Studying for CISM exam

htebazile · April 2012

Today I passed my CEH v7 and will next start preparing for the CISM exam. I purchased the ISACA CISM manual and ISACA CISM test engine. The adaptive test engine for CISA was awesome, so I hope it's just as good for the CISM.

Does anyone have any insight/recommendations for preparing for the CISM exam? Thanks in advance.

elizabeth

paul78 · April 2012

Good luck on the CISM.

I see you have a CISSP and CISA. Ithink you will find the experience of taking the test similar. As for preparation, I found the ISACA practice exam guide most helpful. I basically used the CISM manual and read it end-to-end. About 3-4 days before the exam, I went through the practice exams and I used the exam guide as review the day before.

htebazile · April 2012

Thanks, my plans so far are to read the book, and then do the ISACA practice test engine until I'm comfortable. Just wanted to make sure it's all I need.

I really wish it was a computer based test, I hate all of the waiting to find out the results, then the waiting for the application to be approved - that was agonizing for the CISA and I don't look forward to doing it again.

paul78 · April 2012

Yes. I personally think thats all thats required. If you have the experience to qualify for the CISM, the book covers all the materials so you should be fine. One thing that I missed. I just realised that you are referring to the exam database. I didnt use that so I am not familiar with it. I used the actual practice exam book. I opted for the exam guide in book form because it more closely simulated the actual exam.

I know what you mean about those long ISACA processing times. I personally prefer paper tests. But that long wait for results can be tough.

adlinux · April 2012

Good luck, HTE, are you taking the exam in June? If so, the last day to register is Friday!

Renaissance2012 · April 2012

HTE, Paul 78,I am going to sit the CISM exam in June, and I was wondering about the study materials I have ordered from ISACA the CISM Review Manual 2012.I see that is year there is only 4 domains instead of 5 two have been made one and Compliance and Cloud Computing are becoming prominent.Paul 78 do you think that the CISM review material alone is enough? Or shall I go for the exercises books too I have just received the CISM Reviews Answers & Explanations Manual supplement 2012.I just wonder if that is enough, I have hands on experience, and I have last year material however in our line of work "issues" evolve so fast.Any feedback is welcome.

paul78 · April 2012

Renaissance2012 wrote: »

HTE, Paul 78,I am going to sit the CISM exam in June, and I was wondering about the study materials I have ordered from ISACA the CISM Review Manual 2012.I see that is year there is only 4 domains instead of 5 two have been made one and Compliance and Cloud Computing are becoming prominent.Paul 78 do you think that the CISM review material alone is enough? Or shall I go for the exercises books too I have just received the CISM Reviews Answers & Explanations Manual supplement 2012.I just wonder if that is enough, I have hands on experience, and I have last year material however in our line of work "issues" evolve so fast.Any feedback is welcome.

Other than what you mentioned for study materials, the only other thing that I used is the "CISM Review Questions, Answers & Explanations Manual" from ISACA. I understand that there is also a practice database but I didn't use the database.

I found the "Review Questions, Answers & Explanations" the most useful.

As I recall, each the "CISM Review Manual" contains 4 or 5 chapters. Each chapter contained 2 sections - an overview section and a contents section. I skipped all the overview sections since it was too dry for my taste and I thought was mostly fluff. But I read all the content sections. About 4 days before the exam, I went through the "Questions, Answers, Explanation" manual.

The level of difficulty may depend on your experience. I have about 25 years of technology experience with the last 16 being in management.

Good luck with the studies!

htebazile · May 2012

i would think that the ISACA CISM exam test engine is equivalent to the questions, answers, explanations manual. the test engine is adaptive and extremely helpful. while using the test engine, after each question the explanation for the answer is displayed, you get immediate feedback. isaca test engines are by far the best i have ever used - far superior to any other exam test engine i've used, anyway. a bit expensive, but everything isaca seems to be.

two weeks until the exam! i am still not quite ready, but hope to be by then. good luck to you, Renaissance2012, and anyone else who may be preparing for this exam.

htebazile · May 2012

i was just reading the CISM application, and noticed this for the first time: "EFFECTIVE WITH APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED 1 JUNE 2012 AND FORWARD, THERE IS A REQUIRED USD $50 PROCESSING FEE FOR APPLYING FOR CERTIFICATION."

wow..... as expensive as the ISACA exams are, (not to mention study materials), this application fee seems excessive. they really know how to nickel and dime you.

JDMurray · May 2012

It keeps away the riff-raff.

paul78 · May 2012

htebazile wrote: »

...they really know how to nickel and dime you.

When I saw that, I had a similar initial reaction. But after I gave it a second thought, adding a fee to the application process seems more reasonable than raising the cost of taking the exams or the price of the materials. Given the general compensation of most infosec managers, $50 shouldn't be a big deal to most folks in that position.

Studying for CISM exam

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