CompTIA Security+ SY0-601 Course
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About the course and examAbout the course and certification
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About the course author
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Pre-requisites
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Tools and tips to help you study more efficiently
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Study techniques that will help you pass
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What surprised me the most about the exam
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Domain 1: Threats, Attacks, and VulnerabilitiesAbout threats, attacks, and vulnerabilities
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1.1: Compare and contrast social engineering techniquesWhat is social engineering?
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Principles
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Spam
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Blocking and Managing Spam
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Phishing
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Smishing
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Vishing
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Spear Phishing
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Whaling
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Impersonation
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Dumpster diving
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Shoulder surfing
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Pharming
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Tailgating
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Eliciting information
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Prepending
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Identity fraud
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Invoice scams
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Credentials harvesting
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Reconnaissance
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Hoax
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Watering hole attack
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Typo squatting and URL hijacking
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Influence campaigns
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Hybrid warfare
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Practical knowledge check
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1.2: Analyze potential indicators to determine the type of attackWhat is malware?
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Malware classification
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Virus
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Worms
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Backdoor
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Trojans
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Remote Access Trojan (RAT)
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Ransomware and Crypto Malware
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How does ransomware work?
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Potentially unwanted programs (PUPs)
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Spyware
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Adware and Malvertising
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Keyloggers
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Fileless malware
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Logic bombs
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Rootkit
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Bots and Botnets
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Command and control
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What are password attacks?
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Plaintext, encrypted, and hashed passwords
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Brute force
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Dictionary attacks
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Spraying attacks
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Rainbow and hash tables
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Credential stuffing
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What are physical attacks?
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Malicious universal serial bus (USB) cable
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Malicious flash drive
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Card cloning
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Skimming
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What is adversarial AI and tainted training for ML?
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Supply-chain attacks
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Cloud-based vs. on-premises attacks
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Cryptography concepts
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Cryptographic attacks
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Quiz: 1.23 Quizzes
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1.3: Analyze potential indicators associated with application attacksPrivilege escalation
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Improper input handling
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Improper error handling
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Cross-Site Scripting (XSS)
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Structured Query Language (SQL) injections
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Dynamic Link Library (DLL) Injections
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Lightweight directory access protocol (LDAP) Injections
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Extensible Markup Language (XML) and XPATH Injections
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XXE Injections
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Directory traversal
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Request forgeries (server-side, client-side, and cross-site)
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Application Programming Interface (API) attacks
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Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) stripping
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Replay attacks (session replays)
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Pass the hash
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Race conditions (time of check and time of use)
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Resource exhaustion
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Memory leak
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Pointer/object dereference
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Integer overflow
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Buffer overflows
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Driver manipulation (shimming and refactoring)
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Quiz 1.32 Quizzes
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1.4: Analyze potential indicators of network attacksWhat are wireless attacks?
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Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS)
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Rogue access point and Evil Twin
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Bluesnarfing and Bluejacking
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Disassociation and Jamming
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Radio Frequency Identifier (RFID) attacks
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Near Field Communication (NFC)
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Initialization Vector (IV)
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Man in the middle (on-path)
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Man in the browser (on-path browser)
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What are layer 2 attacks?
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Address resolution protocol (ARP)
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Media access control (MAC) flooding
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MAC cloning
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What are Domain Name System (DNS) attacks and defenses?
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Domain hijacking
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DNS poisoning
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Universal resource locator (URL) redirection
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Domain reputation
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Quiz 1.41 Quiz
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1.5: Explain threat actors, vectors, and intelligence sourcesWhat are actors and threats?
