP exam. It IS for those who are nearly ready to take the exam and simply need to ensure that they have a complete understanding of the 10 domains and the types of questions likely to be on the exam. (One reviewer states that some of the questions are unclear... well, *perhaps* that is true, but then again so are the questions on the actual exam. The purpose of this book is to prepare you for that exam and I believe it closely mirrors what you are likely to see when you sit for the CISSP test... therefore, the book accomplishes it's goal very well indeed.)

This book does not replace books such as Shon Harris' excellent "CISSP All-In-One Exam Guide". Nor does it try to do so. Nor should it. Shon's book is excellent for those who need full disclosure of all of the information covered in the ten domains... those who are just beginning their CISSP study. This book is more of of a polisher for those who already know most of the material and just need to find (and plug) knowledge gaps... and for that purpose, it is nothing short of outstanding!

In short, I highly recommend this book. It is not for everyone and most will need to work up to it. But if your almost ready to take the CISSP exam, then you should definately go through the questions in this book first.

Keith Palmgren, CISSP

15 of 16 found the following review helpful:

The Total Cissp Exam Prep BookMay 25, 2003
By W Gore
There is some merit in reviewing this book before testing, but you would think that with all the contributors (9 being CISSPs), that the answers on the sample exam would be correct. Two of the first 100 questions (#67 and #97) of the sample exam are wrong and a handful of others were borderline. Even though they may have quoted other sources, being a CISSP, the authors should have known difference.

While studing for the CISSP exam, my time is best used for absorbing facts, not proofreading. I did not finish the sample exam for fear of committing errors to memory (my protection domain).

However, in all fairness, the questions segmented by domain appear to be of better quaility.

7 of 7 found the following review helpful:

Great Q&A bookSep 11, 2003
By Eric Kent
This is a great guide to support your CISSP prep.

It should not be your main guide, rather it is to be used to help you assess how you are progressing in your studies.

10 of 14 found the following review helpful:

Very good CISSP prep guideSep 13, 2002
By Ben Rothke "Author of 'Computer Security: 20 Things Every Employee Should Know'"
This review is more of a reply to the previous review which stated `Buy a Different Prep Book'.

Full disclosure: I was a technical editor for this book and work with some of the authors.

First off, at 300 pages, this book comes close to its title of `The Total CISSP Exam Prep Book'. The main function of a prep guide is to prepare the test taker for the nature of the questions and answer. If someone is looking for tips such as bring extra pencils and eat a lot of carbohydrates before the test, this book expects a mature reader and does not give such simple advice.

Each section gives a good overview of what the test taker needs to know about that part of the CBK.

The question and answer section gives the reader a very good overview of the nature of what to expect on the CISSP exam.

The Total CISSP Exam Prep Book is obviously not going to be as comprehensive as Shon Harris's book, since Harris's book is nearly three times the size and 5 times the weight.

If you are looking for a CISSP Test Taking for Dummies book, look elsewhere. But if you are looking for a first-rate guide to preparing for the CISSP exam, this is a fine choice.

10 of 14 found the following review helpful:

Buy a Different Prep BookAug 31, 2002

First, this isn't really a "prep" book. All it has are questions and answers. And the questions aren't that clear, or even based on current info. Better test questions and real prep material can be found in the Wiley CISSP Prep Guide and the Shon Harris All in One Guide.

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