Passed the CISM Exam ! · CISSP Study Group

Passed the CISM Exam !

I am pleased to share that I passed the CISM exam on my second attempt last night!

I couldn’t clear the exam on my first attempt, missing the passing score by just 9 points (441 against the required 450). Having passed the CISSP exam on my first attempt, I was perhaps overconfident and appeared for CISM without adequate preparation. That experience taught me an important lesson: success in one certification does not guarantee success in another, as each exam requires a different mindset and preparation strategy.

In my experience, the CISM mindset is somewhat different from that of the CISSP. CISM places greater emphasis on information security governance, risk management, and aligning security with business objectives, rather than focusing primarily on technical security controls.

My preparation resources included:

CISM Exam App by Vincent — special thanks to Mr. Vincent for this valuable resource.
Destination Certification CISM App
CISM Review Manual and old QB available to me in book form.
Selected CISM videos by Parab, Peter Zerger, and the 100 CISM Questions video.

Interestingly, only around 10–15% of the questions seemed familiar from my first attempt. My experience suggests that the CISM question bank is dynamic, with a different mix of questions appearing in each exam. Therefore, relying on memorization alone is not a reliable strategy; understanding the concepts and developing the right CISM mindset are essential.

My key takeaway: Prepare thoroughly, focus on governance and risk management, understand the reasoning behind the answers, and never underestimate the exam.

4 comments

Passed the CISM Exam !