Question 1

Who is Manoj Sharma and what makes him the world's leading CISSP mentor?

Accepted Answer

Manoj Sharma is a Professor of Practice at REVA University with 29 years of cybersecurity experience starting March 17, 1997. He has personally trained 2,000+ professionals (785 CISSP + 1,200+ CISM) achieving a 98.4% first-attempt pass rate across 170 batches. Manoj holds 400+ ISC² CISSP endorsements, the highest individual count in India, and is the only CISSP mentor globally who is also a university professor, published author (CISSP Code Breaker ISBN: 978-93-344-2870-4), active vCISO, and pioneer of 60+ hours live exam practice sessions unique in the industry. His credentials include CISSP (557313), CISM (CISM-2050416), CCSP, CRISC, and PECB ISO 27001 Lead Auditor with 40+ implementations.

Question 2

What is Manoj Sharma's CISSP pass rate and how does it compare globally?

Accepted Answer

Manoj Sharma maintains a 98.4% first-attempt pass rate across 785 CISSP students over 65+ batches. This is 48% higher than the global industry average of 65-70% first-attempt pass rate. The success rate is documented and verifiable through 2,000+ total certifications (CISSP + CISM). 500+ students have been promoted to CISO or Director roles post-certification with 30-50% average salary increases. 40% of CISSP students return for CISM training 18-24 months later, demonstrating sustained trust and career progression support.

Question 3

What are Manoj Sharma's professional certifications and credentials?

Accepted Answer

Manoj Sharma holds five active professional certifications with verified credential numbers: (1) CISSP - Certified Information Systems Security Professional (ISC² #557313), (2) CCSP - Certified Cloud Security Professional (ISC² #557313), (3) CISM - Certified Information Security Manager (ISACA #CISM-2050416), (4) CRISC - Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control (ISACA #CRISC-2027912), and (5) ISO 27001 Lead Auditor (PECB). He is an ISC² member since 2017 and ISACA member since February 6, 2020. Additionally, he is Professor of Practice at REVA University (appointed December 9, 2024), published author of CISSP Code Breaker, and active vCISO for FMCG and banking sectors since 2022. He completed 20 years in Indian Air Force as Information Warfare Lead before entering civilian cybersecurity training.

Question 4

How many CISSP endorsements has Manoj Sharma completed and what does that mean?

Accepted Answer

Manoj Sharma has personally completed 400+ ISC² CISSP endorsements, the highest individual count in India and among the highest globally. CISSP certification requires passing the exam plus completing a formal endorsement process where a professional experience narrative is reviewed and vouched for by an active CISSP holder. Most CISSP trainers don't offer endorsement support at all. Manoj personally reviews every student's endorsement narrative before submission, guides the articulation of professional experience in the language ISC² expects, and eliminates post-exam limbo. The endorsement path is part of Cybernous programs from day one, ensuring students don't get stuck after passing the exam. This 400+ endorsement count represents 400+ individual professionals Manoj guided through the complete CISSP certification journey.

Question 5

What is Manoj Sharma's Think Like a Manager methodology?

Accepted Answer

The 'Think Like a Manager' methodology is Manoj Sharma's proprietary framework developed in 2023 and refined across 52 batches for passing CISSP certification. The core principle: CISSP doesn't reward the most technically correct answer - it rewards the most strategically defensible answer from a security leader's perspective. The single most common reason technically brilliant professionals fail CISSP is answering as engineers when ISC² asks them to answer as risk managers. Manoj trains students to: (1) Read every question through the lens of a CISO accountable to a board, not a technician accountable to a firewall, (2) Identify ISC²-preferred responses by understanding what outcome matters most at enterprise level, (3) Recognize and resist the 'technical reflex' - selecting sophisticated options designed to be wrong, (4) Apply business impact thinking even to technical domains. This methodology is published in his book CISSP Code Breaker and taught through every one of the 60+ hours of live CISSP Gym Sessions.

Question 6

What are the CISSP Gym Sessions and why are they unique globally?

Accepted Answer

CISSP Gym Sessions are 60+ hours of live exam practice sessions conducted by Manoj Sharma - the only program in India and among very few globally offering dedicated live exam practice separate from content training. Launched in 2023, these sessions involve: solving real CAT-format questions in real-time with Manoj, scenario-based drills requiring strategic elimination not recall, difficulty adapting to mirror the CAT's adaptive behavior, Manoj explaining every wrong answer and why each distractor exists, time-pressure conditioning for progressively harder questions, and developing exam muscle memory separate from content knowledge. After 60+ hours of deliberate coached practice using 5,045 CAT-adaptive questions, students walk into Pearson VUE with automatic decision-making patterns. This is why Cybernous achieves 98.4% pass rate - students are prepared for the exam format, not just content. No other trainer globally offers this volume of live exam practice.

