Have you been waiting to make a breakthrough in the world of IT security? Well, this article is going to tell you all about the CompTIA Security+ credential and serve as a guide not only for a beginner but also for everyone who would like to get the certification.
What is IT certification?
An IT certification is a designation that indicatesthe professional’s ability in a particular aspect of technology. The credentials often follow some assessment or education.
What is CompTIA Security+?
It is a global certification that confirms the skill set required to perform the fundamental security functions and helps a person start a career in cybersecurity.This certificate is applicable only for three years.
Why is it different?
- CompTIA Security+ is aimedat providing hands-on skills and prepares you for the IT industry.
- It stresses upon the most efficient techniques to counter risk mitigation, risk management, intrusion detection, and threat management.
- In addition to the job roles for Systems Administrators, Network Administrators, and Security Administrators, the latest Security+ certificate now also provides a Junior IT Auditor/Penetration Tester as a job title.
CompTIA Security+ exam – SY0-501
The individuals looking for their first security certification must consider CompTIA Security+. It not only forms a well-built basis for any role in cybersecurity but also creates several job opportunities in the field. Moreover, Security Plus promotes hands-on troubleshooting to ensure that the security professionals enter the industry with polished problem-solving skills. Hence, these specialists have the capability of identifying and resolving the security-related issues with the experience gained for Security+.
The SY0-501 certification exam measures the candidate’s skills and knowledge required to set up and configure systems to secure networks, applications, and devices; take part in risk mitigation activities; perform threat analysis; and operate with an awareness of regulations, policies, and laws.
- Number of questions: A maximum of 90 questions
- Question type: Multiple choice and performance-based
- Duration: 90 minutes
- Passing score: 750 (on a scale: from 100 to 900)
- Languages: English, Portuguese, Japanese, Simplified Chinese
- Experience: CompTIA Network+ and around 2 years of experience in IT administration with a focus on security (it is advisable)
Since you have already chosen the CompTIA Security+ certificate, so you have taken the first step. Let’s move on to the next ones:
- Get familiar with the certification test.Start by understanding the bigger picture of the exam. Study its objectives and practice exam questions to familiarize yourself about what is expected from you. Although practice tests will serve to give a notion about the type of questions given in the SY0-501 test, which will enhance your confidence and chances of success. Additionally, online communities on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Reddit can offer a great deal of help.
- Start preparing for your certification exam. Choose study guides, books, online courses, interactive labs, braindumps, and videos to make a way through this phase.
Top-rated online resources for CompTIA SY0-501 exam
From the list given below, choose a platform that you find useful for your way of learning!
- Examsnap:This is a website that offers video tutorials, exam dumps, audio tests, and other assistive resources, which will elevate your confidence about the exam preparation. The most important thing, Examsnap is perfect not onlyfor newbies but also for IT professionals. Therefore, this site is intended for those who want to succeed in a job role and go further.
- Exam-Labs: This website offers a 3-phase course whose purpose is to teach the basic IT security concepts and best practices. This is followed by the identification of security threats and methods to defend against them and, eventually, the effective preparation of the students for the SY0-501 exam in an efficacious manner.
- Pluralsight: The courses being offered on this website will increase your knowledge of attacks and vulnerabilities; security tools and technologies; security design and architecture; access management; cryptography, etc. The curriculum offered is CompTIA Approved Quality Content (CAQC) and counts towards continuing educational units (CEU).
- Simplilearn: This website offers a 32-hour course that covers 6 domains required to become an IT security professional along with hands-on training.
What will you learn to achieve CompTIA Security+ certification?
- Determining the type of malware along with the analysis of compromised indictors
- Comparing the types of attacks and explaining threat actor types and attributes
- Explaining penetration testing and vulnerability scanning concepts
- Installing and configuring network components, both hardware- and software-based ones, to support organizational security
- Troubleshooting common security issues
- Analyzing output from security technologies
- Deploying mobile devices securely
- Implementing secure protocols
- Explaining use cases and purpose for frameworks, best practices, and secure configuration guides
- Implementingsecure network architecture concepts and secure systems design
- Explaining the importance of secure staging deployment concepts
- Explaining security implications of embedded systems
- Summarizing secure application development and deployment concepts
- Explaining how resiliency and automation strategies reduce risk
- Explainingthe importance of physical security controls
- Comparing identity and access management concepts
- Installing and configuring identity and access services
- Summarizing business impact analysis concepts
- Explaining risk management processes and concepts
- Following incident response procedures
- Summarizing basic concepts of forensics
- Analyzing disaster recovery and operation concepts
- Comparing various types of controls
- Carrying out data security and privacy practices
- Comparing basic concepts of cryptography and how to explain cryptography algorithms and their basic characteristics
Job titles
- Security Administrator
- Network Administrator
- Systems Administrator
- Security Engineer
- Security Consultant
- Security Specialist
- Junior Penetration Tester/IT Auditor
Conclusion
Thus, you have accumulated everything you need to get started! The SY0-501 exam can be overwhelming, and you can feel demotivated, and this is not unusual. However, you should continue even if it seems difficult. Remember that reliable study materialsare your key to give the utmost performance, and there is nothing that cannot be achieved through hard work. Happy learning!
