Security+ Prep Guide [Paperback]

Ronald L. Krutz (Author), Russell Dean Vines (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0764525999 | ISBN-13: 978-0764525995 | Publication Date: March 3, 2003

* 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, Verisign, the Secret Service, and the FBI, and is expected to become a prerequisite for many vendor-specific certifications
* Written by the authors of the bestselling The CISSP Prep Guide (0-471-41356-9) and organized in the same user-focused format
* CD-ROM includes the Boson test engine, packed with review questions to prepare for the Security+ certification exam

Editorial Reviews

Review

“…designed to offer a comprehensive reference and ‘one stop source’ for those studying the security + certification examination…” (Computer Law and Security Report, November 03)

From the Back Cover

Your in-depth study guide to all five Security+ domains and their components

Earning Security+ certification will make you a more valuable security professional, and this clearly organized study guide will help assure that you achieve your goal. Security experts Russell Vines and Ronald Krutz have provided a thorough, step-by-step exploration of the five required domains for the Security+ exam–general security concepts, communications security, infrastructure security, basics of cryptography, and operational/organizational security. Each section concludes with review questions, and the Boson test engine on the CD-ROM is packed with more sample exam questions to help you prepare.

It’s the one book that will enable you to approach the exam with total confidence.

You’ll learn how to:

• Achieve a thorough working knowledge of general security concepts, communications security, infrastructure security, operational/ organizational security, and basic cryptography
• Gain in-depth understanding of the definitions, background, and applications of various security models
• Understand the many types of security attacks and be able to implement appropriate countermeasures
• Use cryptography, understand related algorithms, and manage security certificates
• Recognize the vulnerability of specific devices and how to protect them from attack
• Identify intrusion and security breaches
• Enhance your professional standing by achieving Security+ certification

The CD-ROM includes:

• All the questions and answers from the book
• Wiley’s test engine powered by Boson Software

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 504 pages
• Publisher: Wiley (March 3, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764525999
• ISBN-13: 978-0764525995
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.4 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #533,749 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best of the Sec+ books, April 7, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Security+ Prep Guide (Paperback)

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.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A study tool that can help the Security+ students., March 24, 2003

By 

Michael J Woznicki "Michael J Woznicki" (Holland, MA USA) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Security+ Prep Guide (Paperback)

Security, security, security, that's seems to be the hottest growing area of the IT industry over the last 18 months. CompTIA release of the security+ exam is the foundational standard by which companies have set a measuring stick for those looking to break into the Security field.

In this book the authors have given you a good breakdown of the domains associated with a very tough exam. The authors seem to have covered every objective and the material is technically accurate and up to date.

The book has over 150 practice questions included. What I found to be most helpful was the communication security as well as the infrastructure security sections. Looking at the overall content of the book you should have a good base in which to learn from.

I was very pleased with the cdrom included, which has a practice question using the Boson Testing engine. Overall the authors have created a very good study guide and based on what I have seen from the exam, this book should help.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars On the mark for those that want just the facts., April 14, 2005

By 

Steven L. Umbach (Bartlett, Il United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Security+ Prep Guide (Paperback)

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.