Next up in the "MyLearning" Blog Series is the CompTIA Security+ SY0-601 Certification.
To Recap - the "MyLearning" Blog Series outlines what I am Currently Learning or what I have Completed in my Learning Roadmap.
I will highlight the Resources and Strategies that I used to get me through it, my Results, and also what I plan to do to extend what I've learned to build on that knowledge.
The Intent - of this Blog Series is to give people a guide as to how I'm doing it so maybe to help people build their own Starting Point for their Careers.
The Goal - with each of these posts is to Share Resources and help guide people who might be overwhelmed at the amount of resources and information out there and aren't sure where or how to start.
The Details.
School: Davis Technical College, Kaysville UT
Course Book: CompTIA Security+ Get Certified Get Ahead SY0-601 Study Guide by Darril Gibson
$10 (Kindle) ISBN: 979-8760997029
Exam Cram: 'CompTIA Security+ SY0-601 Exam Cram'
$27 ISBN-13: 978-0136798675
Additional Resources I used:
CompTIA Security+ (SY0-601) Complete Course + Exam by Jason Dion - $14
CompTIA Security+ (SY0-601) Practice Exams x6 by Jason Dion - $14
TOTAL: CompTIA Security+ Certification Course (SY0-601) by Mike Meyers - $14
ITProTV: (Subscription Service)
CompTIA Security+ SY0-601 Practice Exam x1
CompTIA Security+ SY0-601 Practice Exam x2
Lab Sims
Websites: (FREE)
Professor Messer - Live Stream Quizzes and PBQ Practice
Professor Messer's Website offers FREE Full Courses of A+, NET+, SEC+!!
Ian Neil - Security+ Expert, Linkedin Influencer, tons of Resources on his site to help you pass Sec+.
YouTubers Used: (FREE)
Infomatic Lab - Pop Quizes and PBQ Practice
CertBlaster - PBQ Practice
DojoLab - PBQ Practice
Cyberkraft - PBQ Practice
Mobile Apps: (FREE)
Flashcard Tool:
Brainscape - Find me on LinkedIn and I'll hook you up with my Flashcard Course FREE.
The Certification
Provider: CompTIA
Exam Code
Number of Questions: Max of 90 Questions Per Exam
Type: Multiple Choice /w PBQs
Time: 90 Minutes Per Exam
Expiration: 3 Years
My strategy?
My Tried & True Strategy... as they say, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.
I basically did the Jason Dion Udemy Course in its entirety before I began my DTC School Course. Spent about a week on the Jason Dion Course, doing about 2 to 4 hours a day going through his material, taking notes.
Then I went into my School's Coursework, spent about 2 weeks on that.
I went back through the Jason Dion Udemy Course, went through the Mike Meyers Udemy Course a bit, and the Professor Messer Security+ Course and did a spot review on some areas of weakness. Getting different perspectives and explanations on core concepts I think is great.
Then as I usually do, I start with the ITProTV Practice Exams. I feel those Exams are tough as I feel they get deep in the weeds conceptually. I make sure I pass their Exam first before I move onto the Jason Dion Practice Exams.
Total Honesty here - this is the first Certification/Course that I didn't do all the extra Jason Dion Exams or even the Exam Cram exams. It has been part of my "Exam Prep" phase with all my other Courses/Certs like A+, NET+ and others... but, after doing the ITProTV Exams the scores I was getting were decent, I felt really good about this Certification Exam and just went for it.
Keep in mind, all the Coursework leading up to Security+ I think is all relevant and leads into Security+.
Consider the fact that Virtualization, A+, Net+, Networking Fundamentals, Scripting working with Python and PowerShell, Linux Essentials... all of that in some respects all merges into Security+.
For me - I didn't feel Security+ was overwhelming at all and I took my chance after I finished the Core Coursework, did my Objective Review and spent about 2 weeks doing PBQ Practice and Lab Sims.
For a more in-depth Self Study Guide to my Strategy for these Exams/Courses, check out my Network+ Blog for more detail.
