Customer Reviews

CompTIA Security+ SY0-201 Video Mentor

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The topics tackled by these videos cover several basic issues of computer security. The videos are suited for students who need the assistance of video instructions to garner the gist of the topics. As with the other videos in this compTIA series, you should have the detailed backup of an accompanying text.

The first lesson on symmetric and asymmetric algorithms lets you appreciate the big differences and the comparative advantages of each. Relatively more time is spent on the asymmetric methods, which takes us into public key cryptography. Yes, this might seem like magic the first time you meet it, but it rests on the simple asymmetry between the computational cost of multiplying two [prime] numbers to get a resultant product and the cost of starting with that product and trying to find the primes that produced it. But from the videos the take home message is that you don't need to remember, or even understand in the first place, any intricate maths to follow how PKI is implemented.

The steganography lesson demonstrates how steg is fundamentally different from cryptography. As you will find from the lesson, cryptography is about hiding data by encrypting it; however the resultant encrypted bits are assumed to be known to an attacker to be encrypted. Whereas steg tries to hide the very existence of a secret by obscuring it in low order bits of another message [like an image].

Of all the lessons, the one on steg is really only for your general interest. In day to day computer security tasks, steg is rarely used or met. It's just something to be aware of, as a pedagogic construct.

I purchased the SSCP Video Mentor to prepare for the cert exam but was not satisfied. I purchased this Video Mentor again to prepare for the exam hoping this one would be better than the other one, but I was still not satisfied. The presenter was talking very fast in the first 5 lessons, just like he was reading from scripts; it was kind of hard to follow. Sometimes what he presented was different from what was on slides.

In addition, I did not understand why there was a lesson for Steganography. Was it more important than any other domains, i.e., Access Control, Assessment & Audit, Organizational Security, etc? Furthermore, there were only 65 pages rather than 96 pages as advertised.

This DVD package is part of a complete library of books, online services, and videos designed to help security professionals enhance their skills and prepare for their certification exams. Every product in this series reflects Shon Harris's unsurpassed experience in teaching IT security professionals.

Detailed lessons: Each video begins with a lesson that covers Security+ concepts that will be demonstrated in the lab portions of the videos. Lab examples: Walk through labs with the presenter to learn important setups and configurations. Commands: Go beyond the graphical interface with important commands.

My recommendation is that you use this DVD as a quick introduction to the then study at least one traditional book on this exam. This could be a book by Shon Harris (who did this video presentation) or perhaps you'd rather get a book by a different author that would cover the same material but use different words, different presentations.

The video's where a little helpful but hard to fallow. And half of the time the guys voice was so nerve racking. You could not get past the audio to understands what he was saying. Good info if you can get past the nails on a blackboard voice.

I like Shon Harris a lot and I like her drive to give her best in providing good material for students, professionals, or any one who wants to learn security. This video on Security+ is great and one I will keep on my shelf just in case I have to do a refresh on security as I get older in the IT world. This is a great introduction video and I would recommend it to anyone. Thanks Shon for another great video and I'm not just saying that either.

This CompTIA Security+ SY0-201 Video Mentor is a fabulous, in depth and concise study assistant for the Security+ exam. It's fabulous because the level of expertise that Shon and her team are able to offer is outstanding. It's in-depth because the level of detail of the lessons, coupled with the associated labs is downright brilliant. And it's concise because it isolates and concentrates on the most difficult technical areas of the exam, e.g., Cryptographic algorithms, PKI, Certificates and TCP/IP networking tools and hacks.

There's not much mention of plenum, HVAC, CAT5 or that it's probably a good idea to lock-up the server/computer room, nor do they touch the Organizational Security Domain. And that's a good thing. Not that those things aren't important...it's just that those aren't the hardest concepts you are going to see on the test. The harder technical concepts are indeed, covered here, and very well. The labs are invaluable as you get a visual demonstration of the concepts, some in Windows and some in Linux.
I particularly like the Hacking Data Hiding with NTFS ADS lab and Passwords cracking with Cain demo. It's like having a private class available to you whenever you want.

The accompanying manual, slim though it might be is no light-weight. It is densely packed with truly helpful information, such as references to commands used in the labs, terminology and notes as to what exam domains and modules are being touched (primarily 2- Network Infrastructure and 5- Cryptography).
The ability to directly reference a relevant PDF version of the manual from within the course is a nice touch too.

