Reddit Reddit reviews CompTIA Security+: Get Certified Get Ahead: SY0-401 Study Guide

We found 34 Reddit comments about CompTIA Security+: Get Certified Get Ahead: SY0-401 Study Guide. Here are the top ones, ranked by their Reddit score.

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34 Reddit comments about CompTIA Security+: Get Certified Get Ahead: SY0-401 Study Guide:

u/canadianbacon22 · 10 pointsr/netsecstudents

When I started my Sec+ studying, I was recommended a book called,

"Security+ get Certified Get Ahead" by Darril Gibson

It's regarded as one of the best books and it has that littke CompTIA certified material thing or whatever. Great book that's straight to the point with a lot of examples and practice questions.

u/PhazAeth · 6 pointsr/personalfinance

Current Mid-Level SysAdmin here, maybe pass by the A+ unless you absolutely know nothing of the field. The Network+ and/or Security+ will open more doors. The Security+ is required in a lot of government contract positions. On the security side you can branch out into certifications like the CISSP and the CASP. On the networking side you can look into specific vendor certs (Arista, Juniper, Cisco...) Just my 2 cents.

Edit: If you're going to pursue the Sec+, I'd recommend this book. It's all I used to study for the exam. I passed the 1st time. It's a steal at $10 on Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/CompTIA-Security-Certified-Ahead-SY0-401/dp/1939136024/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

u/ufffda · 5 pointsr/CompTIA

Start with printing the Security+ objectives so you know exactly what you nee to study for. You've taken the A+, so the construct should be familiar to you.


Darril Gibson's Get Certified Get Ahead is the gold standard book for this exam. Read this cover to cover! In addition to the book, many people like the extra material on his GCGA website.

Keep in mind that it's suggested to have some networking knowledge when taking this exam, but not required. Many people will take the Network+ or CCNA before taking the Security+.

u/mashingkeys · 5 pointsr/WGU

There's only one book you need to read. I read this book, used no other resources and passed with a 93% in 30 days:

https://www.amazon.com/CompTIA-Security-Certified-Ahead-SY0-401/dp/1939136024

Edit - corrected link! thanks /u/rNyhm

u/tfisOSI · 4 pointsr/HowToHack

I don't think my test had any ip config whatsoever. Maybe one question about hosts on a network, but that's about it.

You can't study one specific topic for Sec+. Although it's one of the "easier" certs, it's still pretty rough. But then again, I only studied for about a month before I took it, and I only got an 800.

For studying material I would highly recommend Gibson's book.

That's the only book I used.

Edit: I also used a lot of online quizzes. I'm pretty sure Gibson has quizzes on his website that you have to pay for. The biggest mistake people make with online quizzes is memorizing the answers. You have to actually know and understand the shit that you're being tested on.

u/ImMartyChang · 4 pointsr/CompTIA

Personal recommendation, don't shoot for certifications with only Messer's videos and quick notes/questions. You might be able to pass the exam like that but more than likely you're going to be under prepared. Especially important for Network+ and Security+, as if something goes wrong it can cost a lot of money to the company. The in depth books are boring and will take a while, but it will teach you a lot more than studying the questions will.


Personally, when i study I use the 2-2-2 method. 2 Books, 2 Supplemental sources (Videos, tutorials, labs), and 2 Practice tests. Two books to make sure that if one author didn't cover a subject in detail well enough, or if I don't understand them, the other one mostly likely will cover it well enough. The other 2 would be other sources to learn from. I would watch videos on Wardriving, networking centers, data centers, etc. to get an idea of how everything looks in a real world deployment. Network+ won't teach you what to really expect to see in a MDF/IDF. CBTNuggets gets recommended a lot, but I usually use pluralsight. And 2 Practice exams, which I have to constantly get over 80% on them.


Todd Lammle's Network+ book is amazing, highly recommended


Mike Meyer's Book is also a good read.


As far as Security+ goes...


Favorite Security+ Material I've read. Super in depth and organizes topics very well.


Better than nothing for Sec+. After reading this book I did not review it again until right before the exam. Barely touches on a lot of subjects and missed quite a bit compared to the other book.

u/darkcape · 4 pointsr/CompTIA

congrats and good luck on security plus. I recently passed security + and I think the best study guide I used was the Darril Gibson book (http://www.amazon.com/CompTIA-Security-Certified-Ahead-SY0-401/dp/1939136024) wish I would have thought of your flashcards before I think it would have helped quite a bit -- thanks for that.

u/tkbisign · 3 pointsr/Veterans

For CompTIA Security+:

Training: self-study this. Kindle version is $10.

