CISSP Cheat Sheet 2025 | Pass the Exam in 1st Attempt

CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional) is a globally recognized certification in the field of information security. The CISSP certification is offered by the International Information System Security Certification Consortium, also known as (ISC)². The certification is intended for professionals who have experience in the field of information security and wish to demonstrate their knowledge and expertise in the field. Let's see CISSP Cheat Sheet.

 

CISSP Cheat Sheet 2025

 

The CISSP exam covers eight domains: Security and Risk Management, Asset Security, Security Architecture and Engineering, Communication and Network Security, Identity and Access Management, Security Assessment and Testing, Security Operations, and Software Development Security. The exam is 6 hours long and consists of 250 multiple-choice questions. The passing score is 700 out of 1000 points. The exam is offered in many languages and can be taken at various locations worldwide.

 

The CISSP Certification is highly valued in the field of information security and is recognized globally. It demonstrates a candidate's expertise in the field and commitment to upholding high standards of ethics and professionalism. The certification is valid for three years, and certified professionals must earn continuing education credits to maintain their certification.

 

CISSP Exam

 

To be eligible for the CISSP exam, candidates must have a minimum of five years of professional experience in two or more of the CISSP domains. Alternatively, candidates can substitute a college degree or other professional certifications for some of the required experience. Once the exam is passed, candidates must also submit an endorsement from a current (ISC)² certified professional, along with a code of ethics agreement. See in details about CISSP cheat sheet.

 

CISSP Exam Domains

 

Each of the CISSP domains is assigned a weight, which represents the percentage of questions from that domain that will appear on the exam.

 

The domain weights are as follows:

1. Security and Risk Management - 15%
2. Asset Security - 10%
3. Security Architecture and Engineering - 13%
4. Communication and Network Security - 14%
5. Identity and Access Management (IAM) - 13%
6. Security Assessment and Testing - 12%
7. Security Operations - 13%
8. Software Development Security - 10%

 

Let’s see the cheat sheet for first domain security and risk management, which will be helpful for you in CISSP Exam:

 

Security and Risk Management - 15%

• Confidentiality: Confidentiality is the principle of protecting sensitive information from unauthorized access.
• Integrity: Integrity is the principle of ensuring that data and information are accurate, complete, and trustworthy.
• Availability: Availability is the principle of ensuring that data and information are available and accessible to authorized users when needed.
• Risk management: Risk management is the process of identifying, assessing, and prioritizing risks and implementing measures to mitigate them.
• Threat: A threat is any potential danger to an organization's assets, such as data, information, hardware, or software.
• Vulnerability: A vulnerability is a weakness or flaw in an organization's security system that can be exploited by a threat.
• Risk: Risk refers to the probability and potential consequences of a threat taking advantage of a vulnerability. In other words, it is the possibility that an undesirable event or outcome may occur, and the extent to which it could negatively impact an entity or system.
• Security governance: Security governance refers to the overall management of an organization's security program, including policies, procedures, and standards.
• Compliance: Compliance is the adherence to laws, regulations, policies, and standards related to security.
• Security framework: A security framework is a set of guidelines, best practices, and standards for implementing security measures.
• Security architecture: Security architecture refers to the design and structure of an organization's security system.
• Security models: Security models are formal frameworks used to define and implement security policies and access control mechanisms.
• Security controls: Security controls are measures put in place to mitigate or prevent security risks.
• Security operations: Security operations refer to the ongoing management of an organization's security system, including monitoring, detecting, and responding to security incidents.
• Incident management: Incident management is the process of detecting, analyzing, and responding to security incidents.
• Disaster recovery: Disaster recovery is the process of restoring an organization's IT infrastructure and operations after a disaster.
• Business continuity: Business continuity refers to the ability of an organization to maintain essential operations during and after a disaster or other disruptive event.
• Legal and regulatory issues: Legal and regulatory issues refer to laws and regulations related to security and privacy, such as HIPAA, GDPR, and PCI DSS.
• Ethics: Ethics refers to the principles of right and wrong conduct in the context of security and risk management.
• Security awareness training: Security awareness training is the process of educating employees and stakeholders about security risks and best practices.

 

Concepts:

 

Confidentiality - is the practice of preventing unauthorized disclosure of information. This involves the principle of "need to know" and "least privilege," which ensure that only authorized personnel have access to confidential data. Other measures include encryption, logical and physical access control, and processes that safeguard against unauthorized disclosure.

 

Integrity - refers to the accuracy and consistency of data, ensuring that no unauthorized modifications are made. This principle ensures that data or resources are not altered in an unauthorized manner, protecting the authenticity and reliability of information.

 

Availability - ensures that information is reliably and timely accessible to authorized personnel. This requires fault-tolerance and recovery procedures that ensure that data is available when it's needed.

 

IAAA - stands for Identification, Authentication, Accountability, and Authorization, which are essential requirements for security and accountability.

 

Identification - involves the user claiming their identity, which is then used to control user access.

 

Authentication - refers to the process of testing the evidence of a user's identity, such as a username and password, to ensure that only authorized users can access data.

 

Accountability - refers to the practice of tracking and determining the actions of an individual person. This is essential in ensuring that individuals are held responsible for their actions, and it's critical for auditing and compliance purposes.

 

Authorization - refers to the rights and permissions granted to an individual or group, which determines what actions they can perform within a system.

 

Privacy - refers to the level of confidentiality and protection that's provided to personal information. This includes measures such as access control, data encryption, and other safeguards that prevent unauthorized disclosure of sensitive data.

