PSAC study plan
PSAC · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 6 hours per week
Physical Security Assessment and Planning
Map the full Domain 1 body of knowledge into a one-page outline covering site survey, threat and vulnerability identification, and physical security plan components
Define and give worked examples for the layered-defense and crime-prevention-through-environmental-design principles used in perimeter and building planning
Compare natural, structural, and procedural countermeasures and state when each is appropriate for an assessed facility
Practice converting a written facility scenario into a ranked list of physical vulnerabilities with justification
Your checkpoint
A 2-page physical security assessment outline plus 15 self-written scenario questions with answer rationales
Physical Security Assessment and Planning & Security Risk Management and Threat Analysis
Apply a qualitative risk formula (likelihood x impact) to three sample facilities and rank the resulting risks
Distinguish asset, threat, vulnerability, and risk so each is used correctly in written analysis
Build a simple risk register template with owner, likelihood, impact, treatment, and residual risk fields
Explain how threat analysis feeds countermeasure selection and cost justification in a physical security plan
Your checkpoint
A completed risk register for one sample facility with at least 8 identified risks and recommended treatments
Access Control and Intrusion Detection
Differentiate identification, authentication, and authorization and place common credential types in each category
Compare card, biometric, and PIN technologies on false accept rate, false reject rate, and throughput trade-offs
Explain tailgating, piggybacking, and mantrap controls and select the right control for a given entry point
Trace a single access decision end to end from reader to door controller to egress hardware
Your checkpoint
A one-page access control technology comparison table plus 12 practice questions with rationales
Access Control and Intrusion Detection & Surveillance and Monitoring Systems
Distinguish intrusion detection sensor types (perimeter, interior, glass-break, motion) and match each to a use case
Explain alarm signal processing, false alarm causes, and alarm assessment procedures
Compare CCTV camera types, lens and field-of-view selection, and lighting requirements for identification versus detection
Describe video retention, chain of custody, and privacy considerations for recorded surveillance
Your checkpoint
A layered detection design sketch for one site showing sensor placement, camera coverage, and alarm response flow
Surveillance and Monitoring Systems & Emergency Response and Incident Management
Draft the first 30 minutes of an incident response sequence for a detected intrusion, from alarm receipt to scene control
Define the roles of dispatcher, responder, incident commander, and liaison during a security event
Explain the purpose and structure of tabletop exercises and after-action reviews
Identify notification, escalation, and evidence-preservation requirements during an incident
Your checkpoint
A two-page incident response playbook for a single intrusion scenario with an escalation matrix
Emergency Response and Incident Management
Build a response plan for one natural hazard and one human-caused emergency, covering evacuation, shelter-in-place, and accountability
Describe business continuity and recovery priorities including recovery time and recovery point objectives
Explain how emergency plans are tested, updated, and coordinated with external responders
Practice writing incident reports that separate observed facts from conclusions
Your checkpoint
A one-page emergency action plan summary for one hazard plus a sample factual incident report
Security Policies, Procedures, and Standards
Classify policy, procedure, standard, and guideline and place examples of each in the correct tier
Draft a short access control policy with scope, roles, exceptions, and review cycle
Explain how standards and frameworks inform security program structure without claiming certification
Describe policy lifecycle: authoring, approval, communication, enforcement, and periodic review
Your checkpoint
A complete one-page access control policy draft with a defined review cycle and approval path
Physical Security Assessment and Planning & Access Control and Intrusion Detection & Surveillance and Monitoring Systems & Security Risk Management and Threat Analysis & Emergency Response and Incident Management & Security Policies, Procedures, and Standards
Complete a timed full-length practice set and score every domain separately
Re-teach the two weakest domains using your own notes and worked examples
Consolidate a one-page summary sheet per domain with only facts you can state confidently
Identify any remaining uncertain facts and mark them for verification rather than guessing
Your checkpoint
A scored practice result with a per-domain breakdown and a final one-page summary sheet for each of the six domains
Milestones
Week 2: Can explain the difference between threat, vulnerability, and risk without notes and justify a ranked risk list for a sample site
Week 4: Can trace an access decision end to end and match at least four sensor types to appropriate use cases
Week 6: Can deliver a 10-minute walkthrough of an incident response sequence and an emergency action plan for one hazard
Week 8: Practice score shows no domain below a self-set threshold, and every uncertain fact is flagged rather than guessed