| Author |
Passed SEC+ today !!!
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| Justin2112 2003-03-28, 12:40 pm |
| Hi Dudes !
Passed the Sec+ today !!! Priceless ! 2nd time is the charm. Passed by one question. Scored a 772/764. Yeeeeeoooowwwwww !
Totally different test this time, too. Spent yesterday eve studyin' . . .
My over-all ( non-emotion clouded ) judgement:
Comptia should have a RRL ( Required Reading List )for Sec+ like Cisco does for the CCIE written. I read from so many different sources and still saw questions that were not covered in them. I went to the NIST site last night to unearth an answer to a very stange question concerning SQL. Thats why I say that Comptia should publish an RRL for this exam.
I got caught up on the same questions again:
General Security Concepts
Operation / Oragnizational
Those are the ones where like two or more answers would fit what they are asking. Some of the questions were too general and tested the candidates 'guessing' skills.
I liked the MS Press the best as far as definitions and presentation of concepts. Tcat's free work for details, odds/ends and introduction. Mike Myers book for intro to concepts and ease of read.
Thanks for the support and for all the info provided here. Working with you all had been great.
Peace,
Justin  | |
| Supertech 2003-03-28, 1:24 pm |
| You tha MAN!! | |
| rlrouns 2003-03-28, 2:26 pm |
| Congratulations! That is awesome!
Robert | |
| meijin 2003-03-28, 2:52 pm |
| Justin:
Congrats on the passing score!
I saw from your message that you have your CCDA and was going to ask you a question privately, but you have the PM option turned off. Is there some preferred way I can pass that question on to you...if you do not mind that is.
Thanks and congrats again! | |
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| Excellent result 
Comptia sent me a list of required reading - unfortunately it was about a million different sources and I really don't think 5 years study should be a requirement...lol
From experience I would consider that the 'guessing' part is what tripped you up the first time around, as it did me. An exam should be based on facts and not opinions  | |
| 117wik 2003-03-28, 4:29 pm |
| congratulation | |
| Justin2112 2003-03-28, 4:50 pm |
| Thanks everyone . . .
Feels good. NO, FEELS GREAT ! Time for some Fat Tire Amber Ale tonight, brewed here in my home state.
Meijin - you can write me at hensonrouter@hotmail.com
Thanks for the support !! A million !
Peace,
Justin | |
| Williamd000 2003-03-28, 5:04 pm |
| Congrats. I passed too. Moving to CCSA next then SSCP. | |
| 117wik 2003-03-29, 4:27 am |
| congrat on passing guys...
do u guys mind telling me what's ur experience??? i mean, i have finish reading 1 book for security+ and there doesn't seem to be much new stuff for me at all.... i personally have some experience in all servers, routers and firewall etc and have finish reading a few hacking book (hacking exposed + others) before i started studying for this, that's why i feel like there isn't much new material in security+ at all...
i am currently reading the syngress book and after that going to read the MS press and then mike meyer's book... that's my plan anyway.... do u guys have any other comments on what other area should i focus on?? | |
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| Do the Sybex book by Mike Pastore and Tcats pdf. The Syngress book was short on stuff, the passport one was ok, but kind of wanders a bit and the MS one is just plain lacking. | |
| Justin2112 2003-03-29, 8:01 am |
| 117wik -
To repsond to your post: Yeah; Read all those books. The more you can read, the better. My thoughts is that there are many authors for the test itself and the more points of view you can get the better; I would also recommend rfc 2196 Site Security Handbook as well as spending a day on the NIST web site under the secutiy section:
Also visit the verisign website and down load thier free paper on securing transactions; it gives the best definitions of how SSL works. ( Plus verisign is part of the Comptia Sec+ Committee )
Also final thoughts:
Know Symmetric and Asymetric like the back of your hand
Know what elements provide integrity, confidentiality in encyption and hashing models
Know SSL up n down
Know attacks and know all the back door programs.
Know Kerberos; and how it use timestmaps
Know digital signatures and PKI
Know the policy stuff ( the MS book was great for this )
Know the SQL Security model
Read each question very carefully; there were a few of them after a re-read, I was about to de-cipher what Comptia wanted. There were also a few of the where I was like what the %^%& ? But hey, even on those there is still a 1/4 chance.
Great luck.
Justin | |
| 117wik 2003-03-29, 3:40 pm |
| thanks a lot for your long reply justin... :P
did u use any test prep tools at all?? eg boson , prep logic etc.
i have done CCSE NG and that covers heaps of encryption, PKI etc, and all hacking expose book covers heaps of attacks etc too... that's probably why i feel like didn't learn anything new from sec+, but i am still very nervous bout this exam because so many people fail it...
anyway which exam are you going for next then??
russ, do u mean the final version of tcat's pdf or the beta one?? i only have the beta one and not sure if i should spend more money buying the final version since i have so many books i have to read already. | |
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| I mean the final version - The Beta was just rushed out for the Beta exam.
Depending on your study books I heartily recommend the pdf. The biggest thing about the exam is not only knowing the material, but being able to fathom the Comptia questions and I think the pdf goes a long way towards that. | |
| Justin2112 2003-03-29, 5:12 pm |
| Hmmmm . . .
Exam software
For test prep. . . I found all the freebies on the internet I could. The Mike Myers book came with an Exam Web thing - but that was so easy + straight forward. The MS test engine was good, lots of scenario Q's . . . but not a very large Question base ( 100 questions ) I used Boson's demos, too. The questions in the back of the MS book were good, too - almost better than their test engine.
Don't feel bad about all that reading. The CCIE written has upwards 25+ books on their RRL, and that one you have to renew every two years. [ 25 books to read every two years  ] at one time I thought this was a good goal and then . . . I decided to work smart instead of working hard, hence my move to Security+ and taking a break from my Cisco studies.
Security+ is cool and it will stay with you throughout your IT days and I've already seen it asked for in job descriptions here in Colorado.
What next ? ? ? No clue. Open road.
Peace,
Justin | |
| webwolf 2003-03-31, 9:03 am |
| Way to go Justin
It takes alot of courage to get back on that horse when you fall off! You should feel very accomplished for facing your fears and going after your goals!
Keep on believeing in yourself.
-webwolf
oooooooowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww
wwwwwwww | |
| Tek812 2003-03-31, 12:29 pm |
| Congrats for passing and not giving up. |
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