My PBQs?
Setting up a RADIUS Server
Identifying an Attack, and Implementing Security Controls
Identifying types of Attacks x2 Scenarios
Fixing/Adding Firewall Controls
Results from my strategy?
Security+:
Study Time: 9/2022 - 11/2022
Exam: 11/21/2022
Results: Passed
Score: 780
Continued Learning plans?
Security+ was pretty much the last MAIN course for my Cybersecurity Certificate Program.
I'm excited to be nearing the end of the Program so that I can fill that time with other things.
One of the big plans though in my spare time between Work and other Self Study is to get into Red VS Blue ThreatGen Platform. I also plan on getting into TryHackMe and HackTheBox a bit as well. People often ask me why I didn't get into these platforms sooner. I tried, and I felt like I was fumbling around with the UI too much and it caused a distraction away from studying the MEAT of these Courses. So I nixed them for now till I gained a more broader knowledge. Now that I have my Security+, and I've largely completed my Cybersecurity Program, I think I'll understand these platforms even more and plan to get into them.
I also plan on pursuing a few more Certifications like ITIL4 and CySA as well at some point.
What can I do to help you?
Feel free to reach out to me on Linkedin.
I give away my Flashcards on Brainscape totally for FREE, I grant Full Access to everyone.
I also don't mind conversations and getting into discussions to help people with any number of challenges so they can also find success in these Certifications.
My Thoughts on the Course/Certification?
To me, there's 2 Camps.
Of course, there are exceptions, this is just MY Opinion based on lots of discussions with people, so please don't be offended.
Camp 1 - Those that jump STRAIGHT to Security+ without any foundation on fundamentals. Maybe they already work in Security of some sort, for the government, and Security+ has become a requirement for them. Nothing wrong with that... but I talk to LOTS of people on Linkedin. From my observations, these are the people who seem to have the opinion that Security+ is rather difficult. On average it seems they spend 6 months to a year or more to pass it. The Pass/Fail Rate isn't exactly ideal, and alot of these folks in this Camp end up taking the Exam twice before they pass it.
Camp 2 - Those that are in some kind of Bootcamp, or Degree/Certificate Program or they Self Study the fundamentals as a core foundation. This is the Camp that I fall in.
The Cybersecurity Certificate Program that I'm in had me go through a number of courses and had me take a number of CompTIA Certifications. By the time I got to Security+, I was comfortable. Not just with the basic Security Concepts, but also Networking, and taking CompTIA Exams.
I normally spend about 3 to 4 weeks on what I call an "Exam Prep" phase, but I cut it short that this time around for Security+. I was scoring well on my Pre-Assessment Exams, and then scoring well on my Post-Assessment Exams. Were they passing? No. But I felt good about the scores, and I felt good about the Concepts and Objectives for Security+. I spent way more time doing PBQ's and Lab Sims in this one though than I did any of the others Certs... but all that to say, I felt the Security+ information was fairly easy to digest, did not feel overwhelmed at all. It just dug deeper and built on the Fundamental Foundation that I had already built from all the other Courses I did in this program.
All told, the Program I'm in has taken me about 8, total months not including my breaks in between some of the courses... that's also doing more courses than the Core courses that I felt were applicable to Security+. If I take just the Courses that merge into Security+, then I'd say about 4 to 6 months' worth of work to make Security+ more easily digestible.
Specifically referring to 4 to 6 months taking Courses like Virtualization, Linux Essentials, A+ Core 1 and Core 2, and Network+.
Yes, maybe not as efficient it would seem as just jumping straight to Security+, or maybe it is.
However, if you consider the fact that you may take 6 months to a year to learn Security+ by itself... in that same time, you could nail down Virtualization, Scripting, Linux, get your A+ Certification, your Net+ Certification, and all the while making Security+ a tad easier for you and quicker... it's up to you to determine if it's worth it or not.
I'm happy with the path I took, but there are many paths. Just believe in yourself, and stick with it, be consistent, be patient!!
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