Best comptia certification guides according to redditors
We found 462 Reddit comments discussing the best comptia certification guides. We ranked the 92 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
We found 462 Reddit comments discussing the best comptia certification guides. We ranked the 92 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
In my opinion; every book in this bundle is a bag of shit.
Here's a list of reputable books, again in my opinion (All links are Non-Affiliate Links):
Web Hacking:
The Web Hackers Handbook (Link)
Infrastructure:
Network Security Assessment (Link)
Please Note: The examples in the book are dated (even though it's been updated to v3), but this book is the best for learning Infrastructure Testing Methodology.
General:
Hacking: The Art of Exploitation (Link)
Grey Hat Hacking (Link)
Linux:
Hacking Exposed: Linux (I don't have a link to a specific book as there are many editions / revisions for this book. Please read the reviews for the edition you want to purchase)
Metasploit:
I recommend the online course "Metaspliot Unleashed" (Link) as opposed to buying the book (Link).
Nmap:
The man pages. The book (Link) is a great reference and looks great on the bookshelf. The reality is, using Nmap is like baking a cake. There are too many variables involved in running the perfect portscan, every environment is different and as such will require tweaking to run efficiently.
Malware Analysis:
Practical Malware Analysis (Link)
The book is old, but the methodology is rock solid.
Programming / Scripting:
Python: Automate the Boring Stuff (Link)
Hope that helps.
I'm a PhD student. My day typically involves some of the following:
Some of the reading I do is work by my advisor (whose model I'm using in my own work) or people in the field that we're working to solve the same or similar problems. Sometimes it will be related work that I will need to cite in my own papers that I need to understand. Sometimes it will be about cryptographic primitives that I want to make use of in one of my own papers. Sometimes I will read about works that I want to extend, including their "Future Work" section to figure out what the unsolved problems in the area are. Reading can also involve printing out a paper and keeping notes on it or running some small examples by hand to see if things make sense. For example, I'm currently reading the SmartPool paper and re-reading the Ouroboros paper for the n-th time.
I'm currently working on three papers. These are nice examples, because each of them is in a different stage: The first one is finished and I'm polishing it; the second one has been accepted at a major conference, but still needs some work; the third one is in exploratory and at very early stage.
My Non-Interactive Proofs of Proof-of-Work paper is in quite mature stage and has a dozen citations now. Some people have followed up on this paper and have given me extensive feedback, which I want to incorporate and use to improve the paper. I will go over their feedback and make small fixes, check my math again, and so on. Someone made a lecture on my work on YouTube which I would go through to see how they educate people about my work and to see if my writing is as clear as I would like it to be. This paper hasn't been published in a formal venue yet, so I'm also waiting for a response and refreshing my email these days, as it's the time the responses from a conference I've submitted it to come out.
A second paper I'm working on is called "Proof-of-Stake Sidechains". This has not yet been made public, but it has been accepted in a major conference. I'm being urged by my advisor and co-authors to keep working on it so that we can put it up on ePrint very soon. This work involves reading footnotes and comments scribbled on the paper by my co-authors which scrutinize my security proof and basically point out mathematical mistakes in my thinking. As the conference version contains proof sketches, but the open-access version will contain fully formal proofs, most of the work is in the formalism and the precise mathematics. My work involves re-structuring my lemmas by, for instance, splitting them up, merging them, changing their assumptions, or changing their statements. Sometimes I will look at a proof portion and realize there's a mistake and try to fix it. Or the proof will be correct, but the writing will be too unclear and I will try to make it a bit more readable or verbose. I'm also working a lot on making my algorithms (pseudocode) clearer by changing some of my notation, making them shorter, ensuring my variable names are good, and so on. Some of my work here also includes formatting the paper to look better in LaTeX, adding explanatory paragraphs in the text where I feel things are not clear, and sometimes changing the narrative and doing "editorial" work on the text, such as moving sections around or splitting up a section or so.
A third paper I'm working on will probably be called something along the lines of "Blockchain Moustaches: Adversarially censoring block predicates", but I'm not sure yet. In this work, we don't know much yet, but we're trying to figure things out. We have a few theorem sketches which we think are true, but we're not sure. I'm trying to create proof sketches there. I will run some examples on my notebook and maybe make some proof attempt in a specific direction. Some other work I'm doing here is thinking about relevant applications of what we're doing and considering whether our work can be applied in areas where we haven't thought of yet. This work consists of googling about topics and trying to figure out how various practical systems work, including reading some code. Also, if I have an idea but I'm unable to approach it in theory, I will write code to run simulations in which I can confirm my hypotheses. For example, I will implement an attack and see if it works with some probability and calculate it using a Monte Carlo approach. Or I will make a prototype implementation of one of my new schemes to measure how fast it is, how many bytes it takes up (e.g. a new signature scheme), or how many bytes it requires on the network (e.g. for a new cryptographic protocol that runs on the network).
In practice, this means that I'm spending most of my time either on my notebook or in front of my computer writing LaTeX in Atom and committing in git/github.
My meetings will be with my advisor or my co-authors, in which we will go over some section of our paper where some thing is unclear. As I'm the student here, typically I will present some of my progress and ask questions to help me find my way. Another thing I will do is I will explain a portion of my proof to my co-authors and they will confirm that I'm in the right direction or they may have some insightful comment about something that I'm missing.
I'm also working with some master students to supervise their master theses and I have some meetings with them also. Here I will hear about their progress and give them general direction. I'm currently working with a student who is implementing one of my papers in practice. We will often discuss a section of my paper and clarify something in my pseudocode, or look at his code and see if it makes sense. Sometimes he will ask me questions about the security of my scheme or why I'm doing things the way I'm doing them in theory and if he needs to include certain checks in practice. Perhaps we will work through an example on a whiteboard to illustrate why a certain attack is possible if some aspect of the construction is incorrectly implemented.
I'm also working with IOHK, a company with an engineering team who are implementing some of my schemes in production. I'll have a meeting with them every once in a while, in which their engineers will ask me questions about my scheme and they will gauge my reaction about what they're doing. They'll present their work and we will discuss if it's in the right direction. Sometimes they will make simplifying assumptions in the code and we'll talk about whether they make sense security-wise. Sometimes they will give me insight about how things are different in practice and about something that I have missed in one of my papers and inspire me to write an additional section or change something. Here they also sometimes point out related work which I'll put in my backlog for later reading.
I guess that sums up most of my days! If you have further questions feel free to reach out :)
Ross Andersons Security Engineering. Could be a bit outdated in some places, but overall a tremendous read.
Luckily, its available free in here. There's also a kindle and hardcover versions available here.
I'm sort of in the same boat as you, except with an aero and physics background rather than EE. My approach has been pretty similar to yours--I found the textbooks used by my alma mater, compared to texts recommended by MIT OCW and some other universities, looked at a few lists of recommended texts, and looked through similar questions on Reddit. I found most areas have multiple good texts, and also spent some time deciding which ones looked more applicable to me. That said, I'm admittedly someone who rather enjoys and learns well from textbooks compared to lectures, and that's not the case for everyone.
Here's what I gathered. If any more knowledgeable CS guys have suggestions/corrections, please let me know.
Full disclosure: I haven't actually read more than the preface of any of those books. Software engineering topics are more directly applicable to me than CS topics right now, so here are some that I've actually started reading:
If you're talking about memory corruption, you're looking for Smashing The Stack in 2010. However, most experts in application security and modern exploitation techniques recommend a more practical research-driven approach to learning about memory corruption mitigation techniques, so keep that in mind while reading this paper. As always, The Bible is relevant.
If you're talking about embedded device reverse engineering, you'll probably get the best answer from the /r/ReverseEngineering subreddit.
If you're talking about kernel bugs and kernel module bugs, I wish you luck. Bugs and vulnerabilities in these types of systems, usually require very obscure knowledge in very specific systems. Not for beginners or the faint of heart.
If you're talking about web bugs, you're looking for the OWASP Top 10. The web is mostly a giant joke, and widely uninteresting (this is an unpopular opinion on this subreddit).
Here is a "curriculum" of sorts I would suggest, as it's fairly close to how I learned:
Generally you'll probably want to look into IA-32 and the best starting point is the Intel Architecture manual itself, the .pdf can be found here (pdf link).
Because of the depth of that .pdf I would suggest using it mainly as a reference guide while studying "Computer Systems: A Programmers Perspective" and "Secrets of Reverse Engineering".
Of course if you just want to do "pentesting/vuln assessment" in which you rely more on toolsets (for example, Nmap>Nessus>Metasploit) structured around a methodology/framework than you may want to look into one of the PACKT books on Kali or backtrack, get familiar with the tools you will use such as Nmap and Wireshark, and learn basic Networking (a simple CompTIA Networking+ book will be a good enough start). I personally did not go this route nor would I recommend it as it generally shys away from the foundations and seems to me to be settling for becoming comfortable with tools that abstract you from the real "meat" of exploitation and all the things that make NetSec great, fun and challenging in the first place. But everyone is different and it's really more of a personal choice. (By the way, I'm not suggesting this is "lame" or anything, it was just not for me.)
*edited a name out
It really depends on what niche you're looking on covering. It's difficult, I feel, to brush up on "infosec" to any level of practical proficiency without focusing on a few subsets. Based on your interests, I would recommend the following books.
General Hacking:
Hacking Exposed
The Art of Exploitation
The Art of Deception
Intrusion Detection / Incident Response:
Network Flow Analysis
The Tao of Network Security Monitoring
Practical Intrusion Analysis
Real Digital Forensics
Reverse Engineering:
Reversing: Secrets of Reverse Engineering
The Ida Pro Book
Malware Analyst Cookbook
Malware Forensics
Digital Forensics:
File System Forensic Analysis
Windows Forensic Analysis
Real Digital Forensics
The Rootkit Arsenal
Hope this helps. If you're a University student, you might have access to Safari Books Online, which has access to almost all of these books, and more. You can also purchase a personal subscription for like $23 a month. It's a bit pricey, but they have an awesome library of technical books.
Network security books are almost all scams that monetize the escapist fantasies of the fan base. Security is mostly assumption management. Don't assume a third party rehash is going to make you understand the underlying code any better.
That said, The Art of Software Security Assessment is pretty good. It's one of the books openbsd recommends for developers. It's quite healthy to know how anything talked about in the past 15 or so articles of phrack works, too.
Don't read anything that makes you think there is less for you to know after reading it. It's poison. And until you put the concepts into action, you don't know shit.
> Supponiamo che uno (anzi, più di uno visto che siamo tutti componenti di un LUG) voglia iniziare a smanettare un po' in quest'ambito, che cosa consigli?
di farlo :)
> Mettere su un webserver e iniziare a tentare di bucarlo con gli exploit conosciuti può essere una buona idea oppure è meglio prima procedere con altro?
Tutto fa brodo (mi', ventesimo proverbio, mi sto biscardizzando :). Però per prima cosa devono essere chiare le problematiche agli strati più bassi: boot da media esterno, forensics "malevola" (accesso al fs, reset delle password, estrazione delle password, trojanizzazione dell'OS, ..), MITM e i suoi derivati, poi nmap e network/service discovery come se piovesse, analisi di tutti i servizi esposti, poi "finalmente" potete dedicarvi anche alla parte (web) applicativa.. :)
Ci sono moltissimi "playground" per divertirsi ed imparare, sia come vm da scaricare che contest, crackme & co. online, alcuni al volissimo:
(copio & incollo dal sorgente che usiamo per generare la documentazione che distribuiamo a corsi & co, spero mantenga la formattazione - non è aggiornatissimo):
Esercizi
Elenco di applicazioni vulnerabili che possono essere utilizzate per imparare/approfondire le vulnerabilità nelle applicazioni web:
Elenco di applicazioni vulnerabili da altri siti:
Libri consigliati
Metodologie e check-list
Cheat sheets
> Da esperto di sicurezza, hai qualche consiglio su qualche "giochino" da far vedere in conferenze e relazioni per sensibilizzare le persone sull'argomento? Attualmente noto che fa molta presa questo iter (che è più sensazionalistico che altro):
> creo una rete wifi aperta senza dir loro nulla e aprendo wireshark
> durante la conferenza loro ovviamente la utilizzano senza pensarci troppo
> a fine conferenza mostro loro quante cose avrei potuto prelevare se solo avessi voluto
Ehm.. sarà anche sensazionalistico, ma lo faccio spesso anche io, con anche la parte di MITM sui certificati in automatico. Anche phishing/malware via mail, magari con split screen (cosa fa l'utente, cosa si vede sul "back-end"), con uno dei vari tool che ci sono metasploit, beef o con banali 10 righe di (linguaggio di scripting web a tua scelta).
http://www.amazon.com/The-Software-Security-Assessment-Vulnerabilities/dp/0321444426
Done and Done.
I welcome your newly found understanding of the saying "security is hard". Here is your complimentary copy of Security Engineering, take good care of it.
Web dev having trouble finding work? Buy this book and this book, read them and contact [email protected].
TAOCP is too hard: its like one of those fantasy wishlist items: the kind of thing every computer scientist wishes they had read but never really has the time to. Some nicer books that are gold standards in their respective fields are:
CLRS (Algorithms)
SICP (Just see the top two amazon reviews)
Kernighan and Ritchie (if you want to be a pretty accomplished C programmer and have little to no real C experience before)
Since you mentioned security, Ross Anderson's Security Engineering is a fantastic read, and very easy to parse: you could read it through in less than a week and have a deeply changed view of the structural issues in security: there is little crypto in the book (for that, Schneier is the gold standard) but more discussion about protocols, where protocols fail, real-world protocols like the military classification scheme, etc. It is absolutely fantastic. If you read this and Schneier you'd have a very thorough understanding of the entire security stack.
Kleinberg and Tardos is a much easier read than CLRS when it comes to algorithms, doesn't cover as much, and is very graceful in its explanations. Personally, I love it.
> They're wrong. The problem is that writing and testing cryptographic software is really, really hard.
Except that HeartBleed was an implementation bug, not a cryptographic one. It could have been caught if the OpenSSL maintainers a) paid for a security audit b) learned how to perform security audits themselves and did so on a regular basis. Instead of depending on security firms to audit OSS code, I feel this is an opportunity for the OSS community to unsilo the knowledge built up by professional security researchers and code auditors.
If you are interested in helping audit OSS C/C++ code, read The Art of Software Security Assessment: Identifying and Preventing Software Vulnerabilities.