Exam: Try seeing if the school you got your degree from is an academy partner. You might be able to get a discount. If not, it'll be a few hundred bucks to save for :\

CISSP isn't realistic for your situation i think. Way more training and exam $$$. + other things.

u/Swissgear2013 · 3 pointsr/AirForce

Copying and pasting a guide I made for my friend:

Security +

How I got it:

First, get the objectives. They describe the test, and everything on it. Print this out and have it with you at all times when you’re studying: https://certification.comptia.org/docs/default-source/exam-objectives/comptia-security-sy0-401.pdf

Darrel Gibson’s Sec+ book (like $10 on kindle): https://www.amazon.com/CompTIA-Security-Certified-Ahead-SY0-401/dp/1939136024/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1471899256&sr=8-1-spell&keywords=darrel+gibsoin+security%2B

Another book that was good: http://proquest.safaribooksonline.com.libproxy.lib.csusb.edu/book/certification/securityplus/9781118922903/chapter-1-network-security/9781118922903c01_xhtml

Lots of books through school library

Before each chapter, read the objectives covered in it. For each objective, watch the appropriate videos from this playlist. If the chapter talks about section 4.3 in the Security+ objectives, then make sure you atch those videos. It’s a guy named Professor Messer who will basically give you a primer on each topic. There are a lot of topics though, so there are two playlists you will have to look through. They are all labelled though, so it shouldn’t be hard to find.

Playlist 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dv7I0SkF6P8&list=PLG49S3nxzAnkcKd71N4OjSv4cUXNhoPlQ

Playlist 2: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLG49S3nxzAnlhMM1KV5ST1qi3kI87hMpY

After watching a video, mark off that section from your copy of the Sec+ objectives. Then read the chapter. By the time you’re done with the book, all of the objectives should all be marked off.

After you read the book, take the practice tests in the book. The actual Sec+ requires about 83%, so shoot for 90% to give yourself a good cushion.

After that, just start quizzing yourself as much as possible

http://www.examcompass.com/comptia/security-plus-certification/free-security-plus-practice-tests

http://www.getcertify4less.com/_images/products/downloads/comptia/CompTIA%20Security+%20SY0-401%20Practice%20Test.pdf

http://www.gocertify.com/table/quizzes/comptia/page-5

http://www.certiology.com/comptia-certification/comptia-securityplus/free-security-plus-practice-tests.html

http://www.proprofs.com/mwiki/index.php/Comptia_Security%2B_Certification_Exam

https://crucialexams.com/exams/comptia/security+/sy0-401/

Quizlet. Quizlet is your friend. Just type in Security+ in it.

Really just look for anything related to the Sec+

u/GreeneMan · 3 pointsr/facepalm

Just passed Sec+ last week. I’m military so it doesn’t do me much good in a civilian sector (at the moment,) but I know people that get it and are able to get well-paying jobs right off the bat. It’s definitely difficult, but easily passable. If you’re interested, I recommend the Darril Gibson book. Took a nine day course studying that, and passed with almost no professional IT experience.


Best of luck to you and I highly recommend getting more certs!

u/Deathrus · 3 pointsr/CompTIA

Your plan looks solid. Here is Security +. Working on N+!

Secure Link Established.... Accessing Library... SCP initated....


Darril Gibsons Security +


Mike Meyers' Security +


GTS Learning Security +


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VPN constructed... UDP Session Initialized...Buffering...


Professer Messer Security+ *Free


Mike Chapple Security+ Free


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[Darril Gibson's Exam/Study App
Paid](http://learnzapp.com/partners/darrilgibson/)


Warning IPS Activated.......Sub7 payload deployed....Ending Session



Simulations Initialized......


