Passed Security+ 1 hour ago, not pleased.

Linguistics

So yes I passed but the test was borderline BS.
A test should test your skill set based on objectives. If they are going to include subject matter far removed from the objective then why list objectives only? Why not list "other" and give a laundry list of other possibilities?

I remember that 8 out of my first 12 questions were purely linux based. To add, all EXCEPT 2 of those were no where to be found in get certifiedgetahead nor the david l prowse book, nor cbt nuggets. I was like wtf?

The two simulation that I had were pretty straight forward and I believe helped me pull this off. Id venture to say that 25 questions were obscure random material that were never mentioned or only had maybe one paragraph discussion in either book.

Seriously CompTia, I know that you are trying to make your test harder so to avoid braindumping and to give the passers more credibility but this approach is not the right way.

Venting over

Study materials:
Lynda.com videos
Cbt nuggets
Get certified book and premium content labs/tests
David L prowse official book and CD.
A few Messer videos

Took two months to study
2 hours per day
5 hours on off days.

dehgrah

I passed with a score of 755 and I believe they're just trying to make they're Security test the standard (harder). When I first took the last Sec+ 3.5 years ago I scored a 870 on it and the material at the time I used to study covered everything to a 'T'. I blame the publishers who offer their content to prepare you for the exam more so than I do CompTIA since CompTIA basically gives everyone an outline of what they will cover especially the publishing companies (CBT,PluralSight,Sybex. etc...). By the way I only studied for a month which probably resulted in my low score.

jsd

I just passed today as well, I don't think I got a single Linux question. Luck of the draw, I guess.

Remember that some questions are specifically, intentionally outside the scope of the exam objectives, and are not graded. You likely had a couple of those if you're unable to find them on the Sec+ exam objectives provided by CompTIA (also, just because it wasn't in your study material doesn't mean it's not part of the exam objectives).

At any rate, as pass is a pass. Congratulations!

NetworkNewb

Yea, I'd be upset as well. JK! Your actually upset that the exam, that you just passed and will never have to look at again, had a few questions that you don't believe were in the study materials? OK

Infosec85

Pass is a pass regardless of the score. Be pleased you don't have to pay to sit it again!

Linguistics

NetworkNewb wrote: »

Yea, I'd be upset as well. JK! Your actually upset that the exam, that you just passed and will never have to look at again, had a few questions that you don't believe were in the study materials? OK

I just want the test to be difficult because of the actual material based on objectives.
Its one thing to ask about bench presses if the test is about squat exercises but I would rather not have 100 questions about baking cakes if im testing on how to rebuild an engine.

Im not upset since I passed but its like when you narrowly escape death and then get pissed at the person/thing that forced you into the situation in the first place.

You're right though. Tomorrow ill look back and probably have a different outlook.

Nik 99

I kind of agree with you. I passed on monday and I got some really specific linux questions that were way outside my knowledge. I don't understand how such questions prove your understanding of the topic at all. Why not just ask questions that probe the depth of the persons study?

jsd

Without getting specific enough to break exam rules, what type of linux questions did you guys see? I'm surprised since I didn't have any. I'm familiar with Linux so it probably wouldn't have been too daunting for me, depending on what they were throwing at you.

Linguistics

jsd wrote: »

Without getting specific enough to break exam rules, what type of linux questions did you guys see? I'm surprised since I didn't have any. I'm familiar with Linux so it probably wouldn't have been too daunting for me, depending on what they were throwing at you.

Its pretty difficult to say due to nda but roughly some were based on fixing disk, questions based around the root and escalation and questions on setting and protection of certain data transmission protocols

I had some more but the questions were so long winded that I dont remember at this time.

Oh and I forgot, 2 other unrelated questions that only ask for BEST answer kept showing up in my question review box. I couldn't figure what the issue was. Both questions did NOT say pick two but both said 2 questions incomplete over and over. So I checked the best and the next best for both questions. I looked back at the review and it read none incomplete. So two questions actually needed two answers yet said select the best answer and never mentioned I was supposed to check two. The other ones with multiple selection stated select two or select 3. I was furious on the way out...

nisti2

I'm planning to retake it soon! What do you think I need to know about Linux for the exam??

