Easiest way to attain DoD 8570 IAT Level II

Timbo66Timbo66 Registered Users Posts: 2 ■□□□□□□□□□
I hold a Cisco CCIE cert in Routing & Switching and a TS/SCI clearance but a job I am applying for requires a DoD 8570 IAT Level II certification. I can choose any of the following:
GSEC
Security+ CE
SSCP
CCNA-Security

Generally speaking, which is the easiest and fastest to pass? Yes, it would be nice to have a CISSP and get IAT Level III instead, but I don't have the time to study for that. I need something I can walk in and pass with little prep, hopefully just leveraging my CCIE knowledge.

Comments

  • ViolatedViolated Member Posts: 32 ■■■□□□□□□□
    Security+ seems to be what everyone has where I work. I passed with only reading the Darril Gibson book.
  • JoJoCal19JoJoCal19 Mod Posts: 2,835 Mod
    I second reading through Darril Gibson's book and knocking out the Security+. I passed it easily a long time ago just using his book. The others are either much more costly or difficult/time consuming to pursue. You could really knock out the Sec+ in two weeks of studying.
    Have: CISSP, CISM, CISA, CRISC, eJPT, GCIA, GSEC, CCSP, CCSK, AWS CSAA, AWS CCP, OCI Foundations Associate, ITIL-F, MS Cyber Security - USF, BSBA - UF, MSISA - WGU
    Currently Working On: Python, OSCP Prep
    Next Up:​ OSCP
    Studying:​ Code Academy (Python), Bash Scripting, Virtual Hacking Lab Coursework
  • Shane2Shane2 Member Posts: 65 ■■■□□□□□□□
    Definitely Sec+

    However, I recommend Mike Meyers' Passport book. It is the easiest reading I have cone across.
  • spicy ahispicy ahi Member Posts: 413 ■■□□□□□□□□
    Concur with the Sec+ recommendation. Though CCNA-sec might be just as easy for you. Have you taken a look at the objectives? If they look easy to you, maybe knock that one out instead. That way you don't have to pay maintenance fees and maintain CE credits. You can save all that for when you get the CISSP. icon_lol.gif
    Spicy :cool: Mentor the future! Be a CyberPatriot!
  • jamesleecolemanjamesleecoleman Member Posts: 1,899 ■■■■■□□□□□
    Darril Gibson's book is awesome for the Security+ certification.
    Booya!!
    WIP : | CISSP [2018] | CISA [2018] | CAPM [2018] | eCPPT [2018] | CRISC [2019] | TORFL (TRKI) B1 | Learning: | Russian | Farsi |
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  • yoba222yoba222 Member Posts: 1,237 ■■■■■■■■□□
    Easiest and fastest? GSEC. I have not taken it so this is armchair advice at best. Might want to check the price of the course first though.
    A+, Network+, CCNA, LFCS,
    Security+, eJPT, CySA+, PenTest+,
    Cisco CyberOps, GCIH, VHL,
    In progress: OSCP
  • JoJoCal19JoJoCal19 Mod Posts: 2,835 Mod
    spicy ahi wrote: »
    Concur with the Sec+ recommendation. Though CCNA-sec might be just as easy for you. Have you taken a look at the objectives? If they look easy to you, maybe knock that one out instead. That way you don't have to pay maintenance fees and maintain CE credits. You can save all that for when you get the CISSP. icon_lol.gif

    The CCNA Sec might still be tough even with his CCIE, as it seems Cisco has really just made the exam super hard and there are a ton of people having to take it multiple times. So for speed, nothing will beat the Sec+.

    yoba222 wrote: »
    Easiest and fastest? GSEC. I have not taken it so this is armchair advice at best. Might want to check the price of the course first though.

    I held both (Sec+ expired). Not only is challenging the GSEC like $1250 vs $300(?) for the Sec+, the Sec+ is still way easier and one can just read through Gibson or Meyer's book and pass in a week or two.
    Have: CISSP, CISM, CISA, CRISC, eJPT, GCIA, GSEC, CCSP, CCSK, AWS CSAA, AWS CCP, OCI Foundations Associate, ITIL-F, MS Cyber Security - USF, BSBA - UF, MSISA - WGU
    Currently Working On: Python, OSCP Prep
    Next Up:​ OSCP
    Studying:​ Code Academy (Python), Bash Scripting, Virtual Hacking Lab Coursework
  • TechGuru80TechGuru80 Member Posts: 1,539 ■■■■■■□□□□
    I think for a lot of people especially just switching to need a security, security+ is a good choice...but my friend you have a CCIE already so CCNA:Security shouldn't be very difficult since you are likely to have seen a lot of that stuff before. A benefit that you would get from security+ is IAM 1, but for speed CCNA:Security. Also for security+ you are likely to run into risk management concepts, which if memory serves me correct you wouldn't have run across on Cisco exams.
  • tunerXtunerX Member Posts: 447 ■■■□□□□□□□
    Sec+ or CCNA security.
  • anhtran35anhtran35 Member Posts: 466
    Security + CE.
  • BuzzSawBuzzSaw Member Posts: 259 ■■■□□□□□□□
    SSCP isn't overly difficult either, and for whatever reason, employers in this area seem to look more favorably on ISC than Comptia But, obviously if quick is the goal, then its hard to beat Security + as I'd bet you have the knowledge needed to sit for it with little review.
  • ClmClm Member Posts: 444 ■■■■□□□□□□
    I would say Sec+, Because there are so many resources out there for it.
    I find your lack of Cloud Security Disturbing!!!!!!!!!
    Connect with me on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/myerscraig

  • yoba222yoba222 Member Posts: 1,237 ■■■■■■■■□□
    JoJoCal19 wrote: »

    I held both (Sec+ expired). Not only is challenging the GSEC like $1250 vs $300(?) for the Sec+, the Sec+ is still way easier and one can just read through Gibson or Meyer's book and pass in a week or two.

    I'm not convinced the average Joe can do it in 2 weeks. I'm under the impression CompTia has raised the difficulty significantly in the past year or two. I've been work acquaintances with several people that failed the Sec+ in 2016, one several times until he was let go.
    A+, Network+, CCNA, LFCS,
    Security+, eJPT, CySA+, PenTest+,
    Cisco CyberOps, GCIH, VHL,
    In progress: OSCP
  • Timbo66Timbo66 Registered Users Posts: 2 ■□□□□□□□□□
    Many thanks for the replies. I think I will go with CCNA-Sec because there is bound to be a lot of overlap from CCIE fundamentals, plus when you re-certify a CCIE cert it automatically re-certifies all the lower certs such as CCNA's so I'd never have to re-certify it.
  • JoJoCal19JoJoCal19 Mod Posts: 2,835 Mod
    yoba222 wrote: »
    I'm not convinced the average Joe can do it in 2 weeks. I'm under the impression CompTia has raised the difficulty significantly in the past year or two. I've been work acquaintances with several people that failed the Sec+ in 2016, one several times until he was let go.

    Yea you're right, it has been about 5 years or so since I cleared it so I'm sure they probably have changed it.
    Have: CISSP, CISM, CISA, CRISC, eJPT, GCIA, GSEC, CCSP, CCSK, AWS CSAA, AWS CCP, OCI Foundations Associate, ITIL-F, MS Cyber Security - USF, BSBA - UF, MSISA - WGU
    Currently Working On: Python, OSCP Prep
    Next Up:​ OSCP
    Studying:​ Code Academy (Python), Bash Scripting, Virtual Hacking Lab Coursework
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