[Darril Gibson's Sims
Paid](http://blogs.getcertifiedgetahead.com/security-blog-links/#Performance)


[Testout
Paid](http://www.testout.com/home/it-certification-training/labsim-certification-training/security-pro)


[GTS Learning
Paid](https://www.gtslearning.com/comptia-securityplus-ebook-plus-labs-pm/#1468334556896-4996a61c-f05d)



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u/AShiddyGamer · 3 pointsr/hacking

Let me start by telling you that InfoSec jobs are in-demand now more than ever and that's not likely to change as more and more of the world are starting to use computers, computers continue advancing, etc. So, barring any sort of impending dark ages and assuming you're putting enough effort into your education and continuing education, you should be able to work your way up without too much trouble. Focus on getting your foot in the door and be professional.

 

Now then, I'm currently an Information Security Analyst in the US, so this information may be completely irrelevant to you out there in NZ. I initially only graduated with an Associate's (2-year) in Information Security & Computer Forensics. I managed to get my job before I had even graduated as I worked hard in school (a stressful amount, really) and knew how to conduct myself in a professional manner. They actually paid for my certifications, and a lot of companies out there will as well. Here's the tiered structure we followed - all InfoSec related certifications:

 

Within the first 6 months, we are sent to training to obtain our CompTIA Security+ certification. This is roughly a 1-hour, multiple choice test and you need at least an 80% to pass. I would recommend any of these three books to study from:

This is the book that my company had provided me to study from

This is the book my friend had given me. Both her and I studied from this and passed successfully

This is the book we are currently learning from in my Bachelor's program

Take your pick, they'll all achieve the same essentials, mostly. I am awful at studying and mainly just crammed the few topics I wasn't sure about in the night/morning before my test and passed with an 86%.

 

Next, we're sent to get our GSEC, which is the GIAC Security Essentials Certification. The Security+ focuses on several main topics and gets in-depth with the information, whereas GSEC covers a wide span of topics but doesn't get very in-depth. This test takes about 5 hours to complete also, compared to the 45 minutes that it took to take the Security+. It's important to note that the GSEC, while 5 hours long, is open-book. My company sent me to a training class that provided 6 different books to cover any topic on the GSEC, however you also need an index. The books themselves don't have a table-of-contents, so you need to make an index yourself that covers just about every topic on every page. In my case, a coworker sent me his that he had used, and it turns out it was out of date so not a single page was correct. Much to my own surprise, I passed with an 82% (the minimum passing score is 74%) so while the index/books are important - they're not completely necessary as long as you paid attention in your classes. It should also be noted that I did not actually study for this. Most of it was just common-sense stuff like "Which of the following does an Intrusion Prevention Device do?" and knowledge that I had obtained from school/work.

 

After GSEC is the GCIH, or, GIAC Certified Incident Handler. I haven't taken this yet, nor the next one, so I can't speak to their difficulty or process, but I've been told by other analysts it's roughly the same as GSEC, just different information and more hands-on like capture the flag runs.

 

Finally, after GCIH, we are sent to get our GCIA, or, GIAC Certified Intrusion Analyst. Same with GCIH, I have not been sent to obtain this cert just yet, but I can only imagine it's somewhat similar to the last 2 as they follow GIAC's tiered structure.

 

So TLDR - as a current InfoSec Analyst - the recommended certs are Security+, GSEC, GCIH, and GCIA. There are many more certs out there, though, these are just the ones my company values currently.

 

Good luck!

u/AutoModerator · 3 pointsr/CompTIA


Secure Link Established.... Accessing Library... SCP initated....


Darril Gibsons Security +


Mike Meyers' Security +


GTS Learning Security +


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VPN constructed... UDP Session Initialized...Buffering...


Professer Messer Security+ Free


Mike Chapple Security+ Free


..Session Terminated...Warning:VPN Deconstructed



*Hydra initialized...SSH Cracked.. SCP exams.docx /all

[Professor Messer's Pop Quizes
Free](http://www.professormesser.com/popquiz/)


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Free](https://crucialexams.com/exams/comptia/security+/)


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Free](http://www.gocertify.com/table/comptia/security-quizzes/)


[Darril Gibson's Exam/Study App
Paid](http://learnzapp.com/partners/darrilgibson/)


Warning IPS Activated.......Sub7 payload deployed....Ending Session



Simulations Initialized......


