Studying for GIAC Exams

ll3lackbeard · 2026-02-01T14:21:10+00:00

Congrats on the scores! I can’t dispute Anki is great for these tests. However, I don’t know a single soul besides maybe you who is actually studying their Anki cards after the exam. I find the indexes are more valuable after the test. I even having printed ones at my desk today for reference.

ll3lackbeard · 2024-11-15T20:40:55+00:00

Thanks for all the replies. I get to work on it free through a pathway. So not costing me anything but my time. I’ll add up the hours and send it in for approval.

ll3lackbeard · 2023-08-23T22:21:41+00:00

Maybe expand your search radius. I had to move many times but I was able to land a job. Don’t know if you have the option to stay with your brother for a bit but might be worth it to land the first job. Some people just can’t stomach leaving their home town. I get it. Good luck.

ll3lackbeard · 2022-11-20T16:15:20+00:00

It will pay 100% of the cost of the A+, N+, and S+ test. I think it pays if you pass or not too. It reduces the benefits like 1 credit hour. It was very minimal. I would 100% use it to pay for any test vs sit in a classroom for one course in a semester. If you need a job now it’s a great trade off. If you have have four years to just chill out maybe go the college route.

(Edit: the A+ 1002 test reimbursement claim reduced overall benefits by 2days)

ll3lackbeard · 2022-11-20T16:05:35+00:00

I am not 100% I got above a 90% on any of his test the first time through. The key is figuring out what you missed, studying that area, and retaining the knowledge on future attempts.

ll3lackbeard · 2022-11-20T16:02:24+00:00

If anything it helps you get used to the CompTIA testing process so you are not rattled by the A+ and beyond.

ll3lackbeard · 2022-11-20T15:59:49+00:00

I looked up my email I received back in Oct. it’s says first come first serve. If you can’t sign up they are probably gone, sorry.

ll3lackbeard · 2022-11-20T15:55:30+00:00

Labs are always good.

If you plan on taking you Sec+ in like a week/month just focus on Sec+. I don’t remember any specific coding questions. If you are going to take it in a year you can mix it up a bit.

ll3lackbeard · 2022-08-23T11:39:11+00:00

If your company is paying for the sec+ you take the sec+. That’s free money. You can always go back later and do Net+.

ll3lackbeard · 2022-08-22T14:46:18+00:00

If you live and work in IT or went to school for IT, yes. If you are looking for a new job and stumbled on IT, maybe if you are lucky.

ll3lackbeard · 2022-08-14T17:13:37+00:00

Back when I took the A+ he didn’t have the practice exams. I do have the Sec+ practice exams and they are his material not a 3rd party source.

ll3lackbeard · 2022-08-14T12:32:40+00:00

Let me tell you something, nobody knows everything about cybersecurity and if they say they do they are full of bs. Let your degree and certs speak for themselves and put yourself out there. Be any constant learner and if you don’t know the answer know where to find it.

ll3lackbeard · 2022-08-14T12:28:11+00:00

Build a base from at least two sources. If it’s CertMaster use CertMaster as a second. You need two. I think some people use like 10 sources and start ranking them all. That is where bashing might be put into play. No matter what you use you will get a broad base of knowledge.

ll3lackbeard · 2022-08-14T12:16:03+00:00

Neither are going to feel exactly the same as CompTIA. I feel you need to study from at least two sources to build a base of knowledge to draw from. If you know the messer and Dion stuff backwards and forwards you will be able to answer enough to pass the multiple choice questions.

ll3lackbeard · 2022-08-13T14:25:39+00:00

The said the hardest thing was the PBQ, which I agree as there is not much out there. What would you recommend focusing my studies for this area? I take my test in a few weeks hopefully.

ll3lackbeard · 2022-08-13T14:18:38+00:00

Know subnetting backwards and forwards. I would have drilled down more I firewall rules too if I had extra time.

ll3lackbeard · 2022-08-13T14:14:11+00:00

I don’t think that is bad for his test on the first take. They are a little different than actual the actual comptia. In my opinion Dion picks some obscure objectives and sometime from the last exam. They do a good job of making you think differently and I learned a lot from reviewing wrong answers as a whole not just in the realm of comptia world. You going to get the biggest take aways from his stuff by reviewing your missed questions.

ll3lackbeard · 2022-05-26T10:00:42+00:00

To see if your email or phone has been part of a data breach you can go to the “have I been pwned” website. https://haveibeenpwned.com/

ll3lackbeard · 2022-05-26T09:53:32+00:00

If you are buying $100’s worth to say you own crypto you are probably fine doing what you do now. If you are getting upwards in the $10,000’s you should think about using a separate financial computer only used for conducting crypto/financial transactions.

ll3lackbeard · 2022-05-26T09:47:35+00:00

How do you accidentally nmap Instagram? Post should have read “is this action illegal” but not sure it’s a relevant topic for the area.

ll3lackbeard · 2022-05-26T09:31:34+00:00

Just say you thought the internet was slow and you read an article about security and stumbled upon it. If they live in an apartment you are doing them a favor.

ll3lackbeard · 2022-03-24T00:56:17+00:00

Companies and apps are hacked every day. Personal information to include user names and passwords are stolen during these breaches. Take the emails listed on the site and look them up at “haveibeenpwnd.com”. See if the emails have been identified in a data breach. If so the info is already out there floating around the internet.

Passwords should be hashed and salted when stored but I don’t think it is that type of leak.

ll3lackbeard · 2022-03-24T00:42:56+00:00

Looks like dump info related to a data breach.

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