For all 3 exams, I followed the same order of study materials. I would first read a book that covered the whole exam. Next, I would watch a video series about the exam(I would read a book and watch videos at the same time). I then would go through the exam objectives and look up anything else I didn't learn from the books or the video series. Lastly, I would some practice exams to practice test questions (look up any terms you don't know in any questions).
|Exam|Step 1: Read a Book|Step 2: Watch a video series|Step 3: Go over exam objectives|Step 4: Practice tests|
:--|:--|:--|:--|:--|
|Network+|https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1260122387/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1|https://www.professormesser.com/network-plus/n10-007/n10-007-training-course/|https://certnet.de/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Network-N10-007-Exam-Objectives.pdf|Didn't actually use any practice tests for net+ but would recommend|
|Security+|https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1260019322/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1|https://www.udemy.com/comptia-security-certification-sy0-501-the-total-course/|https://www.comptia.jp/pdf/Security%2B%20SY0-501%20Exam%20Objectives.pdf|https://www.udemy.com/comptia-security-practice-exams/|
|CySA+|https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/126001181X/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1|https://www.udemy.com/comptiacsaplus/|https://www.comptia.jp/pdf/comptia-cybersecurity-analyst-(cs0-001).pdf|https://www.udemy.com/comptiacsa/|
Well, first I'd like to say to definitely stick with your Computer Science course load. It will be a solid foundation.
There is a lot of practical stuff you can learn. I'm not sure on your skills so, I'd install a Linux distribution like Mint, or Ubuntu in a Virtual Machine and pick up a book like How Linux Works. Once you're comfortable enough with Linux, I'd install it on something like a Raspberry Pi and play around with some projects. There's plenty on the Internet about the Raspberry Pi and playing around with them is very educational.
For networking, check out a [Networking+ book] (http://www.amazon.com/CompTIA-Network-All-In-One-Exam-Guide/dp/0071789227). You don't have to take the exam, but you will learn a decent amount about networking fundamentals from the book. You might also enjoy the videos on Stanford's on-line course, although the course is over.
I'm kind of rambling, but just find something you're interested in and go from there. Try to break it, fix it, find a project.
edit: updated version link for 'How Linux Works'.
The issue with that is Linux networking is a specialized topic under networking. You will need to understand Networking FIRST, then delve into how it works in Linux AFTER. TCP/IP and OSI are the same no matter what OS you are running, it's just the tools used to accomplish certain things may be different.
For Networking, try studying materials for the Network+ (I'm not saying take the cert, just use the materials to study for it.). It is the fundamental cert for Networking and starts at hubs and covers everything from DNS to AS to copper to fiber to WiFi.
Professor Messer's videos are great for networking basics. Here.
Mike Meyers makes very thorough books on basic networking (if not a tad bit [ok, sometimes VERY] dry and boring) Here.
You can choose either one of those resources and have a very solid base once you are done. Once you get a solid grasp on networking THEN try to figure out how to get it to work as you want on Linux.
>did you take a class or study on your own?
Studied on my own.
>Can you recommend any good sites or books that are somewhat instructional lead?
I used this.
You should remember a three-word strategy to studying for and passing the Network+: Divide and conquer.
You need to be smart about what you put effort into understanding and memorizing. Look at the Exam Objectives. If you scroll all the way to the bottom of the Exam Objectives, you'll see there is a list of hundreds of terms and acronyms. I would not encourage anyone to try and memorize every single acronym on that list. Instead, you should focus on WHATEVER is an OBJECTIVE. Here is a list of SOME of the things I would encourage you to memorize.
Look up everything I've listed above (and a lot of other things I missed out too that are listed on the Exam Objectives) and learn about them through different means (books, videos, podcasts, apps, etc)
Don't just memorize something. Understand it. Understanding it will help you memorize it.
You should have a plan on how you plan on studying. Don't just study aimlessly. The Network+ exam is a marathon. People don't just get up one day and run a marathon. They train for it. The finish line is passing the exam, the race track is the Exam Objectives. Not everyone can successfully finish a marathon. You need to train (study) and condition (practice) yourself to be prepared to run and finish that race.
Remember to take it one day at a time. You should pay for and schedule the exam so that you have a set date for the exam which will incentive you to study instead of procrastinating. Take it one day at a time BUT HAVE A PLAN. DIVIDE AND CONQUER. BREAK THINGS UP INTO SMALLER MANAGEABLE CHUNKS. MAKE LISTS. BEFORE YOU ATTEMPT MEMORIZING SOMETHING, CHECK THE EXAM OBJECTIVES TO SEE IF IT IS WORTH YOUR TIME AND EFFORT TO MEMORIZE SAID THING.
Some tools to help you study:
I took it not that long ago. It is composed of 2 tests. Information on them can be found here http://certification.comptia.org/getCertified/certifications/a.aspx
Testing centres and booking can be found here http://www.pearsonvue.com/
I don't remember the exact cost but I think it was somewhere between $350 and $400 for both tests. If you are interested in taking the A+ exam, I would recommend getting some study material such as http://www.amazon.ca/CompTIA-Certification-Guide-220-801-220-802/dp/007179512X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1381873535&sr=8-1&keywords=a%2B+certification
I worked as a computer technician for ~2 years before taking the test and still used a study guide before taking it.
This is generally regarded as the best. It was suggested to me when I needed to re-certify from 004 to 006.
> I have my A+ cert
>
>they recommended a segmented network. and I had to google what that even was.
>
>I am the "IT Guy" The previous "IT Guy" got me this job
You need to start reading cbks right now in all your free time. Even if you don't take the cert exams for the cbks below, it is knowledge you need to know asap.
​
I suggest these (in order):
​
https://www.amazon.com/CompTIA-Network-Certification-Seventh-N10-007/dp/1260122387/ref=sr_1_3
https://www.amazon.com/CompTIA-Server-Certification-Guide-SK0-004/dp/125983803X/ref=sr_1_1
https://www.amazon.com/Windows-Server-Complete-Study-Guide/dp/111885991X/ref=sr_1_4
https://www.amazon.com/Windows-PowerShell-Cookbook-Scripting-Microsofts/dp/1449320686/ref=pd_sbs_14_5/143-0552349-3403540
https://www.amazon.com/Windows-Server-Complete-Study-Guide/dp/1119359147/ref=sr_1_3
https://www.amazon.com/CompTIA-Security-Guide-Fifth-SY0-501/dp/1260019322/ref=sr_1_4
That book is probably what you want. It looks like it focuses more on math and how it applies to cryptography rather than on crypto algorithms and how they work, pros/cons, etc. It was also used in this math class at Berkeley (lots of extra reading material on that page too).
Again, I think the book you found is what you want. But here are some other options if you want some:
Buy this
CompTIA A+ Complete Study Guide: Exams 220-901 and 220-902
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1119137853
And the exams are $200 each ($400 total) right from the comptia website
Done!
Edit - the book had plenty of practice tests and online resources as well.
Start here:
http://www.professormesser.com/free-a-plus-training/free-a-plus/
This guy's uploaded great video guides on the entire A+ exam for free. I'm sure he has some literature if you learn better from a book. Also these books are pretty good: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/007179512X/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_1?pf_rd_p=1944687722&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=1118324056&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0NNPTGHSPZBPVBMZCYB9
I'm using this to study
Reverse engineer Microsoft patches.
edit: serious answer:
I do this kind of work for a living. I started out in 1995 when I was 13 years old learning from mudge's excellent article on how to write buffer overflows and I progressed from there.
If you're analyzing software for which you have access to source code, you can't beat The Art of Software Security Assessment: Identifying and Preventing Software Vulnerabilities.
Chris Wysopal's Art of Software Security Testing is also good.
If you're attacking software for which you have no source code, learn about fuzzing and reverse engineering. An excellent intro to reverse engineering is Reversing: Secrets of Reverse Engineering.
Those will get you started, but it helps to have people around you who are successfully discovering and exploiting software vulnerabilities. This is also the kind of field where you absolutely have to stay on top of the latest developments in software security. Things move at a mind-boggling pace. Read security blogs, talk to people in the industry, read books, etc...
Check out the Sybex book series. I have used these books to study for my Network + and A+ and they are fantastic. They all come with this pretty decent testing engine which contains a fairly extensive list of questions which are broken down chapter by chapter.
Good luck on your test! The A+ certification is pretty easy provided you have a good grasp on basic computing troubleshooting. I am sure you will do fine.
It depends a little on what you are looking for . . . Some time back, LPL recommended this:
https://www.amazon.com/High-Security-Mechanical-Locks-Encyclopedic-Reference/dp/0750684372
Definitely start with your A+ and follow the cert path mentioned by others in this thread. However, you probably don't need to buy a training course. I passed my A+ about a month ago using the book [Exam Cram] (http://www.amazon.com/CompTIA-220-801-220-802-Authorized-Edition/dp/0789749718/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1374555603&sr=8-1&keywords=exam+cram+a%2B) and the free online videos from Professor Messer. Good luck!
I would strongly recommend picking up a CompTIA review book. I'm not trying to advertise anything, but these are some that I have used for school, and they have helped me.
https://www.cengagebrain.com/shop/isbn/9781285777511?forceRegion=US&cid=gshop&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=GoogleShopping&scid=scplp5299347&sc_intid=9781285777511&gclid=Cj0KEQjwpNm-BRCJ3rDNmOuKi9IBEiQAlzDJH-Trutg2GZwt1ho5kEEUUqceYwzCyGIcfQc9LB3oUCwaAr948P8HAQ
https://www.amazon.com/CompTIA-Complete-Study-Guide-220-801/dp/1118324056
It's never too late, you just have to show your willingness to learn. That being said, you should read the CompTIA A+ Certification All-in-One Exam Guide, 8th Edition (Exams 220-801 & 220-802) https://www.amazon.com/dp/007179512X/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_-Wznub1NKQ5X0. This book is very in depth for someone who doesn't have a lot of experience.
Also watch Professor Messer's A+ videos on YouTube. http://youtu.be/v6sJjIQzdbE
Also, go through the posts in the sub. You will find a lot of helpful information within it.
College made me a more well-rounded individual. Science, philosophy, literature, mathematics, history, all these things helped me learn how to think.
College did absolutely nothing whatsoever to teach me how to be a systems administrator.
Want to get ahead in IT, out of that lowly helpdesk position? Here's what you do:
Get this book. Study it for a few months. Next, save a few hundred dollars and schedule an appointment to take the A+ Certification.
Congratulations, you are now professionally qualified to work a series of contract jobs or maybe a full time position fixing computer hardware all day. You will get these jobs by spending a lot of time on www.monster.com and filling out your resume completely. Update that resume every few days by moving words around to ensure your resume continues to be on the top of the new resumes list for recruiters to see. Congratulations, you've just advanced your career. It's still not a lot of money, but it's more interesting, and pays more. Regardless, you will be making significantly more money than at a helpdesk, and it's a lot less frustrating.
After this, I recommend you get this book and repeat the process. I should caution you, the Network+ is more difficult than the A+. With an A+ and a Network+, a hiring manager deemed me qualified for entry level at a web hosting company, where my career really took off. I learned everything I could, focusing on Linux administration.
Why Linux? Because there's too many Windows administrators and not enough Linux administrators. Your opportunities will be more lucrative and easier to obtain because there will be less competition.
My certifications, in order of receiving:
I just bought this book the other day and begun reading it. If you have any understanding of computers at all, it will be very easy to understand (so far).
It may not be a source as simple as just a link, but I have been studying for the CompTIA A+ exam and they go over a lot of this stuff pretty well. If you get any of the textbooks or look up some of the online study guides, they will have a decent amount of information on these topics.
This is the textbook I have been reading recently. It has a ton of information about the different technologies and standards involved in each component, and can really make those specifications you see on your hardware make sense.
I have been really happy with my new-found ability to look up something complex, like a motherboard, and understand the advantages and disadvantages almost immediately.
Professor Messer also has a popular guide for the A+ in a pdf format, but I have not used it and cannot vouch for it being what you seek.
Good luck!
Here is some information. Note that I still haven't taken my Net+ but this is the information that seems to be widely used:
All Hail Professor Messer:
http://www.professormesser.com/network-plus/n10-006/n10-006-course-index/
ExamCompass Practice Tests:
http://www.examcompass.com/comptia-network-plus-certification-practice-test-1-exam-n10-006
Crucial Exams Practice Tests:
https://crucialexams.com/
AioTestKing:
http://www.aiotestking.com/comptia/
Also, if you want hardcopy material look into Mike Meyer's series. I think it is this one:
http://www.amazon.com/CompTIA-Network-Guide-Sixth-N10-006/dp/0071848223/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1453823065&sr=8-1&keywords=mike+meyers+network+%2B
Good luck and happy studying!
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0071848223/
One book my technical lead gave me when I first started in a junior position is https://www.amazon.com/Tao-Network-Security-Monitoring-Intrusion/dp/0321246772/ Essential reading.
"Source code fuzzers". Wow. Unless you're fuzzing a compiler/interpreter, it doesn't make any sense at all. Really, you should start by finding in Google about the subject.
In any case, I recommend you to read the book "The art of software security assessment" [1] and a Bug Hunter's Diary[2].
[1] http://www.amazon.com/The-Software-Security-Assessment-Vulnerabilities/dp/0321444426
[2] http://www.amazon.com/Bug-Hunters-Diary-Software-Security/dp/1593273851
The TCP/IP Guide - It's a little dated these days and barely touches IPv6, but it's a good, quick look at a lot of the glue services that you will eventually need to understand and troubleshoot: DNS, SNMP, NTP, etc.
TCP/IP Illustrated, VOL 1 - Here's where we get into the nitty gritty. This shows you what is happening in those packets that cross the wire. Invaluable if you go onto doing Performance Engineering functions later on, but still good.
NMAP Network Scanning - NMAP is a godsend if you don't have remote login rights but you need to see what's happening on the far end of the connection.
Wireshark Network Analysis - Most useful tool in your toolbox, IF you can use it, for proving the negative to your customers. At some point you're going to be faced with an angry mob in Dockers and Polos who want to know "WHY MY THING NOT WORK?". This is the book that will let you point to their box and go "Well, as soon as the far side sends a SYN/ACK your box sends a FIN and kills the connection."
Learning the bash shell - You're a network engineer, you're going to be using Linux boxes as jump boxes for the rest of your life. Shell scripting will let you write up handy little tools to make your life easier. Boss wants to blackhole China at the edge? Write a quick script to pull all of the CN netblocks from the free FTP server APNIC owns, chop it up in sed and AWK, throw a little regex in for seasoning and you're done. And when he comes back in 30 days for an updated list? Boom, it's done even faster.
The vendor specific books are nice, but I can't tell you how many network engineers I've run across who couldn't tell me how DNS worked or how a three way handshake worked or couldn't write a simple script in Bash to bang out 300 port configs in 30 seconds. There are a shit ton of paper CCIEs out there, but those books up there will make you stand out.
A+ Resources Computing...
Mike Meyers: All In One
Exam Cram
A+ Complete Study Guide
...Popular Books Terminated
Videos Compressing...
Professor Messer's A+ Videos Free
Anthony Harries A+ Series Free
Mike Meyer's A+ Video Series Paid
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A+ Practice Exams Initialized.....
Professer Messer's Pop Quizes Free
Crucial Exams Free
ExamCompass Free
[Exam Cram Practice Questions Paid](https://www.amazon.com/CompTIA-220-901-220-902-Practice-Questions/dp/0789756307/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1484881100&sr=8- 2&keywords=a%2B+901+and+902&refinements=p_72%3A2661618011)
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Jon Katz is the author of Intro to Modern Cryptography -- it is the crypto textbook for any serious cryptography course.
