CISSP Passed
TeKniques
OSCE, OSCP, CISSP, CISA, SSCP, MCSE (03), Security+, Network+, A+, Project+Member Posts: 1,262 ■■■■□□□□□□
in SSCP
Hi all,
Today, I successfully passed the CISSP exam. I began studying for the exam in June 2012 and actively prepared "almost" every day for about 1-2 hours a night of study. While preparing I read many success stories on TechExams and how mentally exhausting the exam is. My thoughts of the exam are that it is quite difficult ... much more difficult then any of the practice exams I ever took while preparing. For example, the questions dealing with the ALE, SLE stuff on the real exam were much more in depth then ANY practice exam. Likewise, the Cryptography questions were more difficult than I anticipated. Most of the time on the more difficult questions I found myself able to eliminate two wrong answers rather quickly and then the other two would seem like the same answer.
The exam itself took me about 4 1/2 hours to get through all 250 questions and another 30 minutes for review (I marked about 30 questions). I took 3 breaks in between. When I finished I felt 50/50 that I had passed the exam, and was very much relieved when I got the "congratulations" from the test center official.
My study materials to prepare were as follows:
CISSP for Dummies -- Pretty decent book, the CD comes with some practice tests which were good to take 2 weeks before the exam.
CISSP Study Guide 2nd Edition, Eric Conrad -- Great Book! Read it 3 times.
CCCure study guides/resources -- Good resources, thank you Clement!
CCCure Quiz Paid engine -- Good, but some of the questions are a bit dated (e.g. Security Architecture). Well worth $39.95 however.
Boson Exam full version -- Good test engine
PrepLogic Demo -- Good for being free, the demo version has one 250 question test
I also purchased the Shon Harris AIO book, but read 2 paragraphs and closed it and didn't really open it up ever unless I was bored. It just didn't catch me like the other two books I read did.
I wanted to also thank the members here at TechExams. I don't post much, but I do read most of the posts day-to-day. JDMurray, thanks for moderating a great site! I'm not sure what I plan to do next, I would love to try an ISACA cert, but I don't meet the requirements yet (getting close).
Well ... now to fill in the endorsement stuff
Today, I successfully passed the CISSP exam. I began studying for the exam in June 2012 and actively prepared "almost" every day for about 1-2 hours a night of study. While preparing I read many success stories on TechExams and how mentally exhausting the exam is. My thoughts of the exam are that it is quite difficult ... much more difficult then any of the practice exams I ever took while preparing. For example, the questions dealing with the ALE, SLE stuff on the real exam were much more in depth then ANY practice exam. Likewise, the Cryptography questions were more difficult than I anticipated. Most of the time on the more difficult questions I found myself able to eliminate two wrong answers rather quickly and then the other two would seem like the same answer.
The exam itself took me about 4 1/2 hours to get through all 250 questions and another 30 minutes for review (I marked about 30 questions). I took 3 breaks in between. When I finished I felt 50/50 that I had passed the exam, and was very much relieved when I got the "congratulations" from the test center official.
My study materials to prepare were as follows:
CISSP for Dummies -- Pretty decent book, the CD comes with some practice tests which were good to take 2 weeks before the exam.
CISSP Study Guide 2nd Edition, Eric Conrad -- Great Book! Read it 3 times.
CCCure study guides/resources -- Good resources, thank you Clement!
CCCure Quiz Paid engine -- Good, but some of the questions are a bit dated (e.g. Security Architecture). Well worth $39.95 however.
Boson Exam full version -- Good test engine
PrepLogic Demo -- Good for being free, the demo version has one 250 question test
I also purchased the Shon Harris AIO book, but read 2 paragraphs and closed it and didn't really open it up ever unless I was bored. It just didn't catch me like the other two books I read did.
I wanted to also thank the members here at TechExams. I don't post much, but I do read most of the posts day-to-day. JDMurray, thanks for moderating a great site! I'm not sure what I plan to do next, I would love to try an ISACA cert, but I don't meet the requirements yet (getting close).
Well ... now to fill in the endorsement stuff
Comments
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moyondizvo
Member Posts: 155
Congrats, good work, I know the relief of passing...I bet that this weekend it's on for you huh, enjoy and take a much deserved break -
questian_123
Registered Users Posts: 2 ■□□□□□□□□□
Congratulation!!!!!!!!!!
Can u please share CISSP Study Guide 2nd Edition, Eric Conrad -
Mrock4
Banned Posts: 2,360
Congrats! Only people who have taken the CISSP realize how difficult it can be. -
emerald_octane
Member Posts: 613
Congrats. I think the CISSP is like getting punched in the stomach while getting a root canal for six hours with no pain meds.
Actually no, the CISSP hurt worse. -
Humbe
Member Posts: 202
emerald_octane wrote: »Congrats. I think the CISSP is like getting punched in the stomach while getting a root canal for six hours with no pain meds.
Actually no, the CISSP hurt worse.
You made me crack up with that one !! -
JDMurray
MSIT InfoSec, CISSP, SSCP, GSEC, EnCE, C|EH, CySA+, PenTest+, CASP+, Security+ Surf City, USAAdmin Posts: 11,758 Admin
Congratulations and thanks for the thanks!
Forum Admin at www.techexams.net
--
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/jamesdmurray
Twitter: www.twitter.com/jdmurray -
TeKniques
OSCE, OSCP, CISSP, CISA, SSCP, MCSE (03), Security+, Network+, A+, Project+ Member Posts: 1,262 ■■■■□□□□□□
Thank you all for the congratulations!
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bassia
Member Posts: 6 ■□□□□□□□□□
Congratulations bro, hope you enjoyed it , can you please share some references/ebooks to start with?
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Thistleback
Member Posts: 151
Congratulations! The effort is huge, and that pass is SO worth it!Feel the fear, and do it anyway! -
danny069
Member Posts: 1,025 ■■■■□□□□□□
Wow good job man that is a feat I must attain in the future, is it true you have to have someone vouch for you that you have been in the security field for at least 5 years before you can take the exam?I am a Jack of all trades, Master of None -
TeKniques
OSCE, OSCP, CISSP, CISA, SSCP, MCSE (03), Security+, Network+, A+, Project+ Member Posts: 1,262 ■■■■□□□□□□
Wow good job man that is a feat I must attain in the future, is it true you have to have someone vouch for you that you have been in the security field for at least 5 years before you can take the exam?
Thanks!
You can study and take the exam at any time if you do not have the required experience and earn the "Associates" designation. Here is more information: https://www.isc2.org/associates/default.aspx -
TeKniques
OSCE, OSCP, CISSP, CISA, SSCP, MCSE (03), Security+, Network+, A+, Project+ Member Posts: 1,262 ■■■■□□□□□□
Hi all,
Today I received my confirmation email -- officially a CISSP now
Thanks again for this great forum! -
Humbe
Member Posts: 202
Hi all,
Today I received my confirmation email -- officially a CISSP now
Thanks again for this great forum!
How long did the process took for you?
For me it was roughly 3 weeks. -
TeKniques
OSCE, OSCP, CISSP, CISA, SSCP, MCSE (03), Security+, Network+, A+, Project+ Member Posts: 1,262 ■■■■□□□□□□
I don't know if it's some sort of record, but my endorsement paperwork was filed on 02/12/2013 and I received my email today 02/28/13 confirming the designation ... so 16 days.
