Passed CHFI (83%)
aftereffector
Member Posts: 525 ■■■■□□□□□□
in CHFI
I took CHFI to fulfill a requirement in my MSISA degree plan from WGU. Resources used were mostly just the uCertify environment; I did read (skim, actually) the provided textbooks, but I spent the majority of my study time doing practice exams in uCertify. Some of the questions from those practice exams were exactly represented on the test. However, the test also included some technical details that I hadn't bothered to memorize... so my advice to anyone who is studying for the exam is, make sure you know everything on the WGU course mentor's tip sheet!
One drawback of uCertify is the excessive focus it places on knowing how to use specific software applications such as Encase. I didn't see a single question talking about specific programs and utilities on my exam. Rather, most of my questions were one of the following categories:
1. General computer and security knowledge (if you have taken Security+, you should know these - like the OSI model, what a MAC address is and looks like, etc)
2. CEH questions about attacks, vulnerabilities, threat vectors, etc
3. Forensic process questions (what do you do *first* for all the different stages - securing the scene, transporting evidence, etc; also, which one of the following options is not a part of the xyz process)
There were a few questions about laws but nothing to the detail that uCertify required. For instance, uCertify will give you a multiple choice question where you have to pick the correct answer out of four, each containing a particular law or section of federal code, and the wrong answers will have some minute detail incorrect (such as 2000.aa2 instead of 2000.a2, or the like). The actual exam just wanted you to know the broad strokes. Know the 4th amendment, which laws pertain to child ****, which laws pertain to privacy, and the general theme of the three or four major cases mentioned in the material.
A significant number of questions had extremely obvious wrong answers - and since a lot of the questions were of the "pick the answer that is not correct" format, that made the test pretty easy. I didn't like the testing format, though, as I was able to mark individual questions for review but there was no review section. You could jump to an answered question using a dropdown menu but there was no option to "review all" or "review flagged" or anything like that. Maybe my testing interface was different - I used ProctorU rather than going to a testing center as I have in the past - but it's something to be aware of. I was authorized two sheets of scratch paper but I didn't use them; there is no math on this test.
Overall, it wasn't difficult and I did learn a few things from reviewing the material, but this isn't one I'm going to put on the resume or keep up with via CPEs. I wouldn't bother with this unless you have to do it for your degree.
One drawback of uCertify is the excessive focus it places on knowing how to use specific software applications such as Encase. I didn't see a single question talking about specific programs and utilities on my exam. Rather, most of my questions were one of the following categories:
1. General computer and security knowledge (if you have taken Security+, you should know these - like the OSI model, what a MAC address is and looks like, etc)
2. CEH questions about attacks, vulnerabilities, threat vectors, etc
3. Forensic process questions (what do you do *first* for all the different stages - securing the scene, transporting evidence, etc; also, which one of the following options is not a part of the xyz process)
There were a few questions about laws but nothing to the detail that uCertify required. For instance, uCertify will give you a multiple choice question where you have to pick the correct answer out of four, each containing a particular law or section of federal code, and the wrong answers will have some minute detail incorrect (such as 2000.aa2 instead of 2000.a2, or the like). The actual exam just wanted you to know the broad strokes. Know the 4th amendment, which laws pertain to child ****, which laws pertain to privacy, and the general theme of the three or four major cases mentioned in the material.
A significant number of questions had extremely obvious wrong answers - and since a lot of the questions were of the "pick the answer that is not correct" format, that made the test pretty easy. I didn't like the testing format, though, as I was able to mark individual questions for review but there was no review section. You could jump to an answered question using a dropdown menu but there was no option to "review all" or "review flagged" or anything like that. Maybe my testing interface was different - I used ProctorU rather than going to a testing center as I have in the past - but it's something to be aware of. I was authorized two sheets of scratch paper but I didn't use them; there is no math on this test.
Overall, it wasn't difficult and I did learn a few things from reviewing the material, but this isn't one I'm going to put on the resume or keep up with via CPEs. I wouldn't bother with this unless you have to do it for your degree.
CCIE Security - this one might take a while...