GeekyChick

I'm scheduled to take the Sec+ next week and while I can't comment on the actual test, I can say I wasn't happy with the Transcender practice exams. I just took a practice exam and had 2 questions that said "choose all that apply" and the right answer was all of them. That just ain't right. I hope the actual test isn't like that.

NavyMooseCCNA

Congrats!

NavyMooseCCNA

GeekyChick wrote: »

I'm scheduled to take the Sec+ next week and while I can't comment on the actual test, I can say I wasn't happy with the Transcender practice exams. I just took a practice exam and had 2 questions that said "choose all that apply" and the right answer was all of them. That just ain't right. I hope the actual test isn't like that.

You'll knock it out of the park!

Thoth_Dhwty

For those who also sit Net+ recently, how do you compare Sec+ to Net+ in terms of difficulty ?

Linguistics

nisti2 wrote: »

I'm planning to retake it soon! What do you think I need to know about Linux for the exam??

I would do a brief one over on basic linux directory escalation, read/write permissions, common command line functions.
If you have access to cbt then just brief the linux videos.
Oh and know mitigation of application attacks, everything about multifactor authentication including WHAT METHOD COST MORE and which methods cost less, and know what /32 is used for specifically.

Besides that I would learn all about all vectors of account management and how to mitigate specific issues with accounts.
It wouldn't hurt ot flip through all wireless attack methods and counter actions.

TPowell

Test is kind of BS. I passed last week with a 780 or so and I knew every exam objective but struggled some with the what option would be BEST or what to do FIRST. Mostly though, I struggled with the questions that were completely out of the blue and not exam related. I know they have 1-2 that aren't scored but I had a solid 7-8.

nisti2

Thanks, Linguistics!! Really appreciate!!

boxerboy1168

Had the same experience on the Net+.

After nearly passing I walked away from the test having no idea how to study for the next one. Had the test material actually covered any of the study material I'm fairly certain I would have scored in the high 90's.

Now I am reviewing the same material again hoping to do better on the next one while simultaneously preparing for the CCENT.

Very odd questions some of them are so hard to understand I ended just picking the answer that sounded the best without even understanding the question to begin with.

Lot's of material that was never covered in the study material and I don't think I got a single 802.11 standard or cable standard question on the entire test. Nothing on VPN, RADIUS, PPP, encapsulation very odd test.

shochan

Hey, at least you can go back & review your answers unlike Cisco exams. Be happy, you passed...it might open new opportunities for you. If you are going to complain, do it in an email to CompTIA support, not on here. We ALL like POSITIVITY, right??

anhtran35

Once you guys pass the exam please continue to use SkillSoft and Webinars to keep up the CE. This test has become a nightmare for test takers. People have lost their jobs due to the inability to pass this exam.

swamprat

Definitely some confusion with some of the responses here. It's not the test's job to cover the study material, but the other way around.

In regards to Linux being used in some of the questions, there's plenty of objectives specify "Given a Scenario", "In a particular scenario", etc. That, plus mention of Kali/Backtrack/etc certainly makes a Linux scenario as a wrapper to test understanding of a particular topic well within the objectives.

Linguistics

TPowell wrote: »

Test is kind of BS. I passed last week with a 780 or so and I knew every exam objective but struggled some with the what option would be BEST or what to do FIRST. Mostly though, I struggled with the questions that were completely out of the blue and not exam related. I know they have 1-2 that aren't scored but I had a solid 7-8.

Man you are spot on. The first 7 questions and I was already like "yep im doomed". Luckily there were streaks of 3 and 4 Q that were from the objectives.

TPowell

Linguistics wrote: »

Man you are spot on. The first 7 questions and I was already like "yep im doomed". Luckily there were streaks of 3 and 4 Q that were from the objectives.

I was posting an idea of what they asked that was so crazy but then I remember the NDA lol. It was just straight out of left field though. My first 2 questions were sims that I felt awesome about but the navigation was wonky and I freaked out when I couldn't figure out how to do something. Anyways, glad I have the cert and I'll def be trying to keep up with the CEU requirements

cyberguypr

Remember that most certs revolve around a Common Body of Knowledge. Test material is not circumscribed to a specific study guide and as result there should be ZERO expectation for a book/training to cover 100% of the material on the test.

