My CISSP Journey: How I Passed in 100 Questions

Introduction

Getting the CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional) certification had been on my list for a long time. I bought the study guide nearly two years ago, but like many, I kept pushing it off because I hadn’t booked an exam date. Finally, I decided to stop procrastinating and booked my exam for December 31, 2025. From that moment, I started preparing seriously.

In this blog post, I’ll share the resources I used, how I structured my preparation, and some insights from my exam experience.

Resources I Used

I took a blended approach to studying — using videos, mind maps, practice questions, and books. Here’s a breakdown of what helped me most:

1. Prabh Nair - Coffee Shots: Daily short videos that cover CISSP concepts concisely. You can check them out here. Highly recommended for quick revision.

2. Destination Certification Inc. - I followed their mind map videos on YouTube and downloaded the domain summaries from their website. The visual approach made it easy to connect topics.

3. Professor Messer - Fantastic resource for clarifying network security concepts. His videos are clear and well-organized.

4. Luke Ahmed 🚀 - His strategy on how to think like a manager is something every CISSP aspirant should follow. The exam tests managerial decision-making, not just technical knowledge.

5. Practice Questions:

   • I used Quantum Exams extensively.
   • The Sybex Official Study Guide practice questions were also a key part of my prep.

6. Andrew Ramdayal - His 50 CISSP Practice Questions on YouTube were great for getting a feel of exam scenarios.

How I Studied

I’ve been working in cybersecurity for almost 6 years, so many of the concepts were already familiar to me. That definitely helped in grasping advanced topics quickly.

I created notes combining key points from all the resources listed above. I’d watch a video or read a chapter summary and immediately jot down essential ideas.

For note-taking, I used Obsidian — a markdown-based note-taking app — and backed up my notes on GitHub. This allowed me to review them from anywhere and keep them organized by domain.

Exam Experience

I passed the CISSP exam in 100 questions, with almost 1 hour left on the clock. The exam was challenging, and it truly tests your ability to think like a manager rather than focusing solely on technical details.

Final Thoughts

If you’re preparing for the CISSP, my advice would be:

• Book the exam date first. It creates accountability.
• Use a mix of video, mind maps, and practice questions.
• Focus on understanding the why behind every decision.
• Take consistent notes and revise them regularly.

If you’re a note-taking fan like me, give Obsidian + GitHub a try — it made my prep much smoother.

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Good luck on your CISSP journey! 🚀