Comments
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danny069
Member Posts: 1,025 ■■■■□□□□□□
Congrats! I was debating whether to take this or not, it seems like a pretty straight forward exam, but I don't think it is worth the price.I am a Jack of all trades, Master of None -
EnderWiggin
Member Posts: 551 ■■■■□□□□□□
Congrats. I'll be taking this for my MS:ISA as well. Sounds like it will be a cakewalk if I take it at the end of the program, having gone through almost all of that already. I doubt this cert will be very worthwhile, but I'll keep it on my resume, simply for the "Forensic" buzzword. And I'll keep up with the CPEs too, since it'll keep the CEH active. Plus I'm planning on getting the CISSP after the degree, so I'll be getting a ton of CPEs anyways. -
goatama
Member Posts: 181
Thanks for this! I just wish you had posted sooner.
I'm on the Stego section in the books and it's making my eyes bleed. After about the fifteenth tool mentioned I just started scrolling and found another, like, 30 pages of tool descriptions. How is this useful for anything but reference material?
Anywho, thanks for the advice, I'm just gonna switch to the uCertify modules and practice exams.
WGU - MSISA - Done!!
Next up: eCPPT, eWDP, eWPT, eMAPT -
JohnL
Member Posts: 62 ■■□□□□□□□□
Congrats! I had a very similar experience when I took my CHFI back in January. The EC-Council stuff harped on all the tools but saw next to nothing on the exam...uCertify was the way to go. However, the CEH had tons of questions about which tool to use in which situation. That kinda threw me off lol.B.B.A. in Finance - 2007
A.A.S. in Computer Networking & System Administration - 2014
M.S. Information Security and Assurance - 2016
CompTIA A+, Network+, Security+, CEH, CHFI, CCNA: Routing & Switching
Working on CISSP -
roninkai
Member Posts: 307 ■■■■□□□□□□
I'm currently wrapping up Term 1 with WGU, and taking a break (well from enrolled classes). I'm hustling my ass off to finish Cyberlaw in just 1 week, as I got super behind with work. But Ive worked out a plan with WGU, where I think I can take a 2 month hiatus, but come back in and CLEP two courses, essentially wiping out most of Term 2, and saving me a couple grand.
I've been working on CISSP since Oct. Once these last 2 papers are done, I'm gonna do CISSP prep exams for two weeks or so, then take the test. I feel pretty ready, but who knows. Then during the break, I plan on studying for the CHFI via the All-in-One book I have, and maybe do some VM lab work.
I'm hoping with this strategy, I can come back in June, then just take assessments for CHFI and the Cryptography course. Since I have CEH, been studying for CISSP, and CHFI probably covers some crypto concepts, I think I'll be ready to just take the assessment and be done. So my break really isnt a break, but at least its not another term paper.
Has anyone gone through the WGU provided CHFI material? Any good? I keep hearing that this is an easy test. I took the practice test on uCertify and did well, so doesn't seem to bad. Is EC-Council even respected as a certification company? Im hearing not so good things about them.浪人 MSISA:WGU
ICP-FDO ▪ CISSP ▪ ECES ▪ CHFI ▪ CNDA ▪ CEH ▪ MCSA/MCITP ▪ MCTS ▪ S+
2020 Level Up Goals: (1) DevSecOps Learning Path (2) OSCP -
roninkai
Member Posts: 307 ■■■■□□□□□□
Well, if I pass my CHFI, I essentially CLEP C702.
And since their Cryptography course is essentially "CISSP's Cryptography Section", all my CISSP studies should help me CLEP this one. I'm still working on it though and going through Cybrary.IT's new CISSP course and their Crypto course to makes sure I "get it".浪人 MSISA:WGU
ICP-FDO ▪ CISSP ▪ ECES ▪ CHFI ▪ CNDA ▪ CEH ▪ MCSA/MCITP ▪ MCTS ▪ S+
2020 Level Up Goals: (1) DevSecOps Learning Path (2) OSCP -
Aziz-alh
Registered Users Posts: 1 ■□□□□□□□□□
In ucertfy.com they have three exam right ? so i solve this only three exams and memories them and thats it ?
how about the practice and the quez in each chapter do i need also to go through them ?