I would hope (but don't expect since it is a MOOC) it will be more rigorous.
Stick with Prof M. He's big for a reason. You should have a book or two you've read already though. https://www.amazon.com/CompTIA-Complete-Certification-Kit-220-901/dp/1119139740/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?ie=UTF8&qid=1523973203&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=comptia+a%2B+certification&psc=1
Sounds like the A+ certification is going to be a good starting point for you. Besides working in the industry; the resources that helped me pass the exam are: Professor Messer IT Training Videos, CompTIA A+ Complete Study Guide: Exams 220-901 and 220-902 3rd Edition, access to practice tests, and as much hands on experience as you can get.
Mike Meyers really is 'the guy' for Network+. I absolutely recommend any of his material(s). I read his book cover to cover in 2 weeks around 10 years ago and it really was absolutely everything I needed. I highly recommend getting the book as well as watching the videos to be honest:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/CompTIA-Network-Certification-Seventh-N10-007/dp/1260122387/
What tools are you currently using? What method of learning do you prefer? What level of understanding do you have in relation to computer basics? Have you tried the search feature in this sub?
The top 3 resources for A+, N+ and S+ would likely be: Mike Meyers book, Messer videos, and examcompass. Meyers book is for those who prefer to read, Messer videos are for those who are visual learners, and examcompass is for those who like to 'do'.
Honestly, a single sentence asking for help with no background information leaves a lot to be desired. If you study how you post, maybe try putting a little more work in? I'm not trying to be mean, I'm being honest. While these certs cover IT basics that doesn't mean they are 'simple'.
I'm a math guy and fairly new to the subject, but I'm loving this book and see it recommended quite often:
https://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Modern-Cryptography-Principles-Protocols/dp/1584885513
You can get the CompTIA certifications through self study. Took me 1 month and this book to get mine.
It took me about 3 months to get my Net+ (but I wasn't studying everyday like I did with the A+), using this book.
Both will help you in sprucing up your resume for applying to IT jobs and will only cost you the books and the exam costs. Best of luck out there!
Micheal Meyers is the best This book alone will enable you to pass the tests. It's the best in my opinion. Good luck, it isn't too hard.
READ
Network+ Cert Guide
Cisco CCNA
Network Warrior
Packet Life
WATCH
How to use/install GNS3
CBTNuggets (Paid Training)
DO
GNS3
Packet Tracer + Labs (torrent)
Cisco CCNA Study Group
9tut.com Labs
Talk to an IT Recruiter
TekSystems
Tech Team
Robert Half
These are just a few examples, many more exist. Good luck!
Well don't just rely upon the working experience...
http://www.professormesser.com/n10-005-study-guide/
http://www.amazon.com/CompTIA-Network-All---One-Guide/dp/0071789227/ref=sr_1_6?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1421872668&sr=1-6&keywords=network%2B&pebp=1421872676529&peasin=71789227
Everyone's working experience is different and there are probably things you don't know that will be in the exam.
Everyone is telling you to get a different cert, but I say since you're asking about Network+ you should stay your course and get it. While CCNA is the gold standard that doesn't mean there's no reason to get a N+ or that it is somehow worthless. IMHO if you're going to be a general IT guy and not specialize in networks there isn't a reason to go through the hassle of a CCNA. Get your N+ to get your feet wet and build your confidence then decide whether you wish to go further with a CCNA/JNCIA. People seem to think they're magical golden tickets to Wonka's IT Factory, but the truth is they're not especially with no experience to back them.
To answer your actual question you can go with CBTNuggets and/or one of the Network+ Books to prepare. N+ isn't difficult and it will help you get a cert that is adequate to show someone who isn't a specialist is at least competent in general networking as well as build your confidence. Good luck!
Edit: If you ever watch videos or discussions by networking professionals if you look at their alphabet soup you will usually see Network+ right along with their CCNP/IE and other certs. It shows that even seasoned veterans still pick it up.
For A+ I always recommend Mike Myers' book and Professor Messer's videos.
CCNA, I used Wendell Odom's books and the CBT Nuggets videos.
If you are going to be a one-man IT solution, your work will break down four ways, each of which are a specialty unto themselves and will require different amounts of your effort at different times of the year. I'm going to go into a bit more than reading material, because frankly, you should have some warning about what the future might bring.
All four will require setup, upgrade, and troubleshooting in event of breakdown or customer complaint. The exception here is that your other coast's IT department probably has an inventory system already in place, you'll just want to get to know it well. Also, learn all about how your company handles shipping (which shipper they use, how they charge, who has authority to approve shipping, etc) and what security rules are in place for storing company equipment and data.
In terms of Hardware, get and read just about any A+ book. It's going to be boring--I warn that in advance--but I've learned a ton of useful things from every A+ book I've looked at. The best one I've read is CompTIA's own A+ book because of how well put together it is, plus its written by the guy who writes the tests. There are a lot of things you may never use, but it makes a great reference, and your IT department might cover certification. Which becomes a great argument point for receiving a raise later.
As for Software... that will change based on every software package you ever handle. Ask the distant IT team if they have a knowledgebase, and if so, what it will take to access it. If they don't, compile yourself a bookmarks list for the forums of every piece of software you will use regularly. If its Microsoft software, Google will work just fine. The problems tend to be so widespread that answers will jump up. They won't always work, but it'll help you troubleshoot. Also find out how the company handles its software licenses. That can be a real headache.
Now the networking... That gets a bit more complicated. Depending on what your office is using for their network, it could be as easy as flipping power on and off on a few boxes hooked up to a broadband connection. If its more complicated, you'll want to learn about what solution is used for network administration. Good odds if its a major company that they'll be using Windows servers and Active Directory. Find out and learn about their account management solution. As for network hardware... you'll probably need to lean on the bigger IT team for awhile until you get comfortable with it. Proactively learn about routers, switches, domain controllers, DNS servers, and anything their Wikipedia pages link to that doesn't read like a Latin textbook. Most of your job won't be dealing with the theory, it will be trying to figure out where in the hose it is kinked, so that you can keep the Internet flowing and computers talking to each other. Learn about LAN cables and the different speeds, that'll help as well.
For inventory, well, hopefully that's all in place. If not, secure a locked space if one isn't already in use. Talk to whoever is in charge of your facility and at least try to get a secure closet with a lock. You'll probably want to request a small supply of replacement parts or whole computers, dependent on what your overall IT department uses as their policy. Find out if they lease the hardware, and track everything you receive, ship, or disburse in a log. Keep that log backed up somewhere really safe. Track inventory info, serial numbers, company designations (if they're tagging hardware), dates of activity, and notes on things like shipping numbers. This will save your butt often.
Good chance that for the first while, your job will be the same every entry level IT person ends up doing for awhile... You'll be someone else's hands. You'll have a problem, you'll try to fix it, you'll find out you can't or don't have privileges to do it, then you'll ask for help... then that person who would normally fly out to you will have you do the things on your end that they normally would, so they can finish things at their end. You'll be their hands in place. It can feel like monkey work, but eh, it can be a lot worse. You could be Migrating XP machines to Windows 7 for 3-10 months on 3rd shift, locked in a basement or storage unit. Folks all across North America have been enjoying that experience over the past 2-3 years.
Mike Meyers' Network+ Certification Manual is a great read, and will give you a fairly comprehensive understanding of all basic networking concepts.
Honestly, I was a little overwhelmed when I started Lammle's book, so I decided to go for the Net+ first. I'm glad I did because it was a lot easier to understand all of the basic concepts going into the CCNA studies. You don't have to actually take the Net+ exam if you are planning on going for the CCNA, but this book would be a good read either way:
https://www.amazon.com/CompTIA-Network-Guide-Sixth-N10-006/dp/0071848223/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1523392020&sr=8-3&keywords=network%2B
glad to hear it.
btw, here:
clicky A+
clicky Net+
clicky Sec+ <--careful, this test is being updated soon, the next version should be coming out in late 2017, with exam guides dropping early 2018. This specific book will be outdated, though still a fantastic resource. Might want to hold off if you're serious about taking the Sec+ exam until the next version, this one comes out.
grab a hardcover copy and start learning!
the tao of network security monitoring explains a framework for stitching together different pieces of network security data into a process for investigation (the follow-up is also good).
yes, the thing you want is called 'full packet', and yes, it usually involves just sniffing, saving, and indexing all traffic at your network ingress/egress. there's some good open source frameworks like moloch for doing that, or if you've got money kicking around, something like solera or netwitness will do the trick nicely.
Training or not, the only way to get good at it is to do it. When it comes to discovering and exploiting vulnerabilities in commodity software, I'd say there are four aspects: 1) knowing what constitutes a software vulnerability; 2) facility with vulnerability discovery; 3) facility with software exploitation; and 4) dealing with issues of scale.
As for 1), I'd suggest reading books on the subject (e.g., The Art of Software Security Assessment) and following conference presentations to learn about emerging trends. For 2) and 3), Capture The Flag challenges (e.g. /r/SecurityCTF) provide a font of both small targets to practice on as well as write-ups from people who have completed them. Also, follow blogs and conference presentations to learn about exploit techniques. This will help you only somewhat with 4), which is where having reverse engineering skills are especially helpful. 4) is a matter of experience -- trying to apply what you've learned from practice on smaller targets (like CTFs) to larger, real-world software, failing, and keeping at it until you start to succeed.
Also a classic is "The Art of Software Security Assessment"
http://www.amazon.com/The-Software-Security-Assessment-Vulnerabilities/dp/0321444426
You mention a diverse set of topics, and you're probably not going to find any one book that covers all of them.
For algorithms for cryptography, signatures, protocols, etc. the definitive go to (last I checked) was still Schneier's Applied Cryptography.
For a history of cryptography, I'm fond of Kahn's The Codebreakers, but be forewarned that it is a large book.
For Network Security and Information Assurance concepts, I like Anderson's Security Engineering, but the state of the art changes so rapidly that it's difficult to recommend a book.
Ok - Here's a list of books I've read in the last few years
As you can tell, I'm big on the technical books, and even exam prep books. This is just a selection, but I think it's a good starter pack to some different fields.
The Web Application Hacker's Handbook is a pretty good read. I didn't read the 3rd edition of Hacking Exposed but the second one was only mediocre.
Eventually, you may want to look at picking up High-Security Mechanical Locks: An Encyclopedic Reference.
I passed HealthIT early this year and wrote a good bit of advice. It is based around the Joy Dark book. Sorry if this reprints as a wall of text. I am pasting from a message. I would add that the CompTIA test is not really that meaningful professionally. Instead you should aim to do the CAHIMS cert here:
http://www.himss.org/health-it-certification/cahims
As for the CompTIA Health IT exam (HIT-001), I used:
ISBN-13: 978-0789749291
CompTIA Healthcare IT Technician HIT-001 Cert Guide
by Joy Dark, published by Pearson Certification.
http://www.amazon.com/CompTIA-Healthcare-Technician-HIT-001-Guide/dp/0789749297
It is around 380 pages of prose (the rest is glossary and index,) and is a solid solution for tying together the core sets of knowledge that are on the HIT-001 exam. It has an added benefit of being well written and organized. Unfortunately it is often a bit too sparse when it should focus and elaborate on a topic. A more complete edition could easily add 200 pages. The book also contained a CD that has a few study tools on it, including a printable "cheat sheet" study guide.
The book includes a coupon for the digital version with an addition set of practice questions as well. I paid for and studied those questions and did learn a little bit more from them, but the majority of them were not helpful so I can't give a blanket recommendation for paying for the additional content. However, at the time it was quite inexpensive, I think I paid $10 after the coupon.
CompTIA suggests the A+ as a pre-requisite for the HIT-001, and this book does not cover the content from the A+ in enough detail to stand alone. You should get an A+ study guide as well if you are not confident in that matterial. If you have taken security+ and networking+ you will also benefit, but this book and the accompanying practice questions are enough to get you a pass for the content from those higher level IT exams.
The best way to use this book is as a tie in for all of the different content areas that form the HIT-001. It won't give you mastery of any of them, but it will give you an excellent idea of how the test will approach them AND to what degree you should prepare for all of the content areas. If you wish to guarantee success, then you should also expect to do a bit of extra reading. This guide is to give you a pretty good idea of just how much you need do.
Having taken the test, I suggest the following:
1 First thing you should do is be comfortable with the A+ content, particularly A+ level of networking, security, and hardware/system setup content. If you are at the level of STRATA, the book may be enough to pull you up, but you will certainly miss questions on the test.
2 Go to Wikipedia, print the articles "HIPAA", "HL7", "HITECH act", "OSI Model" These four topics (especially the first two) represent several questions on the exam, and are not discussed at length in the book. Reading the Wiki's will help cement the information.
3 Start reading this book. ANY term/acronym you do not understand must be memorized. Pay special attention to the first 2 chapters and the last chapter, this is the truly unique part of the HIT-001 exam, and features heavily in the exam. Look through questions at the end of chapters and answer them for extra practice (some are useful, some not.)
4 Go back through the book, and focus on anything contained in a chart, you will likely have questions on them. particularly things such as HL7 meta tags, OSI levels, and the departments of a hospital (and their corresponding IS.)
5 Become comfortable with HIPAA, understand the role of each article, with special emphasis on article 2, and the practicalities of becoming HIPAA compliant, from a technical perspective in a hospital and inter-business setting. Become comfortable identifying what is and isn't a HIPAA violation between hospital employees and businesses, and the role of the IT tech in preventing and responding to violations. Use youtube and google to review a few employee level presentations on the topic, but be careful, many of these have vague and even incorrect points, and are insufficient over all, but, some quesitons on the test were practical or ethical in nature, and empoyee presentations are good for getting an idea of HIPAA case studies.
6 Use the software to study the practice questions until you know them all. This is actually a considerable amount of additional content, and should not be skipped.
7 Go take and pass your test!
In retrospect, I do not think the exam was especially difficult or tricky. It mainly wants to know that you, as an IT technician, have the correct concepts in your head to not make critical errors. This includes not only some technical knowledge, but also an idea of the anatomy of hospitals as business environments and how they use IT to serve their needs.
best advice i can give is to start reading anything and everything you can get your hands on related to programming, operating systems, networking, security, etc......
a few books i'm reading/have read/on my list to read and all are excellent starting points:
BackTrack 4: Assuring Security by Penetration Testing (this book was just released and still relevant when using BackTrack5)
Metasploit: The Penetration Tester's Guide
Ninja Hacking: Unconventional Penetration Testing Tactics and Techniques
Nmap Network Scanning: The Official Nmap Project Guide to Network Discovery and Security Scanning
Gray Hat Hacking The Ethical Hackers Handbook, 3rd Edition
plenty of links to keep you busy for awhile:
Open Penetration Testing Bookmarks Collection
Reading an A+ Cert book would be a good place to start.
More info on A+, what it is, what it covers, ect. ect.
Also, did an amazon search for computer engineering and found a whole bunch of books that also explain what you're looking for.
Find out whats on the exam here, just fill out the form. Then, buy a book. I used this one. Also, start watching the A+ videos on this site.
