CISSP Study Plan – Day 15 of 55 | Single Sign-On (SSO)
- Luke Ahmed
- Sep 22
- 2 min read
"You won’t regret studying SSO, especially for your real life as a security professional!"– Luke Ahmed
Today is Day 15 of Yihenew’s CISSP study plan, focusing on Single Sign-On (SSO) — one of the most exam-tested concepts in Identity and Access Management (IAM).
Key Areas Covered:
SSO Defined — a single set of credentials allows access to multiple systems or applications.
User Experience — reduces password fatigue, improves productivity, and simplifies login management.
Administrative Efficiency — centralized identity management means fewer reset tickets and tighter oversight.
Risks of SSO — a single point of failure; if SSO credentials are compromised, multiple systems are exposed.
Controls That Strengthen SSO — combine with MFA, monitoring, and logging to reduce risk.
CISSP Exam Tie-In — expect scenario questions that test whether you recognize when SSO improves security, and when it introduces business risk.
In this CISSP study plan session, Yihenew emphasized that SSO isn’t just a convenience feature. On the exam and in the real world, it’s about balancing usability vs. risk exposure, and knowing what compensating controls to put in place.
Quick CISSP Practice Question
What is the primary benefit of Single Sign-On (SSO)?
A. Reduces password fatigue and simplifies access management
B. Provides stronger encryption for data in transit
C. Prevents phishing attacks at the endpoint
D. Eliminates the need for authentication altogether
✅ Correct Answer: A. Reduces password fatigue and simplifies access management
Explanation:SSO centralizes authentication and reduces the number of credentials users must manage. This means fewer weak or reused passwords and less burden on IT.
Think Like a Manager: Don’t just see SSO as a technical tool — frame it as a business enabler. Managers value reduced help desk costs, improved compliance auditing, and user productivity. The risk is consolidation — one credential now controls access to many systems. The right answer on the CISSP exam will usually highlight risk-based decision making: SSO is valuable, but only when paired with controls like MFA, monitoring, and strong identity governance.
👉 Can you take the Yani Challenge?
55 days of consistent CISSP prep, tackling one domain at a time, using only the resources below:
Course
Luke's CISSP Course (2 months access, $89.98)
One-to-one Zoom sessions with Luke Ahmed (2 weeks before exam)
Books, Notes, and Practice Questions
All-In-One Study Guide by Shon Harris (Around $45)
Sybex 10th Edition (Around $52.55)
Total Cost: approxiamately $250 depending on your geographic location. Yani is located in East Africa.
📚 Study Plan (55 Days of Dedication):
- Weekdays: 2–3 hours of focused study—late nights and early mornings (5 AM).
- Weekends: 5–6 hours of deep study sessions.
Pass CISSP in first attempt within 100 questions.
Yani's biggest expense was his time, committment, consistency, and dedication! It was worth it because he passed first attempt in 100 questions using the above resources only.
If Yihenew could do it, so can you.
All the best Future CISSP. You can feel free to contact me anytime as well.
Thank you.
Luke Ahmed
