Passed CISSP this week

labnuke

I passed the CISSP on Wed this week. 1st try... wooohooo! - was, of course, very nervous going into the test. I completed the test in about 2 hours 15 minutes.

My study/preparation included the following:

3 months of full time study (I am currently laid off looking for a new position). Read the content of the books below. Watched videos. Took notes. Listened to podcasts. Ran through practice quizzes from content (DVD) included with books below and also any web-based quizzes accessible after purchasing the books. Walked through some flashcards. During my intense study periods I had iHeartRadio playing Shajan Radio or quiet ZEN/Spa/Nature music over a headset closing out all other sounds and distractions. I definitely felt the music helped me focus.

One thing (tip) I noted when reading/re-reading the books is that there is overlap in content. You will see some of the same content covered in several sections of the books. This is intentional and those should be the areas of study focus - consider the controls in each section, consider business continuity/DR in each section. The repetition is good and helps to reinforce some of the key concepts. I agree the books are dry reading but the written word will be there for your review and quick access when you have questions.

Kelly Handerhan
I took extensive screenshots of the content and put into a document for review.

Official (ISC)2 Guide to the CISSP CBK Fourth Edition (ISBN 978-1-4822-6275-9) <- very poor index - seemed to be rushed out for new 2015 domains.

Boxed set with
All In One CISSP Exam Guide Seventh Edition (ISBN 978-0-07-184927-2) <- I re-read and focused on the Quick Tips section at the end of each chapter to help understand concepts and domain knowledge.
CISSP Practice Exams Fourth Edition (ISBN 978-1-25-958596-
CISSP 2015 Common Body of Knowledge Edition Bonus DVD (ISBN 978-0-07-18456-3)

CISSP for Dummies 5th Edition (ISBN 978-1-119-21023-

11th Hour CISSP Study Guide Third Edition (ISBN 978-0-12-811248-9)

www.skillset.com practice questions
- be careful with this one. Some of the questions are CEH focused and in too much technical depth, but they can help you understand some of the technical side of things for applying concepts. Most of the questions are user submitted/moderated so content may not be really accurate - however I did gain some confidence in areas I was weak in. I liked the way the site ran through a series of questions 2-3 times and then several rounds to strengthen understanding.



Some web content to consume (some content may be duplicated on some of these sites):
CISSP
http://donp1927.podomatic.com/ <- excellent CISSP podcast updated with current 8 domains
cram website /tag/cissp <- lots of user submitted CISSP flashcards CRAM website/app
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arkIFPbK3lo
https://studynotesandtheory.com/cate...ack-the-cissp/ <- some good advice from other testakers
CISSP | MindCert.com – Mind Mapping for Certifications – Cisco CCIE CISSP CEH
https://eforensicsmag.com/really-pas...cilia-mcguire/
OMG CISSP! | Online Miscellaneous Guides for Certified Information Systems Security Professionals (not updated for new 8 domains)
My CISSP Experience - A Study Plan Memoir
Flashcard Database - Shared Flash Cards
https://www.mhprofessionalresources....=AccessControl
http://www.gocertify.com/quizzes/isc2-quizzes/
quizlet.com

p@r0tuXus

Phenomenal post, great job on your pass!