topic CISSP Official study guide? in Exams

CISSP Official study guide?

registereduser — Tue, 15 Jul 2025 14:23:31 GMT

I purchased the official training through ISC2 it came with "CISSP Official ISC2 textbook". Is this the same as the "Official ISC2 CISSP CBK Reference" or the "Official ISC2 Study Guide"?

As you know the self-paced training is not great... and I am looking for additional material to study.

What is the ACTUAL OFFICIAL MATERIAL I should be reading?

Re: CISSP Official study guide?

nkeaton — Tue, 15 Jul 2025 14:59:13 GMT

@registereduser So the textbook that you are referring to is the soft copy one that comes with ISC2 self-study training? The official hard copy books are through Sybex and definitely recommend the study guide. The CBK is not really for reading and is best used for further reference on difficult topics. I had both but never used the CBK as the study guide along with Luke's How to Think Like a Manager were enough for me. Best wishes.

Re: CISSP Official study guide?

Steve-Wilme — Thu, 17 Jul 2025 09:57:38 GMT

I found it's less about the particular text books or study guides and more about how you decide to process the material in order to learn it. I use the same study techniques that I learnt in the 1980s. They worked then and continue to work. So I would read an entire CBK to get the sense of it. Take a self test to see how much I understood. Set a timebox within which to precis the entire CBK down to 6 sides of A4. It's important that you hand write it, so you're not tempted to cut and paste chunks of text without understanding. Then I'd review the notes taken, then do another self test. If I didn't get a comfortable pass mark, I'd go back and reread the CBK and annotate my notes with additional explanations. It should be possible to get through every CBK in the CISSP in 1 week if you work on it full time. Having booked the exam at the end of that study period will focus your mind. Rather than have the task extend to fill the time available, fitting it into a tight timebox often works.

Re: CISSP Official study guide?

nkeaton — Thu, 17 Jul 2025 13:51:07 GMT

@Steve-Wilme I would agree with that for the CRC CBKs. For the Sybex series, I recommend the study guide for reading. Their CBKs are not really for reading but are very useful for topics having difficulties with. I do a little differently with practice questions but are very useful to me. I prefer difficult ones. I used to do a full practice test before studying for a baseline. Now I only do 20 - 25 questions at a time because I seem to stay more focused and not distracted. I do best at self-study with practice questions.

I had to ask about this a while back, but now our advanced certifications are standalone and not concentrations. So we don’t have to put CISSP- in front of them anymore. There is no longer a requirement to have a CISSP before can sit for those but need 7 years of experience. Never a dull moment. Congratulations on yours.

Re: CISSP Official study guide?

nkeaton — Fri, 12 Dec 2025 20:01:03 GMT

@goshawk6 This is a dump site and should not be used. Anyone who posts or advocates use of a dump site risks losing Community access and/or their certification.

Re: CISSP Official study guide?

nkeaton — Sat, 10 Jan 2026 12:08:08 GMT

@tegeb99477 This is a dump site and should not be used. Anyone who posts or advocates use of a dump site risks losing Community access and/or their certification.