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CISA Exam Sept 2016
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coffeeisgood
Member Posts: 136 ■■■□□□□□□□
yep... all in for my 1st ISACA exam
anyone have any tips on studying, I am all ears -
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JoJoCal19
Mod Posts: 2,835 Mod
Review manual and the Q&A database and you should be good.Have: CISSP, CISM, CISA, CRISC, eJPT, GCIA, GSEC, CCSP, CCSK, AWS CSAA, AWS CCP, OCI Foundations Associate, ITIL-F, MS Cyber Security - USF, BSBA - UF, MSISA - WGU
Currently Working On: Python, OSCP Prep
Next Up: OSCP
Studying: Code Academy (Python), Bash Scripting, Virtual Hacking Lab Coursework -
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naclh2onaz
Member Posts: 69 ■■□□□□□□□□
Registered and studying the review manual and Q&A database2017 Goals:
CISSP [X]
2018 Goals:
CRISC [ ] -
Optionsmurtazariaz
Registered Users Posts: 1 ■□□□□□□□□□
Hi folks
I'm going to take September exam and looking for question & answers book 11th edition (2nd hand) please reply if anyone have a spare one. I can share the cost. I'm in Toronto Canada. -
Optionsnaclh2onaz
Member Posts: 69 ■■□□□□□□□□
Recieved my exam admission ticket today and booked my room at the same hotel! Back to studying
2017 Goals:
CISSP [X]
2018 Goals:
CRISC [ ] -
Optionsnaclh2onaz
Member Posts: 69 ■■□□□□□□□□
Hows everyone feeling about the test? About 2.5 weeks to go! Im feeling pretty confident already and still have some time to review.2017 Goals:
CISSP [X]
2018 Goals:
CRISC [ ] -
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shoey
Member Posts: 111 ■■■□□□□□□□
So, how did it go for everyone?
Honestly... after reading some posts on here (as well as other forums) I was shocked at how easy I found this to be... It honestly felt as though I could of used my Sec+ book for it... I know this statement probably makes me sound like an egotistical $#@&, but I truly am not trying to be. The last post I read about this exam (can't remember where I found it), the OP stated they found the CISA more difficult than the CISSP... I'm not debating that persons statement (as I'm sure there are plenty of things I find difficult, that they may find easy); however from my point of view this was not the case. CISSP definitely was a kick in the back of the head for me!
The CISA exam took me about an hour and 50 min. to complete and I marked around 10 questions to go back and review. Most of these were due to the wording of the question, and not about the topics being discussed. I guess I was expecting a far more technical exam whereas (in my opinion) it seemed to be extremely superficial.
I also spoke with several other test takers (before and after the exam) and the individuals with a networking/admin/etc. background seemed quite confident. The people who told me they found it more challenging/difficult/very difficult, were those who had a year or less doing compliance (which seemed to be a majority of the test group I was with). I also saw one guy finish the exam in about an hour and 10 minutes... dude walked out of the room like a boss
. The person sitting next to me told me he had prepared for the exam by skimming through the book over the previous week... Don't know how far he got, but he just quit in the middle of it...
...
Who knows - maybe I failed but either way I found this to be a relatively pleasant exam. Unlike the OSCP PWK course which is currently kicking my @55!! Best of luck to everyone who tested today!!"I have missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I have lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed." - Michael Jordan -
Optionsnaclh2onaz
Member Posts: 69 ■■□□□□□□□□
Im pretty sure I passed but I'm not as confident as I was going in. There was so much I studied for that wasn't even in the exam. Now the wait begins...2017 Goals:
CISSP [X]
2018 Goals:
CRISC [ ] -
Optionscoffeeisgood
Member Posts: 136 ■■■□□□□□□□
Whomever said the CISA was harder than the CISSP was nuts. I was expecting something a little more difficult, that said I do not have my results yet. There was a couple questions that I struggled down to 50/50 but overall I felt pretty good when I finished. The official study guide & questions are key, although I did enjoy the unofficial Sybex CISA study guide for readability. The Sybex CISA study guide does go off path with a little TMI for the exam though.
What i did find odd was how many people came dressed in their business casual; flip flops, sweats, hoodies, baseball caps, concert ripped t-shirt, sports jerseys, even one girl was in her what I guess could count as her pajamas. Maybe 15% at best of the test takers in my city would have passed any sort of actual business respectable attire. Not a big deal but remember at least 1/2 the people are taking a test about how to audit how well we follow the rules or instructions.
