The U.S. Department of Labor forecasts that computer security and related computer-support specialties will be among the fastest-growing occupations through 2026. CompTIA's Security+ certificate is widely regarded as the entry-level certificate for this fast-growing field. Getting that certificate requires passing CompTIA's challenging SY0-501 exam.
This course covers the key terminology and concepts you need to know to ace the exam, all in a condensed format for rapid reading. The course provides helpful study tools including games and practice questions to aid with learning. All of the content is geared toward helping you pass the SY0-501 exam, so you can leave the test center with your Security+ certificate in hand, whether you are taking the exam for the first time, or using it as a refresher to renew your certification.
Instructor: Ron Gilster
Ron Gilster is a best-selling author with more than 40 titles in print. He writes on topics including information technology (IT) certifications, real estate, and business. Ron has held a variety of IT-related positions, ranging from computer operator to senior manager. He has worked in consulting, manufacturing, software development, telecommunications, and higher education. He has an MBA and holds A+, Network+, i-Net+, CCNA, and AAGG certifications. He has developed and facilitated numerous courses and has taught in A+, Network+, and CCNA boot camps. His books include CompTIA Cloud+ CV0-001 In Depth,CCNA For Dummies, A+ Certification for Dummies, Server+ For Dummies, Network+ For Dummies, i-Net+ For Dummies, Cisco Networking For Dummies, MCSA For Dummies, CCDA For Dummies, Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007: A Beginner's Guide, CEA-CompTIA DHTI+ Digital Home Technology Integrator All-In-One Exam Guide, and PC Hardware: A Beginner's Guide.
Syllabus
You'll start off with a brief review of the Security+ exam and its objectives. Then you'll jump right into learning about access control. Authentication—verifying that a user requesting entry to a system or network is who they claim to be—is the first step in access control, which protects valuable and sensitive resources from unauthorized users and evildoers. In this lesson, you'll explore authentication, as well as its methods, protocols, and devices.
You previously learned about the authentication step in access control. In this lesson, you're going to continue your exploration of access control with a closer look at authorization and types of access control. Both of these are extremely important parts of the security policies protecting network resources. You'll take a detailed look at the elements that make up these two processes.
This lesson will cover the policy and administration of accounts in a secure environment. It will first go over the different types of accounts you might work with, including individual accounts and group accounts. Then you'll learn about password policies, which govern how to make passwords as strong as possible, when passwords should expire, and how to deal with lost or forgotten passwords. Lastly, the lesson will discuss permissions, privileges, and the administrative actions required to minimize vulnerability.
Network administrators are constantly managing risk. But what does that really mean? In this lesson, you'll investigate the elements of the risk management process, including vulnerabilities, threats, risks, and likelihood and the methods used to identify, determine, or calculate each. The ultimate goal of risk management is to reduce risk to a level that's acceptable to the system and organization. In this lesson, you'll discover the methods that are used to figure out what level of risk is acceptable.
If you work in network security, being cryptic is just part of the job! Cryptography, or encryption, is used to prevent unauthorized people from being able to understand or use intercepted data. In this lesson, you'll explore the concepts behind encryption and the primary types of encryption in use. You'll learn about the most common encryption algorithms and ciphers and about the secure transport of encrypted data.
With the Internet being so integrated these days, everyone depends on a security and validation system that's easy to take for granted: the public key infrastructure (PKI). The PKI protects you, often unknowingly, from people and companies that may be untrustworthy. In this lesson, you'll learn about the PKI and the security elements that work to protect you, including how and why they work.
How can you protect the crucial data that allows your organization to function day in and day out? That's the question that will be addressed in this lesson. You'll start with a look at data loss prevention systems, which manage, identify, and protect data in its various states. You'll get acquainted with data encryption applications and hardware-based encryption devices. And you'll cover some considerations for off-site and remote data storage—what should you keep in mind about data when deciding where to store it and back it up? Maintaining your data's integrity and security is incredibly important, so you won't want to miss this lesson.
As businesses go global and standard business hours no longer apply, mobile devices are becoming more common in organizational networks. In this lesson, you'll look at the threats that mobile devices introduce and the security methods for removing these threats. You'll investigate some internal measures for dealing with mobile devices, including what you can to protect data if a device is lost or stolen. You'll also explore what you should include in external security policies for mobile devices, and you'll see how technologies like mobile biometrics, voice encryption, and GPS tracking can help on the mobile security front. Mobile devices are only getting more essential to people's business and personal lives, so securing them is an increasingly important priority.
If you're working in IT these days, chances are you're working with virtualization in some form. But what exactly is virtualization? This lesson will build on what you learned about it in the first course. You'll find out how server virtualization works and explore virtualization software and hardware. You'll also learn how virtualization can benefit an organization as well as the particular security concerns that come along with it. You'll finish up with a look at the various types of cloud computing available today.
