new A+ Service Desk Technician

The A+ Core Series includes updates across the entire set of skills needed by a technical support professional, including:
More security. There is a general expansion of baseline security topics core to the IT support role. For example, there is an increased emphasis on physical versus logical security concepts and measures. Social engineering – previously condensed with a general security topic in the 900 series – now has its own objective. Malware detection and removal receives greater emphasis with the ability to detect and remove malware specified at a task level, ie, candidates must be able to do, rather than at a knowledge level. Device hardening is expanded beyond just PCs to include computing devices more generally.
A dramatically different approach in defining competency in IT operations. The Operational Procedures domain now includes objectives covering best practices for using knowledge bases and documenting incidents. Foundational skills in change management, basic disaster prevention and recovery, and privacy concerns, including GDPR and handing PII have been added. The basics of scripting also makes an appearance on the A+ Core Series. The ability to recognize different types of script files -- including Bash, Python and JavaScript among others – and to root out the basic function of a script are identified as required tech support competencies.
Networking and device connectivity are broadened. Cloud and virtualization now have their own domain. And, as the ability to access data has become core to productivity, troubleshooting connectivity across a myriad of devices receives greater weight in the Core series. For example, endpoint management solutions have been added as have networking protocols to support IoT devices, such as Zigbee and Z-wave.

How long will the old certification stay in market?

The CompTIA A+ 900 series (English language) will retire July 31, 2019. Exam translations in all other languages will retire December 2019. Individuals preparing to take the 900 series must complete both 901 and 902 before retirement. It is not possible to mix versions, so an individual cannot take 901 & 1002 and get certified

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CompTIA Security+ Exam Passing Score and Test Logistics

Before taking the exam, it’s best to complete certification training and use simulation tools and practice questions to test yourself. One option is the CompTIA CertMaster eLearning program. You can also purchase official e-books from CompTIA or take part in classroom training with a partner authorized by CompTIA.

Once you feel you’re ready for the test, you can start making plans to take it. CompTIA partners with Pearson VUE, which has facilities all around the world, for testing. You’ll need to create an account on the Pearson VUE website, use the site to find an authorized Pearson VUE testing center near you and schedule your test. Then you can purchase an exam voucher through Pearson VUE or the online CompTIA marketplace, or at a testing center. Vouchers are typically valid for one year from their purchase date. You can take the test in English, Japanese, Portuguese or simplified Chinese.

The CompTIA Security+ certification exam includes a maximum of 90 questions and takes 90 minutes to complete. The questions are either multiple choice or performance-based. Performance-based questions are focused on your ability to solve problems in a simulated environment. The test is scored on a scale of 100 to 900, and you are required to earn 750 out of 900 for a passing score.

It’s also important to note that the latest version of the test, SY0-501, launched on Oct. 4, 2017. The English version of the old CompTIA Security+ exam (SY0-401) was officially retired on July 31, 2018. Make sure you’re preparing for the current version
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Comptia Fast Track to IT Careers

Currently an instructional designer, Jedediah Adams has unfortunately experienced the effects of cybersecurity breaches first-hand – in the form of identity theft. But the mess he was left to clean up ultimately led him to a cybersecurity career so he can help others avoid what he had to deal with.

“For the last couple of years, I have been learning code and digging into the web applications that are offered by my company in an effort to make the system more secure – even though it is entirely outside the scope of my job requirements,” he said.

If you think about your gas, electricity or plumbing, you'll realize there's a whole range of things going on behind the scenes to safely and effectively deliver your utilities. Industrial plants and sanitation facilities, citywide and nationwide networks of infrastructure and even the wires and pipes in your home create a sophisticated system that secures the basic foundations of modern living.

But unless you work in one of those industries directly, you probably don't know much about these systems. Outside of DIYers who take on wiring and plumbing projects themselves, the great majority of your interaction with these service suppliers happens when you're getting set up or when something breaks.

Pursuing his MBA with a concentration in data analytics (and maintaining a 4.0 GPA) and working full time means he has a full plate, but Adams is on a mission. In fact, in just a few short months he earned his CompTIA A+, CompTIA Network+ and CompTIA Security+ certifications – and plans to take the CompTIA Cybersecurity Analyst (CySA+) exam soon.

