Security+ Certification:
What to Expect on the Exam

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Communications Security (20%)

Communications Security is an area of growing importance and the range of topics covered in this area makes that very clear. Are you keeping up to speed with wireless? If not, you may want to start reviewing 802.11 standards. Maybe you remember something called war dialing from the old days. That was where you would dial a range of phone numbers looking for an open modem. Today that practice has evolved in war driving. Its goal is to find unsecured wireless networks. According to on-line resources, there are plenty of unsecured networks out there. I hope yours is not one of them! All the wireless hacker needs is a laptop, wireless card, and maybe a Pringles can that has been fashioned into a powerful antenna. If you want to learn more about this growing trend checkout wardriving.com.

Subject Matter Experts

What are SMEs?

SMEs are Subject Matter Experts. These are the individuals that CompTIA works with to insure they develop an exam program that is credible and meets industry needs and standards. SMEs typically pay their own way to attend these meetings and are prepared to work when they arrive.

The meeting itself is an intense, two-day process where final changes to the test are decided. The agenda includes reviewing test questions, pass/fail scores, objectives, and their weights.

Being chosen to serve as an SME is a great honor, although it does have some drawbacks. Because these individuals have been intimately involved in the development of test questions and answers, they are legally barred from teaching Security+ classes or developing books and materials related to the test.

Other items in this section include the vulnerabilities of protocols such as FTP and Telnet. Both of these protocols transmit usernames and passwords in clear text. That's a big problem. Listed below are the seven subcategories included in the communications security portion of the exam.

Remote Access
Email
Web
Vulnerabilities
Directory
File Transfer
Wireless

Infrastructure Security (20%)

A good foundational knowledge of networks and network equipment will really help you pass this section of the exam. This includes firewalls, routers, switches, and hubs. Again, CompTIA is not expecting an in-depth knowledge, but a general understanding of the equipment and how it operates. You will want to review NAT, VLANs, RAS, and the items listed below.

Devices
Media
Security Topologies
Intrusion Detection
Security Baselines

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Security+ Certification:What to Expect on the Exam

Communications Security (20%)

Infrastructure Security (20%)

Security+ Certification:
What to Expect on the Exam