[Darril Gibson's Sims
Paid](http://blogs.getcertifiedgetahead.com/security-blog-links/#Performance)


[Testout
Paid](http://www.testout.com/home/it-certification-training/labsim-certification-training/security-pro)


[GTS Learning
Paid](https://www.gtslearning.com/comptia-securityplus-ebook-plus-labs-pm/#1468334556896-4996a61c-f05d)



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I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.*

u/tolegittoshit2 · 2 pointsr/CompTIA

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1939136024/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1526108431&sr=8-4&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=comptia+security%2B&dpPl=1&dpID=51g-tyqmEPL&ref=plSrch#

401 is still being offered till end of july, i also used boson for test exams, i used boson for my ccna and security+, will use when im ready for ccna security.

u/okeydokeygnocchi · 2 pointsr/CompTIA

I would highly recommend Gibson's book, it's very solid and covers the exam incredibly well in my experience. Here's the Amazon link to the book so you can check it out (they also have a Kindle version for $10):

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1939136024/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=&sr=



For videos I'm a fan of CBT Nuggets. It's a bit pricey but you can get your first week free and cancel renewal before the week ends if that works best for you. Here's the link to their Sec+ course:

www.cbtnuggets.com/it-training/comptia-security-plus-sy0-401

u/Brian_svc · 2 pointsr/CompTIA

Hello,

I have a few questions if you don't mind:

  1. I've found that there's a lot more resources for 401 as opposed to the new one. Is it a bad idea to go for the 401 route even though I would be starting when a new one already exists?

  2. where these the resources you used?
    http://gcgapremium.com/pass-the-security-sy0-401-exam-the-first-time-you-take-it/

    https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1939136024/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=sl1&tag=mc00-20&linkId=f26dbc813be02e9a94f686c8ae0ff973

  3. How did you study? Just read the book, watch videos, then buy the premium access at the end to test yourself?
u/phearbot · 2 pointsr/security

I know this is a couple days old now but I've worked for a couple companies as a security analyst, and I feel like a lot of the answers so far are geared toward pen testing, which isn't what the interns at either organization do/did.

There's no question that knowing all the stuff others have suggested will come as a help, but most of our interns needed information more along the lines of the Security+ cert. The Security+ won't make anyone an expert but it contains a whole lot of information that will be used on the day to day. Things like tcp vs udp, common ports, terminology like IDS and IPS. Discussion about host based vs network based protection. I'm not really saying "go get this cert" so much as, "understand the general domains of this cert".

If you want to look into it, this is a pretty decent book, $10 on kindle (more in print) or you can probably find it at a library for free.
http://www.amazon.com/CompTIA-Security-Certified-Ahead-SY0-401/dp/1939136024/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1425426900&sr=8-1&keywords=security%2B+book

A tool that I've used every single day at both places is wireshark. You don't need to be a Jedi to use it, but knowing some simple stuff with it really will help.

Like others said, a background in Linux will help. Wget/curl are convenient for analysis.

u/phabeon · 2 pointsr/CompTIA

no, this one here ya filthy irishman!!

**EDIT

actually you are correct, the one you reference is the updated version of the one I linked..

aka 501 v/s 401

so we are both correct you dandy englishman!!

u/dahon95 · 2 pointsr/CompTIA

What is your background? Are you in IT?

If you are intimidated because the topic sounds too technical for you, I recommend watching Mike Meyers Security+ training course on Udemy.com. He teaches it in laymen's terms, and explains it very well. It's discounted right now for $10.


Prof. Messer is highly regarded here and he also has free training on youtube, but I was a bit turned off due to the amount of videos (more than 175?) in his course, so I just used Meyers.


I'd also suggest you study and understand Cryptography section, and certificates (PKI), wireless security, and network access control, as my exam was heavy on those topics. Know your business standards (Disaster Recovery, Business Continuity, etc) and Risk Management (computation of ALE), and memorize your ports.


I would stay away from dumps. I saw a couple of dumps and they contain around 1000 questions each. Are you going to memorize all of them? Some of the questions are even badly written with wrong answers. You have plenty of time, and it's just not worth spending it on dumps. Instead, use your time understanding the materials.


If you decide to purchase Mike Meyers Security+ video on udemy, let me know, and I can share you my notes. I made it during the soft launch of his course, so any videos he added are not included there. However, there are free and more complete Sec+ notes created and shared by redditors on this sub. You can read the original post HERE.


If you prefer reading a book, check out Darril Gibson's Security+ Get Certified Get Ahead Study Guide. I've heard nothing but good comments about that book.


Then, spend at least a couple of days taking free online tests on Crucialexams.com and Examcompass.com.