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CompTIA Project+ certification

CompTIA Project+ is unique from other project management certifications, focusing solely on project management in information technology. Not only does CompTIA Project+ certification require knowledge of project management best practices, but also covers the technical knowledge needed for successful IT project management. the CompTIA Project+ exam covers all aspects of IT projects from planning and initiation, to deployment and delivery, as well as communication and control of the project; and project closure.
ybersecurity Job Growth

Having CompTIA’s Security+ certification helps prepare you for a career in cybersecurity, a field growing so fast and with such high salaries that you could have your pick of positions.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) cites a median annual wage for information security analysts of $90,120 as of May, 2015. Job demand for information security analysts is projected by the BLS to grow 18 percent from 2014 to 2024, much faster than the average for all occupations (seven percent), and even higher than for all computer occupations (12 percent).

Unsurprisingly, IT specialists and information security analysts tend to cluster around our nation’s capital, where they earn the nation’s highest average salaries in the sector. Typical annual mean wages in the Washington, DC area are $116,100, says the BLS.


Not only does CompTIA Project+ focus on the IT industry, but offers advantages over other project management certifications. No prerequisites are required for Project+ certification, and there are no applications or continuing education requirements. Professionals who obtain Project+ certification move on to employment roles including analyst, project manager, and project team member.

Get Certified 4 Less offers a CompTIA voucher discount for the Project+ exam, as well as vouchers for a range of technology certifications. If you’re looking to establish yourself as an effective IT project manager, Project+ certification is your first step in advancing your career and getting the career you desire. Visit us today to learn more about how we can help you build a successful career in the world of IT project management
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Top courses in Cyber Security

Here are the skills areas to focus on as you prepare for the new CompTIA A+ exams, which I cover in detail in my courses for the CompTIA A+ 1001 exam and the 1002 exam.

1. Mobile devices

IT teams have to manage technology that is becoming increasingly mobile. You’ll need to know how to install and configure laptop hardware components and troubleshoot key features on most laptops. Mobile devices go well beyond laptops and exam takers will need to learn their characteristics as well as how to configure tablets, smartphones, smartwatches, e-readers, GPS devices, and even VR headsets.
2. Networking

The exam emphasizes the hardware side of networking with comparisons of the most common networking devices like switches, routers, and firewalls. You’ll also want to be familiar with wireless networking protocols and network configurations concepts.
3. Hardware

The 1001 exam’s hardware emphasis requires knowledge of installing and configuring CPUs, motherboards, RAM, and peripheral devices as well as familiarity with the cabling of these tools. For example, can you identify RJ45 cables and the various connectors needed to support an office-wide Ethernet setup?

4. Virtualization and cloud computing

While you’ll need to show knowledge of fundamental cloud computing concepts like common cloud models and virtual desktops, the exam will also provide scenarios for you to set up and configure client-side virtualizations.

5. Hardware and network troubleshooting

IT technicians are the front line for any sort of hardware and networking issues that occur in the workplace. By carefully learning best practices and troubleshooting for common problems, you’ll not only pass the 220-1001 exam, but you’ll also be a standout at work.

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Description of CompTIA Security+ Certification

CompTIA Security+ is an internationally recognized, vendor-neutral certification from CompTIA that demonstrates competency in the baseline skills needed for a career in IT security industry. Earning this certification verifies your skills in the following areas based on the exam objectives:
Threats, attacks and vulnerabilities: You can detect various kinds of compromise and have knowledge of penetration testing and vulnerability scanning.
Technologies and tools: You can deploy various network components, as well as assess and troubleshoot problems to support operational and information security technology
Architecture and design: You know how to implement a secure network architecture, cloud computing, virtualization technology and systems design.
Identity and access management: You can implement access controls and identity management and access services, as well as management control
Risk management: You understand risk management and data security best practices and their business impact.
Cryptography and PKI: You can install and configure settings for wireless security and implement public key infrastructure (PKI).

