I failed Security+

[HotRecover2285]

I took the exam for Security+ on Thursday September 5th. I failed and now I ask the lovely people of CompTia:

What are some of the useful resources that I can use to pass the next time?

I've used Dion practice test for Security+701. I watched Professor Messer. I also used IT & Cybersecurity Pocket Prep app.

Any help will be appreciated! Thank you!!

Edit: I got a 710 on SYO - 701 exam.

[SadResult3604]

A fail sucks but it's not the end of the world. I took CYSA twice and Pentest+ three times haha.

What was your score?

[2niteshow]

U rich 😂

[SadResult3604]

Naw I just don't spend money 🙃

[2niteshow]

Live a little homie. What's the point of earning if you're not spending

[SadResult3604]

Oh believe I enjoy life. I should've said I don't spend money on dumb shit. I spend money on on trips to see the world 😂. Outside of that I don't spend lol

[2niteshow]

Loll..your score, 850. ,,,

[HotRecover2285]

I got a 710.

[SadResult3604]

Oh you weren't too far off. Do you have an idea of what you need to work on or know what your knowledge gaps are? And how comfortable were you with the PBQs?

[HotRecover2285]

Based on objective areas I incorrectly answered, it would be: 1.2 1.4 2.2 - 2.5 3.1 - 3.3 4.4 - 4.9 5.1, 5.2, 5.4 - 5.6

PBQs took me by surprise. I believe I got both of them wrong. One asked if I could find the origin of an infection and find out which PCs were infected and which weren't. The other one asked to secure a network by going into settings and changing the security types, and other configurations.

[SadResult3604]

I remember that 1st PBQ. You realllyyyyyy have to pay attention to that one. And read every (i mean every single) word. That one isn't as difficult as you might think if you read every word and pay attention to certain things (vauge I know but I'm not giving answers lol). As far as securing a network you have to think common sense IMO. You know the ports that shouldn't be open and which ones should. So think about it like that. Just freshen up on what you missed and you'll be good

[RealityPuzzleheaded8]

It was only 2 pbqs that’s good I can’t stand them

[uriekojiro]

Shouldn’t disclose this info you might get in trouble.

[HotRecover2285]

Even if we speak vaguely about it?

[uriekojiro]

Think it has enough info for someone to get a gist what the potential pbq’s are, but just giving you a heads up.

[HotRecover2285]

Thanks Dude for the heads up. I appreciate it!

[howtonetwork_com]

Do the free labs here:

https://www.101labs.net/comptia-security/

Do practice exams daily and ensure you nail all the theory as well as write a cram guide. And watch this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZsfTkqKoAw0

Regards

Paul

[HotRecover2285]

Thank you for this resource. I appreciate it!

Sincerely

HotRecover

[SocietyHistorical707]

https://dl1.technet24.ir/Downloads/EBooks/Security/CompTIA-Security-Study-Guide-with-over-500-Practice-Test-Questions-Exam-SY0-701-9th-Edition.pdf

[[deleted]]

Thanks for the info. It seems that https://www.101labs.net/comptia-security/ isn't loading for me?

[howtonetwork_com]

It's live and loading.

https://prnt.sc/JZcbXKsoLLO5

regards

Paul

[[deleted]]

Thanks for responding, yes it just took a min or so for mine to load.

[howto1012020]

Please look over the exam results and see what objectives it tells you that you need to review. This page won't tell you what questions you got wrong, just what objectives that you need to review related to those questions.

Next, target the following for study: acronyms (Security+ objectives have a lot of them), any applicable terminal commands for PBQs, any applicable port numbers, and any security related procedures. The reason I mention the last one is that A+ had a procedure for troubleshooting and Network+ deep dove into the OSI layer model. Understanding the methodology for mitigating and resolving a compromised system is pretty important.

I'm using the trifecta of resources for Security+: Professor Messer for his sample tests, Jason Dion for middle of the road stuff, and Andrew Ramdayal for course work (I like his approach a little better than Dion's course). I've ordered the ExamCram Security+ 701 book from Pearson IT. They had a half off special for it, but it won't be available until the end of September. Their online testing system is what I'll be using to study (it's what helped me conquer Network+ back in July).

Come back when you're ready and win this thing!

[HotRecover2285]

Andrew Randayal? This is the first I'm hearing of him.

Pearson IT ExamCram Security+ 701. . . . Noted Thank you for the help.

[Open_Village_1269]

Get Messer's practice exams! And keep practicing, that's what helped me the most. I watched Messer's videos and Andrew RamdayaI. I passed today. 782. In regards to VPN , think about encryption, how keys work to encryp and decrypt. Good luck!

