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StevenJ6052
Newcomer III

Passed the CAP Exam This Morning: My Thoughts

To provide some background, I have been an IT program manager for the fast fourteen years. Having been certified as an MCSE (NT 4.0 and Win2K) and CCNA earlier in my career I let both certs lapse as they were no longer directly relevant for my career. I also picked up the PMP several years ago which I continue to maintain.

 

During the past couple of years I have developed a strong affinity for Risk Management  especially with regards to the IT security program I manage. Having passed the CISSP in early 2017, I decided the the CAP with its focus on the NIST Risk Management Framework would be a good next step.

 

Unlike the CISSP (or any other exam I have taken) there is very little in the way of published study guides and virtually no practice tests banks that I found useful. I rented the "Official (ISC)2 Guide to the CAP CBK" 2nd edition and read it in its entirety, but honestly found the freely available NIST 800 series (800-39, 800-37, 800-30, 800-53 & 53A etc..) as well as the FIPS 199 & 200 to be the best source of information. In addition, I found a few very good lectures on the NIST RMF provided by NIST on YouTube.

 

As for the exam, it consists of 125 questions and you are permitted three hours to finish. A sage piece of advice that I was given for the CISSP, "you need to think your way through the test" is equally applicable to the CAP. All 125 questions for multiple choice with only one answer. That said many were of the "best our of four poor choices" variety. Like the CISSP this is very much a management level exam, albeit with a much narrower focus. Unlike the CISSP there were no false "technical" answers to tempt you.

 

The best advise I can give anybody looking to take on the CAP is be very familiar with the NIST Risk Management Framework and how it map to the System Development Lifecycle. Roles & Responsibilities as well as vocabulary are critically important as well. Always remember that "plans" happen before "reports" and it is "Reports" that contain information on your implementation. When given a choice between multiple more or less correct answers, choose the one that is the most "all encompassing". For example if you are having trouble deciding between "Threat Sources" and "Vulnerabilities", choose "Risk Factors" as threat sources and vulnerabilities are both risk factors. When in doubt  about who the responsibility belongs to, it is probably the "System Owner"

 

This post probably adds another 25% to the total amount of direct feedback I was able to find online about this exam, but I must say of all the exams I have taken, this one has the most direct applicability to my daily on-the-job responsibilities. 

 

Should you decide to tackle the CAP, Good Luck, hope this information is helpful!

78 Replies
kofi
Newcomer II

Hi Stickjonney,

 

Thanks a lot for your response. Very much appreciated!

 

Kofi

stickjohnney
Newcomer I

Thanks for the update/

ADudley102015
Viewer

What is the CRISC?
bizzle09
Newcomer I

Certified in Risk and Information Systems Controls
Abbey69
Viewer

Good job. Did you sit for the exam at a center or on-line?. Please respond.

Thanks.
experience
Newcomer I

I will like to join the group. Can you add me?
Stpn2me
Newcomer III

What group?
experience
Newcomer I

I was referring to the Study group.
Abbey69
Viewer

Congratulations