 

Data Breaches:

 

Data Breaches: Data Breaches refer to incidents that have the potential to cause harm by compromising the confidentiality, integrity, or availability of personal or sensitive information. There are several key terms that are commonly used in the context of data breaches:

 

Incident: An event that has the potential to cause harm or disruption, such as a cyber-attack, natural disaster, or human error.

 

Breach: An incident that results in the unauthorized disclosure or potential disclosure of data. This can occur through a variety of means, including hacking, malware, social engineering, or physical theft.

 

Data Disclosure: The unauthorized acquisition of personal information, such as names, addresses, Social Security numbers, or credit card numbers.

 

Event: Threat events are accidental or intentional exploitations of vulnerabilities that can lead to data breaches. These can include software vulnerabilities, weak passwords, or inadequate security controls.

 

Risk Management:                                                  

 

Goal: To determine the impact of a potential threat and assess the risk of it occurring. The main aim of risk management is to mitigate risk to a level that is considered acceptable.

 

Step 1: Preparation for Assessment

 

Prior to conducting the risk assessment, it is essential to prepare adequately by defining the purpose, scope, and other relevant factors. This step involves identifying the objectives of the assessment, outlining the scope of the analysis, and determining the level of detail required to evaluate the risk accurately. It is crucial to have a clear understanding of the purpose and scope of the assessment to ensure that all the necessary information is gathered and the appropriate level of analysis is conducted. By adequately preparing for the assessment, the risk management team can ensure that they are equipped to identify potential threats and evaluate their impact accurately.

 

Step 2 – Conduct Assessment

 

• ID threat sources and events
• ID vulnerabilities and predisposing conditions
• Determine likelihood of occurrence
• Determine magnitude of impact
• Determine risk

 

Step 3 – Communicate Risk/results

 

Step 4 – Maintaining Assessment and Identifying Types of Risks:

 

To effectively manage risks, it is important to understand the various types of risks involved. The following are the three types of risks that should be considered during the risk assessment process:

• Inherent Risk: This refers to the chance of making an error when there are no controls in place.
• Control Risk: This refers to the chance that controls in place will prevent, detect, or control errors.
• Residual Risk: This is the remaining risk after controls are in place.

 

In addition to these types of risks, it is important to consider business concerns about the potential effects of unforeseen circumstances. This combination of all risks is commonly known as audit risk.

To begin the risk analysis process, it is recommended to conduct a Preliminary Security Examination (PSE) to gather all the necessary elements needed for a thorough assessment.

 

The following steps should be taken during the risk analysis:

• Identify assets that need protection.
• Identify potential threats to those assets.
• Calculate the level of risk associated with those threats.
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ISO 27005: ISO 27005 is a set of guidelines that specifically addresses risk management.

 

Concepts:

• COSO: Committee of Sponsoring Organizations
• IEC: International Electro technical Commission
• ITIL: Information Technology Infrastructure Library
• ISMS: Information Security Management System.
• ISO/IEC 27000 series: Standards for ISMS by ISO/IEC
• Defense in Depth/Layered Defense/Onion Defense: Overlapping security controls for protection
• CIA: Confidentiality, Integrity, Availability
• DAD: Disclosure, Alteration, Destruction
• IAAA: Identification, Authentication, Authorization, Accountability
• Least privilege: Minimum necessary access
• Non-repudiation: Unable to deny actions
• PCI-DSS: Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard
• ISO: International Organization for Standardization
• Liability: Accountability, senior management ultimately liable
• Due care: Implementing security practices and patches
• FRAP: Facilitated Risk Analysis Process
• OCTAVE: Operationally Critical Threat, Asset, and Vulnerability Evaluation
• GDPR: General Data Protection Regulation
• COBIT: Control Objectives for Information and Related Technology

 

Control Frameworks:

• Consistency - maintain a uniform approach and application throughout the process or system.
• Measurability - establish a way to measure progress to evaluate the effectiveness of the process or system.
• Standardization - ensure that all components of the process or system are standardized to avoid confusion and inconsistencies.
• Comprehensiveness - examine all aspects of the process or system to identify potential areas for improvement.
• Modularity - break down the process or system into smaller, manageable components for review and adaptability. This can be achieved through layered and abstracted design.

 

Risk Management Concepts:

 

Threat – It refers to any potential danger or harm that could cause damage to a system or organization.

 

Vulnerability – It pertains to a weakness in the system that can be taken advantage of by a threat vector.

 

Likelihood – This pertains to the probability or chance that a specific event will occur.

 

Impact – This refers to the overall effects or consequences of a particular risk event.

 

Residual Risk – This pertains to the amount of risk that remains after all mitigation efforts have been made.

 

 

Summing up - CISSP cheat sheet

 

Domain 1 of CISSP is crucial for understanding the basic concepts of information security and lays the foundation for further study in the field. This CISSP cheat sheet provides a concise summary of the key topics covered in Domain 1, including security and risk management, confidentiality, integrity, and availability. It is a useful tool for anyone preparing for the CISSP exam or seeking to refresh their knowledge in the field.

 

If you are interested in exploring CISSP cheat sheet for other domains of CISSP, our team of experts is here to assist you with CISSP course training. CISSP certification is highly valued in the field of information security, and our experts can guide you through the entire process, from training to certification. Contact us to learn more about our CISSP course and how we can help you achieve your career goals.