Customer Rating:  
Summary: Don't buy the 1st edition of this book.
Comment: After reading the ISC2 book Official (ISC)2 Guide to the CISSP Exam I decided to read this book Official (ISC)2 Guide to the CISSP CBK ((Isc)2 Press Series).
As a professional instructor and courseware developer in the IT industry with a focus on security and advanced communications, I was not impressed with the editors work on the 1st edition.
The different chapters were written by different writers which caused a stark contrast to how the book read as I moved from chapter to chapter. Overall there was good information that helped me pass the CISSP exam. If I had not gone through the first book Official (ISC)2 Guide to the CISSP Examand a training boot camp before this book, I would not have noticed the lack of information in some chapters and occasional errors. There is a chapter or two that had very little value-add content and could have been left out if it wasn't for the fact that they needed to be there to complete the 10 domains of the CISSP.
Another interesting thing I noticed was that the book is longer (in number of pages) than the guide to the CISSP Exam, but the glossary at the end is huge! This actually reduces the amount of content that you would read, unless you like reading glossaries.
Pros:
A book to round out your studies of the CISSP or review literature and an already certified CISSP.
The chapters take a different angle to the CISSP profession than the EXAM guide published by ISC2.
Cons:
The editing was not terribly good.
Additional SME reviews would have been a huge plus before this was published.
I would like to see a polished 2nd edition.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Is this the latest one?
Comment: This book's publishing date is Nov 2006, whereas the latest one available from ISC2 is Nov 2007. I want to know if this is a typo from Amazon or Amazon really doesn't have the latest volume, and this can only be bought from ISC?
Customer Rating:
Summary: Should review if ...
Comment: Nutshell review - A dry and hard book to read but very extensive and does cover all the official (ISC)2 CISSP exam material. If you are studying for the CISSP exam you should read this book or at least give it a review.
An alternative to this book would be CISSP All-in-One Exam Guide, Third or fourth Edition, by Shon Harris which is written in a more accessible style. Also look at CISSP: Certified Information Systems Security Professional Study Guide by Stewart, Tittle and Chapple which also contains a very decent testing program with sample review questions.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Good prep book but hard to read
Comment: Update: I just passed the CISSP exam in June 2008 and I think that my review is pretty accurate but I wanted to add one more thing of value. The questions from the CD included with the book are spot on in the style and difficulty of the questions in the real exam. In hindsight my best suggestion is to use the Shon Harris as your main study guide (due to the better explanations) and use this book as a supplement (for some details that Shon misses and for the questions on the CD).
Review: If you want to get book to prepare your for the CISSP, this is a good one. Since it is from ISC2, you know it will give you everything you need and it maps to the new sections of the test (Tip: Be careful when looking at other study guides out there. The exam changed in 2007 and there aren't too many guides on the market based on the new test! If you buy something written before 2007, it is mapping to the old exam and you won't get the latest info on some of the technologies that you are expected to know for the exam). On the bad side it is not as easy to read as some of the other study guides. Since there is a seperate author for each chapter, the writing styles vary a bit. I also didn't like the questions at the end of the chapter, though the CD questions are better. On the good side, the actual reading material is straight to the point and only about 700 pages. The remaining pages of the book (approx 300) is a comprehensive glossary of terms (very useful).
If you like something that is easier to read, the Shon Harris All-in-One Study Guide puts things in a simpler fashion but it is over 1000 pages (a lot more reading). (4th edition maps to the new sections CISSP Certification All-in-One Exam Guide, 4th Ed. (All-in-One)).
It boils down to what is your reading style. If you don't mind reading something that reads like a college text book, this is the book for you. If you think that reading a text book is a cure for your insomnia or you want to have someone explain certain concepts in a simpler fashion then try Shon Harris. Just be ready to dedicate some more time to her book. It is much longer and she can get repetative.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Painful... get Shon Harris
Comment: I attended a 6 day boot camp that provided this book as pre-study prep tool. NO ONE in the class even cracked it open, and all (including the instructor) far preferred the Shon Harris book(s).
The material doesn't have to be this dry. But boot camps feel obliged to provide this one because its by ISC2, and perceived as 'more official'.
BTW, always keep in mind... the purpose of the books and classes you may take is to get you through the exam. You HAVE to squash the frequent "but that's not the way it is in real life" thoughts.
When in doubt, put on your 'management' cap and answer from that POV, not as a techie.
One last thing... stay away from on-line test quizes... they'll destroy your self-confidence, which you can't afford. They're more often than not exercise in "hey, dig how smart I am and how obscure a question I can write." Stick to questions in this or Harris' books.
BTW, I passed. :)
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