When you're ready, buy a test voucher (Google for best deal) and schedule a test at a Pearson VUE testing center.
Take test. Pass test.
Profit!
I'm in the midst of studying for A+ ("homework" from work) and it blows. I personally don't believe that you need to pay $2000+ for a 5-day course that just refreshes you on the basics and potentially, is an easier way to pass it (like taking a "school" for your driver's license, where they're more lenient than the DMV) versus self-study.
I'm using the official book, which ran me around $30 give/take on Amazon and another "guide" that was a Kindle book, which was like $10. The guide's more watered down that I thought, but better than the dense book.
Some people say that Professor Messer is decent, but I haven't really been able to do the "videos" because I'm a weirdo and I find shit in their voices and mannerisms that bug me, which throws my focus off.
Good luck!
For good all-round coverage towards A+ and basic networking knowledge, work through this book, and then read through this book (whether you take the test(s) or not). You might be able to find older editions in a library. Those are also good, but be aware that you will then need to read a bunch of PC mags for several weeks or months to bring yourself up to date. Or maybe you can also bring yourself up to date with Wikipedia. The commercial aspect of magazines however gives you a good idea of what's currently on the market -- something which Wikipedia doesn't necessarily do. So I'd recommend either older editions of the books from a library, and then following that up with a hefty pile of PC mags + Wikipedia, or the most recent editions of those books and maybe just two or three PC mags and just checking the odd thing online. That should get you a decent foundation. As to whether you'll then subsequently want to progress to more advanced (vendor) certifications such as the ones mentioned by the parent poster (and which ones of those) -- that'll be something you'll be best equipped to decide once you get there.
Because the server didn't ask nicely.
Seriously though it depends. Things like firewalls and NAT need to be taken into consideration. Probably the best way for you to start is probably with Network+ type of study materials.
Go through Professor Messer’s CompTIA Network+ videos. They’re free.
https://www.professormesser.com/network-plus/n10-006/n10-006-course-index/
If you really want a book, I thought this one was helpful:
https://www.amazon.com/CompTIA-Network-Certification-Guide-N10-005/dp/0071789227
From your post history I can see that you are in the general Portland, OR area. I did exactly what you are attempting to do, and here are my recommendations.
Remember this isn't a competition with anyone but yourself!
I'm currently the Meyers book and find it easy to follow, but there are others on Amazon that you can look at. Maybe there's a difference between books in his writing style? I found two A+ books to be boring because of the material. But that's just me.
I also plan on purchasing the Professor Messer Net+ .pdf study guide to supplement my own guide I will expand on, which is based on the CompTIA Exam Objectives.
If you've failed it 5 times, you know you are studying the wrong way. What are your study methods? Did you read the A+ holy bible by Mike Meyers?
Read this from front to back. All of it. I know it's going to take you while. It is a freaking huge book...but you can do it within a few weeks. Even if you've already read it before. Read it again and take notes. And if you're already computer savvy, you don't have to read line by line. Scan through it, anything you already know you can skip. The parts that state 801, you can skip, since I assume you already passed that.
Make sure you watch all of the 802 Professor Messer videos right before the exam. They don't cover absolutely everything on the exam objectives in depth but the majority of it is there. The few days before you take the exam, find and take every online practice test you can find on the internet. Google: Comptia A+ 802 free practice exam and make sure you're getting scores of 90% or more.
I got a mid-800 score on the 802 on the first try but I can tell you know it's not a cakewalk like most people will say. It's only easy if you study the proper way. I can't imagine acing without studying...and I've been been building my own rigs, setting up SOHOs and installing/configuring windows for 20 years.
Change your study habits because it's not working.
Seems really expensive for what should be a maybe a 1/3rd of the price.
https://www.amazon.com/CompTIA-Certification-Guide-220-801-220-802/dp/007179512X
Ok, I just passed the A+ a few weeks ago (didn't need it, but figured I needed something to get me over the hump and actually start getting my certs).
I used Mike Meyer's CompTIA Cert Guide (I took the 2009 version of the test btw)
I used Transcender test prep (it was provided for free as part of the 5 day class I took)
I watched all of the Professor Messor videos on youtube.
I took a class (more on this below)
I used Exam Cram
The first exam is the difficult one. It's not difficult in that you'll need to have a lot of experience or that the questions are tricky. It's difficult in the sense that you'll need to know a little about a LOT of stuff. For example, do you know how many pins are in a centronics cable? Do you know if it's serial or parallel? Do you know what device it's primarily used for? (36, parallel, printer) I studied for about 2-3 weeks pretty seriously (daily sample tests, questions, etc...did it during free time at work and after work at home). This study took place after I had read both of the books cover to cover (it's boring).
The second example (practical application) is cake walk if you've a) passed the essentials and b) have worked in IT support at all. Just a bunch of scenario questions. I studied about 3 hours for this exam.
I passed both exams on the first try about 2 months apart (I took a vacation in between).
The class was pointless knowledge wise. I've been in IT for a long time so it really was just for people who have ZERO experience. It helped since my work paid for the class and it included the Exam Cram book, transcender test prep access, and vouchers for both exams.
So to summarize my huge wall of text.
There will be people who disagree or study differently. More power to them. This is how it worked for me though. I will say that it's probably possible to pass the exam without doing some of this, but I really hate wasting money and would have been devastated if I had to re-take the exam.
Anyway. Here are some links. I'm sending you the 800 exam stuff since I imagine you'll be doing that instead of the 700 series (which is discontinued in a few months).
Mike Meyers
Exam Cram
Transcender test prep
Professor Messor videos
Just scored 827 on the 220-801 exam. I'm using this text though I hear great things about the Meyers book. Watch these videos and puchase his study guides they're excellent value. Read a chapter then watch the appropriate video, a few a week is a great pace. Then once you get through and are somewhat confident in answering the questions in the book, book your exam and have a week where you really blitz the material (around 3 chapters a day). Practice exams would be bonus, I used the ones that came with this but that was a loaner from a friend.
Obligatory Professor Messer link.
Those videos and a good book like this one or this one seem to do the trick for most people.
I passed 801 on Friday and 802 on Monday.
Yes, they did have random questions about pins of RAM. IIRC, the question was, your lab has 184-pin memory sticks, what kind of RAM is it?
The most random question of all on 801 was identifying, in order, the colors of wire on an RJ-11 pin. WTF? I just guessed and moved on.
I used the Mike Meyers book and this practice exam book.
The Meyers book is good for learning the material, but the questions are kind of easy. The Practice Exam book has much more difficult question, but the difficulty of the questions helps you learn more.
Problem with both books is that they don't cover simulations at all. I had no idea they were going to be on the exam until I took the exam on Friday. Turns out that the Practice Exam book does mention simulations, but does not actually give you a sample situation.
The simulations on 802 actually aren't that hard, because everything that is not relevant is disabled. For example, there was one question where you have to set a password for a user and everything in control panel was disabled except for the way to set the password. So even if you couldn't remember exactly how to get to the user account page, it's easy to find.
Feel free to ask any other questions while it's fresh in my mind.
I'm in a similar situation as yourself, studying for A+ and onward from there. I've heard Micheal Meyers All-in-One Exam Guide (8th edition) is very good. I'm not nearly through it enough to give my opinion on it, but I have never heard someone speak poorly of it.
I'm also going through Professor Messer's A+ videos. You can buy them, or you can watch them all totally free right on his site. I think it's a very good resource, and again I've only heard good things. They're broken down very well, and easy to handle in small chunks.
Beyond that I'm just a noob myself and can't offer much else.
Ah! Okay. Now it makes a lot of sense. Also Is the book you were talking about?
Yeah, I got my A+ back in May to get my foot in the door with IT. There are two tests that aren't that difficult if you have a decent understanding of computers. The first tests you on hardware, the second is focused on the Windows OS.
To study, I used the Mike Meyers A+ Cert guide and Professor Messer's videos. I cannot speak highly enough about those videos.
I find them very helpful. I'm also studying the Mike Myers book, All In One Exam Guide CompTIA+ Certification, 8th Edition. Using both interchangeably is helping me really grasp the material.
A+ study guides are probably the best text books for learning about computers. I used the Mike Meyers guide somewhat when I took the test: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/007179512X/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_1?pf_rd_p=1535523722&amp;pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&amp;pf_rd_t=201&amp;pf_rd_i=0782142435&amp;pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&amp;pf_rd_r=1H8DP0ZA3TBNDB81D5FG
Should be available at your local library.
It covers a hell of a lot more than just PC hardware though. Networking, windows, mobile devices, printers, etc.
Hey man, I took the A + recently. There is some awesome study material online.
For studying material I used the following:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/007179512X/ref=pd_aw_sims_2?pi=SL500_SY115&amp;simLd=1
http://m.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLG49S3nxzAnnmMVTdd4v4ryJ7_qoQCrF4
http://m.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLG49S3nxzAnlfszEOQ-Ih03S6MsnZLd6k
For practice exams I used the free ones in Mike Myers book and the following sites.
http://m.crucialexams.com/exams/a+/
http://www.examcompass.com/comptia-a-plus-practice-test-1-exam-220-801
Also look at the comptia subreddit, you can get some good advice on studying for simulation questions.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/007179512X/ref=mp_s_a_1?qid=1368170121&amp;sr=8-1&amp;pi=SL75
I honestly have no idea between the differences of the two without looking it up. I took my Net+ back in 2007. The new test and objectives should be fun because it covers all the new things out there to include SCADA. Pretty good stuff.
From my experience doing certs, I really love the "All-In-One" series books. Mike Myers has been authoring the Network+ (and other books) for a while now and he has a book on Amazon for the n10-006 version. I would highly recommend getting that!
https://www.amazon.com/CompTIA-Network-Guide-Sixth-N10-006/dp/0071848223
I'm currently studying for my Net+. I took a class for Net+ a few years back at a local community college, and now I'm using this book as a refresher. What I also do is putting in notes from the book into a study program called Anki, and use that to further nail down my knowledge.
Working as a Network Tech only gets you this far.
I second this! Network+ Guide
Literally everything you would need to know from making cables to routing tables.
There's a new SANS class on Security Architecture: http://www.sans.org/sec530
I also suggest Richard Bejtlich's book, The Tao of Network Security Monitoring. It isn't specifically on "security architecture", but it does talk about how to architect your network, which is basically the same thing. https://smile.amazon.com/Tao-Network-Security-Monitoring-Intrusion/dp/0321246772/
I missed your bit about books and training question- try checking out some stuff like this http://www.amazon.com/The-Tao-Network-Security-Monitoring/dp/0321246772
The mother of all auditing books, better than Jon Erickson's jack of all trades - master of none approach imo.
The shellcoders handbook makes for an excellent accompaniment, too.
Security Engineering by Ross J. Anderson. It is very useful and gives you a 360-degree view from different industries from a security standpoint, this approach encourages you to think out of the box since some ideas from other industries can be useful in another.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/0470068523/
You are looking for this book High-Security Mechanical Locks: An Encyclopedic Reference
Are you a mechanical engineer? Id love to compare designs.
So I was digging around in the High-Security Mechanical Locks: An Encyclopedic Reference and I found this paragraph. Might help lead you in the right direction.
> In some locks (e.g., American and Laperche), antipicking lower pins are also used. This idea was mooted around 1940 in a patent by Crousore (Fig. 2.22), which called for grooved upper and lower pins cooperating with a channel in the plug. An even earlier method that involved modifications to the lock cylinder was presented in a 1928 patent (US 1,739,964).
This exam no longer exists, but I highly recommend it. Healthcare IT is just like normal IT, but the way you handle data is different. Try this:
https://www.amazon.com/CompTIA-Healthcare-Technician-HIT-001-Guides/dp/0789749297/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1491322087&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=comptia+healthcare
Part of it would be IF the employer or HR person is aware of the cert. However, just by looking at the objectives, 47% of the test is IT Hardware/Software and Security. Most likley stuff that you would already know if you took the A+/Net+/Sec+. There are two subsections of the IT Hardware (3.2 and 3.10) that deals with EHR/EMR technologies, something I do not recall being covered in A+/Net+.
The rest of the objectives covers things that are most specialized in the healthcare field. Policies, Procedures, and Regulations. It also covers things like how a Hospital may be organized and some medical terminology that some laypeople may not know. Here are a few review questions I pulled from the CompTIA Healthcare IT Technicatin HIT-001 Authorized Cert Guide
>Which branch of the HHS controls the electronic standards of transaction for an insurance claim? And what is the current standard?
>Which HHS division is responsible for enforcing HIPAA rules?
>What does the HIPAA Enforcement Rule determine?
>What are possible breaches of e-PHI?
>Why are SLAs important and what do they establish?
And here are a few practicus exam questions from Healthcare Information Technology Exam Guide for CompTIA Healthcare IT Technician and HIT Pro Certifications
>You are an office manager at a long-term care facility that provides medical services for chronically ill patients. You are responsible for ensuring that patient history and physical examination information for your patients are dictated and transcribed in the appropriate time frame to meet The Joint Commission (TJC), formerly the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO), s standards. What is the appropriate time frame to meet the standard?
>A. 24 hours
>B. 7 days
>C. 14 days
>D. 30 days
>Which of the following is an American National Standards Institute (ANSI)–accredited Standards Developing Organization (SDO) operating in the healthcare arena that develops standards for clinical and administrative data?
>A. CCD
>B. HL7
>C. CCR
>D. CPT
So does it have weight? IDK, but when I applied for an IT Manager position at a small regional hospital last year I looked over the HIT-001 as kind of a starting point to get me going. If anything, having it on your resume/cover letter could help set you apart from the rest of the pool, and give you a leg up when it comes to knowing how some of the medical stuff works. I know FERPA regulations due to my current job, I do not know HIPAA regulations.
use www.professormesser.com
watch his videos and
buy his study guides
If you need more prep buy this book
http://www.amazon.com/CompTIA-220-801-220-802-Authorized-Edition/dp/0789749718
be warned though that if you wait too long they are changing the test at the begining of next year to include windows 8 and newer tech, the test will change from the 801 and 802 to 901 902 might have to brush up again if you wait too long. This isnt supposed to happen until like may 2015 though
Ok,
Now that I'm a bit more rested I'll do my best to answer your questions in detail.
With the videos obviously there are a set amount of hours, but what it typically did was study/take notes on a specific objective and then watched the videos afterwards to supplement any info I might have lost. (Toward the end of the objectives I only watched videos and took notes on those because my textbook was a bit lacking but we'll get to that)
Some people take both Exams at the same time and thats cool if you think you can then go for it, save yourself an extra trip. I decided to Study/pass one exam and then the other. The first exam took me over a year because i only studied off and on and that was for the 701/702 so then those went out and i started over. As for my actual exams they were EXACTLY 3 months apart, but that was just a happy coincidence.
