Ccsp Study
Sofía Goldthwait
* Normal Weekend Time: two blocks of 4 hours reviewing new material on Saturday (am/pm), followed by one 4 hour review block on Sunday morning covering all that I read the previous week (am), with rest of Sunday to prep for workweek.
* Overall Approach / Timeline: Within about 2 weeks from starting, I went through the Dummies book and related study questions about twice. Then it took about 2 more weeks to go through the Official Study Guide and its related end-of-chapter questions. Then I started doing all the Sybex questions and practice tests (online) as well as the CCSP phone app practice tests / questions. By about 2 weeks before my test date, I had gone through all of those and was scoring in the low to mid 80s. The last 2 weeks before the test was spent identifying weak areas, reviewing the study guide / my notes / the flashcards for those, and then trying to retake those questions until I was able to answer most correctly.
* Test Day / Results: Out of the 4 hours allotted, it took me about 2hrs 30min to complete the test, and I was given 150 questions to answer. The result was printed and ready right after I left the room. A lot of hard work, but truly a great feeling seeing the printout!
First, I read through the CCSP for Dummies book twice, cover to cover. It was a pleasant read and included 2 tests, flashcards, and some practice questions online. As such, while not that hard, it was definitely not enough by itself for the exam. However, as it turns out, it covered many concepts (eg, FIPS 140-2; EALs for the Common Criteria) much better than the Official Guide, so it was essential reading and very important for preparedness!
For the final 3-4 days before the test, I reviewed all the flashcards I had to start. Then I kept reviewing and re-reviewing any questions I missed several times in the app and in the Official Practice Tests book. The day before, I went over all the flashcards I had one last time, with emphasis on the topics I had a harder time with or related to the questions I had kept missing the most.
My test was on a Monday, so I made sure I took the prior Thursday and Friday off from work. That gave me four days of uninterrupted time to study beforehand. I made sure to schedule my test in the afternoon, which gave me the whole morning to sleep in a little, relax, do a final flashcard review, and get myself psyched up. I went to sleep at around 9.00pm and got up around 7.00am for every day that I had taken off before the test day, so I felt really rested and alert on test day. I planned my route to the test center (about 25mins away), and made sure to get there 30mins early just in case.
Then I entered the test center, after which the process was identical to when I taken the CISSP. I made sure to bring a snack (some trail mix) and a bottle of water with me. They verified two forms of IDs with photo and signature (this is key!), checked me in, took a hand/vein scan, and put all of my things (wallet, keys, phone, snacks, water bottle) in a locker. The test center was cool, so I wore a fleece with a half-sleeved shirt and cargo pants, which was enough to be comfortable. They checked me again once I got down the hallway, provided me a laminated sheet with a dry erase marker, and sat me down at my computer workstation. After clicking through all the disclaimers and agreeing to the ethics policy, there came the first question!
* Combining Resources - *Both* the Official Study Guide and CCSP for Dummies were essential, as some concepts were covered better by one vs the other. Especially for things like authentication standards, FIPS 140-2, the Common Criteria, and federated identity (among others), it felt like the Dummies guide went in to more detail. For most other concepts, the Official Guide was more detailed.
As with the CISSP (but in less time), the key was planning and preparation. Not the hardest test ever, but definitely not an easy one all the same. While many questions seemed to be a lot harder than in the practice materials, most were consistent with the study guides and practice questions. The key is to understand the domains covered, have a plan with study milestones, build in enough time to study and get through multiple sets of practice questions and practice tests, and use flashcards to fill time and reinforce concepts especially if hard. Cover all of the material, and do as many practice questions as is possible under your timeframe. Above all, stay positive, stay focused, and be confident!
To avoid this problem, the International Information System Security Certification Consortium ISC2 offers many study resources to aspiring candidates for the certified cloud security professionals (CCSP) certification exam.
This article wIll review some of the available study resources, including traditional textbooks, study guides and contemporary tools, such as interactive study apps and flashcards, to help you prepare for the CCSP exam (August 1, 2022 version). You can choose one of the options below to help you learn at your own pace and spend extra time on material when needed to reinforce concepts.
