Got a 90% on GSEC (with no course materials), 90% on GCIH

Paul Boz

Today was a very lucrative day for me. I nabbed two more SANS certs

I wasn't surprised by very much on the GSEC and was a good guesser on the questions I wasn't familiar with so that was a very positive experience. I used some home-made windows and linux command references, the SANS Linux and Windows **** sheets referenced in the GCIH, and my GCIH and GCFW material for the exam. I was allotted three hundred minutes for the GSEC but only used 150 minutes. I missed 15 out of 160 and had no way to solve the ones I missed short of guessing.

The GCIH was an entirely different beast. Even with the course material the exam was pretty challenging. I initially thought that it was harder than the GCFW (even told Dynamik that on the phone right after) but in hindsight the GCFW was harder. The GCIH had ZERO PRACTICAL LABS which honestly bothered me since I was told there would be labs on the exam. I didn't go out of my way to prep for them but I was honestly looking forward to them. I did basically six hours of testing and was praying for a break from the monotony of nearly 300 multiple choice questions in one sitting.

Loose ends:

1. The testing center (Adaptive Assessment Services, Inc. 618 Belle Terre Boulevard Suite C, LaPlace, Louisiana 7006 was the nicest testing center I've been to since my favorite one was shut down for cheating. The younger male employee that was working was very personable, helpful, and good at his job.

2. The GSEC was initially VERY slow (30-45 seconds between each question) and he did everything he could to troubleshoot it. Eventually the problem went away after 10 questions. Later, the GCIH wouldn't load because I was still in my GSEC window. It was a problem that Dynamik had when he did multiple SANS exams earlier last month. The proctor took care of it in 15 minutes which was all the time I needed between exams to use the rest room and stretch. I even got in a good 15 minute football game with my wife in the parking lot while I was waiting.

3. The proctor at my testing center told me I was the first multi-GIAC exam on he same day taker he'd ever seen @ that testing center and the lady proctor @ the testing center Dynamik went to said the same about him. Go us, handling that business.

earweed

Congrats Paul!

Bl8ckr0uter

Very cool!

What's up next?

Paul Boz

CISSP and a SANS gold paper

dynamik

Congrats on barely making it into the advisory board. I don't think we could have remained friends if you got 89s again

I need to start bringing women with me to my exams. I'll probably do way better with a cheerleader. What did she do while you took your exams? You at least rolled the window down, right?

You're not going to be a wimp and get a Gold in the GSEC, are you? I think I'm going to do mine for the IA.

Paul Boz

dynamik wrote: »

Congrats on barely making it into the advisory board. I don't think we could have remained friends if you got 89s again

I need to start bringing women with me to my exams. I'll probably do way better with a cheerleader. What did she do while you took your exams? You at least rolled the window down, right?

You're not going to be a wimp and get a Gold in the GSEC, are you? I think I'm going to do mine for the IA.

She studied in the lobby area since they had desks and it was quiet. If I can write the gold paper for the GCFW I will. If I have to write it for one of the GSE required three exams I don't know.

carboncopy

Good job Paul! Pretty sick that you guys knocked out two in one day

cgrimaldo

congrats!

veritas_libertas

Congratz!

snadam

Congrats Paul!

GAngel

Just remember if you want to break into auditing you'll need accounting of some kind. That was from a mate of mine at E&Y. KPMG is very similar.

I'm heading full blown into risk management over the next few years and they want ca,cga,mba or masters in acct or finance + cissp/cism or cisa. Money is higher in IT until senior positions though except the bonus can be pretty good at an audit firm.

down77

Congrats! I'd say Dynamik owes you a drink or two in celebration

Paul Boz

GAngel wrote: »

Just remember if you want to break into auditing you'll need accounting of some kind. That was from a mate of mine at E&Y. KPMG is very similar.

