In my last post ” How I passed (and passed) CISM ” I promised to tell about my observations about the CISM exam and give recommendations for preparation. I keep my promise and tell u abou isaca cisa practice exam.
- All questions are grouped into 4 domains:
- Domain 1—Information Security Governance (24%)
- Domain 2—Information Risk Management and Compliance (33%)
- Domain 3—Information Security Program Development and Management (25%)
- Domain 4—Information Security Incident Management (18%)
- To successfully pass the exam, you need to score 450 points, I can’t understand how they are accurately determined, but it doesn’t matter … The points are counted for each domain, and then some average is taken (taking into account% of domains). In fact, you can score less than 450 in some domains, and then “pull” the entire exam at the expense of high scores in others. Therefore, when preparing, pay special attention to the “Information Risk Management and Compliance” domain, it is the most “valuable”.
Preparation materials
- Then try to solve the official sample questions for the CISM and CISA exams .
- I prepared for the 2014 manual and the 2014 short questions (supplement), I also had questions and the 2011 manual. I also surfed and found several hundred examples of CISM questions on the Internet.
- All purchased materials from ISACA are sent by regular mail, printed books. They are not available for download electronically.
- In my opinion, the manual is not the most useful material for preparing for the exam, you can completely do without it. There is quite a lot of theory in it, but rather “on top”. But examples of questions definitely need to be ordered !!!
- My friends were preparing for the Question Database, in fact, this is a database of questions and convenient software for solving them on a PC. Please note that the program can be installed/activated only 2 or 3 times, the correct solution would be to install it on a virtual machine.
Exam preparation
- The main rule: ” Questions are primary, theory is secondary!”. Spend as much time as possible solving sample questions and reading explanations for them. Compiling mind maps according to theory did not bring me success …
- Pay attention to English, or rather unfamiliar words. At first I wrote them out separately, but then I realized that they are poorly remembered without context, and I began to make notes-translations right in the text of the questions, and then returned to them.
- I tried to take sample questions with me (I printed or copied several A4 pages) and solved them in the subway. At the same time, I marked unfamiliar words and / or questions for “think” (when the answer and explanation were not obvious). Later I returned to them.
- At home, I did tests, but not often. I didn’t have a system and plans like “100 questions a day”.
- A couple of days before the cism certification mock exams, I flipped through the manual, paying particular attention to the parts about risks and about continuity management.
Exam
- In 2014, it was convenient: the exam, as usual, was on Saturday, but before that there were 2 days off (Day of Russia). But I didn’t prepare very much, rather I rested more and reread my notes.
- For admission to the exam, you must present the “ISACA Exam Admission eTicket” (it comes both by regular mail and by e-mail, in the second case it must be printed out) and a document. identity card (passport).
- On the spot, you must fill out a consent to the processing of personal data. It is written in 2 languages, but can only be completed in one.
- The exam is given very early, registration is from 8 am, briefing is scheduled for 8.30, and the exam starts at 9.00. Usually the start of the exam is shifted (late) by 30-40 minutes. But still, don’t be late!