Also, you know the rule about not to bring bags, cell phones, laptops, smart watches, into the test center? It was completely ignored. Over half of everyone was using something until testing began, then the proctors had tables for everyone to put stuff on. I was shocked someone's phone didn't chime during the exam. Why didn't ISACA just say storage for bags was going to be available in the 1st place? I swear about the only things someone didn't bring was maybe a musical instrument or some sort of miniature toy purse dog but I swear that most likely that would have been ok. Very strange.... It would have been classic if someone walked in the testing room right before the oral instructions and said ok anyone with a electronic device please exit. If someone could have pulled it off, deadpaned it just right it might have been rather humorous to see how many people turned white thinking they just lost their test fee. -
OptionsRemedymp
Member Posts: 834 ■■■■□□□□□□
coffeeisgood wrote: »Whomever said the CISA was harder than the CISSP was nuts. I was expecting something a little more difficult, that said I do not have my results yet. There was a couple questions that I struggled down to 50/50 but overall I felt pretty good when I finished. The official study guide & questions are key, although I did enjoy the unofficial Sybex CISA study guide for readability. The Sybex CISA study guide does go off path with a little TMI for the exam though.
What i did find odd was how many people came dressed in their business casual; flip flops, sweats, hoodies, baseball caps, concert ripped t-shirt, sports jerseys, even one girl was in her what I guess could count as her pajamas. Maybe 15% at best of the test takers in my city would have passed any sort of actual business respectable attire. Not a big deal but remember at least 1/2 the people are taking a test about how to audit how well we follow the rules or instructions.
Also, you know the rule about not to bring bags, cell phones, laptops, smart watches, into the test center? It was completely ignored. Over half of everyone was using something until testing began, then the proctors had tables for everyone to put stuff on. I was shocked someone's phone didn't chime during the exam. Why didn't ISACA just say storage for bags was going to be available in the 1st place? I swear about the only things someone didn't bring was maybe a musical instrument or some sort of miniature toy purse dog but I swear that most likely that would have been ok. Very strange.... It would have been classic if someone walked in the testing room right before the oral instructions and said ok anyone with a electronic device please exit. If someone could have pulled it off, deadpaned it just right it might have been rather humorous to see how many people turned white thinking they just lost their test fee.
You and I must have been in the same facility. I was blown away and annoyed by how many persons came in with flip flops flopping when they need to get up and use the rest room and then come back flopping! It annoyed the crap out of me!! I left a highly detailed email to ISACA about this june and even yesterday.
People bringing back packs and even Tablets!
I left all my electronics (fitbit, blackberry) in the trunk of my car before even entering the facility. I used the rest room before even entering the facility. Again, people with these huge thermos containers with gatorade and snickers bars.
lol@some people. -
OptionsKamilp
Registered Users Posts: 1 ■□□□□□□□□□
exam was way to hard, not focusing on the dba questions mainly. sure, style was the same, but the part mostly asked was follow up audits, seriously? I was expecting more questions on BCP, digital signatures, riskt types and so on.
very concerned on if i pass, however, questions not very skilled to test my IT audit knowledge and practice.
people on my location were concerned on the questions as well. (europe)
fingers are crossed.
p.s: i dont care flip flops, were you guys expecting all people in suits? -
Optionswestbrookj1
Member Posts: 5 ■□□□□□□□□□
I also saw one guy finish the exam in about an hour and 10 minutes... dude walked out of the room like a boss.
Did you take this in Chicago- If so- that was me
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Optionscoffeeisgood
Member Posts: 136 ■■■□□□□□□□
p.s: i dont care flip flops, were you guys expecting all people in suits?
suits no, but at least some sort of business casual and NO electronic devices.
Again, this was an exam where at least 1/2 were taking about auditing people were following best practices, rules, policy's, instructions, etc. You would think if one could not read and follow the exam instructions, they should not pass. Just a crazy thought but hell what do I know. In the end it really was not the ripped clothing or PJ's that bothered me as much as all the smart watches, phones, smart glasses, laptops, tablets etc. Seriously people? -
OptionsPaul-777
Member Posts: 12 ■□□□□□□□□□
Sat the CISA at the weekend having passed the CISM in June...
No flip flops here but I did turn up in shorts and a t-shirt! In London it appeared to be one of the invigilators phones which rang rather than an exam taker.