Good luck!

u/CompTIA_SME · 2 pointsr/CompTIA

No problem asking for study material. I personally used the Darril Gibson ebook

u/_Skeith · 2 pointsr/hacking

Don't worry about the 2 year experience in Security+ Cert. They don't check that, they just say it's required to have to better understand the materials. But if you study hard enough, you will be fine. Get Darril Gibson's Security+ Book and use Professor Messer Security+ Videos it helped me pass my Sec+.

u/Todd_84 · 2 pointsr/CompTIA

I took the Net+ and then Sec+ 4 weeks later. There was some overlap from Net+ on the Sec+ exam, so that helped me some. I don't come from a security background and scored an 860 on the exam with heavy studying during that 4 weeks between exams. Get your hands on Darril Gibson's most recent Sec+ book, it was the best money I spent for any exam book. His practice questions are worded similarly to what you'll see on the exam.

Gibson's Book
https://www.amazon.com/CompTIA-Security-Certified-Ahead-SY0-401/dp/1939136024?ie=UTF8&*Version*=1&*entries*=0

u/j_86 · 2 pointsr/sysadmin

Go for the Security+. You will get much more out of that then the A+ cert, specially if you are a DoD contractor. That's what I did. I used this book and CBT nugget videos.
https://www.amazon.com/CompTIA-Security-Certified-Ahead-SY0-401/dp/1939136024/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1483416496&sr=8-1&keywords=Security+%2B

u/Red_V_Blue · 1 pointr/ITCareerQuestions

Weird, the book is called CompTIA Security+ Get Ahead Get Certified SY0-401 Study Guide, if you just Google that

Lol I'm a dumbass again and used a link from my orders. https://www.amazon.com/CompTIA-Security-Certified-Ahead-SY0-401/dp/1939136024

u/mkang88 · 1 pointr/cybersecurity

CompTIA Security+: Get Certified Get Ahead: SY0-401 Study Guide

This one helped me to pass!

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1939136024/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_SyWPAbPRK4E3F

u/bmr147 · 1 pointr/CompTIA
u/doggtagzz · 1 pointr/CompTIA

Is this the one you are referring to? You linked the practice test book. https://www.amazon.com/dp/1939136024/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_dO44ybCQ3D6WY

Also, does he have any videos?

u/Dr__Alucard · 1 pointr/CompTIA

Congrats on passing! The Sec+ is my next step. I just passed Net+ this Monday. What exactly are you referring to when you say premium content? Maybe post a link for us? :D I just bought Darryl Gibson's SY0-401 book. Is that the same on you used? Here is a link

https://www.amazon.com/CompTIA-Security-Certified-Ahead-SY0-401/dp/1939136024/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1500559370&sr=8-1&keywords=darryl+gibson+security+plus

Also, would you say the Sec+ is easier or harder than the Net+?

u/sephstorm · 1 pointr/AskNetsec

>I don't believe I'd be able to survive on enlisted pay.

Plenty of people do. The military will pay you a subsistence based on where you live and your rank (BAH).

>I'd be willing to move anywhere if it meant I could get hands on experience with cyber security

Do you have any certs now? You should study for the Sec+ like yesterday. Buy This. Its okay to get certified before you graduate, hell I encourage it. Look into learning networking as well. When you graduate, hit me up if you remember.

u/MayorOfCentralia · 1 pointr/CompTIA

Sorry, here it is CompTIA Security+ Book

u/Douchepocolypse · 1 pointr/CompTIA

Buy this, this, and this.

If you can, try to build your own box from scratch.

Sign up for an account with Professor Messer, and watch every video.

Download, install and become familiar with VirtualBox...then install a Linux distro and become familiar with it. Everyone and their grandmother will instantly pounce on you to try to shove their personal Linux distro preference down your throat. Ignore most of them. Try Ubuntu, Fedora or openSUSE. Better, try all of them. They're all based on different flavors of Linux. Find one you like? Does it feel comfortable? Good. Use that one.

Ignore most "free" online practice tests (they're mostly shit), make flash cards, use VirtualBox to get as much hands on as you can, keep your head down and study.

u/TwistedViking · 1 pointr/CompTIA

Close, this is the study guide, you've linked the practice question book. I bought the Kindle versions of both of them for $20 total.

SY0-401 has only been around for a little over two years. It'll be another couple before it's replaced.