Any tricks to memorizing Common Criteria?

Daniel333

All, 

I keep getting EAL/Common criteria questions in correct. It's killing me. Got a good mnemonic device or something? Trick to reading the questions? 

mikey88

Not that I know of. You can always come up with something on your own. Do you have all your other ducks lined up in the row? Not saying its not important, but there are a 1000 pages worth of material and I think there's bigger fish out there to memorize.

ansionnachcliste

Once you know that there are 7 levels; that's a good start.

• Know that the one with "formally" in it comes at the end (Level 7)
• Levels 5 and 6 contain the word "Semiformally", but the one that is verified is Level 6
• Levels 3 and 4 contain the word "methodically" with the word "reviewed" or contains 3 items, "Designed, tested, and reviewed", compared to Level 3's two items
• Just know that 1 and 2 are "Functionally" and "Structurally"

Just get that concept or maybe divide it like the following:

• Level 1 and 7: Lowest to highest: Both begin with "F": "Functionally" and "Formally" - Know that "Formally" is a higher level than "Functionally"
• Level 4 has the best "Methodically" level, so Level 3 must be the other "Methodically"
• Level 5 and 6 - 6 is "Verified", so Level 5 must be the other "Semiformally"
• Level 2 - Is the odd one out "Structurally"

Keep reading it like that and get the anchor positions (1, 4, and 7) out of the way and then work in-between them to find out the rest.

That may not make sense to some but it's how my brain works, and I hope it helps .

Best of luck!

oscarmack

ansionnachcliste said:

Once you know that there are 7 levels; that's a good start.

• Know that the one with "formally" in it comes at the end (Level 7)
• Levels 5 and 6 contain the word "Semiformally", but the one that is verified is Level 6
• Levels 3 and 4 contain the word "methodically" with the word "reviewed" or contains 3 items, "Designed, tested, and reviewed", compared to Level 3's two items
• Just know that 1 and 2 are "Functionally" and "Structurally"

Just get that concept or maybe divide it like the following:

• Level 1 and 7: Lowest to highest: Both begin with "F": "Functionally" and "Formally" - Know that "Formally" is a higher level than "Functionally"
• Level 4 has the best "Methodically" level, so Level 3 must be the other "Methodically"
• Level 5 and 6 - 6 is "Verified", so Level 5 must be the other "Semiformally"
• Level 2 - Is the odd one out "Structurally"

Keep reading it like that and get the anchor positions (1, 4, and 7) out of the way and then work in-between them to find out the rest.

That may not make sense to some but it's how my brain works, and I hope it helps .

Best of luck!

That helps, i have been struggling to memorize it too.  I have used your method to make up something that makes sense in my brain.  Thanks

Key acronym here is FSM either from the top or bottom

1. Functionally
2. Structurally
3&4 Methodically
5&6 Semiformally
7 Formally.

It makes sense in my brain lol......So THANK YOU

FSF150

@ansionnachcliste thanks for the tip. I'm studying for ISSAP and EAL is in my "maybe not worth the effort bucket". This will help! 

@oscarmack & @Daniel333 good luck with the exam! 

bensegar

I'm learning this stuff as well so i've just created the following:

For (Formally Verified)
Some (Semi-Formal Verified, design and test)
Smelly (Semi-Formal design and test)
Members (methodically design test and reviewed)
My (methodically checked and tested)
Snot (Structurally tested)
Flies (Functionality tested)
Inwards (Inadequate)


I hope this helps!