Confused about CISSP content

[timk]

Hi,

I really need some help understanding how to prepare for the CISSP and clarification about what's on the exam.  I have collected a small library of books (“Official Study Guide”, “All-in-One”, and “Destination CISSP: A Concise Guide”), but when I look at practice tests, the content in the books doesn’t seem to align with the content on the practice tests.  

For example, today I downloaded the ISC2 mobile app with practice tests.  The very first question was: “What do the principles of notice, choice, onward transfer, and access closely apply to”.  I didn’t recognize any of these terms and they are not in any of the books I’ve been using to prepare.  Once I saw the correct answer, I can infer the meaning of these principles, but I did not know them as facts and they are not facts covered in any of my prep.books.  So I’m very confused about what factual knowledge I’ll need to ensure I have.  What makes me particularly nervous is the fact that the ISC2 app rates this question as easy.  Are the practice questions in the ISC2 mobile app and the ISC2 “Official Practice Tests” book representative of the real test?  

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to prepare to make sure:

1. I am familiar with the facts that I will need to simply understand the questions
2. I practice the “CEO mindset” that everyone says the test is based on

Do I need to prepare in 2 distinct “modes”?  Dedicate some time to reinforcing facts and terminology and dedicating some time to “thinking like a manager”?

Thanks for the help!!!

[Steve-Wilme]

I'm assuming the answer was privacy?

I just read the official CBK and All in One books and tool the practice tests in those.  I say read the books, but what I mean is read a CBK, read it again, made handwritten notes on the CBK, made sure I understood my notes.  Then took the practice test and checked my answers.  If I didn't get 90%+ I went back and reread the relevant parts and annotated my notes.

That seemed to work for me and it's what I've done for every exam I've taken in the last 35 years.

[timk]

Thanks Steve,

Is the 2021 CBK Guide the best source for the CBK.  I've read some discussions on this forum that the official CBK isn't available for download anymore.  And I haven't been able to find it.

Thanks again,

Tim

[Steve-Wilme]

The guide to the CISSP certification on ISC2 does nothing more than list out the CBK domains.

I can only suggest you examine the tips page on the ISC2 site:

https://www.isc2.org/Insights/2023/11/Top-Books-to-Prepare-You-for-CISSP-Exam?queryID=2d82922c2cd7fa...

Back when I took the exam I found the CISSP CBK official guide and the All in One to be the most useful.

I also bought the dummies guide just to flick through in case I had one of those 'I've forgotten everything' moments in the hours before the exam.

I almost feel the guides should say 'Don't Panic' on the cover like the hitchhikers guide.

But more seriously, if you're methodical about learning the material, get to the test on time and pace yourself on the exam, you should be fine.  And if you don't pass, then reflect on what you could improve on, put in the work and simply take it again in a few weeks time.

[DeLantier]

Hi TimK,

Did you download the CISSP app by learnZapp? This was the best online resource for preparing that I found. 

The books you purchased will give you a good starting point but will rarely give you what you need to pass this exam. This exam will require you to not just know the facts and definitions but more importantly gauge your understanding of them. 

You asked about "what factual knowledge I'll need to ensure I have" - that's about 60% of what you need to pass and you can get that between both books you purchased. The rest is the "Think like a manager, understand like a technician, and read like an attorney" phrase that is commonly used to describe this exam and only arrives with practicing your test-taking skills. 

Also, know that NONE of the practice materials, apps or books, will give you an actual test question, as part of the ethics #4 of "Protecting the Profession". You might find similar or closely related questions, but no instructor or book will give you a question that you can find on the test. 

My best advice is when you're done with the books, take practice exams and when you come across an answer you got wrong, trace your logic of why you came to that wrong answer. Then based on the given explanation, play out your logic of why the right answer is right.

You can do it!

[denbesten]

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@timk wrote:

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to prepare to make sure:

1. I am familiar with the facts that I will need to simply understand the questions
2. I practice the “CEO mindset” that everyone says the test is based on

I would add 

3) There may be multiple "correct" answers.  The goal is to pick the "most correct" or "least wrong" answer.

4) For any study question you get wrong, learn why the author believes your answer is not the best.