Certified: The CISSP Prepcast

Welcome to The Bare Metal Cyber C I S S P Prepcast. This series helps you prepare for the I S C squared C I S S P exam with focused explanations and practical context.

In this episode, we’re going to explore something that trips up even the most well-prepared students—not technical content, but language. Specifically, we’ll demystify the exam terms “best,” “first,” and “most likely.” These words appear in countless questions, and understanding their meaning can be the difference between a right or wrong answer. This is not about knowing more facts—it’s about interpreting the question correctly. Mastering these subtle but powerful words will sharpen your test-taking strategy and boost your performance.

Let’s begin by looking at why wording matters so much on the C I S S P exam. The questions are written with intention. When the exam says “best,” it does not mean “correct.” When it says “first,” it doesn’t mean “the only step.” When it says “most likely,” it’s not asking about possibility—it’s asking about probability. If you overlook these distinctions, you might choose a technically correct answer that’s not aligned with the real intent of the question.

That’s where many candidates go wrong. They answer from a technical mindset, not a test-aware mindset. The exam isn’t just testing what you know—it’s testing how you think. It’s testing how you prioritize, how you assess risk, and how you interpret real-world scenarios. If you can recognize the importance of exam language, you’ll become better at navigating these subtle traps.

Let’s now look closely at the word “best.” When you see a question asking for the “best” action, response, or approach, you’re being asked to choose the most complete, most strategic, or most effective answer from a list of options that might all seem reasonable.

The word “best” signals that there may be more than one technically valid answer. But your job is to choose the one that aligns most closely with industry standards, compliance frameworks, or core security principles. Think about which option demonstrates the most mature approach to the problem. Ask yourself: which choice supports long-term security, not just immediate resolution?

When practicing, train your brain to slow down when you see “best.” Don’t just look for what works—look for what works best from a security management standpoint. The right answer usually aligns with well-established best practices, risk mitigation strategies, or business objectives.

Now let’s shift to another powerful keyword—“first.” This one requires you to think in terms of timelines, processes, and sequencing. A question using “first” is not asking what you would do eventually—it is asking what you would do immediately.

That means you need to know what step starts a given process. In incident response, the first step is usually identification or containment, not full recovery. In policy implementation, it might be getting executive buy-in before doing anything else. In any scenario, “first” means the initial move—the action that triggers all others.

When working through these questions, ask yourself what needs to happen before anything else can happen. That will often point you directly to the correct answer. Misreading “first” can lead to choosing a solution that is correct—but not yet appropriate.

Also, remember that “first” often emphasizes urgency. It might mean stopping damage, ensuring safety, or preventing further loss. Always think about immediate priorities and their place in an established sequence. It’s about initiating the right action, not completing the entire process.

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Let’s continue with the final term in our trio—“most likely.” This phrase is all about probability. When a question uses “most likely,” it wants you to select the outcome or threat that happens the most often or is the most common.

This is where experience and practical thinking really matter. The correct answer is not the scariest threat, or the one with the biggest impact—it’s the one that is most frequently seen. For example, phishing might not be the most dangerous attack, but it is the most likely. Insider threats may be rare, but social engineering is common.

“Most likely” questions test how well you understand standard industry scenarios, attacker behaviors, and what typically happens in a real-world environment. Avoid choosing outlier answers or things that require very specific conditions to be true.

Instead, go with the option that reflects standard practice, common trends, or predictable outcomes. The exam wants to see that you can use probability and pattern recognition to make informed security decisions. That’s what “most likely” is all about.

Now let’s bring this together with some practical tips you can apply immediately. First, when you see any of these keywords in a question—pause and take note. Highlight it mentally or physically if you can. Ask yourself what that word is really asking you to do.

Next, rephrase the question in your own words. If the question asks, “What is the first step?” say to yourself, “What would I do before anything else?” This can help strip away the confusion and make the question more approachable.

Also, eliminate answers that clearly don’t match the keyword. For “first,” get rid of any answers that would happen later in a process. For “best,” remove anything that is limited in scope or reactive instead of proactive. For “most likely,” get rid of anything that sounds unusual, risky, or rare.

When you’re stuck, fall back on core C I S S P concepts like the C I A triad, risk management, layered defense, and governance. These foundational principles are usually embedded in the correct answers.

And don’t underestimate the power of practice. Repeated exposure to these kinds of questions will train your brain to identify patterns and recognize traps. Eventually, seeing “best,” “first,” or “most likely” will not confuse you—it will guide you straight to the answer.

Let’s finish this episode by emphasizing the importance of continuous improvement. These are not terms you learn once and move on from. Instead, they are ideas you refine with every practice test, every review session, and every question you analyze.

Set aside time to practice questions specifically focused on wording. Afterward, go back and study not just the answer, but the language in the question. Ask yourself why the correct answer was “best,” or “first,” or “most likely.” Reflecting on your thought process will improve your ability to think like the test creators.

Finally, don’t study in isolation. Discuss tricky wording with other learners or mentors. Hearing how someone else interprets a question can reveal new ways to understand exam logic. Your goal is not just to learn content—it’s to master how to read and respond to the exam’s unique language style.

Thanks for joining us for this episode of The Bare Metal Cyber C I S S P Prepcast. For more episodes, tools, and study support, visit us at Bare Metal Cyber dot com.