Certifications

Where should you start in Cybersecurity?

Certifications 101: Why A+, Network+, and Security+ are Game Changers | Infosec

Why study for each certification (i.e., CompTIA A+, Network+, & Security+) and take their exams?

  • Preparing for and taking these exams is hard. Still, they are also useful and applicable to real-world roles and situations.
  • They each provide valuable insight into the components and operations of computers (i.e., A+, hardware, and software), how they communicate with one another (i.e., Network+), and how to properly secure them through managerial, operational, and technical methods in the real-world with established companies (i.e., Security+).
  • Some professionals or experts may suggest that you only need to take the Security+ exam. However, would you like to gain valuable knowledge about the above subjects, “stand out” from the crowd of other cybersecurity applicants/professionals, and better prepare for the Security+ exam? Then, start with and work through A+ and Network+ before moving on to Security+. It’s not easy mode, but it’s definitely not apocalyptic mode.

What study resources do I recommend for all three tests?

  1. Dion Training
    • Hands down, it is the best study material. Video lectures, labs, notes, and exams.
    • People complain that the course and test questions are overly lengthy and overly focused on real-world preparation rather than concentrating on the actual exam. I disagree with them because Boson’s exams (see below) are actually 100x ‘worse’ (more on them later).
    • The notes are solid (can be cleaned up and trimmed due to a lot of repetition). The Labs are 100% on point for practicing real-life tasks and learning how to navigate complex situations and problems that you will find in the real world.
    • The test questions were always long and wordy, but the purpose is to over-prepare you for the real exams. People forget about this primary goal and complain a lot about it on Reddit (I’d rather be overprepared than underprepared when preparing for any exam).
    • Lastly, if you’re proficient in English or it’s your first native language, bump up the Playback Speed to 2x. Dion and the other lecturers speak pretty slowly and clearly (at least for me); plus, you cut your study time in half. You can have the notes on the side, and the Closed Captions turned ‘ON’ to keep track and follow along with them.
  2. Professor Messer
    • Plenty of free videos, but the real treasure trove is his Class Notes and Practice Exams.
    • You’ll have to pay for them, but they are worth the price because the Notes summarize everything aesthetically and pragmatically (better than Dion Training). At the same time, the Exams mirrored the actual exams very well (a little harder, and the questions were lengthier, but it’s a good thing to be overprepared like the Dion Training material).
    • I occasionally used his videos to better understand more difficult/complex topics, but I’ve heard they are good overall. The videos are structured and provided similarly to Dion Training, so apply the above recommendations to Professor Messer’s videos as well.
  3. Total Seminars (Mike Meyers)
    • I only used the PBQ exercises: they were informative and helpful study tools. The website markets them as actual Labs, but when I think of Labs, I’m interacting with a terminal and VM like in the Dion Training courses.
  4. Alternatives
    • CompTIA’s self-paced course and labs:
      • I’ve used the labs for Network+ and found them helpful when preparing for the exam.
      • The labs I studied felt more like small PBQ exercises (i.e., Total Seminars). Still, they were invaluable in memorizing terms (critical for Network+ certification, including Port numbers).
    • Boson:
      • For learning more about real-world information and mastering extremely technical details, you can use this as a valuable alternative to “test your metal.”
      • About 50% of Boson’s test questions mirror the real exams. The other 50% is super technical real-life information (also, things you wouldn’t necessarily memorize and would always double-check to ensure you don’t make a costly mistake or destroy a network/computer hardware).
      • However, Boson’s exams are not required for the exam preparation. I believe they are unnecessary when the above resources are available and are more focused on learning and passing the exams (I only purchased the exams, never their courses or labs).
    • Cengage/Mindtap:
      • AVOID Cengage like the plague: do NOT pay for or use this company’s material for ANY/ALL exams!!!
      • Their testing material isn’t focused, many of their answer choices to questions are factually incorrect, and the Labs to this day (after many moons of using their learning platform for university classes) STILL don’t function or operate correctly (in contrast to Dion Training’s labs, which are BUTTERY-SMOOTH and ON-POINT).
      • Combine the worst of Boson’s off-subject and unrelated exam test questions, throw them into a baking dish and oven, and then take the dish out too early (like at the halfway point). You’d get the lukewarm, half-hearted piece of malarky that Cengage/Mindtap “cooked up.”
        • For example, there were many times when I’d attempt to complete a Lab with a 1.5-hour ETA completion only to be kicked out of the lab when 3/4 complete. Then, I’d find out that the lab resets itself and deletes all of my progress, forcing me to restart over and over again (regardless of whether I had a strong or weak, wired or wireless connection to my home Internet; the servers are utter trash).
      • For the price point per dollar and to save your time and sanity, do NOT use their material. If you are hurt or strapped for cash, use Professor Messer’s videos and his Class Notes and Practice Exams.
      • Again, do NOT use Cengage/Mindtap when looking for study material to prepare for ANY/ALL professional certification exams.
  5. Obtaining Exam Vouchers
    • For Students: on the CompTIA website, you can choose a discounted student voucher that is cheaper than than the vendors mentioned above.
    • For non-Students: the above vendor prices are different, but not that much. Dion Training and Professor Messer I recommend because they are the most credible.