Recognition and retention, skill, understanding

 

CISSP Exam Question Strategies

CISSP questions on this topic are often scenario-based and designed to be tricky. Instead of asking for a simple definition, they'll present a business problem and ask you to choose the BEST solution. Here's how they can be tricky:

• Distinguishing Between the Three: The questions will test your ability to differentiate between the three concepts. For instance, a question might describe a situation where an organization needs to inform all employees about a new policy. The correct answer would be Awareness because the goal is to provide a broad understanding of "what" the policy is. A question about teaching the IT security team how to configure a new firewall, however, would point to Training, as it's about the "how" and involves specific, practical skills. A question about developing new security researchers or architects would fall under Education, as it focuses on the "why" and is long-term.

• Prioritizing the "Best" Answer: The CISSP exam often presents multiple plausible answers, and you must select the most appropriate one from a risk management standpoint. A question might ask what an organization should do first after a recent phishing attack. While updating antivirus software or blocking malicious IPs might be presented as options, the most fundamental and effective management-level answer would be to implement an Awareness campaign to inform employees about identifying and reporting phishing attempts. The CISSP exam prioritizes solutions that address the root cause and align with overall security governance.

• Management vs. Technical Perspective: Many CISSP candidates have a technical background and tend to favor technical solutions. However, the exam requires you to think like a manager or a CISO. A question about how to reduce insider threats might offer technical controls (e.g., data loss prevention software) alongside administrative controls (e.g., mandatory training). The CISSP-level answer often leans toward the administrative and procedural solutions, as they address human behavior, which is a common root cause of security incidents. The image you provided reinforces this by showing how different teaching methods and learning objectives correspond to different security goals.

• Reading Carefully for Keywords: Questions will use specific keywords to guide you to the correct answer. Words like "first," "most effective," "primary," "least likely," or "best" are critical. For example, a question might ask for the "most effective" way to address a problem, and the best answer may not be the cheapest or easiest, but the one that most comprehensively mitigates the risk.

• Understanding the Lifecycle: The image's "Impact timeframe" shows that awareness is short-term, training is intermediate, and education is long-term. A question might ask which type of program is best for a long-term goal of fostering a security-conscious culture, and the answer would be Education. This requires you to not only know the definitions but also understand their role in a security program's lifecycle.