Several online options improve your chances of passing the certification exam. Here are a few of the options offered by ISC2 but many other interesting tools and courses are available online from reputable training providers, MOOC (massive open online courses) sites and ISC2 partners:
The ISC2 Certification Prep Kit is an educational resource that can help candidates plan for success in CCSP. Available online, it contains facts on ISC2 training and study tools and provides a sneak peek into official courseware, tips and more.
Taking a practice test can help you do better on the actual exam day. With so many resources to consider, it is better to first evaluate your strengths and weaknesses using some of these practice materials:
CCSP ISC2 Certified Cloud Security Professional Exam Practice Questions and Dumps by Maester Books provides actual practice exam questions and answers for the latest exam so that you can prepare well for the CCSP certification. This resource has 250+ exam questions that can help you be certified fast and easily.
ISC2 CCSP Actual Exam Questions and Answers by EXAM BOOST offers more than 250 questions and answers from previous tests. The latest version was published in 2020, so look for an updated version soon.
CBK-suggested references can be acquired or consulted to complement work and academic experience, but ISC2 does not imply nor guarantee that the study of these references will result in an examination pass.
To prepare a valuable study plan, candidates should evaluate their needs, considering time availability, study preferences and learning style. They should also spend some time assessing their strengths and weaknesses in the various topics. A number of the tools listed above can help them do that.
Official study guides and learning resources are available at 50% off for ISC2 members. Still, it is valuable to also look for other options that might help fill various knowledge gaps and address CCSP topics from different perspectives.
This credential certifies that you have the skills and knowledge necessary to build, manage, and secure cloud data, applications, and infrastructure utilizing industry best practices, policies, and procedures.
You must have worked in the IT sector for at least 5 years, 3 of which must be in the Information Security domain, and an extra year of work experience in one or more of the 6 areas recognized by (ISC)2.
You do, however, have another option: if you are CISSP certified, with your certified cloud security professional training, you can utilize that to satisfy the additional 1-year experience requirement. These are the basic requirements that (ISC)2 places on exam candidates.
Giving oneself ample time to study is one of the most critical exam preparation recommendations we can provide you. Procrastinate not! It's essential to start studying well ahead of the test date. Make it a habit to finish reading assignments on time and check lecture notes frequently. If you're studying for a midterm or final examination, you'll want to schedule your time so that you may focus more on the exams that are more significant or challenging.
If you truly want to pass IT security certification courses, then you should create a detailed study strategy. Simply read over the syllabus and learn it. You can study more effectively when you know the syllabus because you'll see what you need to research and what you don't. It is critical to study effectively. Just make sure you've covered everything on your schedule. Study according to your plan and simply promise yourself that you will do the assigned work on that day, as consistency is crucial when studying.
Make a study schedule and commit to following it. I normally propose a 60 to 90-day study plan, depending on your knowledge level and practical experience with the CCSP domains; anything less is likely to be too aggressive, while anything more than 90 days often leads to less intensive studying than required.
It is preferable to study with someone who is also studying the same subject as you since you may debate topics with each other and determine how much you know. When two or more people study together, they create a conducive learning environment. When you study with someone, you generate a sense of competition between you, which leads to higher results.
Of course, preparation is essential for every exam. As a result, avoid skipping practice tests. They will provide you with a realistic examination setting, and they will also allow you to utilize the knowledge you have gained via reading.
You'll be able to track your progress and identify your failures. Practice tests typically include extensive explanations for the questions, making it easier to improve steadily. The CCSP-certified practice exams might be a useful tool in your exam preparation.
Experience is always the best teacher. You must pass the exam and have at least five years of paid IT experience. Three of those must be in information security and one year in one or more of the (ISC)2 CCSP six domains to be eligible for the CCSP cybersecurity certification. Apart from being a requirement to become certified, this hands-on training is the best way to gain practical, real-life experience related to the exam's themes.
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