Discover the common mistakes that CISSP candidates make, leading to exam failure. Learn why candidates fail the CISSP exam and how to avoid these pitfalls, while gaining valuable insights to pass the CISSP exam successfully.

Why do many candidates fail the CISSP exam?  

It’s no secret that the CISSP is a difficult exam.  There are 8 different, and unique, knowledge domains.  Each one of them requires high-level knowledge of information security in order to pass the exam.

But, what if I told you there are 3 things that plague most CISSP candidates?  I see these things repeatedly when our students enroll in one of our training programs. 

They are also the same things I see when a student approaches me and asks: “I failed the CISSP exam before.  What did I do wrong?”  

More often than not, people are using too much "stuff" to prepare for the exam.

I don’t know why, but there is something out there – in the internet universe – that has led people to think "the more stuff I have, the more prepared I will be for the CISSP exam."

Right?  This seems to be the normal thought process, so it's no surprise when I hear this from people who have failed the CISSP exam.  

It all starts with a blog article or video.  That article or video will recommend a book or a training course.  Then someone on a forum suggests “This is how I did it” and that leads to another book, course, or something else.  

Then there are practice tests to buy, guides to download, another book to buy, another course to take…

And on, and on, and on.    

It's insane, right?  

I mean, this process will drive you to drink! Well, if you like drinking, it's also a good excuse - so it's not all bad.

But seriously, it's way too much "stuff" to do.  Then, it gets stressful and is oftentimes overwhelming.  That overwhelm leads to poor preparations, which often leads to exam failure.

The truth is if you use too much stuff, you end up with "information overload".  This will almost certainly lead you to fail the CISSP exam - at least once. 

Why? 

When we get overloaded, we tend to move to something new, because we think that will be easier.

It also does not help that the authors of the different courses, books, and practice tests don’t agree on the definitions of terms or concepts either.

One book says this, another book says that, and a course says something totally different.  But which one is correct?

Does this sound familiar at all?  Probably. This is a complete distraction from what you should be actually doing:  learning.  

So, why does this happen?  

For one thing, it creates a spin-cycle of studying with no defined outcome.  It also leads to trying to memorize things, when you should be focused on learning the content instead.  

This leads me to problem number 2 which causes people to fail the CISSP exam.

This is a very common mistake I see many CISSP candidates make.  

Just my 2 cents here...

The CISSP is a highly respected certification that is considered the “gold standard” in information security.

No other security certification is in higher demand, and no other certification comes close in terms of industry reputation.  Look at these numbers:

So I often wonder:  Why is the thought process to “cut corners” and try to pass the exam this way?  

Yes, there are details in the CISSP you will have to "memorize".  But that should not be the sole focus of anyone's exam preparations. 

In fact, it can actually be harmful.

It can also lead you to fail the CISSP exam - at least once.

In my view, the goal should be to learn how to apply the CISSP concepts and become better at information security.

That’s why when I hear about “cramming”, “beating”, “cracking” or some other way to cut corners for the CISSP, I think to myself: “Is that how you plan to approach your work? Cutting corners?"

After all, that’s why most of us want a certification: To get better, higher-paying work, or have job security. Right?

So why would anyone want to cut corners to earn this certification in that case? Not only can it lead to failing the CISSP exam...it can also lead to failure on the job.

It’s been said before that the CISSP is a journey, not a destination. This is true in information security as well.

If the CISSP strategy is to cut corners, the odds are you are very likely going to fail the CISSP exam and spend another $749 USD to try again - maybe more.

It’s also very likely when you do pass the exam, and you are in an interview, will not be able to recall some of the information you should have learned during your CISSP studies.

This could damage your reputation as an information security professional as well.

Instead, time should be taken to truly understand the different concepts and principles, and learn how to use them in information security.

This takes us to problem number 3.

I did this one myself and I see this being a huge struggle for most people.  

Let’s call it the “That’s not how I would do it” syndrome.  This can cause you to fail the CISSP exam more so than anything else.

What I find is that most CISSP candidates focus on filling their “knowledge gap”.  That knowledge gap is the remaining CISSP material you need to learn based on what you think you already know. 

I see students ignore what they think they already know…and focus on what they don’t.

“I already know this…so all I have to learn is this” it’s a very common CISSP mindset.  This is also a huge cause of failure of the exam.  

It’s not that your experience is right or wrong, it’s just that most companies who implement security very rarely do it “by the book”.  Instead - in the real world - schedules and budgets are most important, while security and other things take a back seat.    

(ISC)2 knows this.  That’s why they word the questions a certain way on the exam.  They play on your experience (that’s not how you do it) and also try to invoke your instinct to “fix things”, which is typically not the best apply security.  

To pass the CISSP exam, it’s important to understand the industry's way of doing things and be able to connect their material to your own experience.

What I have found is that when students actually learn what they need to know for the CISSP exam, it makes them better security professionals overall.   

But, that’s really hard to do when you’re using too much stuff and trying to “cram” for the exam.

I recommend these 3 things to avoid failing the CISSP exam:

1. Have a structured learning plan and limit the number of resources you are using to study
2. Take the time to learn the subject matter...don't just try to memorize, cram, break, or crack the CISSP exam.
3. Leave your work experience (and dare I say ego) at the door and learn how to apply industry-recognized information security. 

Doing these 3 things, for the reasons I explained above, will greatly increase your chances of passing the CISSP exam.  

I'd also encourage you to consider using our proven resources that will teach you the practical application of CISSP concepts and principles using real-world scenarios, data breaches, and other events.  

Forget the cramming, memorizing, or cutting corners - instead take the time to learn real-world information security from a certified, professional instructor.

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