CHFI before CEH? (WGU MSISA)

JohnL

So with all the CEH drama going on right now my student mentor at WGU suggests that I go after the CHFI. I'm just wondering how difficult it might be if I take the CHFI before the CEH. Also are there any particular resources that would be recommended for study?

gncsmith

The EC-Council recommends you have the CEH before the CHFI.

Source: http://www.eccouncil.org/portals/0/Images/chfi-brochure.pdf

danny069

Quite honestly, I think you can pass the CHFI already because you already have the Security+ I think it's an easier exam than the CEH. Reasoning, common sense, and basic Security+ terminology should be enough to pass.

JohnL

Yeah I know that EC Council recommends to have the CEH first but with all the stuff going on with the CEH I wanted to wait.

devilbones

Do you have the course requirements PDF for the MSISA? I would like to see the transfer evaluation for that.

cs8400

Wouldn't be a bad idea. I'm studying for the CHFI at the moment (testing next week). While some of the CEH does carry over to the CHFI, I think it's passable without the CEH experience.

IronmanX

JohnL wrote: »

So with all the CEH drama going on right now my student mentor at WGU suggests that I go after the CHFI. I'm just wondering how difficult it might be if I take the CHFI before the CEH. Also are there any particular resources that would be recommended for study?

You could ask TK1799_st he has the CHFI cert and then failed the CEH. He has a vendetta again EC Council now due to his CEH failing mark so he may not be very helpful to you.

JohnL

Here is a link to the pdf for the MSISA program. The Forensics and Network Intrusion course is where you have to pass the CHFI in order to complete that class.

http://www.wgu.edu/wgu/prog_guide/MS_ISA.pdf

wolfinsheepsclothing

danny069 wrote: »

Quite honestly, I think you can pass the CHFI already because you already have the Security+ I think it's an easier exam than the CEH. Reasoning, common sense, and basic Security+ terminology should be enough to pass.

Was going to post the highlighted; you shouldn't have any issues taking the CHFI prior the the CEH.

cs8400

wolfinsheepsclothing wrote: »

Was going to post the highlighted; you shouldn't have any issues taking the CHFI prior the the CEH.

Agreed. Took the CHFI today and passed with 92%. Was expecting this one to be more difficult... wasn't really impressed with this test. As danny069 stated, basic security knowledge and common sense should be enough to pass it.

EDIT: The study guide that the WGU course mentor can provide covers pretty much everything on the test. Email the mentor and get it once you are enrolled in FMV2.

JohnL

Cool, thank you everyone for the responses. I plan on getting this cert knocked out by the end of the year.

GreaterNinja

I started studying for CHFI about 2 weeks ago. So far it seems easier than CEH material.

On another note: Is that you on youtube posting the POC MD5 FPGA password cracker?

JohnL

GreaterNinja wrote: »

I started studying for CHFI about 2 weeks ago. So far it seems easier than CEH material.

On another note: Is that you on youtube posting the POC MD5 FPGA password cracker?

Nope not me. I don't post anything on youtube.

Mike7

JohnL wrote: »

Cool, thank you everyone for the responses. I plan on getting this cert knocked out by the end of the year.

You may want to take it sooner than later as CHFI v9 is either coming out or has been released.
Some of us went in for CEHv8 exam and encountered new CEHv9 questions. See http://www.techexams.net/forums/ec-council-ceh-chfi/114580-word-caution-about-ceh-v8-v9.html

JohnL

Mike7 wrote: »

You may want to take it sooner than later as CHFI v9 is either coming out or has been released.
Some of us went in for CEHv8 exam and encountered new CEHv9 questions. See http://www.techexams.net/forums/ec-council-ceh-chfi/114580-word-caution-about-ceh-v8-v9.html

Do the CEH and the CHFI change versions around the same time? Have you heard from a source that it will be changing soon?

Mike7

Attended CHFI course in late October. The instructor mentioned that he will be attending a briefing on CHFI v9 later that month.

JohnL

I sure hope they don't go through the same thing the CEH just went through. I'm starting to prep for the CHFI this week so I should be taking the exam by mid December. Thanks for the info!!

GreaterNinja

I just took the CHFI and its now CHFI version 9. They had things in there like Encase Cloud, heartbleed, shellshock, banana hammock, and youtube red.

Just kidding. I did however take the CHFI v8 and pass it. Other than the 150 questions it was probably the easiest exam I've ever taken.
I recommend using:
Ucertify CHFI v8 (take practice test a, b, c and use study/review modes). Read the explanations and everything closely associated to the question. If you don't understand something entirely google it.
Read a few chapters of the Official CHFI v8 book.

After scoring in the 90s on exam A, B, C I decided I was ready to achieve at least a 70% on the real exam.

Turns out the real CHFI exam was easier than the uCertify exams.

As a disclaimer I have tons of desktop hardware, imaging software, registry and Windows experience. I also studied about 2 months for the CEH v8. I think that helped too.

markulous

So consensus is to take CHFI before? I'm in the same boat with the MSISA and not sure which one to take. My student mentor said take the CHFI first.

EnderWiggin

markulous wrote: »

So consensus is to take CHFI before? I'm in the same boat with the MSISA and not sure which one to take. My student mentor said take the CHFI first.

I think I may do the CHFI first. If it's as easy as everyone says, then it'll serve as a nice ramp-up to CEH. But on the flipside, I suppose taking CEH first will make it that much easier to pass CHFI........ Hmmmmmmm

markulous

Yeah I guess 6 one way a half dozen the other. We're taking both regardless. CEH looks better on a resume so maybe I go that route.

EnderWiggin

Looks like the CHFI course has more materials. All the CEH course has is the official EC Council items, while the CHFI has the official items, plus a Ucertify course, and a few books. I think I'm committing to that one next, if my mentor will ever approve my Crypto final.....

PJ_Sneakers

So, honestly... I would go through the CEH first because it will require more studying to pass the test. The material in the CEH courseware will align more with the exam, whereas the courseware for CHFI did not align a whole lot with the test. If you have, say, the CompTIA triad and CEH, then the CHFI will be an easy pass. Seriously, after you get done with CEH you will probably be able to pass CHFI within a week or two.

The test contents were... about 25% forensic in nature? Maybe 30% if you stretched some of the questions to possibly fall in the realm of incident handling. And you need a 70% to pass the exam... so...

markulous

Alright, I'm sold. CEH first. I want to get out of support and into an Analyst-type position ASAP, so getting the check mark on the resume will be nice.

EnderWiggin

An the flip-flopping continues. CEH it is. Ah well, it'll all be done within a few months anyways, doesn't really matter what order to go in, I suppose.