For my study materials i used a combination of things. My textbook was
http://www.amazon.com/CompTIA-220-801-220-802-Authorized-Guide/dp/0789748509/ref=sr_1_13?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1413033916&amp;sr=1-13&amp;keywords=a%2B+study+guide
It's a good book and i loved the software that came with it as you can add additional practice exams to it from other guides. It is a very in depth text and a bit less casual than the mike meyers books. My only gripe about this book is that it doesn't cover the objectives in order so you'll wind up flipping through looking for data on a specific subject alot. (hence why i just switched to videos toward the end)
for practice exams i used this
http://www.amazon.com/CompTIA-220-801-220-802-Authorized-Edition/dp/0789749718/ref=pd_sim_b_2?ie=UTF8&amp;refRID=05FH7YZJ8527K4AGNB9B
The practice exams in this book are amazing and the cheat sheet in the back is pretty helpful as well. Also all of the practice exams are also on a disc so you can take them on a computer or laptop if you wish.
Finally when you start drilling the practice exams head to
http://www.examcompass.com/ they offer 10 short and sweet practice exams that you can even take on your phone.
Studying is fairly simple. If you haven't already you should start with downloading and printing out the exam objectives found here.
801- http://certification.comptia.org/docs/default-source/exam-objectives/comptia_a_220-801_objectives.pdf
802- http://certification.comptia.org/docs/default-source/exam-objectives/comptia_a_220-802_objectives.pdf
then just start at the top and work your way down. When you reach the point that you think you could easily explain each point to someone else properly then you're probably safe to move ahead. TAKE YOUR TIME do a little each day trust me it's wayyyyyyyyy to much data to just shove in your head all at once. What i did was take notes on all the objectives using the videos afterward, then once I'd reviewed everything i started drilling practice exams. Once i started scoring at least 90% I would buy my vouchers and schedule my test about a week ahead of time.
The test itself can be a bit intimidating but just take your time and read everything in detail. There will be some performance based simulations (i'm not sure how much detail i can go into with those) suffice to say if your confident in your knowledge then you'll be able to complete them. Worst case just flag them for later and skip ahead to the multi choice questions, flag anything you're not sure of so you can double check it at the end of the exam.
Lastly people very rarely pay the full 188 for the voucher comptia usually offers a 10% off coupon on their website. if you google it i'm sure you'll find it.
In conclusion If you want to test in a week go over the exam objectives and cross off the subjects that you know like the back of your hand. and study up on the ones that you don't. Don't let the exam room intimidate you when you go to test. It's just another practice exam just with uglier lighting :P
I hope this has helped you at least a little. happy studying and good luck!
I liked the exam cram book.
As far as the objective based ones, they were very easy on my 901/902 tests. There were maybe 7-8 of them total between the two tests and only one gave me difficulty. One of my favorite resources was David L. Prowse’s CompTIA A+ Exam Cram book for studying for the test as a whole. Apart from reading through the whole book (and not just skimming) I believe the most beneficial thing for me was the tear-out “cram sheet” that’s included in there. It basically lists all of the most important things for the test laid out by category and it makes for great study material on the days leading up your exam date.
If you do get this book and want to study by test (ie. 1001, then 1002) the easiest way is to look at the first page of each chapter to see which test objectives it covers. What I mean is that the book isn’t organized by test, one chapter might cover 1001, the next might cover 1002, and then the next might go back to 1001. I didn’t realize this at first. So basically, figure out which chapters pertain to the specific test you’re studying for and then read only those ones, that way you’re not reading up on objectives and information for the test you’re not taking yet.
https://www.amazon.com/CompTIA-Core-220-1001-220-1002-Exam/dp/0789760576/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=exam+cram+a%2B+220-1001&amp;qid=1572485854&amp;sprefix=exam+cram+&amp;sr=8-3
This is the one. It includes 2 practice tests, one for each exam, in the book itself as well as a code to activate an account to take those same tests online with an additional bonus test for each exam (total of 4). All the questions have explanations for why the right answers are right and why the wrong answers are wrong, and that understanding is crucial to succeed on the exam.
If you're looking for an intro that will get you doing hands-on stuff quickly, I definitely recommend "Practical Packet Analysis: Using Wireshark...". Only if you want something that's far from textbook-y and will give you some insight into doing casual sysadmin type stuff. Also, "Nmap Network Scanning" will get you doing some hands-on fun activities as well. Just pay attention to local laws before doing anything that might raise red flags.
everyone recommends TCP/IP illustrated, and I've still got that on my shelf and to-do list. Can't lose there.
I had purchased This book. Which was a fantastic reference for when I struggled with questions doing practice exams from examcollection.com. I highly reccomend the VCE Exam Simulator software and the exams provided at examcollection.com I also watched a handful of professor messer videos on YouTube when I realized I needed to brush up on an area. In my opinion the simulations are the more difficult portion of the exam. They were also the very first questions I had to answer. This really threw me for a loop, most tests I've taken in my college career the open ended questions are at then end of the exam.
When I started the second exam I flagged all of the simulations and answered them once I had finished all of the multiple choice questions.
I flagged a LOT of questions that weren't obvious to meat first, but after I had completed the remaining questions most seemed obvious at second glance.
If you're talking about the CompTIA A+ certification, it wasn't too difficult. The one things that you need to know about that you may not is printers, and some command line information. I would recommend picking up a study book, like this one and looking through it. Not everything in there will be asked on the test, but it is all good information to know, even if it is a little outdated.
This is the one I used: http://www.amazon.com/CompTIA-Complete-Study-Guide-220-801/dp/1118324056
There's a newer version available as well for the 900 series.
Your most important starting step is to make sure that you have the foundational knowledge, at least at a conceptual level. I'm a big fan of books, so I would recommend a few to you.
Pick ONE of these. Exam is not necessary, but recommended:
Mike Meyers CompTIA Network+ All-in-One Exam Guide
Todd Lammle's CCENT Study Guide - ICND1
Pick ONE of these. Pay attention to business terminology as well. Again, exam is not necessary, but recommended:
Mike Meyers CompTIA Security+ Certification - SY0-501
CompTIA Security+ All-in-One Exam Guide
Darril Gibson SSCP All-in-One Exam Guide
100% read this. It's the Bible of Python scripting. Second edition is brand spanking new too:
Automate the Boring Stuff with Python
This is a good all-around Penetration Testing book that teaches Linux too. You don't *have* to use Kali, Ubuntu is probably less intimidating to those new to Linux, but you will have to install your own software/packages. This is the only book on this list I haven't read, but I often see it recommended:
Penetration Testing: A Hands-on Introduction to Hacking
While you read these books, you should install some kind of Linux distro on a home computer and use it for practice. I would also recommend doing HackTheBox(first challenge is to hack the login page) and starting with the easy boxes. Do as much as you can on your own first, but if you get stuck, watch IppSec's YouTube walk-through for the box you are on. Might be a bit overwhelming until you get through most of the books on that list though.
You should also start looking towards either the eJPT/eCPPT, the OSCP, or GPEN at this point, as those are the best value certifications in this field and will hold a lot of weight at an interview. There's some stigma with certifications in IT/CS, but the ones I listed are all baseline knowledge and/or high value for those in this field. At the very least the knowledge will go far. But definitely avoid anything from EC-Council like the plague.
I strongly recommend the Comptia Network+ Exam Book. I've had it for a while now, and you will learn quite litterly everything there is to know about the backbone of networking and the internet. It's meant as a preparation for the CompTIA Network+ Certification, which certifies you are competent enough to work in a networking environment, and is very comprehensive (~ 600 pages). It was invaluable for my positions in cybersecurity.
Pass4Sure is a brain dump site. Their test banks are the actual questions from the real test question bank, based on people who memorized the questions and reported them to Pass4Sure.
Using brain dumps is cheating, and if you get caught using dumps your certs can be invalidated. Don't cheat on tests, and don't contribute to brain dumps.
I used this book (or the current edition of it at the time) to pass Network+.
Katz and Lindell is the undergrad gold standard on intro cryptography. Goldreich is a good graduate-level intro if Katz and Lindell is too basic. Goldreich also has a second volume.
Most modern ciphers don't really use math in the same way as the day of old (at least when you're talking about private key encryption) and the math of public key encryption (at least for starters) is pretty basic. Some elementary number theory concepts which you've likely learned in discrete math should be enough to understand a treatment of RSA that doesn't spend too much time talking about abstract algebra.
In terms of a way forward a lot of this depends on what stuff you really want to do. Designing new crypto is extremely tough and is heavily scrutinized and implementing it is no different. If you want to honestly try and design something usable you definitely need a background in theoretical crypto and I highly recommend the book Introduction to Modern Cryptography. https://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Modern-Cryptography-Principles-Protocols/dp/1584885513 There's a newer edition but I can't speak to the differences. This book is an excellent read for anyone interested in the art of Cryptographic proof.
If you are interested in the more implementation/security route of things taking a course on Computer Security is helpful although I'm not sure if this is what you're really interested in. I personaly was much more into pure Crypto until I started studying actual Security concepts and now I love both. There's something super satisfying about understanding buffer overflows and pretty much everything else in security enough to actually execute an attack. DISCLAIMER Don't attack a system you don't have permission to attack. It's illegal, you will get caught, and it won't be worth it. If you want to practice actual hacking in a legal way look into OWASP.
this book is good to get a grasp of modern yet "established" crypto
http://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Modern-Cryptography-Principles-Protocols/dp/1584885513
CompTIA A+ Complete Certification Kit: Exams 220-901 and 220-902 https://www.amazon.com/dp/1119139740/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_k47MBbDD0GWZS
It’s 52, when I bought it back in July
yes very helpful; much thanks. I see amazon has a complete certification kit for both the 901 and 902 that comes with study and review guides for only $40. if i decided to go for the 900 series cert would this be my best option?
here is link to the product: https://www.amazon.com/CompTIA-Complete-Certification-Kit-220-901/dp/1119139740/ref=dp_rm_img_0
This is the academic store that you can buy discounted exam vouchers from at the cheapest price. Requires a .edu email and you can only buy one voucher per test. You cannot buy retake vouchers at the discounted price.
https://academic-store.comptia.org/certification-vouchers/c/11332
The academic store will give you a coupon code that you will use to redeem your exam when registering for the day you will take it.
https://home.pearsonvue.com/comptia
It is suggested to schedule your exam date few weeks out and to arrive a half hour early before your scheduled exam time. Make sure to bring all forms of ID required for the test.
https://www.weber.edu/TestingCenter/lindquist.html
Students should prepare for the exam by going over the course objectives and making sure they adequately understand each subject on these sheets.
Official Sec+
https://certification.comptia.org/docs/default-source/exam-objectives/comptia-security-sy0-501-exam-objectives.pdf
Unofficial Sec+
https://www.certblaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/CompTIA-Security-SY0-501-Exam-Objectives.pdf
Official Network+
https://certification.comptia.org/docs/default-source/exam-objectives/comptia-network-n10-007-v-3-0-exam-objectives.pdf
I would suggest you do not purchase the official study guides and labs offered by the CompTIA store because many people have had mixed opinions on their cost and effectiveness and find them to be useless.
I would suggest using free sources such as Professor Messer and other books with practice exams such as the "CompTIA Security+ Get Certified Get Ahead: SY0-501 Study Guide" . Professor Messer has monthly online study groups to personally ask questions from for free, he also has free videos that take you through every aspect of the test.
Security+
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1939136059/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_BADzCbXJR8TGC
https://www.professormesser.com/security-plus/sy0-501/sy0-501-training-course/
Networking+
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1260122387/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_HCDzCbXY08434
https://www.professormesser.com/network-plus/n10-007/n10-007-training-course/
Each certification test is comprised of a maximum of 90 questions on a 90 minute test that requires a passing score of 720 out of 900. The test will include common networking or security tools, Linux and Windows command line commands and theoretical and implementation questions. The test may also include common port numbers used by everyday services so knowing a large amount of them will help during the test.
The test will also include performance based questions such as dragging and dropping, matching, etc.
https://www.examcompass.com/comptia/network-plus-certification/free-network-plus-practice-tests#
https://www.examcompass.com/comptia/security-plus-certification/free-security-plus-practice-tests#
https://crucialexams.com/exams/comptia/security+/sy0-501/
The CompTIA tests are designed to be rigorous and intense, during the exam, you may feel like you are performing terrible and are about to fail, but you may be doing just fine. The test is designed to make you doubt yourself and sweat.
You only need the minimum to pass. A 721 score is the same as a 870 score.
If you study hard and know everything on the CompTIA lists and their intracacies, you will pass
I actually knew the 800 exams were retired. I was planning on getting either this or this, which are both study guides for the 901 and 902 exams. Which one do you recommend on getting?
I used Modern Cryptography for a crypto class I took, and I liked the book.
Disclaimer: we used the book because the professor was one of the authors.
Check out CompTIA's website. In college, I only took a prep class for the A+ and then taking the test itself was a independent affair (although the college was also an official testing facility, but it just required scheduling of your own, not facilitated by the college). The class was fine but I also spent a good few weeks on my own with this book, which was just as good as taking the prep class. I'd probably just spend $30 on the book and study on your own.
You might be able to find free study material online, it may be out of date though. But no, not free for good guides that will help:
A+ Guide
Sure thing, the Comptia certs do cost some money, I know some high schools/community colleges have reimbursement programs for them so that may be looking into in your local area. As far as study material I used these: A+, Security+, Linux+. PDF's of these books can be found online from various sources as well.
For exam practice I used a VCE exam player application and whichever vce file had the best rating per exam from examcollection. Hope that helps!
You are a complete idiot, arent you?
> Nobody mentioned DNS except for you. This has absolutely zero to do with the topic at hand. You're just trying to railroad the conversation as a tactic to muddle a very straightforward issue. Latency also has zero to do with DNS.
You're right on that, I used the wrong terminology, the concept is still correct, though. VPNs and moving data around are still incredibly relevant, as that is what Cox is doing. So if talking about the subject of the article is irrelevant, then what are we talking about?
> When ISPs capture and modify packets to inject their own ads, trackers, or data in them
I cant take you serious after that. You can call me out for using incorrect terminology, but at least the core concept was correct. I'll try though.
> They already do this. Most notably after they were given tax cuts and NN was rolled back, and the industry fired thousands of employees late last year, this is exactly what they did. But why stop there? Shareholders are thirsty!
You still failed to explain why they would intentionally put more work creating fast lanes when they could just increase the price to whatever they want.
> You are clearly an uneducated ISP shill.
I havent opposed net neutrality once. I have only opposed people blindly hating VPNs.
> You have zero technical knowledge and are simply blurting things that sound technical from a script.
I might suggest some good reads so that you can inform yourself on the issue. You clearly have no knowledge on the matter. That is a link to an entry level book about Networking, you dont even have to get halfway through the book before everything you claimed is easily disproven. If you dont trust me on the matter, then you can read it for yourself. Once you are properly informed on the matter, then I am sure this conversation can take a constructive turn, but before that point, there is no reason to continue.
Oi. Disclaimer: I haven't bought a book in the field in a while, so there might be some new greats that I'm not familiar with. Also, I'm old and have no memory, so I may very well have forgotten some greats. But here is what I can recommend.
I got my start with Koblitz's Course in Number Theory and Cryptography and Schneier's Applied Cryptography. Schneier's is a bit basic, outdated, and erroneous in spots, and the guy is annoying as fuck, but it's still a pretty darned good intro to the field.
