Just took casp

itguy1979

I just took CASP test (failed), here's my feedback, overall I thought the test was good. I would only recommend this test to professionals that are still hands on, especially when it comes to Network Security. If you're looking to take a test from an IT Management perspective take the CISSP instead. The most difficult part of the test was the simulations which I bombed, everything else was a breeze considering I studied big time for everything else with the exception of the SIMULATION portion as it's either you know it or you don't.

If anyone can provide me any information to help me get through the simulations I'd appreciate it, I had difficulty in that area only because I'm no longer hands on anymore and my primary job is IT Management.

LittleBIT

You should've gotten a print out of the test - I would just follow up on those topics you are weak in. Or if you could remember the sims, just get the answers. (No brainer right?)

What material did you use?

itguy1979

I do have printout I literally passed every section with the exception of 1.X which was the exam SIMS, I think section 4.X I got feedback on two portions, nothing on 2.X or 3.X. I used a combination of study material, CASP: CompTIA Advanced Security Practitioner Study Guide Authorized Courseware: Exam CAS-001, and some PDF's with questions and answers. I remember all the SIMS clear as day, they are different but yet almost the same in manner. If you know 1 or 2 you should pretty much know them all with the exception of knowing how to run md5 from DOS prompt.

FYI to all who have not taken this test you can literally get everything right on this test but the SIMS and still fail.

I want to follow up on the area's I'm weak in and clearly understand this from a practical scenario not just to pass this test. In order to do so does anyone recommend simulations I can download and use as I'm studying to get a better understanding.

JDMurray

itguy1979, you hit the nail on the head: CASP requires hands-on experience--or a lot of lucky guessing.

I really liked the hands-on sims in CASP. They were basically what I do every day while working in network operations. System admins will have experience with the practical skills required for the sims too. I'd love to take a take an exam that was entirely these types of sims.

da_vato

1.x "Enterprise Security" makes up 40% of the test. If you were a little weak in this are you will definitely struggle. What study material did you use? The problem I found was that there was no "good" study material for this exam. I had to use multiple sources (mainly CISSP material) plus I found a lot of the time my experience getting me through.

http://www.comptia.org/Libraries/Exam_Objectives/casp_objectives.sflb.ashx

wikiget

There are labs in some of the CASP books that should help with the sim sections.

In the end, you know what the concepts will be in the sims now. I'd review everything you saw (not the specific item but the concept it represents). Note that there is tons of free material on the web that you can use to supplement as well, google stuff.

I agree with JDMurray, more technical certs need more of the simulation type exams. The simulations better validate knowledge of technical information. It's also why you don't usually have RHCSA (Red Hat Certified System Administrator) paper tigers like CISSP does.

SuperISSO

Sorry to hear the results itguy1979.

I plan on taking the test in two weeks and I'm getting a bit nervous.

LaduLaser

I dunno if I agree it takes experience. What is required is more like imagination, or the ability to think yourself into a described situation for all the questions where a scenario is described in 100% text. My approach was 100% books/theoretical. It sure helped to have read the CCNA and ITIL books beforehand, though.

JDMurray

In the sims you are presented with problems that must be solved by 1) knowing what data you need, 2) where to find that data, and 3) how to analyze the data to obtain the information necessary to determine the proper solution. If you do that every day in the same type of environment it makes solving the sims a whole lot easier.

LaduLaser

JDMurray wrote: »

In the sims you are presented with problems that must be solved by 1) knowing what data you need, 2) where to find that data, and 3) how to analyze the data to obtain the information necessary to determine the proper solution. If you do that every day in the same type of environment it makes solving the sims a whole lot easier.

Would go into more detail, but I don't want to breach the NDA. Let's just say it's fully possible to read up on what e.g. the log signature of a SQL injection or JavaScript attack looks like.