TPowell

cyberguypr wrote: »

Remember that most certs revolve around a Common Body of Knowledge. Test material is not circumscribed to a specific study guide and as result there should be ZERO expectation for a book/training to cover 100% of the material on the test.

I get that and I'm fine with that but when you have test material that can't be documented through the exam objectives without stretching it a ton.... you have a problem IMO

Linguistics

cyberguypr wrote: »

Remember that most certs revolve around a Common Body of Knowledge. Test material is not circumscribed to a specific study guide and as result there should be ZERO expectation for a book/training to cover 100% of the material on the test.

I do agree to the fullest. You make a good point but my biggest concern was that for the few questions that I can remember, I looked back at all sections where I was incorrect and mostly came from 5 objectives. I then looked at both books, lynda and cbt nuggets, plus messer and I couldn't find anything on those 5 questions. So I googled what I could remember and found the answers.
All I am saying is how would person X know to study for something if they have no idea about it? Some people say to study everything but what is everything? Where does the line end?
Another thing, 3 questions needed TWO answers yet the questions never mentioned it? I wouldn't have known had it not been for the reviews button. I sent an email to comptia about that.

An unrelated note:
I asked what is the criteria for a facility to become a testing center as the one I selected was not really equipped for a test environment. I had two people on either side of me whom just kept looking on my monitor? I was about to blow a fuse. Then people were coming in the front door and yelling hellllllllo helllllllo. The proctor was in the storage room...lol

The net+, ccent, ccna, were all spot on around the objectives and those that were obscure were very few, maybe 2 per test but eight to ten is a bit much.

636-555-3226

Linguistics wrote: »

All I am saying is how would person X know to study for something if they have no idea about it?

CompTIA tests aren't written for someone who needs to study for something. According to their exam objectives PDF, the ideal candidate will have two years of security experience. That means the questions are written so they are answerable by someone who has been working with security in some form for the past two years. Sure you've gotta study to fill in the gaps, but the test is created so it's passable by someone with 2 years of experience. They don't need to tell you specifically what to study since you should already know topic x, topic y, etc from your 2 years of experience. They provide categories, but they call out those are just examples and don't map 100% to what you're going to see on the exam.

Oliver0822

636-555-3226 wrote: »

CompTIA tests aren't written for someone who needs to study for something. According to their exam objectives PDF, the ideal candidate will have two years of security experience. That means the questions are written so they are answerable by someone who has been working with security in some form for the past two years. Sure you've gotta study to fill in the gaps, but the test is created so it's passable by someone with 2 years of experience. They don't need to tell you specifically what to study since you should already know topic x, topic y, etc from your 2 years of experience. They provide categories, but they call out those are just examples and don't map 100% to what you're going to see on the exam.

The problem I have with this is that jobs aren’t really hiring without these certs, so where would you get that experience in the first place? Also, colleges are offering these courses and providing free voucher to the students, most of which haven’t started working yet. So what is the point of setting up these students to fail, is this some type of sham to make money?

GeekyChick

NavyMooseCCNA wrote: »

You'll knock it out of the park!

Thank you NavyMooseCCNA! I'm hoping so. If i fail, it's not because I didn't study. Congrats to you Linguistics!!!

Oliver0822

636-555-3226 wrote: »

CompTIA tests aren't written for someone who needs to study for something. According to their exam objectives PDF, the ideal candidate will have two years of security experience. That means the questions are written so they are answerable by someone who has been working with security in some form for the past two years. Sure you've gotta study to fill in the gaps, but the test is created so it's passable by someone with 2 years of experience. They don't need to tell you specifically what to study since you should already know topic x, topic y, etc from your 2 years of experience. They provide categories, but they call out those are just examples and don't map 100% to what you're going to see on the exam.

The problem with that is that most of the companies are asking for those certs in order to hire you, so where do those 2 years experience come from? Colleges are offering those comptia courses and providing free vouchers, these student either never worked in their lives or never work in the technology field, so why set these students up to fail?

Deus Ex Machina

GeekyChick wrote: »

Thank you NavyMooseCCNA! I'm hoping so. If i fail, it's not because I didn't study. Congrats to you Linguistics!!!

I'm 100% certain you got this! Good luck!