Security+ Exam question

mbock7

Ok well im in my final year to finish my Bachelors in Network Security and during this year i plan on geting some Certifications. I am going to start with the Security+ exam. Now i have already learned a great deal in school and i heard that security+ is more of a basic concepts of security and not to hard. I see people buying several study tools i would rather buy one book that covers the material in the test, any suggestions on one book that would fit the test the best?

PS... Is this test harder then people say??

Daniel333

It's Comptia, so it will be easy, but as a general rule any IT certification needs two books. No one author is permitted to "tell you everything".

brad-

Daniel333 wrote:

It's Comptia, so it will be easy

I couldnt disagree more. The A+ and N+ were insanely worded and left field. Im guessing that Sec+ will be equally or more rediculous.

dynamik

The CompTIA stuff can be rough because they try to incorporate such a broad amount of information into 90 (or however many) questions. You end up with a lot of obscure stuff that probably was in your study resources, just in some tiny note you glossed over. They do seem to favor those little bits of information over general (and in my opinion, more important) material.

I didn't think the Security+ was that bad, but the Linux+ was not a pleasant experience.

If you're curious to see what the exams are like, pick up a Transcender practice exam or two. I've found them to consistently be on par or slightly more difficult than the actual exam.

NetAdmin2436

Yeah, I wouldn't say the Security+ (and other CompTIA) exams are easy. They cover such a broad range of topics, even things like Novel, Unix/Linux, Apple and yeah it seams questions come from left field.

I actually used preplogic for my security+. But there is lots of free study material out there.

Technotes:
http://www.techexams.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=1066

Free Study Guide from Cramsession:
http://www.cramsession.com/certifications/comptia/security.asp

mbock7

I appreciate the insight, and will definitely get two books then just in case. Just curious how long did you guys study for before taking the exam? My classes’ end this week and I won’t have any classes for a month, so I was going to use that month to study and take the test either at the end of august or early sept.

PS. If I was going to get two books for the security+ exam what do you recommend?

mbock7

Has anyone used CompTIA Security+ Certification Kit

Description
"This boxed set provides everything you need to prepare for your CompTIA Security+ certification, including full coverage of all exam objectives, exercises to hone your real-world skills, and a concise review for that last minute test prep. The set includes CompTIA Security+ Study Guide, Third Edition, covering all exam objectives in a systematic approach; Security Administrator Street Smarts: A Real World Guide to CompTIA Security+ Skills, with key information and practice organized around the actual scenarios you'll face in the field; and Security+Fast Pass, a concise review tool. "


This sound like good study material?

Vogon Poet

To know it well, give it a couple of months.

Books: Sybex, Syngress
pre-tests: measure up, examcram 2 practice tests (very good)
other stuff: technotes

And yes, it can be a clumsily worded test, which can throw you off.

janmike

Everything my fellow Techs have said above is the truth.

I took the Sec+ about 2 years ago. I did not pass, but when I took the exam, I do not remember any of the questions that covered a subject that was unfamiliar from the materials that I studied. CompTIA makes it clear what the subject is, but getting through the wording can be a jungle. I do, however, think that it is a good exam to test a person's ability to recognize computer and network security threats and how to stop them.

I used the CBT Nuggets material, a lot of online resources, and some of the material from the Syngress Security+ book. I used practice exams from Preplogic and Measureup.

Some of the material from Sec+ I had already encountered on the Server+ exam.

Since I took the exam, I have studied more Microsoft materials, Linux materials, and recently into the area of Cisco certification. I recognize the subjects from Security+ in all of these areas.
So, I am satisfied that someone with the ability to pass the Server+ exam has taken a good ride into real computer and network security--no matter where you end up working.

Just my 2-cents worth, but that's my experience.

lildeezul

i am using the sybex book, and cbt nuggets.

hopefully should sit the exam somtime in mid-late august when school starts. and then start my CCNP.

I have two years to rack up some knowledge and certs before i hit the roads

LarryDaMan

Daniel333 wrote:

No one author is permitted to "tell you everything".

Where did you pull that garbage from? I agree you should use more than one guide, but where do people come up with these things...

rickfray

Make sure you get the new Test Objectives that just came out (Oct 200. They were already including questions related to some of those in early April 08 when I took the test (and I did not have the new draft objectives), although some may have been and may be beta questions - you never know on those. And expect to have to go into more detail on some questions. For example, instead of just knowing one or two password cracking programs, you may need to know 4 or 5 in order to eliminate some possible answers.