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Attributes of actors
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Vectors
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Insider threats
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State actors
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Hacktivists
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Script kiddies
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Hackers (white hat, black hat, gray hat)
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Criminal syndicates
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Advanced persistent threats (APTs)
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Shadow IT
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Competitors
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Threat intelligence sources (OSINT and others)
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Using threat intelligence
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Research sources
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Quiz 1.51 Quiz
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1.6: Security concerns associated with various vulnerabilitiesCloud-based vs. on-premises vulnerabilities
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Zero-day vulnerabilities
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Weak configurations
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Weak encryption, hashing, and digital signatures
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Third-party risks
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Improper or weak patch management
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Legacy platforms
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Impacts
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Quiz 1.61 Quiz
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1.7: Summarizing techniques used in security assessmentsThreat hunting
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Vulnerability scans
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Security information and event management (SIEM) and Syslog
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Security orchestration, automation, and response (SOAR)
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Quiz 1.71 Quiz
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1.8: Explaining techniques used in penetration testingImportant pentesting concepts
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Bug bounties
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Exercise types (red, blue, white, and purple teams)
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Passive and active reconnaissance
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Quiz 1.81 Quiz
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Domain 2: Architecture and DesignAbout architecture and design
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2.1: Explaining the importance of security concepts in an enterprise environmentConfiguration management
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Data sovereignty
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Data protection
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Hardware security module (HSM) and Trusted Platform Module (TPM)
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Geographical considerations
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Cloud access security broker (CASB)
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Response and recovery controls
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Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) and Transport Layer Security (TLS) inspection
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Hashing
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API considerations
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Site resiliency
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Deception and disruption
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Quiz 2.11 Quiz
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2.2: Virtualization and cloud computing conceptsComparing cloud models
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Cloud service providers
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Virtualization
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Containers
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Microservices and APIs
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Serverless architecture
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MSPs and MSSPs
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On-premises vs. off-premises
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Edge computing
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Fog computing
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Thin client
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Infrastructure as Code
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Services integration
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Resource policies
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Transit gateway
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Quiz 2.21 Quiz
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2.3: Secure application development, deployment, and automation conceptsUnderstanding development environments
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Automation and scripting
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Version control
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Secure coding techniques
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Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP)
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Integrity measurement
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Software diversity
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Provisioning and deprovisioning
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Elasticity
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Scalability
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Quiz 2.31 Quiz
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2.4: Authentication and authorization design conceptsImportant authentication and authorization concepts
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Multifactor authentication (MFA) factors and attributes
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Quiz: MFA factors and attributes1 Quiz
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Authentication technologies
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Biometrics techniques and concepts
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Authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA)
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Cloud vs. on-premises requirements
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Quiz 2.41 Quiz
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2.5: Implementing cybersecurity resilienceWhat is redundancy?
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Disk redundancy (RAID levels)
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Network redundancy
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Power redundancy
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Replication
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Backup types (full, incremental, differential, and snapshot)
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Backup types practice scenarios
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Backup devices and strategies
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Quiz: Backup types, devices, and strategies1 Quiz
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Non-persistence
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Restoration order
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Diversity
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Quiz 2.51 Quiz
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2.6: Security implications of embedded and specialized systemsWhat are embedded systems?
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System on a Chip (SoC)
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SCADA and ICS
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Internet of Things (IoT)
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Specialized systems
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VoIP, HVAC, Drones/AVs, MFP, RTOS, Surveillance systems
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Communication considerations
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Important constraints
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2.7: Importance of physical security controlsBollards/barricades, Mantraps, Badges, Alarms, Signage
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Lighting and fencing
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Cameras and Closed-circuit television (CCTV)
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Industrial camouflage
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Personnel, robots, drones/UAVs
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Locks
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Different sensors
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Fire suppression
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Protected cable distribution (PCD)
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Secure areas (air gap, faraday cages, DMZ, etc…)
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Hot and cold aisles
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Secure data destruction
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USB data blocker
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Quiz 2.71 Quiz
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2.8: Basics of cryptographyCommon use cases
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Key length
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Key stretching
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Salting, hashing, digital signatures
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Perfect forward secrecy
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Elliptic curve cryptography
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Ephemeral
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Symmetric vs. asymmetric encryption
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Key exchange
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Cipher suites
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Modes of operation
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Lightweight cryptography and Homomorphic encryption
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Steganography
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Blockchain
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Quantum and post-quantum
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Limitations
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Quizzes 2.82 Quizzes
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Domain 3: ImplementationAbout implementation