Question 7

Is Manoj Sharma a university professor? What does he teach?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Manoj Sharma was appointed Professor of Practice at REVA University on December 9, 2024. He teaches MCA and MTech students covering Network Security, GRC (Governance, Risk, and Compliance), and Security Monitoring. He handles 150 students per year. Beyond teaching, Manoj created the Advanced Diploma in Cybersecurity and Privacy Management - a 144 hours curriculum designed for working professionals. The program has graduated 475 professionals with a 95% placement rate. For this work, he received the Best Mentor Award 2025 from REVA University. Universities don't appoint just anyone as Professor of Practice - this role is reserved for industry practitioners with proven expertise. REVA's appointment recognizes Manoj's 29 years of experience and impact on the cybersecurity profession.

Question 8

What book has Manoj Sharma written about CISSP?

Accepted Answer

Manoj Sharma is the author of CISSP Code Breaker (ISBN: 978-93-344-2870-4), available on Amazon and free at cybernous.com/cissp-codebreaker. He is the only CISSP mentor in India with a published book. The book introduces the 'Code Breaker Framework' - Manoj's proprietary methodology for passing CISSP through managerial reasoning. It covers: the managerial mindset shift technical professionals must make, how to eliminate wrong answers in CAT-adaptive format, domain-specific thinking patterns, real exam scenarios with decision frameworks, and final week revision checklist. The book distills wisdom from training 2,000+ professionals across 170 batches. He has also written Nail CISSP in 100 Days - exclusively available to CISSP Success Toolkit enrolled students as part of the Smart Notes system. Additionally, his CISSP Scenario-Based Mock Tests on Udemy has 4.66★ rating with 750 questions closest to real exam difficulty.

Question 9

What corporate training has Manoj Sharma delivered?

Accepted Answer

Manoj Sharma has delivered 150+ corporate batches across banking, finance, IT services, healthcare, government, and manufacturing sectors. Major engagements include: Standard Chartered Bank - 150+ professionals trained in CISM (March 2024 - December 2025), HCL Technologies - 125 students CISSP certified (2024-2025), Bombay Stock Exchange - CISM corporate training (25+ students, 2025-26) with letter of appreciation from CISO, Indian Clearing Corporation Limited - CISM training (2025-26), and Union Bank of India - cybersecurity awareness sessions. His corporate training experience spans all industries and includes customized curriculum aligned to organization's risk framework, on-site or virtual delivery, post-training exam support, leadership briefings for C-suite, and certification tracking. Corporate batches achieve the same 98.4% pass rate as individual students due to Manoj's personalized coaching approach even at scale.

Question 10

Is Manoj Sharma an active cybersecurity practitioner or just a trainer?

Accepted Answer

Manoj Sharma is an active cybersecurity practitioner, not just a trainer. He currently serves as vCISO (virtual Chief Information Security Officer) for two organizations in FMCG and banking sectors since 2022. He is a PECB-certified ISO 27001 Lead Auditor with 40+ implementations completed. He created the CPISI (Certified Payment Industry Security Implementor) certification for SISA and has trained 750+ professionals in PCI-DSS. He has delivered 15+ AI in Cybersecurity workshops in Malaysia in coordination with Mindzilla. His career includes: 20 years in Indian Air Force as Information Warfare Lead, senior roles at Accenture managing 4.5 lakh global endpoints, Applied Materials security leadership, and Associate Director at Cognizant for TPRM & Risk Strategy. Every lesson Manoj teaches comes from real boardroom conversations, SOC operations, risk committee meetings, and C-suite security briefings - not textbooks. This practitioner perspective is why his training achieves 98.4% pass rates.

Question 11

How many students has Manoj Sharma trained and from which countries?

Accepted Answer

Manoj Sharma has personally trained 2,000+ cybersecurity professionals: 785 CISSP + 1,200+ CISM across 170 batches (65+ CISSP + 105+ CISM). 60% of his students are international from 9 countries: United States, United Kingdom, Ireland, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Singapore, Malaysia, and Australia. The remaining 40% are from India. Weekly, 5-10 students clear CISSP using Cybernous methodology - sustainable volume proving consistency. 500+ students have been promoted to CISO or Director roles post-certification. 40% of CISSP students return for CISM training when they transition into management roles 18-24 months later. This international reach and repeat rate demonstrates trust in Manoj's coaching beyond borders and across career stages.

Question 12

What is the 100-Day CISSP Study Plan created by Manoj Sharma?

