CISSP test - just my opinion!

649! NASTY Test. My weakest was BCP/DRP! BS!! The choices to the answers - at least two - three questions are right. Most I probably got wrong is NOT related to security! CISSP - thought this is all about security! The test was all about freaking commonsense and if you don't study - most probably would pass it. Studying for it makes it worst because you fight your answers! My weakest was BCP and physical! how is that making sense! physical? really? - good luck to the rest! I don't think I'll be taking this test again! Truth is - i think it's an unethical test!

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zxbane

Sorry to hear about the test result. I have to disagree, I studied very hard for this exam and know without studying I certainly wouldn't of passed the exam. I think the key to the exam was understanding not the right answer but the most correct answer possible. Good luck with your future testing though!

jamesleecoleman

I could tell you right now, if I didn't study for the CISSP, I would for sure fail.

Physical security is important too.

licerio

Sorry if I hit some feelings. You do need to study to be able to pass (I studied my behind off every day until midnight, sometimes until 3am for the past 4 months and I went to a boot camp AND thats all I do - security for the past 5 years!) but I'm sure people can relate (probably those who passed and studied) when I say that the questions and the choices are a bit crazy. Most of the questions, for those of you that passed, were probably "whoosaaahing" that you chose the right one… instead of the other. Now I understand why people have that feeling of "not sure of how they did right after they take the test." It is because… you guessed on most of the questions. The paper they gave me was full of my notes… every piece of it from front to back. Most of the memorization we had to do - I wrote it down right away. And guess what, for 5 hours and 45 minutes… I did not look at that paper once. I didn't need it.

My advice to people sitting this test, study hard but also make sure you're prepared to choose the better answer from two to three correct questions. Concepts are far more important than memorization and common sense are far more important than concepts.

Never taking this test ever again…

But anyways… just venting. Again, congrats to those who passed and CISSPs.

j.petrov

licero,

I know what you mean about the test. I just took it and felt fortunate to have passed. I had NO CLUE how I did when I hit end exam, I thought for sure I failed. I agree with the fact you need to be aware of answering BEST more than anything else. And by best I mean what ISC2 has deemed best. I felt all the material that I studied wasn't really tested much on the exam. However I definitely would not have passed without studying.

Best of luck to you on your next endeavor.

JDMurray

It's easy to dismiss physical security as easy because it seems all about fire extingushers, fencing, and locking the doors, but physical security operations really more complex and all that. With BCP/DRP it is also easy to believe that you understand the material when you really don't. There needs to be a big book of BC and DR planning scenarios to study and a lot of ALE/SLE/ARO/EF practice problems. It's difficult to realize what you still don't know when studying that domain.

emerald_octane

In the field, I find PhysSec (new term i've made up) to be one of the most lacking areas behind poor BCP. Something about IT guys not talking to facility guys leads to tape libraries being shoved in unlocked closets...

licerio

I've decided to re-sit the test again today after paying a $200 rescheduling fee (long story - but make sure you click agree to the NDA within 5 minutes). After 5 hours and 50 minutes - I passed! Today was a good day.

5ekurity

Congrats on your pass and seeing it through!

danny069

What books did you read? A guy in my class said he read Shon Harris' book twice and passed on his first try.

SkeyeLlama

BCP/DRP was my weakest domain too. What did you do since the fail in December to ensure a pass?

impelse

Congrats. When I was reading your first post I thought oh man, this guys really hated that exam, now you passed. Good. LOL

licerio

Thanks guys. I read Eric Conrad 2nd Edition - a little bit of Shon Harris (just the highlights), I went to Barnes and Noble and also read a few pages of CISSP for dummies. I also took the syngress/Eric Conrad 2 - 250 practice exams and the sun flower pdf. Also used CCCure tests. I think the key is instead of memorizing a question - to try to ask yourself the questions in different ways. For example if you found a question about SSL in one of the test study banks try to manipulate the question like: - SSL - how, where and why. BCP/DRP - how, where, why and when. Hopefully that helps.

cyberguypr

Ha! When I read the first post I thought "disgruntled customer, oh well". Did not see the "I passed" plot twist coming. Congrats!

j.petrov

definitely did not see that coming, and so soon. Congrats!

joebanny

@licerio, you sure did pull a fast one on me

You really sounded like you were done and them baam!- you dropped the good news! Welcome to the club of the CISSP success! Congrats!!

bub9001

cyberguypr wrote: »

Ha! When I read the first post I thought "disgruntled customer, oh well". Did not see the "I passed" plot twist coming. Congrats!

Nope, good thread to read. This one put a smile on my face reading the ending.

billyr2009

Congrats! Must feel awesome. I hope to be joining the club with a couple of months.

licerio

IT'S OFFICIAL! Endorsement done. So... does anyone in here frame their certificate and hang it? haha... curious!

andhow

I work in a cube, but mine is tacked up.

Besides, the certificate looks good!

_nessie_

licerio wrote: »

IT'S OFFICIAL! Endorsement done. So... does anyone in here frame their certificate and hang it? haha... curious!

congrats, well I for sure won't (I simply don't have the space to put it up), but my boss did