CISSP Study Plan – Day 38 of 55 | Defense in Depth: From Physical to Technical
- Luke Ahmed
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
Updated: 18 hours ago
“Late nights, early mornings — a recipe to put CISSP after your name! And you did!” – Luke Ahmed
Today is Day 38 of Yihenew’s CISSP study plan, focusing on Defense in Depth — the multilayered security strategy that every CISSP must be able to design, justify, and explain.
Defense in Depth is not about piling on tools — it’s about ensuring that each control layer complements the others. From physical access to encryption, every layer should serve a purpose in minimizing risk.
Key Areas Covered in the CISSP Study Plan
Definition:A security architecture approach that uses multiple, independent layers of controls — physical, administrative, and technical — to protect assets from a wide range of threats.
Physical Controls:Barriers that protect the environment itself.
Examples: Fences, mantraps, CCTV, security guards, motion sensors, and locks.
CISSP mindset: Prevent unauthorized access before a system is even touched.
Administrative Controls:Policies, standards, procedures, and guidelines that define what should be done.
Examples: Security awareness training, background checks, job rotation, mandatory vacations.
These shape human behavior to reduce insider risk.
Technical Controls:Technological measures that enforce policy.
Examples: Firewalls, intrusion prevention systems, encryption, MFA, and DLP.
The strongest technical defense still fails if the administrative or physical layer is weak.
The Layered Principle:Each control layer buys time, increases detection, and limits the blast radius of a compromise.
CISSP Exam Tie-In
The CISSP exam will test your ability to recognize gaps between layers. For example, a question may describe strong encryption but poor door access control — that’s a failure in physical defense in depth.
When you see options mixing firewalls with awareness training and CCTV, the correct answer is usually the one that recognizes the coordination of all three.
Quick CISSP Practice Question
Which of the following best represents the concept of Defense in Depth?
A. Implementing a single, strong firewall at the network perimeter
B. Combining administrative, physical, and technical controls to protect assets
C. Encrypting all sensitive data stored on a single secure server
D. Installing antivirus software across all endpoints
✅ Correct Answer: B. Combining administrative, physical, and technical controls to protect assets
Explanation:Defense in Depth requires multiple, independent, and complementary security layers that reduce the chance of a single point of failure.
Think Like a Manager:Your job isn’t to configure the firewall — it’s to ensure that no single failure can take down your organization. True CISSPs design resilience, not dependency.
👉 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
