Security+ Prep Guide [With CDROM]

by Russell Dean Vines and Ronald L. Krutz

* A complete study guide for the new Security+ certification exam, providing objective coverage, definitions, and sample test questions * Security+ certification has been endorsed by Microsoft, IBM,... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0764525999
• ISBN13: 9780764525995
• Release Date: February 2003
• Publisher: Wiley
• Length: 480 Pages
• Weight: 1.80 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 7.4" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

Probably The Only Book You'll Need

Let's get one thing straight. They're not giving the Security+ certification away. The exam requires the candidate to achieve a score of about 85% to pass. That being said, this little volume is packed with the information you need take the exam with confidence. The book begins by identifying the 3 tenets of INFOSEC (Confidentiality, Integrity and Availability) and then treats the subject matter in a manner that maps right back to these tenets and the 5 domains on which the exam is based. I am yet to see any book or video that treats Access Control models any better than this book and the chapter on Cryptography is nothing short of a masterclass in basics of the subject. This book is by no means an easy read, but anyone who wants a Security+ certification must already know that it will require a lot of hard work. If you're on a budget, get this book and the Security+ Transcender study pack. Use the study guide that comes with the Transcender as a finisher for each chapter in the book. Then go to your local bookie and place a bet on yourself passing the exam. 85% is easy. I know 'cause I've done it.

On the mark for those that want just the facts.

I recently passed the Security+ exam and the Wiley Security+ Prep Guide was one of my main books. Don't let the size of it fool you as it covers the topics including needed details. Though not an Exam Cram type book it is for those users that like to cut out all the fluff and already understand most of the material on the Security+ exam. Though I could have probably passed with this book alone, if you are not comfortable about the topics and are not failry familiar with tcp/ip, VPN's, routers, firewalls, access controls, PKI, malware, etc you may not want to use this as your first book. The end of chapter questions and explainations were great and the questions were not unlike the ones on the test. When reading the book pay attention to anything in italics as that is an important concept or term. The authors do get into some of the topics pretty heavy duty [for a basic security book]such as cryptology details, kerberos formulas on page 11, and WEP encryption process on pages 90 and 91. You may find the more esoteric stuff interesting such as that but I did not find any related questions on the exam. Just to repeat - you need to know about kerberos, WEP, and cryptology, just not that level of detail. Be prepared to find questions on the exam that you swear are not in this or any book. Some of the topics like chapter 5 for operation/organizational security will spawn questions that require you to know the jist of the topics being covered and require you to rely on common sense and experience to make the correct choice. In my opinion the Wiley Security+ Prep Guide is a must read for the Security+ exam but depending on your level of experience you may not want it to be your first book.

An excellent book, which covers a lot of finer details

I used this book in conjuntion with the Syngress book and exam cram 2 practice questions. This book definitely covers a lot of material in a short amount of time. You could read this in 2 or 3 days if you sat down and took your time with it. It actually filled in alot of gaps that the Syngress book had (small details that actually show up on the exam) Using those 3 books, I scored an 874 on the exam on March 4th.

Ronald L Krutz

You are a God among writers especially pertaining to Security +. I hate to give you so much credit, just based on the fact that I'm selfish. I don't want everybody to be certified in Security + like me. Thanks to you I passed the test. I can see the difference in a PH.D writing a book, than some certified reverse engineer writer trying to get money. You really stuck your foot in this book. Ronald , comptia said I needed two years experience, try just one month of reading this book.

Best of the Sec+ books

After reviewing most of the Security+ material on the market, this book helped me the most in passing the CompTia certification. It appears to be the only Sec+ book authored by a Security+ certified professional, and the questions in the book and extra questions on the CD were dead on.