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3.1: Implement Secure ProtocolsImportant protocols to know and use cases
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Important email secure protocols
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IPsec and VPN
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FTPS, SFTP, SCP
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DNSSEC
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SRTP and NTPsec
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DHCP
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SNMP and SNMPv3
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3.2: Implement host or application security solutionsEndpoint protection
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Self-encrypting drive (SED), full disk encryption (FDE), and file-level encryption
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Boot integrity
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Database and data security
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Application security
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Hardening hosts
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Sandboxing
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3.3: Implement secure network designsDNS
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Load balancing
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Network segmentation
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East-West and North-South
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Jump servers (bastion hosts)
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Network Address Translation (NAT) Gateway
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Proxy servers
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Out-of-band management
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Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) and IPsec
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Network Access Control (NAC)
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Port security
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Network-based intrusion detection system (NIDS) and network-based intrusion prevention system (NIPS)
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Firewalls
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Next-Generation Firewalls
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Access Control List (ACL) and Security Groups (SGs)
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Quality of Service (QoS)
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Implications of IPv6
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Port scanning and port mirroring
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File integrity monitors
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3.4: Install and configure wireless security settingsCryptographic protocols
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Methods
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Authentication protocols
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Installation considerations
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3.5: Implement secure mobile solutionsConnection methods and receivers
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Mobile deployment models
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Mobile device management (MDM)
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Mobile devices
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Enforcement and monitoring
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3.6: Apply cybersecurity solutions to the cloudCloud security controls
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Secure cloud storage
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Secure cloud networking
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Secure cloud compute resources
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Secure cloud solutions
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3.7: Implement identity and account management controlsUnderstanding identity
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Account types to consider
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Account policies to consider
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3.8: Implement authentication and authorization solutionsAuthentication management
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Authentication protocols and considerations
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Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP)
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RADIUS and TACACS+
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Kerberos, LDAP, and NTLM
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Federated Identities
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Access control schemes
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Recap notes from this section
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3.9: Implement public key infrastructureWhat is public key infrastructure?
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Types of certificates
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Certificate formats
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Important concepts
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4.0: Operations and Incident ResponseAbout operations and incident response
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4.1: Use the appropriate tools to assess organizational securityNetwork reconnaissance and discovery part 1
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Network reconnaissance and discovery part 2
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File manipulation
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Shell and script environments
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Packet capture and replay
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Forensics tools
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Exploitation frameworks
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Password crackers
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Data sanitization
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4.2: Policies, processes, and procedures for incident responseIncident response plans
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Incident response process
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Important exercises
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Important attack frameworks
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BCP, COOP, and DRP
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Incident response team and stakeholder management
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Retention policies
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4.3: Using appropriate data sources to support investigations after an incidentVulnerability scan outputs
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SIEM dashboards
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Log files
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Syslog, rsyslog, syslog-ng
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Journald and journalctl
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NXLog
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Bandwidth and network monitors
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Important and useful metadata
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4.4: Applying mitigation techniques or controls to secure environments during an incidentReconfiguring endpoint security solutions
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Configuration changes
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Isolation, containment, and segmentation
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Secure Orchestration, Automation, and Response (SOAR)
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4.5: Key aspects of digital forensicsDocumentation and evidence
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E-discovery, data recovery, and non-repudiation
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Integrity and preservation of information
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Acquisition
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On-premises vs. cloud
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Strategic intelligence and counterintelligence
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Domain 5: Governance, Risk, and ComplianceAbout governance, risk and compliance
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5.1: Compare and contrast various types of controlsCategories
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Control types
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5.2: Applicable regulations, standards, or frameworks that impact organizational security postureRegulations, standards, and legislation
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Key frameworks to know about
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Benchmarks and secure configuration guides
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5.3: Importance of policies to organizational securityPersonnel
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User training
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Third-party risk management
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Data
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Credential policies
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Organizational policies
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5.4 Risk management processes and conceptsTypes of risks
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Risk management strategies
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Risk analysis
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Disasters
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Business impact analysis
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5.5: Privacy and sensitive data concepts in relation to securityOrganizational consequences of privacy breaches
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Notifications of breaches
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Data types
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Privacy enhancing technologies
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Roles and responsibilities
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Course Recap and Next StepsLooking for the practice exams?
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Receiving your Certificate of Completion
In this video, I want to share 4 things that surprised me about the CompTIA Security+ Certification exam.
For context, this was not my first IT certification exam. I have — over a number of years — taken and passed multiple certifications (mostly Amazon Web Services certifications) including professional-level certs that can be pretty tough.
With that said, I had not taken any CompTIA-specific certifications.
So the overall exam experience was quite familiar to me since some of my certs were also through Pearson testing.
