CIW Security Analyst

I am probably going to be sitting on this exam in the next couple of weeks. I have been studying some of the material with this exam which seems to get more in depth with Linux/Unix than Security+. There are actually some methods of security configuration that I read in the Prosoft book which I knew about but never read in the Security+ that was recommended. In all honesty I doubt any employer cares if I have CIW Security Analyst but I really don't care about that. I will also be sitting on the CIW Database Analyst 1D0-541 in the next couple of months which is more difficult for me since I have no formal training or prior classes that focus this in depth, and use as much database jargon as this.

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Bl8ckr0uter

bradtechonline wrote: »

I am probably going to be sitting on this exam in the next couple of weeks. I have been studying some of the material with this exam which seems to get more in depth with Linux/Unix than Security+. There are actually some methods of security configuration that I read in the Prosoft book which I knew about but never read in the Security+ that was recommended. In all honesty I doubt any employer cares if I have CIW Security Analyst but I really don't care about that. I will also be sitting on the CIW Database Analyst 1D0-541 in the next couple of months which is more difficult for me since I have no formal training or prior classes that focus this in depth, and use as much database jargon as this.

Cool. I must say, I find this that cert to be the only "interesting" CIW cert imo. Good luck and be sure to give a good write up on it.

veritas_libertas

Interesting, please do a writeup when you are done taking the certification exam. Also, what book are you using for the exam? Could you post a link to the book on Amazon?

bradtechonline

veritas_libertas wrote: »

Interesting, please do a writeup when you are done taking the certification exam. Also, what book are you using for the exam? Could you post a link to the book on Amazon?

Hey guys I am taking it this Monday at 1:00 PM CST. I am using the following book

Amazon.com: CIW: Security Professional Study Guide Exam 1D0-470 (With CD-ROM) (0025211440841): James Stanger, Patrick T. Lane, Tim Crothers, James Stanger Ph.D.: Books

Along with some Material from WGU.. This is not for college credit but I'm taking it with my own 150 bucks and interest. I believe this cert gives a one year experience waiver for the CISSP.

Certified Internet Web Professional | CIW-certified.com

bwcarty

My experience with CIW exams is that the official books cover everything you need to know, and the practice tests through vCampus are excellent.

I had a 5000 level database course at another university several years ago, and that course covered the same material as the CIW Database Design Specialist exam. I brushed up normalization and logical vs. physical design, and I was good to go.

veritas_libertas

As I understand it from CIW's web site you must have the MCITP:EA or another network administration certification before being able to get the Security Analyst designation.

Certified Internet Web Professional | CIW-certified.com

Are you planning to finish the MCITP:EA first?

SephStorm

Not quite:

The candidate must meet the following 3 requirements.
1. Pass one required CIW exam,
2. Complete the CIW Certification Agreement (by logging into the CIW Candidate Information Center) and
3. Submit proof of one valid networking administration certification from an approved vendor to become a CIW Security Analyst. Visit the CIW Security Analyst page for more information.

In order to qualify for this certificate, individuals must have earned at least one of the following levels of certifications:

Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH)
Checkpoint Certified Security Expert (CCSE)
Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA)
Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP)
Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE)
Convergence Technologies Professional (CTP)
EC Council Security Analyst (ECSA)
GIAC Security Essentials Certification (GSEC)
ISC2 CISSP
Juniper Networks Certified Internet Associate (JNCIA-FWV)
Linux Professional Institute (LPI) Level 2
Linux Professional Institute (LPI) Level 3
Microsoft Certified IT Professional (MCITP)
Microsoft Certified IT Professional (MCITP): Server Administrator
Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator (MCSA)
Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE)
Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE) Security
Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS)
Novell Certified Linux Engineer
Red Hat certified Security Specialist (RHCSS)
SAIR Level 2
Symantec Certified Technical Specialist (SCTS)

veritas_libertas

ahhhhhhhhhhhh, okay!

bradtechonline

Hey guys I just wanted to update you on the results of the exam, and my opinions on it. I ended up scoring a 100% on it.

It covered the follow domains

1. Operating Systems Security - General questions regarding Linux, Unix, and Windows Systems. An actual question was in regards to setting permissions on linux systems using chmod, also a couple of IIS questions. 16 questions randing from Windows to Linux and even some NIS Server questions.. Be sure to understand NTFS file permissions, what makes up a SID, and understand what the windows SAM is. You need to know Windows, Linux, and some Unix.

2. Network Security, and Firewalls - Off the top of my head I cannot remember a whole lot of questions in regards to firewall configuration. More of a broad overview of different attack methods. I think section 2 and Section 3 below are very overlapping. Illicit Server attacks, IDS systems, basically if you know what each type of attack is, and looks like you can figure this out. Man in the middle attacks, etc etc..

3. Security Auditing attacks, and threat analysis - Risk analysis, Risk Analysis, Risk Analysis, tons of questions which I feel was a great start for me on my pathway to getting my CISSP in the upcoming years. I had several questions in regards to what was in the book I read in a chapter.

