Failed CISSP exam today -- 668

Scored a 668.

I thought physical security, access control and operations were my strongest domain since I would score 90+ in the practice test but it ended up being my weakest domain...

Sdlc, network security surprisingly is my strongest domain.

Materials used to study:
Eric conrad-- both books
Cbt nuggets
Official isc2 book

I studied for 3 months everyday with 2 1/2 years experience in PHYSICAL, ACCESS CONTROL AND OPERATIONS SECURITY. Sigh.

As the for exam, it was ridiculous. I saw things I've never seen before.

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E Double U

I thought physical security was pretty easy, but turned out to be my worst domain on my 1st attempt lol.

I got a 676 so we're both almost there.

Maybe you should add the Shon Harris AIO to your reading. Which practice exams did you use, if any?

k3rberos

I used conrads 500 questions on his website as practice. I have the AIO book but stopped reading cause it was too technical. I'll prob take a look at it now. Prob gonna wait a few months before I get back at it since they're changing the test next month.

dou2ble

Sorry to hear that. But you're so close I wouldn't wait for the next test. I heard cccure.org and McGraw Hill practice questions are the best.

kalkan999

Read my posts about my journey. If you have the requisite experience, don't listen to Beads...keep your chin up, retake the test until you pass.

TheFORCE

k3rberos wrote: »

Scored a 668.

I thought physical security, access control and operations were my strongest domain since I would score 90+ in the practice test but it ended up being my weakest domain...

Sdlc, network security surprisingly is my strongest domain.

Materials used to study:
Eric conrad-- both books
Cbt nuggets
Official isc2 book

I studied for 3 months everyday with 2 1/2 years experience in PHYSICAL, ACCESS CONTROL AND OPERATIONS SECURITY. Sigh.

As the for exam, it was ridiculous. I saw things I've never seen before.

You are falling for the trap so many other people have already. When you go to re-take the exam, forget about your work experience, wait.. don't forget about it, just don't answer the questions, the way you do your job in the company now. Answer the questions, the way ISC2 wants you to answer them. n the real world, sometimes we take shortcuts and we do things certain ways, however, ISC2 wants you to do things their way!

papadoc

You mentioned you saw things you never saw before. Without violating the NDA can you just speak at a high level of what concepts you state that you "never saw before?" The ISC2 book is rather thorough., although dry reading.

BlackBeret

If it helps the only two books I read were the AIO and 11th Hour Study Guide and passed. It might be a deep read, but the AIO is designed to provide you all of the information you need to LEARN the material. Since you already have it, it's probably your best resource. I wouldn't bother with practice questions, they're not going to show up on the exam and you know your weak areas now. Practice questions for the CISSP are for identifying what you need to study more. All I did was read, learn, pass exam.

GForce75

BlackBeret, I can agree with you on this. Even though I read through Shon Harris like crazy; I did it due to upcoming changes in the test. Looking back at AIO, it really helps you foucs on what you need to know rather than being overwhelmed with too much information.

k3rberos

Thanks for the insight everyone! The new exam is effective April 15, so I won't be able to take it before that since the retake policy is 30 days. I'll have to take a look at the new exam details but I'm sure much isn't going to change.

Robertf969

Remember CISSP is a management exam, you will encounter questions with multiple right answers, try to think what would a manager do to cover his behind in this situation and then answer accordingly. Good luck you are very close!

gespenstern

Keep trying, you didn't miss by much.

beads

And never listen to anything I would have say even if I were pointing out your hair was on fire. I'll remember that even if its not a direct quote.

You probably got a bit unlucky when it came to Physical Security as the number of questions that have normally come up are generally pretty low from the number of conversations I have had over the years. The one really easy thing about Physical is that depending on how you learn you can always PHYSICALLY look at a few fire extinguishers or look at a seven foot high fence, etc. Sometimes the ability to touch or play with something is more than enough to help you remember.

The rest of the exam is more like memorizing a long history lesson and has absolutely nothing with management itself. Just IT and Security related concepts and techniques. Knowing the steps to resolve a incident is not a management technique, for example.

Decompress a day or two and then go back to the book(s) but only when your mind is out of "shock" from such a heavy exam. Hey! After the ISSAP I had to ask how to use the revolving door! I just looked at it stupid after that exam.

Now, back to world security domination...

- b/eads

Meanand

Close. Don't give up.

k3rberos

After a week out of not passing the CISSP and not reading anything CISSP related I'm ready to get back at it.

Going to go over my Top 5 weakest domains by reading the Shon Harris AIO book and my Top 5 strongest domains, continue to read the Eric Conrad book as a refresher.

I'll probably start up slowly first, and try to take the exam again sometime this summer.

LionelTeo

The conrad practice test only test for minimal knowledge and has nothing to do with the actual exam format. To get prepared for the actual exam, you should change practice.

Transcender and GISP are the top 2 exams that is close to the actual standard. CCCure is great but the questions are too obscure or force too much memorization that makes it less useful for actual exam. I havent tried transcender before, but from what I know its highly recommended to go with for studying for the exam due to its pricing and question quality.

StudisScope is the worse.

Momala2525@gmail.com

Transcender is a waste of money from what I heard from my friend.

kiki162

StudisScope sucks - dont waste your money
Transcender would recommend as it comes closer than CCCure for sure
CCCure is still not bad

RiverLiver

kiki162 wrote: »

StudisScope sucks - dont waste your money
Transcender would recommend as it comes closer than CCCure for sure
CCCure is still not bad

Why is it so hard to find a place that actually offers something close to the real exam format? Yeesh!

GForce75

Honestly, I just did some of the Shon Harris questions and that was it. I didn't waste my time with those test engines. Why study something that tells you that you suck. Just better to read the material. That's how I got the test down in only two weeks of studying. There is nothing close to those questions by the way... anything you find feels like SEC+ questions.

seigex

GForce75 wrote: »

Honestly, I just did some of the Shon Harris questions and that was it. I didn't waste my time with those test engines. Why study something that tells you that you suck. Just better to read the material. That's how I got the test down in only two weeks of studying. There is nothing close to those questions by the way... anything you find feels like SEC+ questions.

There are a couple things I gained from the Shon Harris and CCCure test engines. They taught me to read the question (this was my first certification exam, so I'm not used to these types of questions), and it helped me reinforce the technical details that allowed me to make informed decisions on the questions presented on the CISSP exam. Then again, I have an easier time learning by practical exorcises or testing and retesting, than I ever will by reading a book. Especially a dry book like Shon Harris'.

LionelTeo

GISP is the closest for CISSP for me among StudisScope, Conrad Question, CCCure. CCCure are just useful in reading the question.

GForce75

seigex wrote: »

There are a couple things I gained from the Shon Harris and CCCure test engines. They taught me to read the question (this was my first certification exam, so I'm not used to these types of questions), and it helped me reinforce the technical details that allowed me to make informed decisions on the questions presented on the CISSP exam. Then again, I have an easier time learning by practical exorcises or testing and retesting, than I ever will by reading a book. Especially a dry book like Shon Harris'.

Lol, true. Shon Harris is so dry... I had to watch her videos in conjunction with the book. I did a few extra questions to feel the format, but got the idea after words. I swear to good, in her videos, she and big friend wore the worst clothes, picked the worst scene to conduct it in, and she spends 1/3 of the time saying how much she knows.