Share this post: The CISSP — Certified Information Systems Security Professional — certification is highly sought-after and valuable for anyone working in IT. The governing body for the CISSP exam (ISC.2) requires candidates to have at most five years experience in two or more subject areas. Candidates can also have four years experience with a college degree.
For most people, however, their experience is not enough to guarantee they will pass the exam. Most people begin the CISSP preparation process at least nine to twelve months in advance. During this time, they dedicate considerable time and effort to practice and study.
It is possible to pass the exam the first time you attempt if you prepare well.
About the CISSP Examination
The CISSP credential, widely accepted as the standard for demonstrating knowledge in the field of information security, is the CISSP credential. The exam is a six-hour paper-based test that requires candidates to have the required experience and/or education. It consists of 250 vendor neutral questions in ten categories.
Access control
Telecommunications and network security
Information security governance and risk management
Software development security
Cryptography
Security architecture and design
Operation security
Disaster recovery and business continuity planning
Compliance, regulations, and legal investigations
Physical security
To pass the CISSP exam you must score 700 of 1,000 points. You will not be able to determine which questions are more valuable as you take the exam. It is important to prepare well for the exam and be confident in your technical knowledge and test-taking abilities.
How to create a study plan
Many people who take the CISSP exam prepare as far as a year ahead. A solid background in IT security will allow you to prepare in six months. However, it is recommended that at least six months of study be completed before scheduling your exam.
Once you have decided to take the exam you will need to create a study plan. Although everyone is different, the following plan will ensure your success.
Step 1: Acquire Study Materials
(ISC2)2 offers a wide range of preparation materials, including study books and classes. However, you can use any materials that you choose to study. Consider purchasing a comprehensive study guide that covers all aspects of the exam. You might also consider a review course or preparation course.
If you prefer to learn in a classroom setting or want to see the concepts in a more concrete way, an online CISSP certification course is a good option.
Step 2: Review your materials
To learn the key concepts and terminology that will be used in other domains, start with the “Information Security and Risk Management” domain. It’s best to watch the video tutorials first and then read your study guides, marking important points as you go. Many test takers who have been successful have made a shorter, more concise version of their study guide for review.
Step 3: Practice Quizzes
After you have completed your review of each domain, you can take the practice quiz. You can then review your results and decide which areas to study further. You will notice that the questions in the practice exam fall into one of two categories: interpretive or factual.
Factual questions are exactly what their name suggests: They have one correct answer and focus on a specific topic.
Interpretive questions require more thought to find the right answer. You may need to interpret a word or measure, the wording of the question, or whether there are more than one answer.
Step 4: Review the Core Bodies Knowledge
It is important to compare your study guide review results and quiz results with the (ISC.2) core bodies of knowledge (CBK). This will ensure that you have covered all the information you need for the exam and that you don’t have any gaps in your knowledge.
While you don’t need to pass the CISSP exam with a score below 700 out of 1000, you should aim for as high a score as you can. You can prepare the material well and manage all administrative details (register on-time, remember your ID, bring enough pencils etc.). There is no reason to fail the exam your first time.
ITProTV offers a CISSP and accelerated CISSP courses for training on CISSP. For those with a solid understanding of the CISSP concepts, the accelerated course is intended to be a review.