I thought CISA was more difficult than CISM but I hadn't had much time prior to the exam for reviewing the book in any detail. Roll on the results!!
CRISC booked for December -
OptionsRemedymp
Member Posts: 834 ■■■■□□□□□□
Sat the CISA at the weekend having passed the CISM in June...
No flip flops here but I did turn up in shorts and a t-shirt! In London it appeared to be one of the invigilators phones which rang rather than an exam taker.
I thought CISA was more difficult than CISM but I hadn't had much time prior to the exam for reviewing the book in any detail. Roll on the results!!
CRISC booked for December
What exactly is your role? (if you don't mind me asking) -
OptionsPaul-777
Member Posts: 12 ■□□□□□□□□□
That's a good question, not sure I've ever had one role..
My time is split pretty evenly between risk assessment and security architect type stuff. There's a lot of looking at compliance with standards whether that's UK HMG, 27001 or things like cloud controls matrix. I did a stint as a Security Manager for a number of years hence the CISM. -
OptionsTheNewBee
Member Posts: 7 ■□□□□□□□□□
Hi everyone!
I also took the exam this September 10th (New York), I had a very mixed experience with the test
. I can't say for sure if I will pass or Fail but I know this that I was not lost in the exam but that is not enough to feel confident that I will pass. I just hope i pass with passing score 
one week down 4 more weeks to results.
p.s: I am an entry level Auditor.
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OptionsPaul-777
Member Posts: 12 ■□□□□□□□□□
There's been a lot of waiting this year, RESILIA was a paper exam then CISM now CISA 😂
Good luck everyone!
Remedymp, not CISSP yet but I do have the book. I think that should count 😎 -
Optionsboyet_919
Member Posts: 8 ■□□□□□□□□□
Took the exam last Sept 10 (Manila, Philippines).
I maximize the time allotment of 4 hrs. I was quite sure of all my answers, but I remember one question:
"What is the primary advantage of OTP"
a. Users dont need to remember their passwords.
b. Intruder have no use of intercepted passwords.
c. cant remember
d. cant remember
I answered A (as a user of OTP, this is what I appreciate most). And and intruder can use the password on the validity time of the OTP.
But now, Im quite sure Im wrong. Using risk-based assessment, there is far less risk of a user forgetting his password than an intruder intercepting a time-bound password.
I wonder how many questions I thought I answered correct, but will end up wrong
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OptionsTheNewBee
Member Posts: 7 ■□□□□□□□□□
I also remember only one question but I asked my manager to clarify if I answered it correctly. And I was right but that doesn't assure me that I will pass.
I wish I pass though 🙏🏼 -
Optionsboyet_919
Member Posts: 8 ■□□□□□□□□□
What questions was that?I also remember only one question but I asked my manager to clarify if I answered it correctly. And I was right but that doesn't assure me that I will pass.
I wish I pass though -
Optionsvaishnavis
Registered Users Posts: 1 ■□□□□□□□□□
hi,
Am going to take December cisa exam is any other cisa exam questions and answers pdf with u?Can u share the material? -
Optionslavidicus
Member Posts: 18 ■□□□□□□□□□
I found the CISA harder than the CISSP, and I'm probably the person that said that after taking the test. The wording of the questions were written much more convoluted on the CISA than the CISSP. Also in hindsight the study materials I used for the CISA were not as good as the CISSP material I used, but I was studying for both at the same time. I took that CISSP May 18th and the CISA June 11th so I could have also been worn down from studying for 2+ months.. Who knows, glad you found it easier though because the questions I had were overly hard to decipher and really didn't make a lot of sense.
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Optionsnaclh2onaz
Member Posts: 69 ■■□□□□□□□□
1 week to go! Its been a roller coaster of a wait for me. I found that some of the answers I was unsure on, I may have been wrong after researching them. That kinda syked me out and shot my confidence. Here's to hoping the majority of people got those wrong as well2017 Goals:
CISSP [X]
2018 Goals:
CRISC [ ] -
Optionsjohnj6425
Member Posts: 25 ■□□□□□□□□□
It's been a long 5 weeks. My first exam with ISACA. I spent about three months reading over the manual and purchased the database questions, which I found to be the best source of study material. I'm not sure how I did, it was a little strange walking out of the exam not feeling bad or feeling good, but just somewhere in the middle. I'm planning on taking the CRISC exam in December.
Best of luck to everyone.