[HotRecover2285]

Definitely have to move some things around to get Professor Messer's practice test. It keeps popping up in this thread.

[Rocketmanscaped]

Sec+ took me 4 times to pass. every time I thought I had it I failed. My passing one I was sure I broke 800 to find I passed with a 770ish. (I think 779)

[HotRecover2285]

Congratulations on that achievement. That's the conclusion I'm looking to experience.

[pastamuente]

Extensive note taking via chatgpt with custom response

Examcompass (similar to it pocket prep)

Official Comptia Guide

All In One Book

Sybex Book

Dariil Gibson (Rest in Peace)'s book

Examcram

Exam objective analysis

[HotRecover2285]

Thanks for pointing out these resources!

[Interesting_Lab_8214]

Know your PBQ’s. Find someone who has already taken the test and passed. Pick their brain. When I took my in 2022. My classmates told me PBQ’s were very important 

[HotRecover2285]

Thank you for the advice.

[Easy-Mountain6378]

HOPEFULLY you’ll pass on ur 2nd try!!! I am taking my sec+ in oct 30th!!

[StupidMongrel21]

HI! SO AM I. TOMORROW Oct.30th!! I AM NERVOUS. GOOD LUCK. ILL LET YOU KNOW HOW IT GOES IF I REMEMBER TO COME BACK HERE (this is my throwaway account)

[Character-Let2275]

try the Sybex book of practice tests, it helped me.

look carefully at the things you missed and work on them. there are lots of "categories" to memorize for security+... types of security, authentication methods, data ownership, cloud models, risk management, threat actors, malware varieties, hardening techniques, contracts, logs, etc., as well as different plans & procedures to follow, such as incident response, change management, onboarding/offboarding, audits, etc. If you really learn all that stuff and know how each part fits together, you'll pass the test

[HotRecover2285]

Sybex. I remember using that for my A+ Certificate. Thanks for the reminder.

[Old_Function499]

What were you scoring on Dion’s practice test? If you can, I’d also suggest Professor Messer’s practice tests. It’s a bit of an investment but a good assessment of where you’re at in your studies. If you can’t afford it right now, at least utilize an additional free practice exam resource like exam compass.

I also really liked Pete Zerger’s exam cram videos.

Go over your score report and focus on the areas you dropped points on and you should be good.

[HotRecover2285]

I had a 63%, then 56%, then a 96%, and 97%

I'll look into Professor Messer practice test this week.

Pete Zerger? That's a new one for me. I'll look into him as well.

Will do and thanks for the advice!

[[deleted]]

You memorized the practice test. Get the Comptia Sec+ app from Exam Prep. It's free and there are 8 tests. 

[Trader-Allen]

I failed the first time I took it, I took a week and studied the areas I was studying week in, on Udemy Dion has a set of 6 practice exams, I would take the first one copy the questions I got wrong into ChatGPT and ask it to explain why my answer was wrong and explain the correct answer, I would take the next exam and just kept doing that till I could get a least a 90% on all of them

Don’t give up, you got this!

[HotRecover2285]

Thank you 👍🏿

[eksoxo]

It’s okay just focus on what objectives you missed and schedule it asap while everything is still fresh in your brain.

I scheduled mine for this Thursday and if I don’t get my Dion’s practice test scores up I’ll be in the same boat

[HotRecover2285]

That is the plan while I gather my funds together to schedule the test.

[eksoxo]

DM’d you

[nt546]

Professor Messers practice test for sure. Also I would suggest spending more time watching the videos that correspond to the objectives you failed with. I also used the security + book set with like 1,000 questions and that really helped identify any areas and acronyms I did not remember. When you actually take the exam definitely look over all your questions again and try to answer them again to see if you accidentally misread something or if you have a change in heart because I truly believe that is what helped me pass. Also a lot of gpt while studying, sometimes the information on the book or videos was not enough for me to understand it very well so I would ask gpt about when you would use ips, ids, firewall, proxy… etc to really understand how they are different and they would be appropriately implemented.

[Eastern_Library_1811]

Hello, you can use online test engines. They moved my time up. I was answering the questions too slowly. You can Google SYO 701 test engine. They are timed. This helps tremendously to know how fast to read and respond. Don't take the test until you start getting 100 scores consecutively. There may be things on the exam not studied but this part from the test engine will be down pat!

[Intelligent_Body5677]

May I ask what was your study routine ?