By studying for and completing the CompTIA Security+ exam, you gain exposure to all of the basic principles for risk management and network security professionals. You will cover these skills not only from a theoretical standpoint but also from a practical perspective since the Security+ exam focuses on the demonstration of skills. In this regard, it offers a more comprehensive exposure to cybersecurity concepts as compared to other certification exams.
5. What can I expect from the recently released exam version, the SY0-501?

The SY0-501 launched in October of 2017, in response to the evolving cybersecurity industry. Like its predecessor, the SY0-401, it is scored on a scale of 100 to 900 points. To pass, you must complete the exam with a score of at least 750.

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Difference Between CompTIA Cloud Essentials+ and Cloud+

ompTIA Cloud Essentials+ and CompTIA Cloud+ are very different certifications. Whereas CompTIA Cloud+ is a technical certification that covers cloud implementation and is designed for IT pros, CompTIA Cloud Essentials+ focuses on using solid financial principles to make cloud business decisions, serving both IT specialists and non-technical staff members.

As a cloud computing certification, CompTIA Cloud+ requires at least 2 to 3 years of hands-on IT experience. On the other hand, CompTIA Cloud Essentials+ requires 6 to 12 months of experience conducting business analysis in an IT cloud environment.

A tight labor market can be tough for businesses that want to keep quality talent, but this can be good news for those who have the skills to do the job. Only about one-third of respondents to the Exabeam survey (36%) reported finding limited room for advancement in their current role, meaning two-thirds saw opportunities for growth.

The good news is that for those looking for something new, cybersecurity is one of the fastest-growing fields, with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projecting a 32% increase in the number of information security analyst jobs from 2018 to 2028. This is higher than both the average growth rate for all IT jobs (12%) and for all occupations (5%).

Although the two cloud certifications are different, they work well together. One of the top reasons that IT professionals who hold CompTIA Cloud+ should consider earning CompTIA Cloud Essentials+ is because cloud business skills are becoming increasingly important to employers. Validating this business acumen through CompTIA Cloud Essentials+ signifies to employers a well-rounded IT professional.
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CompTIA’s Technology Small Businesses.

Study after study shows that diverse workplaces are highly impactful, driving productivity and profitability throughout the organization, according to CompTIA’s Diversity and Inclusion Plan for Technology Small Businesses.

According to the guide, which was released by CompTIA’s Advancing Diversity in Technology Community, “It’s clear that leaders who prioritize more diverse and inclusive workforces elevate the effectiveness of their businesses, the satisfaction of employees and their overall success.” The guide includes three important pieces for diversity and inclusion: Planning, acquisition and retention, and outlines the importance of inclusive cultures.
Aaron Woods

Customer success executive at CEX Services, Portland, Ore.

My original entry in Information Technology was attending an eight-week weekend class on programming at Illinois Institute of Technology (Illinois Tech) during my junior year of high school. I heard about this training through my godbrother, who I consider my mentor. He encouraged me to attend the training and then consider a career in the computer industry, which was mostly software-related at that time. I did not immediately after high school take this route but did return to pursue a career in hardware service when I entered the military. We’ve kept in touch over the years and he always asked how my career in the ‘computer industry’ was going.

I’ve always had a desire to see more young African Americans, Latinos and other people of color have an IT career. My commitment comes from knowing how difficult it was for me to gain entry into the field. I speak at forums that support getting young people of color into IT careers. While there are many resources available today that make this task easier, getting on the right path is not always clear. The objective of my mentorship is to provide direct information to help young people looking at a career in IT know where to get started. The resources provided by CompTIA makes this easier. I point them to the CompTIA Core Certifications Pathway as a foundational start in an IT career.


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What are the CompTIA A+ exams

Fortunately, there are low cost prep courses available online so you can prepare for your certification exam anywhere, anytime. If you want to save a lot of money on your CompTIA A+ prep course, check out high-quality CompTIA A+ Certification prep course available through StraighterLine. A highly respected and experienced online course provider, StraighterLine offers certification prep courses starting at $59 with a $99 a month membership.

