How I Cracked My CISSP Exam
Thank you
I would like to thank all the team members in the group. Special thanks to Luke Ahmed for managing this group and helping the cyber community to create more CISSP Professionals. I have to thank my family for supporting to complete the CISSP certification.
Background and Self-Assessment:
I started my career a Network Engineer gradually entered in to Information Security Role. I’m in the Security in Industry Since 2004. During the last 13 years – I worked in the following areas Security Monitoring (SOC), Security Product Testing, Perimeter Security, PCI-DSS, Security Operations. and Vulnerability Management.
My Primary task was to assess myself against the 8 domains of CISSP. I decided to take sample of 25 questions from each domain and rated myself in each domain. My assessment results were at 60%, I was weak in 2 domains (getting only between 40 to 60 % vs remaining domains I was getting 60 to 70 %).
Identity and Access Management.
Referred the below Link for the Domain Weightage. The above topics weightage is only at 10 and 11 % of the whole 250 Questions. I still decided to improve the above 2 domains by starting them first in the Plan.
CISSP Weightage:
https://www.isc2.org/cissp-domains/default.aspx
Duration: 5 months.
Planning:
Based on the assessment, I decided to go with the following order
Book the Exam is the first and foremost thing you should do before starting to study.
Started with the weakest to the strongest domain.
Refer only 2 Book Sources.
1 Video Resource (Skill Set).
3 Hours a Day (1 hour Morning and 2 hours Evening
DomainDurationDomain Test
Domain 11 Week – AugTake Questions from the back of the Book + Plus Skill set Online + MHT
Domain 21 Week – AugTake Questions from the back of the Book + Plus Skill set Online + MHT
Revision 1 and 21 Week – AugTake Questions from the back of the Book + Plus Skill set Online + MHT
Domain 31 Week – AugTake Questions from the back of the Book + Plus Skill set Online + MHT
Domain 41 Week – SeptTake Questions from the back of the Book + Plus Skill set Online + MHT
Revision from 1 to 41 Week – SeptTake Questions from the back of the Book + Plus Skill set Online + MHT
Domain 51 Week – SeptTake Questions from the back of the Book + Plus Skill set Online + MHT
Domain 61 Week – SeptTake Questions from the back of the Book + Plus Skill set Online + MHT
Revision 3 and 41 Week – NovTake Questions from the back of the Book + Plus Skill set Online + MHT
Domain 71 Week- NovTake Questions from the back of the Book + Plus Skill set Online + MHT
Domain 81 Week- NovTake Questions from the back of the Book + Plus Skill set Online + MHT
Revision from 4 to 81 Weeks – NovTake Questions from the back of the Book + Plus Skill set Online + MHT
Full Revision2 Weeks – DECTook CISSP Questions Domain Wise (100 Questions Each)
6 mock up Exams – 10 hours a day.
10 Days off from Work – DEC1 Per day and Analyze Wrong Questions.
Read any topic if you are not comfortable with. I stick to my exam schedule of 8am to 2:00 PM.
Day before exam 4 Hours RevisionVery light revision with Mind Maps and Sunflower Summary. (Watch a movie and go to sleep Early)
Exam DayReach 30 mins before examTake Water, Nuts and light Snacks.
Sources:
CISSP Study Guide, Third Edition – Primary Source.
CISSP AIO – Secondary Source.
Video – SkillSet.com.
Flashcards – Quizlets.com.
Podcast – https://player.fm/series/cissp-training – My commute learning.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
Mind maps by Matheus
Sunflower CISSP Summary
Practice Questions:
1.CISSP Official (ISC)2 Practice Tests:
2.MHT Professional Link:
http://www.mhprofessionalresources.com/sites/CISSPExams/exam.php?id=Telecommunications
3.CISSP Free Question By Eric Conrad:
http://booksite.elsevier.com/companion/conrad/practice_exams.php?_sm_au_=iMH7VQm2N3ZK7j0N.
4.SkillSet.com
Exam Method:
Read the questions well before answering it. English is not my native language so I have to read the questions couple of time to get the right meaning before going into the answers.
I did a first pass of 250 Questions in 4 hour and 15 mins with a 10 mins break after completing 125 questions. After the first pass, I had 30 1 dot and 32 2 dots questions left for review. I reviewed the 1 dot questions and completed it in 30 mins. The 2 dots took 60 mins to complete with 15 mins to spare.
One Suggestion is – If you don’t know answer to question then there is a possibility that the answer may hide in one of the 250 Questions. You need add keyword in the 1 dot or 2 dot questions. Below the Structure I followed in the exam.
2 pass Method:
1. Dot 2. Dot
Number of Questions Question number x – Key word in the question Question number x – Key word in the question
Time needed on 1 Dot question is basically a double confirmation on the answer. 2.Dot question, you need to review Question and answer.