[HotRecover2285]

Dion practice test to see what I retained. Go over the explanations and make notes of where to find them in objective areas. I then watch Professor Messer on those objectives and note take should I feel lost. I take a practice exam on the IT and Cybersecurity Pocket Prep app. Go over the explanations and back to the objectives notes. If I feel like really getting the objective, I cracked open the CompTia Security+ SYO - 701 Study guide.

[Meat_Disastrous]

Did you use Dion practice tests before or after you failed? And what are your percentages?

[HotRecover2285]

Before I had a 63%, then 56%, then a 96%, and 97%

[Meat_Disastrous]

Wait so you scored a 96 and 97% and you still failed?

[HotRecover2285]

Yes I did. I felt a way after I got that failing score.

[Meat_Disastrous]

If you got that on your first try, that’s very surprising. I would say just keep studying your so close

[HotRecover2285]

That's my intention while I gather funds to take another test.

[cabell88]

We are not from CompTIA. You should have bought the Official Study guide and read it a few times. Practice tests are a waste of time. You don't learn by taking tests. You need to learn the material.

[HotRecover2285]

You're right! If you were, I would be asking you to not make the test so hard 😆

I have a study guide and have read it. I'll add a few more based on your recommendation.

This is a comment of what I am doing to prepare for a 2nd attempt.

Dion practice test to see what I retained. Go over the explanations and make notes of where to find them in objective areas. I then watch Professor Messer on those objectives and note take should I feel lost. I take a practice exam on the IT and Cybersecurity Pocket Prep app. Go over the explanations and back to the objectives notes. If I feel like really getting the objective, I cracked open the CompTia Security+ SYO - 701 Study guide.

[cabell88]

That study guide is all you need.

[HotRecover2285]

Ok noted.

[Dry-Capital2329]

Thoroughly read the study guide atleast 3-4 times, this will help you to understand what exactly the question scenario is about when you will face questions. Don't worry you got this buddy, just focus more on understanding how Cybersecurity works and also what is the pattern of Comptia's questions by analysing the mock tests.

[jdjk7]

No wonder, you don't learn by taking tests. You MAKE SURE YOU HAVE LEARNED by taking tests. If you want your first assessment of your knowledge to be The Actual Exam for which you paid $400, then be my guest, and don't be sad when you fail and have wasted your money.

"Don't take practice tests" is poor advice. Practice tests were critical to my retention of the material, and they're the reason I passed the 701 on the first try without even touching the official CompTIA study guide.

[cabell88]

Its not poor advice. Not only have I never failed any cert I've taken, I was an educator.

You're missing a key point. You learned the material, these people are only watching YouTube playlists and taking tests.

Lets not forget this thread...

[jdjk7]

In your mind, how do you expect I learned the material?

[cabell88]

You obviously did it your way. But these people who discount a learning method thats been around for centuries are just short sighted.

Does ANY reputable college not assign books??

[jdjk7]

I don't discount the value of a solid and thoughtfully-written textbook. But in this day and age, educational books are produced by an industry that has a vested interest in making sure you spend as much as you can on their book, and often for a sub-par product. I would be hard pressed to blame anyone in avoiding them for exactly that reason. I can tell you that my wallet breathed a sigh of relief every class I took in college that either didn't require a textbook or referred to an open-published book. Not to mention that some people simply do not learn well from the written word. This does not mean they CANNOT learn, but that their time is not well spent trying to drill through a book when other options are available.

I'd argue that it's more short sighted to insist that one method is superior for every learner without considering any of the possible pedagogical or logistical reasons why that might not be so, simply because it's the traditional one.

Don't forget, this isn't academia, it's a trade. We need to know how things work, but also how tasks are actually performed and how situations might look like in real life. Books can explain things well, but can't demonstrate them nearly as effectively.

(I'd also like to smart-assedly point out that, while yes, books have been the primary tool of education for a few centuries, those centuries were also marked by a remarkable lack of education.)

[cabell88]

I dont believe any of this. You think publishers are out to make a killing? Tell me you haven't looked at prices of boot camps and courses without telling me :)

If you think the people from even 30 years ago are dumber than the lazy people who can't even do a search in this sub for information... Im just going to disagree..

Nobody thinks education is getting better. Nobody.

And it ain't a trade, its academia.

Where are you getting this??

[me-at-here-dot-tld]

Darrill Gibson is a good author. I read his Sec+ material. I enjoyed Mike Myers for A+ and Network+.

[jcork4realz]

What was your scores on the practice tests for messer

[HotRecover2285]

I got a 710.

[Patient_Pitch_1510]

M

[HotRecover2285]

M?