What I am enjoying about CIW exams is that if you read the book, have a solid understanding of the concepts, and how they are defined in the book you will pass it if you have the basic hands on experience, and can read a paragraph and comprehend what they are asking for.

bradtechonline

phoeneous wrote: »

Nice! Congrats. My Bachelors degree is in infosec and 2011 is going to be a huge security cert for me. Thanks for the write up.

Pre-Congratulations, I am also working on my B.S right now.. I wasted three years after my Associates, and started back in 2009 on my B.S. It is going to be a B.S in Information Technology, and I am thinking of going on and doing the Information Security and Assurance as a M.S depending on financing. The main difference between this exam, and the Security+ was the focus on Risk Analysis process groups. There was much more of an emphasis on that in this exam. The thing CIW-Security lacked was physical security method questions such as MAC,DAC,RBAC etc.. I don't recall ever seeing that mentioned where as Security+ had several questions on the exam about it, and also in the coursework. Overall I enjoyed it, and learned some new things from this which was well worth it. I did not expect to make a 100% on it, and was very surprised. I figured I would pass but not 100% on 60 questions. I didn't even do that on the CIW-Associate, or I-Net+ which I think were the easiest tests ever. To celebrate I instantly began studying on CIW-Database Specialist, then went out with the wife to celebrate the passing score last night!

veritas_libertas

Congratz Brad! Sounds like a very fun certification to study for. When do you graduate from WGU?

SephStorm

Congrats, what can u tell us about the database specialist? I have never done databases before. Truthfully I don't want to.

BTW, can anyone tell me, what part of the WGU BS:NA track is network administration? My instructor for a course i'm taking right now brought that up. Server admin is just that, and Net+ is nowhere near the level of experience needed to maintain a network.

bwcarty

SephStorm wrote: »

Congrats, what can u tell us about the database specialist? I have never done databases before. Truthfully I don't want to.

BTW, can anyone tell me, what part of the WGU BS:NA track is network administration? My instructor for a course i'm taking right now brought that up. Server admin is just that, and Net+ is nowhere near the level of experience needed to maintain a network.

Database Design Specialist covers three main areas:
1) Relational database basics: definitions (tables, rows, attributes), a little bit of history on data storage, and the advantages/disadvantages of relational databases
2) Phases of database design/implementation, with a good amount of focus on normalization
3) Basic SQL

The official book is tiny, and it covers everything you need to know.

Monday, I spoke with my mentor for the first time since one of the major WGU staff meetings, and it sounds like all of the programs are being revamped. I know the Security specialization is showing courses that lead to CCNA and CCNA: Security, but I don't know if any other programs are adding more LAN/WAN type courses.

azjag

SephStorm wrote: »

BTW, can anyone tell me, what part of the WGU BS:NA track is network administration? My instructor for a course i'm taking right now brought that up. Server admin is just that, and Net+ is nowhere near the level of experience needed to maintain a network.

To cover what part of the BS:NA track is network administration that would be the combination of Net+, Sec+ Project+ and depending on when you started MCSA 2003 or MCITP/SA. I think to be a true Admin degree it should include some Linux and Cisco.

bwcarty wrote: »

Database Design Specialist covers three main areas:

Monday, I spoke with my mentor for the first time since one of the major WGU staff meetings, and it sounds like all of the programs are being revamped.

I spoke with my mentor last week and found that 2 of the 5 classes I was working on and actually took a week off to complete were no longer needed. From what I hear they did some research and found that some graduates had actually completed about 150 credits when ~126 is the amount needed to graduate. So they cut out redundant classes. I lucked out in a way, now all I have left is my capstone.

bwcarty

azjag wrote: »

I spoke with my mentor last week and found that 2 of the 5 classes I was working on and actually took a week off to complete were no longer needed. From what I hear they did some research and found that some graduates had actually completed about 150 credits when ~126 is the amount needed to graduate. So they cut out redundant classes. I lucked out in a way, now all I have left is my capstone.

I had one class I was scheduled for this semester removed since it was redundant, too. No CST1 for me, and I'm not complaining one bit.

veritas_libertas

Put the CIW Security Analyst feather in your cap

bradtechonline

SephStorm wrote: »

Congrats, what can u tell us about the database specialist? I have never done databases before. Truthfully I don't want to.

BTW, can anyone tell me, what part of the WGU BS:NA track is network administration? My instructor for a course i'm taking right now brought that up. Server admin is just that, and Net+ is nowhere near the level of experience needed to maintain a network.

I am on the fourth chapter in my CIW Database book. So far it has been a lot of terminology I am having to get familiar with. Outside of designing a Schema in mySQL for an Application Server to query to pull AD Credentials, Mainframe 3270 terminal session names, and other information I am very very very green on databases. I can do simple select statements, but this course gets into algebraic equations for databases, and other questions. So far a lot of my practice questions have been looking at databases, and asking to create the best join/select statement to meet a certain criteria. It's basically understand normalization inside, and out along with the Cardinality, and other things in databases. Databases, and programming are by far the weakest areas of mine so this is eating my lunch. But I need this B.S degree for my career, and to try to make sure there isn't something in my resume always lacking.

SephStorm

Brad, Sorry I didnt ask this earlier, did you just use the Cert bible for your CIW:SP, or did you use the official courseware? I cant seem to find it anywhere.