In this lesson, you'll focus on the security of application software. There are a few ways to make applications more secure, including application hardening and careful patch management. You'll see how these work and take a look at some common application attacks. You'll also see how to make sure the in-house software development process is as secure as you can make it. The lesson will even discuss the ways in which a host computer is secured both internally and externally.
Do you know the differences between penetration testing and vulnerability scanning? When is it best to use each? In this lesson, you'll find out the answers to those questions. You'll take a look at the six phases of the penetration testing process and find out how vulnerability management works. Then you'll look at methods of software vulnerability testing, including black box, white box, and gray box testing. The lesson will conclude with a discussion of disaster recovery plans and data backup methods.
The CompTIA Security+ exam covers a wide-range of security concepts, topics, terminology, and practices, as well as a bit of hardware and software. In this lesson, which is the last of the two prep courses for the Security+ exam, you'll review the key terms and concepts that will be on the exam. The lesson will revisit what you really must know, and you'll get some final tips for taking a CompTIA exam.
Hardware Requirements: - This course can be taken on either a PC or Mac device.
- It's also recommended that you have a PC that you can take apart and put back together again. Because of the dangers of electro-static discharge (to the machine, not to you), you are not required to tear apart your own primary computer. This is, however, a class that trains you to be a hardware technician - having a machine to play with greatly helps your learning.
Software Requirements:
- PC: Windows XP or later.
- Mac: OS X Snow Leopard 10.6 or later.
- Browser: The latest version of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox are preferred. Microsoft Edge and Safari are also compatible.
- Adobe Flash Player. Click here to download the Flash Player.
- Adobe Acrobat Reader. Click here to download the Acrobat Reader.
- Software must be installed and fully operational before the course begins.
Other:
- Email capabilities and access to a personal email account.
Prerequisites:
- You should complete the CompTIA® Security+ Certification Prep 1 course prior to enrolling in this course. In addition, CompTIA recommends that you have A+ and Network+ certifications and two years of on-the-job networking experience, prior to taking this exam. These certifications and the work experience aren't absolutely required, but you should have substantial knowledge of TCP/IP networking and computer and networking hardware to get the most out of this course and understand the concepts and terminology required for the exam.
Instructional Material Requirements:
The instructional materials required for this course are included in enrollment and will be available online.
1. Can I register for programs if I am an international student?
Yes, because our programs are online you never have to actually travel to the school. Most schools offer telephone or online registration.
2. How long does it take to complete a program?
All of our programs are self-paced and open enrollment, so you can start them when you want and finish them at your own pace. When you register, you'll receive six (6) months to complete the program.
3. What if I don't have enough time to complete my program within the time frame provided?
The time allotted to complete your program has been calculated based on the number of hours for each program, so don't worry too much about not completing in time. If, after a concerted effort, you are still unable to complete, your Student Advisor will help you work out a suitable completion date. Please note that a fee may be charged for an extension.
4. Do I have to buy additional materials?
No, you will receive a book with your registration.
5. Can I get financial assistance?
Our courses are non-credit courses, so they do not qualify for federal aid. In some states, vocational rehab or workforce development boards will pay for qualified students to take our courses. Additionally, some students may qualify for financial assistance when they enroll, if they meet certain requirements.
6. What happens when I complete the program?
Upon successful completion of the program, you will be awarded a certificate of completion.
7. Am I guaranteed a job?
Our programs will provide you with the skills you need to obtain an entry-level position in most cases. We don't provide direct job placement services, but our facilitators and career counselors will help you build your resume and are available to give advice on finding your first job. Facilitators will also be available to use as a professional reference upon completion of the program. Potential students should always do research on the job market in their area before registering.
8. Who will be my instructor?
Each student is paired with a facilitator for one-on-one interaction. The facilitator will be available (via e-mail) to answer any questions you may have and to provide feedback on your performance. All of our facilitators are successful working professionals in the fields in which they teach.
9. What software or hardware do I need in order to take online programs and what are the system requirements?
In order to take our online programs, you must have access to a computer and the Internet. You can access the program contents from any Web-enabled computer. You don't have to use the same computer to log-in to the program every time. We recommend that you have a word-processing program (Microsoft Word is the best) and the latest version of Internet Explorer.
10. Can I use a Mac?
Yes
Gain the skills you need to work in the fast-growing computer security field. This preparation course covers key terminology and concepts you need to know and includes study tools, practice questions, and games to help you successfully pass the challenging CompTIA Security+ certification exam (SYO-501).
Instructor: Ron Gilster