If you're strong at math (and computation and complexity theory) then Oded Goldreich's Foundations of Cryptography Volume 1 and Volume 2 are outstanding. If you're not so strong in those areas, you may want to come up to speed with the help of Sipser and Moret first.
Also, if you need to shore up your number theory and algebra, Victor Shoup is the man.
At this point, you ought to have a pretty good base for building on by reading research papers.
One other note, two books that I've not looked at but are written by people I really respect Introduction to Modern Cryptography by Katz and Lindell and Computational Complexity: A Modern Approach by Arora and Barak.
Hope that helps.
This course looks like its an edition behind- which isn't a bit deal I think. Latest edition for A+ is 220-901 and 220-902 and course is 220-801 and 220-802.
You can probably buy a study guide instead of looking into a course. Here is the one I am reading (I can't comment on if this is the best, as its the only one I am using so far): https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1119137853/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1
Generally though if you just need knowledge just reading the study guide without taking the test seems good. Certs aren't highly valued. Up to you and what you want of course.
Comptia A+ one of the best basic entry level certifications/books/trainings.
I used the Sybex book.
I can at least vouch for two books I used to help pass mine.
This one I found to be very thorough, but also can be a bit of a slog to read if you're starting from scratch. While not as in depth this one helped me with some parts I was fuzzy on, as it put it into much simpler terms. Also for practice tests I can definitely recommend total seminars.
Here ya go: https://www.amazon.com/CompTIA-Network-Certification-Seventh-N10-007/dp/1260122387/
Or you can try to narrow your request a little.
Since you specifically requested a book, here's a book:
This is the Network+ Study guide. Buy it, learn networking, pass the exam. Honestly, everything in here is actually on the internet for free, but if you want it all in one place for convenience, this is a good start.
https://www.amazon.com/CompTIA-Network-Certification-Seventh-N10-007/dp/1260122387/ref=zg_bs_491302_1?_encoding=UTF8&amp;psc=1&amp;refRID=CJ9BJXWZVSBP5WG98C28
https://www.amazon.com/CompTIA-Network-Certification-Seventh-N10-007/dp/1260122387
https://www.amazon.com/CompTIA-Network-Certification-Seventh-N10-007/dp/1260122387
Anyone have? $5. I had the PDF from a friend but hes away until tomorrow and I could use it today
Buy the right book
http://www.amazon.com/CompTIA-Certification-Seventh-220-701-220-702/dp/0071701338/ref=dp_ob_title_bk/177-3252212-2199309
Read it,
Take the practice test over and over and over until you score at least 95%
This is the one.
yes it would! as long as youeither have support for raid on your motherboard (quite likely), or a raid card for the use of even more hard drives for raid. Also get this book if you are serious about learning computers get this book. http://www.amazon.com/CompTIA-Certification-Seventh-220-701-220-702/dp/0071701338/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1313463384&amp;sr=1-1
I picked up this guy and just finished reading through it. Fantastic, easy to read book.
I'm at the point where I need to find some good ways to practice for the tests themselves. Gotta cram that material into my head before the tests.
I used a version of Mike Myer's CompTIA A+ Certification All-in-One Exam Guide about 12 years ago to past my A+. The test has changed a lot in the last decade. Get this book a try.
http://www.amazon.com/CompTIA-Certification-Seventh-220-701-220-702/dp/0071701338/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_1
As just about everyone has said, Mike Myer's book works quite well. I just went for my certification within the past couple months, after putting it off for years (got my previous job before I got the cert, so there wasn't incentive to actually test). My wife is now going through the book to learn more about how things work, and the biggest thing keeping her going is the style of writing for the book - it's not nearly as monotonous as you would expect from a tech writing.
http://www.amazon.com/CompTIA-Certification-Seventh-220-701-220-702/dp/0071701338/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_1
I bought Mike Meyer's A+ certification book from Amazon, read through it, downloaded some practice questions from BitTorrent, took the test and passed with flying colors.
Book: Click Here
I found Mike Myers' A+ Certification manual to be the easiest to read all around manual that will give you basic knowledge of computers. He starts with simple analogies, and works through up to modern computers and their internal parts. Even if you have no interest in getting an A+ certification.
http://www.amazon.com/CompTIA-Certification-Seventh-220-701-220-702/dp/0071701338
That one.
My suggestion would be to go pick up a used copy of the A+ Certification books from someplace like Amazon or Half Priced Books. You can find them for like $20-30. Find one made in the last 2-3 years and give it a read.
Something like this
>took an intro class in college which was not very good (blaming the teacher more than anything)
you too? lol
As far as books go, I've always gone with the official CompTIA books
http://www.amazon.com/CompTIA-Certification-Seventh-220-701-220-702/dp/0071701338/
This one focuses on both hardware and Windows. I think it's necessary to have both. The books come with study guides as well with software to test you with actual A+ test questions.
I'd like to hear what other books people have had success with.
Sorry for the delay, I used http://www.amazon.com/CompTIA-Network-Certification-Edition-N10-005/dp/0071789227/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1396240683&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=comptia+network%2B
Yeah man, no problem.
Before I find some specific books, I wanna mention one series that you've definitely heard of: Blank for Dummies. From my experience, if you want to start from no knowledge and work up to an intermediate level of understanding, For Dummies books are great. A lot of experts beg to differ.
But, to be frank, people who are experts in their field are just that: experts in their field. I have friends who are excellent in their fields, but they are terrible teachers. They expect people to pick things up as quicky as they did. We're not all wired that way, and For Dummies books get that.
So, for my first two recommendations, here ya go:
Networking for Dummies
Building Your Own PC for Dummies
Both of those are less than 20 bucks on Amazon, and I'm sure you can find them at a library.
Now, if you really want to get into networking, and you want to get in to the IT field, you should read the A+ and Network+ certification books from Comptia. These will be harder to find in a library, but there will probably be some older editions lying around somewhere. If you know someone who works in the field, they probably have a copy, or can get you a copy, for free or cheap.
These books are more expensive, and more difficult, but they are peerless if you want to jumpstart a career in IT. I'm not going to claim that getting an A+ and/or a Network+ (or a Security+) certification is going to guarantee you a job. However it will definitely help you get your foot in the door.
Other books that you'll want to eventually check out if you want to check out things from O'Reilly. Most of their books are not meant for beginners, but they are the quintessential reference books in the IT field, including computer science, networking, and security. To give you an idea of just how many books they have, check out this picture of the programming section at the Noisebridge Hackerspace in San Francisco.
That band of colorful books in the middle? Those are (some of) the programming books they have available. They have just as many on every topic of IT. Here's their networking section. 19 pages. Of just networking books.
I hope that gives you a good idea of where to start.
I was in the same boat as you are. I am currently 29 and have been in an IT job now (that I love) for just over a year. I have 0 college classes in technology and a masters in counseling which I plan on never using professionally again.
I was very lucky and was able to acquire a technology position based on my network of friends and people. As I don't have the exact answer for what you are looking for I can tell you that I don't plan on getting a degree in computers but want to acquire my Network+ and Security+ certs as well as VMware eventually. This is my current plan to further my career.
I devoured this guys videos on basics that I needed to catch up on and like him for the most part. He gets on his sandbox alot lately but the original videos are full of great info.
http://www.youtube.com/user/elithecomputerguy
I use the free professor messer videos here...
http://www.professormesser.com/n10-005/free-network-plus/
and I have bought this book!
http://www.amazon.com/CompTIA-Network-All-In-One-Exam-Guide/dp/0071789227
All of which are great additions to my current job.
I hope you do well in your endeavor....also...
http://recoveringfromreligion.org/
I will certainly look into these books, but I doubt my Computer Science teacher could help much. Thanks for the help though.
Edit: I assume this is the book you guys are talking about: http://www.amazon.com/CompTIA-Network-All---One-Guide/dp/0071789227/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1414346192&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=comptia+network%2B
Not really the forum for this question, but I'd say the easiest thing to do is buy this book (or even just borrow it from a library if you can find one, the books Edition (age) probably isn't that important): https://www.amazon.com/CompTIA-Certification-Guide-220-801-220-802/dp/007179512X
Read it.
Sign up at https://home.pearsonvue.com/, schedule an exam at a nearby location. (Probably costs you something like $150). There's practice tests you can find online if you just google them.
Now, granted, I've not taken the A+; I've take Cisco exams. I would imagine the entire thing is you, at a computer, answering multiple choice questions. Most exams go like that. So if you can read and remember and understand that book you can tackle the A+ easily enough.
Check out the links in the right hand column, especially Prof. Messer's Cert Videos.
As far as books go, I'd pick this up: Mike Meyers CompTIA certification guide.
Also, go to CompTIA's site and grab the 801/802 objectives PDF. Once you've read the Meyers book, or whichever book you decide to pick up, focus in on the objectives.
There are many resources online for free 801/802 testing. Google is your friend.
Finally, I recommend using Quizlet for flashcard-style drilling.
edit: additionally, there are lots of free Android/iOS practice test apps available.
This is what I used. Meyers and this one are also very popular.
Since you already have that school one, I'd wouldn't worry too much about it though. Though I do recomend a practice book, like this one. And remember that aside from multiple answer questions, there are also a few "labs."
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If you are just starting out, begin with A+ (not for the certification, but for the knowledge). Buy this book, get some old desktop PCs, and learn everything about computers. Then, buy the Network+ book by the same author and learn about networking.
This gives you some basic knowledge of computers and networking. From there, try to do what I did, if you like. Just get a basic "office job", and then see if you can either work your way into their IT department, or offer to fix their computers for them.
For A+, try Professor Messer's site. His videos are an amazing resource. I do a chapter in book study then watch the corresponding video on Messer's site. Works pretty well.
Also try Coursera, they have a lot of classes you can take for FREE from major universities. I am currently waiting on a networking class that starts June 24th. It's a high level class that offers a good amount of knowledge. No degree, but the knowledge is what you will need during interviews. And like u/esmith3498 said, F.R.E.E.!
Professor Messer - This is for 800 exams for a+, he also has training for net + and linux and the like.
Coursera - Use it!
A+ book - I love this book, very thorough.
GOOD LUCK!!! I am in the same boat as you. I am currently trying to get into the field too.
Professor Messer for the best free online resource and videos.
Mike Meyers' Exam Guide for the best print resource. It's a book. Whatever price you decide to pay for it, or not, is up to you.
Of course there are other options and resources, but these were great for me. And there could be something else out there that works better for you. Either way, hope this helps and good luck!
Don't let it intimidate you. YouTube is infested with IT info. Check this guy out [ELI](https://www.youtube.com /playlist?list=PL6B10FA35AACFA6E7). If you want to get certified start HERE. This BOOK will help.
Sorry I didnt realize that the book said it was the fifth edition. I have the eight edition. Is that the most current one you have at the moment? THis is the one i have http://www.amazon.com/CompTIA-Certification-Edition-220-801-220-802/dp/007179512X/ref=pd_sim_b_1?ie=UTF8&amp;refRID=1M6D4MYVV84RNV1CH443
A+ is pretty entry level so I'd suggest teaching from an A+ course book. Michael Meyers' book is where I'd develop lesson plans from. He goes above and beyond so he covers A+ plus additional helpful skills. Buying used textbooks off of Amazon can help as well. I even use them to give myself "refresher" courses.
Here is the one I used link
Don't take too long, or you'll be frustrated when you finally take it. I studied for about 4 months and scored way higher than I needed to pass. I wish I had studied for 2 weeks instead.
EDIT: I used this book. You can pirate it pretty easily. Might be worth reading through once, then taking the test.
http://www.amazon.com/CompTIA-Certification-Edition-220-801-220-802/dp/007179512X
I used this book and really recommend it: http://www.amazon.com/CompTIA-Certification-Guide-220-801-220-802/dp/007179512X
I read everything for the 801, took the exam, passed, and then read all the 802 stuff, took that exam, and passed. I found the 801 easier than 802, but that's just me.
I used this one: http://www.amazon.com/CompTIA-Certification-Edition-220-801-220-802/dp/007179512X
But honestly if you have been playing around with hard ware and know the windows OS well, you'll pass without too much studying.
I did read the Myer's book (Specifically the All-in-One. He has others that are essentially the All-In-One book but with less crap.). I initially made the mistake of just trying to read it cover to cover, but there's too much material and it doesn't follow the order of the objectives, and that bothered me. To each their own ultimately.
I really must emphasize using the Objectives List as your guide. It even has a list of acronyms. Don't bother making a list from the textbook -- use the materials that CompTIA has already made available. There are also acronym and definition flashcards all over the internet. Just start looking around for study materials. You'll find piles of them.
/r/learnprogramming has a lot of great articles pinned. Python is a easy language to learn to start off. But if you want to hit the ground running, either learn web development languages or C++. From what I know though, when people refer to IT, they are referring those working in Networking or Help desk. With Networking, you learn a lot about computer/router hardware in the beginning, and then move onto learning protocols and best practices. Granted that second part is massively understating what there is out there to learn. But the sky is the limit when it comes that field. Help desk is the entry level for IT personnel. You help people over the phone or in-person with their computer related problems. Lots of networking guys don't like this because you loose whatever faith in humanity you have left, some like myself, really enjoy it. I like helping people either in a jam, or just generally better understand how to do their job with the aid of technology.
Sorry for the length.
TL;DR
Grab a A+ certification and then try for a Help Desk position. Here is a good book to get your education started, [Comptia A+ from Amazon].(http://www.amazon.com/CompTIA-Certification-Edition-220-801-220-802/dp/007179512X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1382805315&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=comptia+a%2B+certification+all-in-one+exam+guide+eighth+edition+exams+220-801+%26+220-802)
The go-to answer for "what should I use to study for the A+?" is either Professor Messer's video series (available on Youtube) or Mike Meyer's massive tome
Neither covers the 90x series yet, though.
I just got certified in June. As many people have recommended in here already, I bought this book, did a couple chapters a night for a couple of weeks, then took several practice tests. Once I was consistently passing the practice tests I could find, I took the actual test. If you end up buying a book, make sure it's for the right test. They're starting the new test in October I think, which is probably the one you should takes since it's the most relevant. One word of advice I would give is do a search for a website that offers discounted testing rates. I was able to save something like $80 by doing that. Lots of places sell vouchers, just look around a little and I'm sure you'll find something.
I just took mine last month. I borrowed this from the library:
http://www.amazon.com/CompTIA-Certification-Edition-220-801-220-802/dp/007179512X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1375413680&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=a%2B+certification
I think it's an excellent guide. It details what you need to know for each exam (801 & 802).
this book
So far I've been happy with this. It comes with a digital edition and a discount for the exam fee, so it pays for itself.
You might also want to look into a local community college course if you'd prefer having a class.