That part was not surprising or out of the ordinary. It was normal.
However, there were 4 main things that kind of surprised me about the Security+
#1 – It had more networking questions than I thought it would
Networking is not my favorite or my strongest area. I’ve always just kind of struggled with it, and I think it’s mostly because I don’t enjoy it. It’s not that interesting of a topic to me for whatever reason.
I also knew that CompTIA has a Networking+ certification, but to be fair, I had heard that they’re starting to blur the lines a little bit more, and so I knew that I would see some networking questions on the exam, but it did surprise me to see that many networking questions.
Most of them for my version of the exam were around networking authentication protocols and encryption.
They might ask what’s the best protocol for a given scenario. What’s the correct security to use for a scenario, and so on.
So I’m glad that I experienced that first-hand because then I was able to come back and add more practice exam questions around those topics and make sure that I went in a little bit more depth in networking-related lessons for the course.
#2 – It has even more acronyms than I thought it would
Look, I’ve heard of these exams being referred to as vocabulary dumps, so I don’t know why it surprised me so much, but wow, so many acronyms get thrown into scenarios and questions.
I don’t have the best memory, so unless I’m using an acronym on a very frequent basis, I’m just not going to remember what it means. Context of how it’s used of course definitely helps, but if there’s an acronym in the question and you don’t know what that acronym stands for, your odds of answering correctly go down dramatically, because you don’t really know what the question is asking.
Acronyms in answers can be equally as challenging, but usually, if you know what the question is asking, it’s a little bit easier to remember what the correct answer acronym would be.
This might sound crazy, but I personally literally went through every acronym listed in the official CompTIA Security+ Objectives Guide PDF, I copy/pasted all of them, and I wrote succinct definitions for all of them. It took me forever, but there were a lot of them that I already knew so that definitely helped.

And then I used flashcards from those definitions to quiz myself on it.
Because I did the work up-front if you don’t want to do that because you don’t have the time or you don’t think writing your own definitions will help you, then check out list of definitions that you can use to quiz yourself and to review.
But if you have the time and patience, I think you will remember them more easily if you do this on your own.
So it’s there if you need it.
#3 – The performance-based questions were a little bit trickier than I thought they would be
I think the main reason is that I got a lot of networking performance-based questions on mine, which again, is not my strong point. But that really helped me to make sure that I focused on adding more networking-based questions in my simulations.
That way you’re not thrown off immediately when the exam starts, unlike me. Because you get those up-front.
I’m also going to mention this a couple of times throughout the course, but if you don’t know the answers to the performance-based questions, mark them for review and come at the end when you’ve knocked out the multiple-choice questions. The last thing you want is to waste a bunch of your time on questions you don’t know, and then you don’t have enough time to answer questions you do know and you rush through it.
#4 – There were more ambiguous questions than I thought there would be for the level of the exam
Again, I’ve taken professional-level AWS certifications that are known for trying to make your head spin by using keywords that completely change the meaning of the question, so I’m used to that kind of testing, and the Sec+ definitely wasn’t at that difficulty level, but they do try to trick you by throwing in specific keywords in some of the questions that completely changes the meaning of the question and therefore the answer.
Focus on what you’re reading and make sure you fully understand the meaning of the question before you respond. Even if you are super confident in your answer as soon as you start reading the question, don’t rush to answer. Take your time — there might be a keyword at the end of the question that changes the meaning of it entirely.
Conclusion
I didn’t add this lesson to make you worried about taking the exam or to make it sound like it’s super hard, because overall it is not a super difficult exam. It can be challenging if you don’t have much IT experience or if you’re not good at memorizing, but scaring you was not my intention with this. Instead, I just wanted to share my experience so that you’re more prepared for the actual exam.
So keep these things in mind as you go through the course and as you go through the practice exams.
With that, let’s move on!
Trying to get to the list of CompTIA acronyms and the link to your site redirects to.a site giving the following error – {“object”:”error”,”status”:400,”code”:”invalid_request_url”,”message”:”Subdomain ‘daisy-jeep-57f’ is invalid for this page, do you have the correct subdomain?”}
Doh! I forgot to update the redirect after changing the link. Thank you for letting me know! It’s fixed now:
https://cybr.com/security-plus-acronyms