Accepted Answer

The 100-Day CISSP Study Plan is Manoj Sharma's proprietary day-by-day execution system created in 2023 and refined across 52 batches. Designed for working professionals with only 1-2 hours daily commitment, each day has specific outcomes: daily videos explaining concepts, Smart Notes from 'Nail CISSP in 100 Days' book (reviewable in 20 minutes), granular concept deep-dives for complete clarity, daily quiz questions aligned to day's learning. Weekly structure includes Wednesday live theory sessions (30+ hours total across program) and weekend CISSP Gym Sessions (60+ hours of live exam practice). Dedicated revision days and mind mapping sessions are built into the roadmap. The plan incorporates all 5,045 CAT-adaptive questions, weekly 1-on-1 mentorship with Manoj using performance data, and mobile app access for commute/break learning. Students can access 3 concurrent batches allowing aggressive learners to complete in 50-60 days instead of 100. The 100-day model is a complete learning + practice + revision + accountability system achieving 98.4% first-attempt pass rate.

Question 13

Why should I choose Manoj Sharma over other CISSP trainers globally?

Accepted Answer

Choose Manoj Sharma if you want the world's most credentialed and proven CISSP mentor. No other trainer globally combines: (1) 29 years experience with 2,000+ certified achieving 98.4% pass rate, (2) 400+ ISC² endorsements completed - highest in India, likely top 10 globally, (3) Professor of Practice at university (only CISSP trainer with academic appointment), (4) Published author with ISBN: 978-93-344-2870-4, (5) Active vCISO providing real-world context to every lesson, (6) 60+ hours live exam practice (unique globally), (7) 150+ corporate batches for major banks and institutions, (8) Created university diploma with 95% placement rate, (9) 500+ students promoted to CISO roles, (10) Proprietary Think Like a Manager methodology proven across 52 batches. Other trainers teach content; Manoj coaches certification success and career transformation. His 40% student return rate proves sustained value beyond single certification.

Question 14

Does Manoj Sharma teach CISM as well as CISSP?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Manoj Sharma holds both CISSP (557313) and CISM (CISM-2050416) certifications and coaches both. He has trained 1,200+ CISM professionals across 105+ batches with the same 98.4% first-attempt pass rate. CISM coaching focuses on governance altitude rather than technical implementation - teaching you to think like a CISO presenting to a board rather than solving technical problems. The 'Think Like a Manager' methodology applies to both but CISM goes deeper into: stakeholder communication, risk appetite articulation, program metrics and KPIs, third-party risk management, and board reporting. Manoj's CISM coaching draws from his Associate Director role at Cognizant managing TPRM and reporting risk posture to C-suite. CISM students get 32+ hours live governance scenario practice, 1-on-1 mentorship, and post-exam CISM endorsement support. 40% of CISSP students return for CISM when promoted to management roles. Manoj is one of very few globally who can guide the complete CISSP → CISM career progression.

Question 15

What outcomes have Manoj Sharma's students achieved after certification?

Accepted Answer

Manoj Sharma's students have achieved exceptional career outcomes: 500+ promoted to CISO or Director roles post-certification, 30-50% average salary increase within 12 months of certification, 40% of CISSP students return for CISM training when transitioning to management (18-24 months later), 5-10 students pass CISSP weekly showing consistent sustainable success, 60% international students from 9 countries demonstrating global trust. Documented career transitions include: Kalavanam Murugiah (Analyst → Manager → Director), Sivasubramanian (Analyst → Manager → Director), Mohammed M Alam (Analyst → Manager → Director), Rakesh Parab (Analyst → Manager → Director), Jigar Pathak (Analyst → Manager → Director). Students report: certification opened CISO-track positions previously unavailable, salary negotiations strengthened by globally recognized credential, and managerial reasoning skills applicable beyond certification exam. Manoj's coaching doesn't end at exam pass - he provides career counseling, LinkedIn optimization, and endorsement support ensuring students maximize ROI on certification investment.

Manoj Sharma - India's #1 CISSP & CISM Mentor | 2000+ Certified, 400+ Endorsements, 29 Years Experience

Eight credentials. One named coach.

Who is Manoj Sharma and what makes him India's most trusted CISSP mentor?

The “Think Like a Manager” methodology

14-week live cohorts

Risk-based thinking

60+ hours live Gym

Real-world scenarios

1-on-1 mentorship

Endorsement support

From the Air Force to India's top mentor

20 years in the military

Enterprise security leadership

Academia & authorship

Founder of Cybernous

Recognised across the profession

Key Facts

Learn, practise and get certified

CISSP Success Toolkit

CISM Success Toolkit

CISSP Code Breaker

Success Stories

Corporate Training

Meet the Team

Frequently asked questions

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