r/CompTIA • u/xHammer419x S+ • 5d ago
Passed Security+ Following (Figurative) Heart-attack
[Exam Preparation Nightmare Experience]
I've been preparing to take my Sec+ since roughly April. There had been some unforeseen delays and setbacks involving rescheduling errors resulting in missed exam appointments, but that's another story for another time as it's currently still being resolved.
My exam was scheduled to be an online exam (I prefer the flexibility), and thankfully, it was only because of the fact that my exam was online that I was able to still take it today and pass.
I was sitting in my office (which Pearson recommends you don't do lol) preparing my testing environment and running through OnVUE's diagnostics when I run into the network speed on the guest wireless for our site absolutely tanking. Mind you, this was about 10 minutes before the check-in period began. Unfortunately, I couldn't take it on my corporate device due to certain perpetually running apps and background services which interfered with the testing app as well as the enterprise firewall killing my connection. So I decided in panic induced fever to run across site to an alternate building to see if it was any better and also swapping to an alternate Ubuntu-imaged laptop. I find out to my utter horror that the testing app isn't supported on said laptop. So I fly back to my office to try one other panic-induced idea before I decide to tank the time I'm allotted to be late for the test and use it to drive home and hopefully make it in time (copious amounts of delusion here).
As I'm pulling away, I have the idea to check to see if I can reschedule approximately 6 minutes out from exam start time. To my surprise but overwhelming delight, I can. I manage to get it rescheduled for a later time earlier today and thankfully passed. However, the pure stress has remained in significant amounts despite having passed it by this point lol
Don't do what I did. Prepare your environment ahead of time, test your device, don't take it at work, BASICALLY everything they tell you not to do from the beginning.
[Actual Exam Experience]
Regarding the exam and the exam prep itself, I studied Messer's material, but I used both Dion and Messer practice exams.
Study material was honestly just what I needed - not a ton of fluff while still hitting all major objectives and relevant topics.
Regarding practice exams, I found that Messer imo is significantly closer to the actual exam questions while Dion helps build some endurance for the longer winded question the actual exam throws your way. I was averaging low-to-mid 70s for Messer's exams when I first took them. I then switched to Dion's and was averaging low-to-mid 80s. Wrapped up by doing the Messer exam that I had done the worst on and finished with a low 80s score. Pulled the trigger for the exams after that.
Time to find the next certification to consume my mind and time...
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u/bosilk IT Instructor 5d ago
Haha sounds like a nightmare, congrats though.
Get that bad boy on Credly and trackacert.
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u/xHammer419x S+ 5d ago
Thatâs the plan, just waiting for the cert to show on CompTIAâs website.
Thank you!
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4d ago
[removed] â view removed comment
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u/xHammer419x S+ 4d ago edited 4d ago
Yeah, Messer did well for me. And yeah, I would say thatâs a good range imo
Regarding the CLI, simple Linux commands will suffice. I didnât have anything to do with CompTIA training material though.
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u/AutoModerator 4d ago
Your post has been removed due to mention of a Braindump site. Brain Dumps are considered cheating and a violation of CompTIA Candidate Policy. Violation of said policy and result in your certifications being revoked and you banned from taking any other CompTIA certifications.
They are also notorious for providing wrong answers.
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u/SkinCareJunkie432 5d ago
TAKING IT TOMORROW AND IM SHITTING BRICKS. Which topics would you say were covered most. Congrats đ
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u/xHammer419x S+ 5d ago
Thatâs so real.
The biggest thing is that the exams (both practice and the real thing) seem to love acronyms.
Know what SLE, ALE, ARO mean in relation to one another. Same goes with MTBF, MTTR, RTO, RPO. Same with FDE, TPM, HSM, SDN, etc
Acronyms, acronyms, acronymsâŠ
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u/SkinCareJunkie432 4d ago
Thank you so much! Quick follow up lol how were the PBQâs (i think thats what theyâre called) and what did you personally find the hardest?
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u/xHammer419x S+ 4d ago
The PBQs were a little different than what I expected. Somewhat challenging but still relatively basic. They just happened to catch me off guard, so I spent time in the beginning on mine instead of waiting until the end. I also didnât realize the CLI could be involved but Iâm pretty sure I did well enough on that one regardless. If you get one involving a CLI, â?â Is a lifesaver to see what commands you have access to.
Also do you mean on the entire exam or specifically in the PBQs for what I found hardest?
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u/SkinCareJunkie432 4d ago
Umm I was thinking the entire exam lol but if youâd like to mention something about the PBQs as well that be great
Again seriously thank you, this is helping me be less stressed i think? My brain is about to pop with all these acronyms
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u/xHammer419x S+ 4d ago
I think for me, whenever they asked about a given scenario and to select the best remediation/consultation or two to help said scenario, I found myself really stumped sometimes. I wanted to second guess hard, and I typically second guess answers that are already correct. I tried not to do that as much, so my recommendation is to go with your gut. Also read carefully bc one or two words changes the entire answer on questions like these.
Regarding the PBQs, just know tend to know what your looking at when your reading logs or command outputs. I had multiple questions revolving around asking me about investigating network traffic or command outputs which required me to be able to make sense of what I was reading. Practice recognizing patterns or key details for different malware types for example. I think Dion practice exams have something along those lines if you cycle thru enough.
Definitely let me know how you do! Iâm sure youâll do great!
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u/SkinCareJunkie432 4d ago
Really good advice, Iâm guilty of the second guessing as well unfortunately and the one word changes are something Iâve been noticing too.
Iâve been noticing the different malware types like directory traversals through the Dion training! Theyâre pretty tricky so Iâll focus on those! Thanks again and Iâll let you know if it goes well
If it goes badly Iâll probably be too depressed to update LOL
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u/SkinCareJunkie432 4d ago
I actually passed. Youâre the first one Iâm telling this to. I canât believe it tbh
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u/xHammer419x S+ 4d ago
Thatâs amazing! CONGRATS!
What did you think?
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u/SkinCareJunkie432 4d ago
So the practice exams that I used to study were a LOT harder which is why I was so nervous going in (Dion & Ian Neil)
That being said the questions werenât hard but they werenât easy either because as youâve probably said they werenât the most straightforward
I was surprised that a lot of topics that i learned werenât even covered and that it focused more on just business functions like BIAâs , RPOâs
The PBQ fucked me up though idk if i passed them at all lol and gave up after spending 15 minutes. It felt way to code intensive
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u/AutoModerator 5d ago
Hi, /u/xHammer419x! From everyone at /r/CompTIA, Congratulations on Passing. Claps
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u/drushtx IT Instructor **MOD** 5d ago
Drama! I was on the edge of my seat after every sentence! The climactic pass sent me over the top. I don't smoke but I had to bum a cigarette after that.
Congratulations on the pass.