The first half of this book will tell you everything about computer hardware that you will ever need to know.
http://www.amazon.ca/CompTIA-Certification-Edition-220-801-220-802/dp/007179512X
It is definitely something that you can pass without taking a course. I used this book back when it was in it's 4th edition haha It is really good though and had a disc with loads of practice test questions.
http://www.amazon.com/CompTIA-Certification-Edition-220-801-220-802/dp/007179512X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1368555413&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=Comptia+A%2B+Certification+All-In-One+Exam+Guide
I went through Mike Meyers' All-in-One A+ Certification exam guide in about a months' time of reading a couple chapters a day, and averaged 95% on the tests. Started off feeling like it was mindlessly simple, then ended up learning a lot. Not to say this is the best exam guide to use, but it worked great for me.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/007179512X/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1
EDIT: The book also comes with the basic exams, that I took a bunch of times throughout. That helped a lot (but isn't a substitute for actually learning the material, because the practical application questions require you to actually know what you're doing).
should i do more research before buying this book you think?
i have watched a lot of professer messers videos too.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/007179512X?psc=1&amp;redirect=true&amp;ref_=ox_sc_act_title_2&amp;smid=ANN4GKF47H0QL
Definitely! I've been studying from Mike Meyers All in One Exam Guide, Professor Messer, Carey Holzman from Tech-Vets, and the Exam Cram Practice Question Book. They are all great resources, especially Carey's hands-on build videos. Which will help if your never built a PC yourself. I will update you tomorrow on my opinion of the test and things I came across.
I can tell you the Professor Messer videos are good, but in my opinion nowhere near enough to pass the Network+. I recommend the Mike Myers book and Darril Gibson's practice questions . Good luck!
CompTIA Network+ Great book as an introduction all around view of the subject.
https://www.amazon.com/CompTIA-Network-Guide-Sixth-N10-006/dp/0071848223/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_14_img_0?_encoding=UTF8&amp;psc=1&amp;refRID=J31ZQ595HVHBVTPGV8SZ
Not a video, but this book taught me a lot. https://www.amazon.com/CompTIA-Network-Guide-Sixth-N10-006/dp/0071848223
> Right, because there's totally enough of these jobs for everyone.
There are plenty of jobs in IT, Medical and Accounting field to name a few.
And while saying all you do is push buttons is a generalization, none of the other jobs like making food, filling orders, cleaning tables and taking out the trash is very thought intensive. Hard work yes, do you need to know a whole lot not really.
Look if your working in the fast food industry you should be learning that the job sucks and you need to get an education in something other then fast food. The lesson you need to take away from that is this I don't want to do this anymore.
Take some of your money and buy a study guide for IT work, get a few certs and get a job on a help desk some where, then you can study more and take some more high level certs and move up to a better paying job.
The CompTIA a+ 901/902 Test is around $225. Here is the guide you'll need. It goes for about 30 dollars.
The Network + guide Here is 40 dollars. The test is around $300.
So for $600 dollars, while not exactly cheap if you work fast food, you can get a better paying job that you can work into a career if you want to. The jobs and opportunities are out there if you look over that chip you have on your shoulder.
Here are 181 jobs that pay anywhere from 45K to 100K a year. Civilian Contract work pays real good. You just have to have actual skills a clean record and be able to pass a drug test.
> I'd love to see these people that are against higher minimum wages work at McDonalds for 7-8 hours or more a day during lunch and dinner rushes. Having to deal with asshole customers all damn day.
If that were indeed my life, I'd have to sit back and rethink it.
It was a little paragraph at the end of the IPv6 chapter in this book.
Alright -- given that, you have a lot of learning ahead, and hopefully your friend/mentor/referral truly understands that.
Don't ever try to claim you know something when you've never heard the term -- never be afraid to ask questions and always seek to clarify things proactively rather than figuring you'll catch up on it later. Be prepared to drink from the firehose constantly and to feel like you're inadequate, that you know less than everyone around you, and to question whether you're doing the right thing daily. But be careful that you recognize when you are making progress to avoid the lingering effects of Imposter Syndrome as you grow your career. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impostor_syndrome
If you're into reading and don't mind reading 500+ pages in the next 3 weeks, I'll recommend the following books. Understand that reading these will merely expose you to the topics discussed in order to have the training not be the very first time you're ever hearing basic terms. Don't try to actually do all of the exercises in the books or you will never finish them -- this is exposure and consideration only; if you have enough time, go back and re-read things you struggled with or want to learn more about.
2-book CCNA study guide: https://www.amazon.com/CCNA-Routing-Switching-Complete-Certification/dp/1119375126/
Network+ study guide: https://www.amazon.com/CompTIA-Network-Guide-Sixth-N10-006/dp/0071848223/
I don't know much about blogs or videos available, but keep an eye out for those.
Good luck!
I believe I've heard good things about The Tao of Network Security Monitoring, but haven't had a chance to read it myself. In the description lists a few other books the author recommends.
Senior Security Engineer
Hi, I'm Kevin Hock and I work on the DataDog security team.
We are looking for some talented security engineers to join our security team here in NYC.
How Do I Apply
Send me an email with your resume and GitHub at [email protected]
What you will do
Who you should be
Bonus points
Sample interview questions
Hat tip to chrisrohlf at Square, also on this Q1 thread. Random other places you can apply in nyc: Blink Health, MongoDB, Spotify, Jane Street, 2 Sigma, Greenhouse.
I personally applied because I love Python but I like the company a lot so far.
I'm in a similar situation and some resources that I'm finding really eye opening are Trailofbits CTF Guide and the book [The Art of Software Security Assessment: Identifying and Preventing Software Vulnerabilities] (http://www.amazon.com/The-Software-Security-Assessment-Vulnerabilities/dp/0321444426).
I also find other people exploits and presentations inspiring in a sense :)
A little prophecy here - neither WebInspect nor Fortify will actually solve any of your problems, they'll just point you at them. Having bug reports doesn't mean the issues get solved (correctly), and to get the ones which actually matter you'll have to wade through lots of false positives, even with the better tools.
In order to determine what counts and what doesn't and how you fix it if it does, you actually need security competence. Which is something the developers who are often facing hundreds or thousands of bug reports from these tools often do not have, since they were never trained and/or had no time to further look into.
When it comes to pen testing and app sec assessments, it really depends on what you're looking at. If it's web apps mostly, well, I am sure you already know OWASP. I kinda liked the Web Application Hacker's Handbook.
When it comes to other stuff, this is a great book http://www.amazon.com/The-Software-Security-Assessment-Vulnerabilities/dp/0321444426
I am, btw, a CSSLP, and I think the cert is kinda fluffy.
For those looking to write and/or evaluate the security of software, there's also TAOSSA.
Based on reading some of your comments it looks like what you are really asking about is "how do I learn security engineering?"
The answer is by reading resources that explicitly teach the concept, because it is a specific discipline that blends software engineering, systems engineering, and computer security theory. It is probably most properly classified as a sub-discipline of systems engineering, so reading about systems engineering in general can be useful as well.
The following do not teach you "how to hack" they teach "how to look at this system/application from a security point of view" which seems to be what you are looking for.
Resources:
Both of those books can be bought through Amazon or there are PDFs online. I have the first two and am now buying the last one after reading a bit of the PDF I found.
Be warned, the last two books are very large. The second one would probably cover two semesters worth of material. The last one is nearly 1200 pages across two volumes.
The MIT videos are great.
Regardless of the above, Security+ or equivalent would give you a base level of knowledge from which you could get more out of the above materials. You can get Sec+ study guides online cheap/free, either in book or articles or video lecture form. Cybrary has great free cybersec lecture courses including Sec+.
Abstract, in terms of "weird physical threats":
Resilience engineering:
IR/DR:
The tangled web is great. I haven't finished it yet but what I've read so far is pretty insightful stuff. Security Engineering: http://www.amazon.com/Security-Engineering-Building-Dependable-Distributed/dp/0470068523/ref=dp_ob_title_bk : probably one of the better titles for security as a whole. I like to think phrack might also be a great resource but it's pretty dated material. Really you'll be learning so much just picking apart existing shit, crashing stuff, making love to your debugger, and just enjoying the shit out of yourself.. books will come secondary but they're still important. :-) Goodluck have fun!
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0470068523
Awesome Book.
I am currently reading:
The Web Application Hacker's Handbook: Discovering and Exploiting Security Flaws - Dafydd Stuttard So far its been a really good book giving you good examples easy to read and follow.
Along that same vein is Web App hackers' handbook
Someone already mentioned OWASP, so i'll second that one.
I have no degrees and no certs. Everything I know was either self-taught or learned on the job.
For someone in my position, the trick is to be supremely confident about that which you do know and unafraid to admit when you do not know something.
The fastest way to show the IT departments you are applying to that you are serious is to get your A+ certification. On its own it really doesn't mean a whole lot, but when 5 guys apply for a position and only one of them has an A+ cert (and the rest have no certs at all) guess who gets the job...
Also, A+ takes no time to get. Grab this, study for a month and then go take the test.
EDIT: I should do an AMA about my cert-less self and my recent improvement of status within the IT community...
Careful with those (and yeah, that's pretty bad if it's linked by CompTIA), I've found that a lot of those seem to steer you in the wrong direction to get you to pay for their test prep material. I completely threw out online practice exams.
I would join a forum based on certification prep help or grab a book from Amazon with more adequate explanations/practice/examples than some shady website.
I used this book. It's actually an over abundance of information because it also goes into networking and security, but every thing up to those points is included in the pool of A+ questions. As a matter of fact it had so much information I thought I was under prepared for the A+ but I ended up blowing it away. Prepping for Network+ and Security+ now.
Whoa Whoa slow down there Dingleberry.
First off. Good that you are interested in IT. But IT is huge and there are so many aspects to it. I suggest starting off with something like the CompTIA A+. That will give you the base knowledge you need to know to be able to troubleshoot many everyday end user problems. By base knowledge I mean the thought process and methodology. IT isn't predictable. There are 100s if not millions of cases where following X directions is supposed to give you Y results but it doesn't because something that seems completely unrelated is causing the issue. The A+ helps put you in the correct mindset.
The CompTIA A+ you can just pick up the book for it, sit and read it. It isn't a class and is very entry level. There are classes for it but I personally advise against it. I read the book and took the test my first year in college. But I was already fixing problems on my own. It just supplemented what I knew and taught me more.
What ever anyone says about the A+ being easy is semi true. I can promise you that anyone who thinks they know their stuff does not know everything. That also includes A+ material which again is basic. Everyone who reads those books will learn something. But for seasoned people it can be boring since a lot of it is rehashed info they know from experience. The A+ is conceptual and the methods taught are not written in stone. Also the test is performing troubleshooting the ComTIA way.
For example a common troubleshooting tip for network connectivity issue such as not being able to get online is something as simple as checking to make sure the ethernet cable is plugged in. And CompTIA says that should always be the first thing you check. This is something basic that many people overlook because in my experience very rarely the issue is the cable not being plugged in.
Don't skip it. It will be your building blocks. You don't have to take the test. But it will help you get your foot in the door into a help desk position.
The Cisco Net Acad is good for getting fundamentals of networking in the Cisco world and is training toward the Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA). Meaning the scope is very limited. You will learn how a network works in general. Meaning the how information gets from point A to point B and theory behind why it works. But then it will take a sharp turn on to Cisco network equipment. I suggest reading a Sybex's Net+ book by Todd Lammle. The Net+ is also by CompTIA but focuses on a MUCH MUCH broader spectrum of networking and troubleshooting networks. For example, the Cisco course isn't really going to dive into this like token rings, MAUs, ALOHA, DSL, DSLAMs, Cable, and other tech. The Cisco learning path is more, here is what a network is, here is why it works, here are some general things that apply to all networks, and now let configure a Cisco switch and a Cisco router, and finally let's troubleshoot common Cisco problems that people run into.
Use the Cisco classes to build on your Net+ knowledge. I'm not saying to take the CompTIA A+ and Net+ exams, but at least study the material. Because it sounds like you aren't really sure what you want to split off to. If you go straight for the Cisco class, you will learn nothing about computers because Cisco doesn't care about what desktop/laptop/server you use for this level of information.
Being well rounded in IT is more valuable than being a specialist who only knows one thing in terms of job opportunities. But from what I've seen specialists make more money if you can find a job for that specialization.
Now to answer your 3 questions.
The composite test is meant for those with experience and is generally harder because you need to know less about a lot of topics where as the ICND1 and 2 you need to know a lot about less topics. You should take the 2 test route.
These are the books I read. These are also the ones I mentioned above.
Sybex ComTIA A+ http://www.amazon.com/CompTIA-Complete-Study-Guide-Application/dp/047048649X/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1372738911&amp;sr=1-3&amp;keywords=sybex+a%2B
Sybex CompTIA Net+ by Todd Lammle http://www.amazon.com/CompTIA-Network-Study-Authorized-Courseware/dp/1118137558/ref=sr_1_8?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1372738836&amp;sr=1-8&amp;keywords=todd+lammle
Start off reading these two. These will teach you everything you need to know to understand what you are getting your self into. From there you can go into specialization such as Cisco. For that I used the Wendell Odom books which are the official Cisco books. Warning, the writing is dry.
Cisco ICND 1 100-101 by Wendell Odom. http://www.amazon.com/Cisco-CCENT-ICND1-100-101-Official/dp/1587143852/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1372739094&amp;sr=1-2&amp;keywords=wendell+odom+icnd1
Cisco ICND 2 640-802 http://www.amazon.com/ICND2-Official-Certification-640-816-640-802/dp/158720181X/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1372739138&amp;sr=1-4&amp;keywords=wendell+odom+icnd2
NOTE: I did not see the ICND 2 book by Wendell and Odom for the new exam objectives that will take effect later this year. So the first ICND 1 book will be valid for the new test. The second book will not be but it would not hurt you to read it until Wendell and Odom come out with an updated ICND 2 book.
I've also heard good things about the Todd Lammle CCNA book but I do not see one for the newer exam objectives.
Though it's expensive, High-Security Mechanical Locks: An Encyclopedic Reference by Graham Pulford is a fantastic book. It's focused more on the mechanical aspects of higher security locks, most of which are relatively recent, but it does briefly go through the history and development of each lock type, and includes an extremely wide variety of mechanisms.
High-Security Mechanical Locks: An Encyclopedic Reference
by Graham W. Pulford
Huh, when I copy the text of the comment, I get this: High-Security Mechanical Locks: An Encyclopedic Reference
by Graham W. Pulford
But I just see a comment or it pasted with no text when I view your comment on the official Reddit app. Weird.
Im using this book. https://www.amazon.com/CompTIA-Healthcare-Technician-HIT-001-Guides/dp/0789749297
Not a problem. If you are going with Cram Exam then you can find it for cheap on Amazon brand new.
I would recommend either Exam Cram 6th ed. by David L. Prowse or Mike Meyer's A+ passport. There are bigger books (1200+ pages), but I don't think they're necessary if you've already assembled machines and installed various operating systems. You can probably do fine with one of these concise guides. If you really want to browse the various books and determine which you like the best, then you can do that by signing up for a 10-day free trial with SafariBooks. This will give you full access to 10 different books for 10 days...enough time to determine your favorite. Just remember to cancel before the trial ends or they might bill you.
