I want to appreciate everyone who has made efforts to post/share topics, and experiences on this forum. They are quite helpful. With a background in Accounting, I made a switch of role from SAP Account Payable to Internal Audit in 2010.
It was done on me that I had to add value to myself in the area of IT to be relevant. I picked up CISA study manual and I enjoyed my reading up until I started getting to the core IT related topics. As a Chartered Accountant, my problem was how to develop a mental picture of how those technologies work. Everything seemed to be a mirage. Thanks to YouTube and Google image. Eventually, I wrote the CISA once and I made it.
With the experience and interest developed over the years, I embarked on a journey towards the CISSP. I had read so many comments about CISSP exams and overall, I knew it may not be an easy exam.
So I got the following books:
- CISSP by Shon Harries
- Official Study Guide and practice question by Sybex
- The CBK official guide and
- CISSP 11th Hour
My preparation
I read the Sybex study guide domain-by-domain and not chapter by chapter. This gave me the opportunity to capture all the relevant chapters necessary for each of the domains. Some of the domains have some chapters in common. I used the Shon Harris as the second opinion where necessary. Shone Harris has some good diagrams that better explain domain 3, 4 and 5. It took me four months to finish reading the study guide by sybex and watching all CISSP related YouTube videos by IT Dojo, ThorTeaches and MFD LABS.
Practice Questions
Questions from Sybex Practice questions = 1,334
Questions from Sybex Study guide +Bonus exam=1,320
Questions from Shon Harris CD =1,629
Questions from SimpliLearn = 750
Questions from Boson Exam software =750
Total questions = 5,783
I answered 300 questions per day-150 in the morning before office hour and 150 questions after close of work. I used Saturdays and Sundays to revise stubborn questions encountered from Monday-Friday. I repeated the questions until I became very comfortable with the explanations. Finally, I used CISSP 11th hour and CISSP Sunflower as a final revision.
Overall, and in my opinion, it will be extremely hard to pass the CISSP without practicing loads of questions because it is very possible to keep missing questions from the very chapter that you have read again and again. Pay attention to details, read questions carefully and do not rush options especially in an environment where you have no capacity to undo your decisions.
I think I must say that Boson Exam did a good job too.
Once again, I thank you all.