I'm heading full blown into risk management over the next few years and they want ca,cga,mba or masters in acct or finance + cissp/cism or cisa. Money is higher in IT until senior positions though except the bonus can be pretty good at an audit firm.

hehe I'm writing three risk assessments right now and I'm doing another IT audit next week in Idaho. I don't really need to "break into" RA's or audits since I do them already. I don't want to be a financial auditor more so than a IT systems auditor. My current skillset is perfectly in line with those goals.

My next cert is going to be the CISSP and I'm going to supplant that with some more technical certs. I'm actually thinking about the CCSP again, just because its been a while since I've done anything technical. I considered the checkpoint stuff and I still am but there isn't a lot of info out there on those certs.

down77 wrote: »

Congrats! I'd say Dynamik owes you a drink or two in celebration

He left an assorted six pack in my fridge last time he was over. I think he's covered that. I owe him a big sausage pizza

Paul Boz

I got the email invite to join the advisory committee earlier today so I faxed back the four page NDA. I also signed up for the mentor program for the GCFW, CSEC, and GCIH. I hope I get the opportunity to actually teach some classes!

dynamik

Wow, that was greedy. You couldn't have let me have GSEC? I guess that's what I get for procrastinating...

I was going to submit mine, but I got held up on the teaching references. Then I forgot about it

Oh well, I'll just beat you to the IA and claim that one for myself.

Paul Boz

You do realize that you can still apply for all of them right?

dynamik

Yea, but I have a feeling we're in a pretty small market for that type of thing, and there are others who are mentoring as well.

Regardless, I was just teasing

Anyway, I need to put some pants on and go celebrate Cinco de Mayo and the CISSP. Anyone else wanna go tear up Campbellsville, KY!?

Paul Boz

Every time I see you type "KY" I think about your mom. I can't quite put my finger on it...

laidbackfreak

Paul Boz wrote: »

Every time I see you type "KY" I think about your mom. I can't quite put my finger on it...

its not your finger you want to be putting it on......

snadam

Paul Boz wrote: »

Every time I see you type "KY" I think about your mom. I can't quite put my finger on it...

'cant' or 'wont' put your finger on it?

Paul Boz

Dang.. Dynamik had both of his SANS plaques within two weeks of taking his tests. I haven't even received a confirmation that they've shipped and its been almost a month. I'm so impatient

Anthony@AAS

Thanks for the kind words Paul, it was a pleasure you have you test at our facility. Also we're sorry for the delay in your plaques, you may want to contact Kryterion or GSEC to see if there is an issue which may require your attention. If you need the contact info please shoot me an email @ ajacob@adaptiveassessments.com and I will be happy to help in any way I can. Again congrats and you remain the only same-day multi-GIAC candidate to date. Best of luck in your future endeavours.

_________________________________

Anthony Jacob
Adaptive Assessment Services
Computer Based Test Administrator
ajacob@adaptiveassessments.com
984-224-1256

Paul Boz

Hey dude, great to see you on here! You guys really do run a top notch program.

rogue2shadow

Well done PB!

Paul Boz

I emailed giac@sans.org last night requesting a status update on my plaques and just received word that they'll be out within the next week. I've always had great service with SANS

Paul Boz

got some hardware in the mail today

dynamik

How much did she cost? It looks just like a person.

Paul Boz

dynamik wrote: »

How much did she cost? It looks just like a person.

What did Louis CK say? "I COULD HAVE GOTTEN OUT!!"

She's expensive man. Negative income I tell ya.

dynamik

Paul Boz wrote: »

She's expensive man.

Japanese robots are never cheap.

Paul Boz wrote: »

Negative income I tell ya.

Maybe you could rent her out to your friends. Wait, never mind.

Paul Boz

dynamik wrote: »

Japanese robots are never cheap.



Maybe you could rent her out to your friends. Wait, never mind.

Are we talking about my wife or my *** robot? Or both? It's all negotiable.

dynamik

You're calling it your wife now? I didn't know that was legal in Louisiana.