Professor Messer is a good source of videos. CBT Nuggets is also good, but kind of pricey. You might try their 7-day trial and see if you like it. CBT Nuggets is about 35hours of video and Prof. Messer is 20.
I started with a pretty extensive background in hardware/software troubleshooting but studying really helped everything come together. I learned the most from the Printers chapter/videos. I had never taken a Comptia exam before and was a little unsure of how detailed the questions would be, so this made me study a little harder. I studied for each exam separately. About 2 weeks preparing for the 801 and 10 days or so for the 802. The 802 was a little more challenging.
Good luck!
A lot of people recommend Professor Messer's Youtube Videos. They're free to use and I believe are current. This is great since it'll show you what you'll be learning about as you're given information on it. Many people recommend that you pause the video and take notes throughout the video. Do this for each one, memorize the information and you should be good for the test.
If you like using a text, then I can personally recommend Exam Cram. The included practice questions and tests are gold (some people buy the book just for them). The information is distilled down to what you need to know without any fluff or unneeded information. I made around 300-ish note cards out of the information given and passed both 801 and 802 on my first try. I have no issue with drilling info and memorization, but you will have to do this no matter which option you choose.
Hope this helps OP!
It was the Exam Cram by David Prowse. http://www.amazon.com/CompTIA-220-801-220-802-Exam-Edition/dp/0789749718 It has included software that you can do practice exams with. A few of the questions were almost word-for-word exactly on the exam. No simulations though, I have yet to find anything that includes sims.
Haven't checked Meyers study material so not informed enough to give an opinion.
You are on the right track. Get your A+ cert, prof. messer has great videos that helped me:
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLG49S3nxzAnnmMVTdd4v4ryJ7_qoQCrF4
and this book:
http://www.amazon.com/CompTIA-220-801-220-802-Exam-Edition/dp/0789749718
With your A+ cert you can go to sites like justanswers.com and register as a professional to help people on there for experience. Also guru.com and other freelance work will help when it comes to the next part.
Work on your resume, taking your work experience and molding it to show off your IT experience. For example: you said you worked retail, so take your customer support and your interaction with the POS (assuming it was computer based) and put something like: maintained point of sale computer, various printers, payment processing terminals, and peripheral devices. Basically anything even remotely IT related, make it relevant, and apparent that you have extensive knowledge with it.
I personally would NOT go for a "school" like centriq or ITT or any of that crap. You can get into entry level positions with certs and work your way up far faster and cheaper. Get on linkedIn and create a profile if you don't already have one. This will help you network, and search for jobs. Depending on what you can get, you might have to start with a help desk type position to get more experience. The idea entry level IT job for you to aim for (that you can work your way up with) would be a technical support analyst doing tier 1 work.
You can do this, and if you have any questions or anything feel free to hit me up.
I used this book and this book of practice tests. A very easy read it comes with a cheat sheet.
I have this:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0789749718
I feel for you. I realize that time is short and money is tight. Nevertheless, if you can scrap together $12 or so, buy a book of 802 exam questions by David Prowse (if you buy it used or rent it, be sure it comes with the CD): https://smile.amazon.com/CompTIA-220-801-220-802-Practice-Questions/dp/0789749742/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1465895293&amp;sr=8- 1&keywords=comptia+a%2B+prowse+801 There are four 100-question practice exams in it for the 802, along with an excellent explanation of each answer. So no, it doesn't include simulations, but if you take these exams and score 90% or more on each one, you should have a solid understanding of all of the material, and should be able to do an excellent job on the multiple choice questions and a reasonable job on the simulations. Good luck!
The previously mentioned resources are great. I'll add to it:
Bonus Questions with Explanations:
http://www.davidlprowse.com/pdfs/220-801-80-bonus-questions.pdf
http://www.davidlprowse.com/pdfs/220-802-80-bonus-questions.pdf
266 801 Flashcards:
http://quizlet.com/17986747/flashcards
Acronym Flashcards:
http://quizlet.com/38030487/flashcards
If you want some great books, I used this (The CD is great for practice exams!) and [this] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009F09OBW/) which follows the objectives perfectly. I can loan the Kindle version to you for 14 days if you're interested. Just send me a message. :) Good Luck! I just passed the 802 today! I'm officially certified!
Also, be sure and download the CompTiA A+ Exam objectives and use it as a checklist as you learn!
Sorry for the wait.
I used ExamCompass, Crucial Exams, and this Practice Question Book. You can also search online for other things, these weren't the only things I used.
I have this one on preorder, i read that the one for the 900 series helped a lot of people
>read the book by Gordon "Fyodor" Lyon if you're not familiar
Is this the book you're referring to? I'm following this thread too due to my position where I work. :)
(this is my copy paste when people ask where to start, I recommend these books quite frequently, and I'll be honest, most of them can be "acquired" through other means than buying.)
If you have no Linux Knowledge, I would recommend these two books: http://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Unix-Linux-John-Muster/dp/0072226951
http://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Linux-Manual-Student-Edition/dp/0072226943/ref=pd_bxgy_b_text_y
I would also recommend getting a book on windows server: http://www.amazon.com/Mastering-Microsoft-Windows-Server-2008/dp/0470532866
After going over those you should have a fundamental understanding of Unix/Linux
Then I would recommend this if you need to brush up on your basic networking knowlege:
http://www.amazon.com/CompTIA-Network-Deluxe-Recommended-Courseware/dp/111813754X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1369292584&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=network+%2B+delux+guide
Some security theory wouldn't hurt: I'd recommend these in no particular order:
http://www.amazon.com/The-Basics-Information-Security-Understanding/dp/1597496537/ref=pd_rhf_se_s_cp_7_FHWA
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1597496154/ref=s9_simh_se_p14_d0_i6?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&amp;pf_rd_s=auto-no-results-center-1&amp;pf_rd_r=6289C56ED33B4C108B60&amp;pf_rd_t=301&amp;pf_rd_p=1263465782&amp;pf_rd_i=itia2300
And now we actually start getting into penetration testing:
http://www.amazon.com/Metasploit-The-Penetration-Testers-Guide/dp/159327288X/ref=pd_rhf_se_s_cp_3_FHWA
http://www.amazon.com/The-Basics-Digital-Forensics-Getting/dp/1597496618/ref=pd_rhf_se_s_cp_6_FHWA
http://www.amazon.com/Advanced-Penetration-Testing-Highly-Secured-Environments/dp/1849517746/ref=pd_rhf_se_s_cp_8_FHWA
http://www.amazon.com/Nmap-Network-Scanning-Official-Discovery/dp/0979958717/ref=pd_rhf_se_s_cp_10_FHWA
Full disclosure: I have used all these books in my studies. I am not affiliated in any way with these authors, this also isn't something you can just "master" in 24 hours; you may however learn a few cool tricks early. My advice would be to keep at it, not only read these books, but setup Virtual environments to test these concepts in.
Those books I listed should give you a fundamental understanding of: Linux, Windows server, Networking, Information security theory, computer forensics, and basic penetration testing.
I would also recommend you take up a scripting language, Python is pretty simple to learn if you haven't already, and insanely powerful in the right hands.
Trying again without links:
So, I decided that I don't feel like spending more time on this, and I got most of them, so let's roll with it.
___
Riddle 1
Wine
[Item - Spaetzle Maker] amazon.com/dp/B00004UE89/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=2RQMTOPDX95LA&coliid=I3T5XA41NPA20B
So this is kind of a stretch, but hear me out. Over the weekend, I let the "German" in me out, and I cooked a wonderful meal consisting of schnitzel (pork shoulder blade, fried to perfection) and a side of spaetzle (German dumplings). That evening, I also bought a bottle of Roscato (a sweet red wine from Italy) to have with dinner, and it was DELICIOUS. While making the meal and drinking the wine, I mentioned to my wife how great it would be to have a spaetzle maker. She agreed, so it's on the WL.
___
Riddle 2
A doormat (though based on theme it should really be a broom, but that doesn't make sense in your riddle)
[Item - Subaru Floor Mats] amazon.com/dp/B004HGXWXU/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=1462GJGC40KP1&coliid=IAIIHKXJYAGUI
So on Thursday I bought myself a new-to-me 2011 Subaru Legacy. It's pretty cool minus the issues with the key, but besides the $100 I had to spend to "fix" it, it's grand. I noticed when checking out the car that it had gray Jetta floor mats. Note that my car has black leather interior, and is a Subaru, not a VW Jetta. I found these, they have good reviews, so I put them on my WL as something to get for my new car so I can get rid of those awful floor mats.
___
Riddle 3
A hat
[Item - Sunglasses] amazon.com/dp/B005P195KU/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=P31L4QN6S6PK&coliid=I2DOHRI12MKZ6T&psc=1
There are two things every good baseball/softball/wiffleball player needs. A good hat, and a good pair of sunglasses. I always wear a hat (thanks a lot, male pattern baldness), so I've got plenty of those (need to get a new one, but Amazon doesn't have the one I want). What I don't have is a good pair of sunglasses for playing ball outside. My aviators are scratched, and, well, wearing aviators to play sports doesn't exactly work well. These are sitting on my WL for that day where I finally go "DAMMIT I NEED SUNGLASSES TO GO WITH MY HAT."
___
Riddle 4
A book
[Item - A+ Cert Study Book] amazon.com/dp/1118324056/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=E9RD1GO4V1KF&coliid=I3I1EOQ0P5X4TS
So this one is REALLY lame compared to my other stories. For this, it's an ACTUAL BOOK (how lame). I work in IT, and one of the most BASIC qualifications for most jobs is CompTIA A+ certification. I know that with a brief refresher I could pass the test pretty easily, but I don't want to take any risks, and would rather study up and blow it out of the water. I need this book in order to help me do that.
___
Riddle 5
This one I'm not sure about, but I can't take any more time to figure it out (thanks a lot, work). A trunk? that seems to make the most sense based on the theme here....
[Item - LEGO VW Camper Van] amazon.com/dp/B0050R0XEG/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pd_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=2KY51TV5KVQCC&coliid=I1FBGVJXQ9BEYK)
This one is a real stretch. When I went through this the first time, I thought that you were looking for "A car" (boot//trunk//place to store stuff or even hide in), but then when I looked at the theme of everything, I decided that was wrong. I changed my mind and went with a trunk. To combine those two things, here's the LEGO version of a car, which has a trunk, and also has a little suitcase on the top of it, as it is meant for camping and camping activities - a great place to hide away from everything!
___
Bonus
A cape!
[Item - LEGO Movie Batman figure] amazon.com/dp/B002U2UFB0/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_S_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=2KY51TV5KVQCC&coliid=I2J6HQ9IEA6T9E)
What better way to exemplify the answer of "A cape" to a riddle than with a legit superhero. I actually bought this little batman for a friend of mine, and after putting it together, thought I should have one myself. He has two faces, a cape, the bat helmet, and a batarang. This character is simply awesome in the movie, and looks pretty damn awesome to boot! (Get it? Boot? From the last riddle? ^(I get it ... it's not funny...))
___
No WL Additions were made for this, I improvised and managed to connect everything to something already on my WL. Thanks for the contest!!!
Any idea how long you had studied before the 801?
Also, was this the study guide you mentioned? http://www.amazon.com/CompTIA-Complete-Study-Guide-220-801/dp/1118324056
Probably something like this? http://www.amazon.ca/CompTIA-Complete-Study-Guide-220-801/dp/1118324056
i recommend Mike Myers' CompTIA A+ book it comes with a CD that you can take practice test through.
Edit: The new test does not cover Windows 7, while the book mentions this, it still does go over some of the basics of 7.
Just picked up Mike Meyers Network+ book for the new exams and he doesn't disappoint.
There are a lot of great resources out there and it may be a bit overwhelming.
I would not rely solely on Professor Messer's videos. His videos are great, but lack some of the detail that a large certification book offers.
It also depends on yourself. Are you new to the IT field? Have you ever built a computer before, setup a wireless network, or done some troubleshooting?
Mike Meyer's Book
This book gets a lot of attention and is a good resource.
Exam Cram Series
This book is a great "cram" of all the information. It's shorter than Meyer's book but has a lot of great test preparation questions and strategies.
Those 2 books with supplements from Professor Messer's videos should give you more than enough help. Also don't be afraid to just reserach something that you are unsure of. I use other sources such as Reddit and YouTube just to further dive into things I am unsure of.
I am taking both exams on the 15th of this month and my study habits have been read the books. Then test yourself with exams. Find where your weak points are, and study them. Rinse and repeat. Everyone is different and it all depends on how quickly you want it. A lot of these questions are up to yourself and how you learn/retain knowledge.
Your recommendation for AV is wrong: antivirus software generally makes your computer more vulnerable.
Where am I getting this from?
James Findley has a nice post over at Hacker News which, in my non-expert opinion, sums up the state of AV well:
> In the days of windows 95/8, the desktop landscape was very different to how it is now - OSes and browsers were horribly insecure, and readily compromised with little effort. Attacks were plentiful, and infections common. AV really did add useful additional security.
>
> These days that's less the case - an up to date windows 10 or OSX desktop is reasonably secure by default - it can still be infected, but generally not without some action taken by the user (of course there are still 0-days, but they are generally treated seriously and patched at least moderately quickly. Unauthenticated RCEs are now a rarity, thankfully).
>
> The AV industry hasn't really caught up with the idea that the OS/apps they are messing with are now in general fairly well written and audited pieces of code, and haven't really got institutional awareness that they are making things worse, much of the time.
Instead of name calling, I'm going to take you down a very basic path and hope that you keep up.
I turn on a fan and aim it directly at you. That fan is hitting you directly, and there is nothing obstructing it. And now I start placing lots of cables in front of the fan, or you, and maybe even a PVC pipe just cause of the size of what we're working with now. If you are going to tell me that you are still receiving unobstructed airflow with these objects in the way, then I can't discuss the topic any further with you.
And remember, even if the PC stays the same temperature with bad cable management, you could be running your fans at a faster rate than needed. This may not be a bad thing short term, but it's better to just not be lazy, do it right the first time, and not have to worry about it for a longer period of time.
The documentation I've read has usually been textbooks, but there are plenty of resources that will agree with me online too. Here are some quick references;
Mike Meyers A+
Jean Andrews Textbook
Toms Hardware post
And then on top of that, having loose cables can cause damage to other components as I originally mentioned, and if you have the ability to manage your cables better, don't be lazy and do it right the first time. It's not rocket science. You don't have to get upset and insult people because you were unwilling to learn.
If you need a job handling this kind of stuff to get a better idea of it, PM me and I'll help you find a nearby job. If you're close enough to me, I'll even put in a recommendation.
http://www.amazon.com/The-Software-Security-Assessment-Vulnerabilities/dp/0321444426
First off, the term is 'cracker', and second, I would think you need to be both. Knowing how crackers get into web applications helps you as a developer secure your applications. I know I personally found books like this to be invaluable:
http://www.amazon.com/Web-Application-Hackers-Handbook-Discovering/dp/0470170778
As well as publications like 2600. I don't crack systems, I use them as a how NOT to write applications guide