Your humble moderator has passed the CWSP

JDMurrayJDMurray Admin Posts: 13,023 Admin
After nearly 15 months of putting it off, today I finally took and passed the CWSP exam. I got an 83%, which is coincidentally what I received on the CWNA exam as well.

The current CWSP exam is due to be retired on 12/31/05, so it's not really useful to review it now. However, I will make the following suggestions that should be useful for taking the next revision of the CWSP exam:
    Use the CWSP Study Guide as your primary study material. Pay close attention to the "best practices" opinions that are given in the text. The CWSP exam may be vendor-neutral, but the information it contains is definitely "wireless security as the CWNP thinks wireless security should be." The CWSP on-line practice exams at cwnp.com were invaluable. Their questions are much more difficult than the actual exam, and they really show you the areas in which your wireless security knowledge is deficient. Know SOHO and enterprise wireless security solutions inside and out. This includes 802.1X/EAP, VLAN protocols, and all types of network segmentation devices (EEG, EWG, VLAN, firewalls, and switches). Understand all authentication protocols and their benefits and deficits. This includes password protocols (PAP, MS-CHAPv2, PAC), 802.1X/EAP (all possible flavors), and RADIUS. Throw in a basic understanding of Kerberos and LDAP as well. Know all of the types of attacks that can be performed against a wireless LAN, its devices, and its clients. Know what types of attacks
are and are not mitigated by which technologies.

Finally, I would like to thank our dear Webmaster, Johan, for providing me an early Christmas present that encouraged me to spend a weekend cracking the books and taking the exam.

Comments

  • stndrd_123stndrd_123 Member Posts: 113
    Congratulations! Ya' taking a break or moving on to something else?
  • WebmasterWebmaster Admin Posts: 10,292 Admin
    Congratulations James! icon_thumright.gif
  • PremierCiscoPremierCisco Member Posts: 221
    Congratulations jd,

    You have to keep going to give us wireless newbies the motivation to follow.

    Happy Christmas and a happy new year to you and your's.

    What's next CWAP?

    Regards

    Eamonn :D
    Bachelor of Science in Computer Services Management - Limerick Institute of Technology
    Higher Certificate in Science in Computer Services - Limerick Institute of Technology
    Certificate Information Technology and Computing - The Open University
    Certificate in Computing and Mathematics -The Open University
  • Ricka182Ricka182 Member Posts: 3,359
    congrats!
    i remain, he who remains to be....
  • jkstechjkstech Member Posts: 330
    nice nice...good job man and congrats!
    get back to studying!!!
  • jescabjescab Inactive Imported Users Posts: 1,321
    CONGRATZ dude - you Da Man
    GO STEELERS GO - STEELERS RULE
  • janmikejanmike Member Posts: 3,076
    Congrats!
    "It doesn't matter, it's in the past!"--Rafiki
  • TeKniquesTeKniques Member Posts: 1,262 ■■■■□□□□□□
    Congrats on the pass! icon_wink.gif
  • keatronkeatron Member Posts: 1,213 ■■■■■■□□□□
    Congrats man!! Good job. I've heard this one is not to be taken lightly.
  • JDMurrayJDMurray Admin Posts: 13,023 Admin
    Well, thank you all! :) And what's next on my plate you ask?

    I'm pretty sure that I won't be taking the CWAP anytime soon. It looks like 1-2 years of 802.11 protocol experience is needed to even begin to approach that exam. I used to live in the world of network management protocols, and it's not something you can pick up by just reading a few books.

    For work I should be working on the Microsoft MCAD/MCSD.NET certs for both VB.NET and C#. However, currently I'm a long way off experience-wise from taking these exams as well.

    For school I need to concentrate on the TICSA and SSCP. Right now these will help me the most in learning Information Security.

    I think that over the holidays I'll be looking at the material for the Wireless# cert, and possibly take the beta exam before the end of January. I may not pass it, but at least I'll earn enough knowledge to give Webmaster a hand in writing up technotes for it.

    Decisions...decisions...
  • evanderburgevanderburg Member Posts: 229 ■■■□□□□□□□
    Congrats. Thanks for the info on the test. I plan to take it on Wednesday. Last chance before the test changes.
    "You can never know everything and part of what you know is always wrong. Perhaps even the most important part. A portion of wisdom lies in knowing that. A portion of courage lies in going on anyway. " - Lan, Winter's Heart by Robert Jordan
  • JDMurrayJDMurray Admin Posts: 13,023 Admin
    Congrats. Thanks for the info on the test. I plan to take it on Wednesday. Last chance before the test changes.
    This is a very good thing to do. I wonder what the increase above the average monthly number of CWSP exam takers will be for December. There's got to be more last-minute-Johnnies besides you and me. icon_wink.gif

    If you are using the online practice exams, they are much more difficult than the actual CWSP exam. I never scored more than 65% on any of the CWNA/CWSP online exams my first try. Look at them as an indicator of what topics you still need to study rather than as a predictor of how prepared you are to take the exam.
  • evanderburgevanderburg Member Posts: 229 ■■■□□□□□□□
    That is good to know. I am pretty nervous about taking it tomorrow. I only took one of the practice tests and I am taking the other today but my score was 54%. I studied all I missed so I hope to score higher today. I will let everyone know how I do. Is there anything else I should know before taking the test?
    "You can never know everything and part of what you know is always wrong. Perhaps even the most important part. A portion of wisdom lies in knowing that. A portion of courage lies in going on anyway. " - Lan, Winter's Heart by Robert Jordan
  • 2lazybutsmart2lazybutsmart Member Posts: 1,119
    Congrats on the pass jdmurray icon_thumright.gif
    jdmurray wrote:
    For work I should be working on the Microsoft MCAD/MCSD.NET certs for both VB.NET and C#. However, currently I'm a long way off experience-wise from taking these exams as well.

    Good luck on those certs as well. If you've been in that field for like 3 years as an active developer, you can do it.
    Exquisite as a lily, illustrious as a full moon,
    Magnanimous as the ocean, persistent as time.
  • JDMurrayJDMurray Admin Posts: 13,023 Admin
    Is there anything else I should know before taking the test?
    Besides the advice in my first post in this thread, I suggest you study each of the questions and answer rationals on the online exams. Understand why the correct answer(s) is correct and the others are not. This really helps to understand the CWNP's view of "how wireless security should be." That's really what the CWSP exam is all about

    Don't be discouraged at getting a low score on the practice exams. They are simply additional study materials and not an accurate indication of how well prepared you actually are to take the CWSP exam. In anything, I found the actual exam a relief compared to the practice exams.
  • mobri09mobri09 Users Awaiting Email Confirmation Posts: 723
    Congrats Murray! You deserve it, Your a good man
  • evanderburgevanderburg Member Posts: 229 ■■■□□□□□□□
    I passed the test today. Oddly enough, I got the same score as jdmurray. The test was easier than I expected it to be. I am happy to have it done before the change occurs. Now it is time to upgrade my MCSE.
    "You can never know everything and part of what you know is always wrong. Perhaps even the most important part. A portion of wisdom lies in knowing that. A portion of courage lies in going on anyway. " - Lan, Winter's Heart by Robert Jordan
  • JDMurrayJDMurray Admin Posts: 13,023 Admin
    I passed the test today. Oddly enough, I got the same score as jdmurray.
    Excellent! Dude, you are as smart as me! Congratz!

    All that worry for nothing (I'm talking about me... icon_wink.gif )
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