CISSP

CISSP Overview

Attribute Value

Goal

Pass CISSP exam, become certified

Target Date

July 12, 2026 — 10-week plan started May 3

Interest Link

IT > InfoSec

Status

ACTIVE — Week 1 of 10

Primary Resource

(ISC)² Official Study Guide (Sybex), Boson practice exams, Pocket Prep app, Destination Certification MindMap (YouTube)

Practice

25 questions/day (morning), domain chapter reading (evening), full practice exams weeks 7-8

Prerequisite

12+ years network engineering and security — meets 5-year requirement

Curriculum (8 Domains)

Domain Description Weight Status

1. Security & Risk Management

Governance, compliance, ethics

15%

[ ] Not Started

2. Asset Security

Data classification, ownership

10%

[ ] Not Started

3. Security Architecture

Secure design principles

13%

[ ] Not Started

4. Communication & Network

Network security, channels

13%

[ ] Not Started

5. Identity & Access Management

Authentication, authorization

13%

[ ] Not Started

6. Security Assessment

Testing, auditing, monitoring

12%

[ ] Not Started

7. Security Operations

Incident response, DR/BC

13%

[ ] Not Started

8. Software Development Security

SDLC, secure coding

11%

[ ] Not Started

Progress: 0 / 8 domains — Domain 1 in progress (Week 1)

Current Tasks

Priority Task Due Status

P0

Domain 1: Security & Risk Management — Sybex + MindMap video

2026-05-09

🟡 In Progress

P0

25 practice questions daily (Pocket Prep or Boson)

Ongoing

🟡 In Progress

P1

Acquire Boson practice exams ($99)

2026-05-10

[ ] Pending

✅

Map work experience to domains

2026-05-03

Done — see edu-cissp/assessment.adoc

✅

Create study schedule (10-week plan)

2026-05-03

Done — see edu-cissp/summary.adoc

Key Notes

CISSP Mindset:

  • "Think like a manager, not a technician"

  • Focus on WHAT and WHY, not HOW

  • Risk-based decision making

  • Least privilege, defense in depth

Experience Mapping:

| Domain | Work Experience | |--------|-----------------| | 4. Network | 802.1X, ISE, firewalls | | 5. IAM | ISE, RADIUS, AD, PKI | | 6. Assessment | Vulnerability scanning, audits | | 7. Operations | Incident response, SIEM |

Study Strategy:

  • Study 1 domain per week

  • Practice questions daily

  • Review weak areas on weekends

  • Take practice exam every 2 weeks