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Summary: CISSP Prep Guide 2001 Edition(2002 update is now available)
Review: ***** I tested out using The Prep Guide 2001 Edition (Gold edition is new in Oct. 2002) and I definitely recommend it as a primary guide for studies leading to an CISSP Certification. ***** There is very little left out of this book. Using the ISC2 Study Guide that you can download from free, you can check the similar sections in this book. ***** The Section On Telecommunications and Network Security was excellent and did not leave much out. The only missing information I noticed was any in depth information on Telephone Systems Communications (including cellular), attacks, vulnerabilities, in depth or history. Perhaps the reason for this was this subject area is not mentioned in the ISC2 Study Guide - maybe one of the 25 questions that are used in the test for the future? ***** I read it from cover to cover and used the Internet as an additional source for every subject brought up in the book. For instance, I looked up Cryptography to complement the subjects discussed in the book. You need to do this to add depth to your information. ***** The 2001 book has an excellent set of Appendices, which I assume is followed up in the new book. (Q & A, Criteria, HIPPA, Glossary, excellent Reference list, Web sites. ***** It was a great discovery to me to find out the Ten Domains covered a lot of areas. Areas I wish I had know about earlier in my career and which have been dealt with in Information Systems by the Government and Corporations with interest in Security issues. It is an eye opener. Examples: The strategy for Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery will help many people. The strategy for separation of duties, dual man control, rotation of duties, forced vacations will be useful in today's networked world. Very few businesses practice these logical rules. The CISSP wakes up people to improve security in the real world. ***** Get this book for sure. I highly recommend it.
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Summary: The best just got better!
Review: CISSP Prep Guide: Gold Edition is now the best and most complete CISSP study guide, with almost 700 questions on the CD, and new material like wireless info, and tops out at almost 1000 pages. Definately a full plate of information.
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Summary: Great book - read warning below
Review: I concur with the other reviews on this book that's a great book and perfect for the CISSP exam. However, I do have a warning for Amazon buyers. I purchased this book along with the Advanced Prep Quide Q&A by the same publisher as recommended by Amazon. As it turns out, the Advanced Guide is really a supplement to older editions or non-Gold editions. The Gold Edition includes all the material in the Advanced book - SO DON'T BUY BOTH. I wrote Amazon and asked them to correct this. They can feel free to edit/delete this if they have.
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Summary: I was cheated by amazone don't buy this book!
Review: I got this book today with anoter book which is package.
But I realize I was cheated by amazone.
Two books was same.
How could they sell this two book as package with sale?
So bad people!!!!
Rating: 
Summary: Not the greatest
Review: I just passed the CISSP on my first go after a month's study. I used this book as my primary study reference although I also had the All-in-One CISSP guide.
My main problems with the Prep Guide: 1) It reads like a long white-paper. There are precious few examples and it is painfully obvious there was no effort on the part of the authors to make the subject matter interesting (which, by nature, it is). Additionally, the book has about as much flow or continuity as a section of tax code. Seriously, there is no excuse for how dull and choppy this tome can be. I've had more fun reading the dictionary. [Unfortunately Shon Harris' all-in-one is a little too far in the other direction being filled with useless illustrations and child-speak.] 2) The Advanced Sample Questions are too advanced and the text goes too deep in too many areas. Remember, the CISSP is not an engineering exam.. You don't have to know how to actually DO anything, you just need to be able to sound like you have a clue [read: management/consultant] I was more than a little peeved when Krutz launched into a dissection of the cryptographic ciphers that was way too deep to be applicable to the test yet too short to really give the reader a meaningful understanding. [The difference here between all-in-1 and the Prep Guide is astonishing.] The advanced sample questions were, quite simply, too advanced much of the time. 3) Really, WHAT is the point of the long section on HIPAA in the book??? Its not on the exam!!! I thought this was a study guide, not a general security practicioner's book! Waste of pages, guys. So yeah, you can get the CISSP title by using this book like you can get fit by joining the Marines. I'm inclined to suggest there are easier ways. Unfortunately the all-in-1 guide is a little too fluffy for my tastes but at least you can flip through it in no time. Good luck.
Rating: 
Summary: There are errors in this book!
Review: I just took my exam yesterday and attended a week long seminar to prepare. This book has errors in it and was really difficult to read for me (the cryptography section was written in mathematical formulas). A better choice is The All in One CISSP Prep Guide by Shon Harris. That book also includes a CD with practice exams. Even though I took the test yesterday, I just ordered the Shon Harris book for my reference. That is how good that book was. Good luck on the test.
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Summary: Too much information
Review: I just took the CISSP exam after three weeks of studying, with The CISSP Prep Guide: Gold Edition as my main study guide. Unfortunately, Krutz & Vines have included a wealth of information that I didn't need to know, meaning I spent hours memorizing superfluous information. For example, they delve into the gory details of the various cryptographic algorithms. I was careful to learn that information, only to have another exam guide point out that "the CISSP exam does not cover the specific details of how cryptographic algorithms work, so if you are confused by this information, feel free to move on."
While it is true that you can do well on the CISSP test by studying this book, you don't need much of the information presented here, and most of it is presented more concisely in other study guides. Furthermore, other study guides I used contained valuable information that was not in this book, information that did appear in test questions.
As goofy and badly-written as it may seem, Shon Harris's study guide will serve you better in the end.
Rating:
Summary: Too much information
Review: I just took the CISSP exam after three weeks of studying, with The CISSP Prep Guide: Gold Edition as my main study guide. Unfortunately, Krutz & Vines have included a wealth of information that I didn't need to know, meaning I spent hours memorizing superfluous information. For example, they delve into the gory details of the various cryptographic algorithms. I was careful to learn that information, only to have another exam guide point out that "the CISSP exam does not cover the specific details of how cryptographic algorithms work, so if you are confused by this information, feel free to move on."
While it is true that you can do well on the CISSP test by studying this book, you don't need much of the information presented here, and most of it is presented more concisely in other study guides. Furthermore, other study guides I used contained valuable information that was not in this book, information that did appear in test questions.
As goofy and badly-written as it may seem, Shon Harris's study guide will serve you better in the end.
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Summary: This book no longer relevant
Review: I just took the test yesterday and this book was basically the only one I used to prepare. It went over information you really don't need and didn't cover well enough the ones you do. There was a level of detail that was not addressed in this book as well areas that weren't even covered. A co-worker of mine used two books, this one and the All-in-One and he said that the All-in-One covered the areas and was more accurate to the test. One more point the questions in this book are nothing like the ones on the test and are not a good judge of what the questions will be like.
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Summary: Passed CISSP Test by Using This Book and Boson Practice Test
Review: I Passed CISSP Test by Using This Book and Boson Practice Test 3.
I had spent 4 weeks studying them while working full time.
I had not attended any CISSP training course.
I had not even looked at the ISC2 study guide. The "Advanced Sample Questions" at the end of each chapter are very useful too.
Some questions are not covered in the textbook, but they are explained in detail in the "Answers to Advanced Sample Questions". This is one way to extend one's insight into new areanas quickly and systematically. If one does not study these questions and answers, one will end up having to go somewhere else to find something else to cover the same topics in longer time and from MULTIPLE sources, withOUT knowing the questions and answers. Boson CISSP Practice Test 3 will also extend one's knowledge further by referring to related WEB sites. Be aware that Boson CISSP Practice Test 1 is based on Information Security Management Handbook, Fourth Edition by Harold F. Tipton, Micki Krause. Boson CISSP Practice Tests 2 and 3 are not based on any particular prep/text books. Wish that the above review would help and encourage you somewhat.
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