Given the quality of instruction here, I am disappointed by the production values regarding audio as they are inexplicably low for an $85.00 MSRP DVD. Sounds sometimes like it was recorded over a satellite phone. There's a tinny whistling in a tunnel effect that's quite annoying... not to mention the breath "puffs" and hurried script reading. Don Keeber's rapid fire lesson delivery is evocative of being stuck in an hotel elevator with an insurance salesman from the planet Vulcan. Mike Lester, who presides over the labs (which are great hands-on demonstrations) is the complete opposite. His delivery is reminiscent of sitting in an amicable colleagues cube and getting instruction...complete with the "ugh, ugh, the, umms" and the fat fingered "oops" that go with it. As to Shon Harris, (who is a wonderful teacher and writer) she gives a 2 minute introduction and unfortunately, that's about it other than a few interjections here and there. I suppose you have to buy the CISSP course to actually get the mistress of Information Security herself. :-)

Please don't shy away, these gentlemen offer great expertise and they will teach you quite a bit. It's just they are hard to listen to sometimes. But fret not...there is a convenient pause button. I use it profusely to go over and repeat dialog that runs a bit fast paced and/or is mumbled. So, it's by no means a show stopper.

CompTIA Security+ SY0-201 Video Mentor is a very valuable adjunct to the later stages of your study schedule. I use it a lot and have dramatically clarified my understanding of the concepts covered.

The Video Mentor series of DVDs is intended to select high priority topics within their respective certifications to help deliver a more in-depth look at them. The Shon Harris Security + Video Mentor certainly delivers on this promise! This series is split into six areas, each with various labs to help illustrate the concepts. The areas covered are: Asymmetric Encryption, Steganography, Sniffers and Protocol Analyzers, PKI and Certificates, the TCP/IP protocol, and Passwords.

One of my favorite areas on this DVD is the Steganography section. I appreciated the in-depth coverage it provided in the 40-minute lecture, in addition to providing a lab. This went into much better depth than I have seen with other resources, including the detailed discussion of how it works and numerous illustrations to emphasis the important points. As a security professional, I also loved the fact that an entire module was spent covering passwords. This is so often overlooked!

As seen by the list of topics, this DVD concentrates on the two most difficult yet important areas for Security+ candidates to understand: cryptography and networking. Shon Harris and her team have a real knack for taking such complex topics, breaking them down into understandable language, and then illustrating how they actually work in real life.

This DVD has an accompanying book with the high level concepts covered on the DVD, as well as each module has a PDF tab with the same information in soft copy. The Security+ Video Mentor is a very helpful tool for anyone studying for this certification (and also if you aren't!)

As a Security+ Certified person, it is really good to take a look at this new release from PEARSON.
When you take a look at the table of contents, you may see that the booklet covers all the necessary knowledge that a person should know in order to take the certification exam. Contents include:

Lesson 1, about Asymmetric Algorithms, shows the basic concepts and protocols in a clear language. Labs make use of GNU software as Linux and Backtrack. Also, Windows will be necessary: it is important to get to know several OS because security involves multivendor environments.

Lesson 2 covers Steganography, I think it is a good briefing about this subject. Anyway, I would suggest further reading to the hungry minds that would like to get a deeper understanding about this. Nonetheless, the exposed material is clear and deep enough for the exam purposes. I must confess steganography lab is very fun.

Lesson 3 is about Sniffers and protocol analysers. I believe, according to my experience, that this is a very important skill to develop if you work in a security-related business. This lesson shows the most popular programs and its usage.

Lesson 4 teaches about PKI and certificates. This section is very illustrative, because in the lab activity you can practice the concepts and create your own CA and do several operations with it.

Leson 5 shows TCP/IP. Briefly explains the OSI & TCP/IP model, how encapsulation works, three-way-handshake, ports and IPv6. The language used is very clear and understandable. Lab activities are great and lets the reader have a deeper understanding of the concepts exposed in the pdf.

Lesson 6 is about passwords: types, policies & management, attacks and mistakes that we do about them. It is an interesting reading because you have to deal with passwords everyday, you will notice that the password that you use for your e-mail account is not the safest and does not convey with the basic requirements a password should meet. Lab activities help a lot with this.

As a summary, I would like to recommend this product. I think this would be very helpful if you wish to learn and pass the certification exam. I liked it very much because it shows concepts and labs are comprehensive and helps you to increase your knowledge.