Phase 10: Exam Preparation & Exam Day

Phase 10: Exam Preparation & Exam Day

Timeline: May 28-31 (final 4 days)

Day-Before Checklist

  • Review Sunflower CISSP Summary (11 pages — quick refresher)

  • Review key formulas (SLE, ALE, ARO, safeguard value)

  • Review ISC2 Code of Ethics (4 canons in order)

  • Review OWASP Top 10

  • Review security models (BLP, Biba, Clark-Wilson)

  • Review IR phases (6 phases in order)

  • Review DR metrics (RTO, RPO, MTD, MTBF, MTTR)

  • Get good sleep (8 hours minimum)

  • Prepare ID and exam confirmation

Exam Day Strategy

Logistics

  • Arrive 30 minutes early

  • Bring 2 forms of government ID

  • No electronics, notes, or study materials in testing room

  • Exam center provides scratch paper/whiteboard

Brain Dump (First 5 Minutes)

As soon as you sit down, write these on your scratch paper BEFORE starting:

SLE = AV × EF
ALE = SLE × ARO
Safeguard Value = (ALE before) - (ALE after) - (annual cost)

ISC2 Code of Ethics:
1. Protect society
2. Act honorably
3. Provide competent service
4. Advance the profession

IR: Prepare → Detect → Contain → Eradicate → Recover → Lessons
BLP: No read up, no write down (confidentiality)
Biba: No read down, no write up (integrity)

Question Strategy

  • CAT format: 125-175 questions, 4 hours

  • Average ~1.5 minutes per question

  • You CANNOT go back to previous questions

  • First ~75 questions determine your ability level

  • Don’t panic if questions seem hard — that means you’re performing well

When Stuck

  1. Eliminate obviously wrong answers (usually 2)

  2. Choose the MOST COMPLETE answer

  3. Think managerial, not technical

  4. Safety of human life ALWAYS comes first

  5. If both answers seem right, pick the one that addresses the ROOT CAUSE

Post-Exam

  • Results are provisional (ISC2 reviews)

  • If passed: endorsement process within 9 months

  • Endorsement requires ISC2 member to verify your experience

  • 5 years in 2+ domains — you exceed this with 12 years across 6 domains

Endorsement Plan

After passing:

  1. Identify endorser (ISC2 CISSP holder in your network)

  2. Complete endorsement application

  3. Map experience to domains (already done in assessment.adoc)

  4. Submit within 9 months of passing

Check Status

Sunflower Summary reviewed

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Key formulas memorized cold

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Brain dump practiced (write from memory in <5 min)

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Exam scheduled (date: __)

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Exam center logistics confirmed

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Good sleep night before

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EXAM PASSED

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Endorsement submitted

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