A certification prep course is the best way to get a feel for what to expect when you take your CompTIA A+ exams. One of the major benefits of taking a prep course online is that you are able to access practice certification tests that will let you experience what it’s really like to take the exam.

As you can see, if you have your CompTIA A+ prior to applying for a position in a company you wish to work in, you will not only be bringing to the table your own knowledge and expertise, but you will be providing the company with some major advantages. This means that you will be placed at the top of the pile instead of tossed aside when it comes to hiring.

Many well-known companies such as IBM require their employees to have CompTIA A+ certification, so if you want to be considered by a large and well-known business your IT certifications are very important. With the CompTIA A+ certification, you will be able to receive higher salaries, have more career choices, and will have the confidence you need to rise to the top and enjoy your career choices.

Each exam lasts 90 minutes and asks you a minimum of 90 questions. Most test questions are multiple choice (single and multiple response) and drag-and-drop. You might also have a few performance-based questions. These provide a simulated environment and test your ability to solve problems. If you have such questions, they will typically appear at the beginning of the exam. Click here to try a sample performance-based question.

A passing score on the 220-901 exam is 675 (out of a possible 900) and a passing score on the 220-902 exam is 700 (again, out of a possible 900).

You can’t take anything with you into the testing environment (no reference books, purses, backpacks, or phones, for example), but you can have some scratch paper and a pen or pencil.

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CompTIA CSA+: The Inquisitive Certification

Security is a growing need in IT and CompTIA offers low-level security certifications such as the CompTIA Security+, as well as higher-level certifications like the CSA+. The CSA+ bridges the gap between Security+ and CASP (A master level cert requiring 10 years of experience!). The CSA+ or Cybersecurity Analyst as it’s known, is a certification that teaches the latest techniques in securing computers from threats, analyzing how safe a system is, and even detecting threats and prior security breaches. As a certification, it’s great for those who strive to think through every aspect of a system set-up and create incredible, secure, environments. This field will only grow in the coming years and eventually be one of the most lucrative career options. CSA+ gets you on the right path and starts with a salary approaching six figures.

Starting Wages: $90,120
Typical Jobs: Cyber Security Analyst, White Hat, Cyber Security Systems Management

This certification is perfect for support specialists, field service technicians, desktop support analysts, and more. While it can enhance any professional’s resume, CompTIA A+ can help qualify those just starting out in their IT careers.


Skills you’ll master and validate:
Hardware.
Networking.
Mobile devices.
Windows OS.
Hardware/network troubleshooting.
Software troubleshooting.
Security.
Operational Procedures.
Other OS technologies.

With this certification, you’ll gain a holistic understanding of IT issues and troubleshooting methods of all kinds.

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Passing the comptia A+ Exams

First of all, I already had a lot of experience. I earned my 800 series A+ previously and only 25% of the content was new. Also, I use several versions of Linux regularly and was already comfortable with both normal and administrative tasks.

Furthermore, I use Windows 7 as a “daily driver” on my desktop and always play around in virtual machines with Linux, Windows 8, and other operating systems.

Leading up to this exam, I worried about one topic – Mac OS X. I don’t have access to it nor the cash to buy an expensive PC for practice. None of my friends have Macs either. My best course of action was to study the Mac section of the GTS Learning Book and watch a couple videos on YouTube introducing users to the OS X interface.

I found one question related to Macs and it related back to Linux. They asked for the equivalent of Windows stop error. I clicked Kernel Panic and move on.

Although the 900 series includes Mac OS X and Linux, it is still heavily weighted towards Microsoft, particularly Windows Vista and 7. Focus on these operating systems and Windows 8. If you never messed with Linux before, use Ubuntu to gain familiarity.

What about for people with little to no experience? With serious dedication, you can do the same. I did the vast majority of my studying over three days. I had work, three classes, homework for those classes, still had to make time for my social life, and time for myself to avoid burn out. If you have the ability to devote an entire week to studying, you can pass both exams in six days.

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Practice CompTIA Exams

Study Online Guides: No Other teacher or trainer is better than self-studying and understanding the topic. it is not about how much you study it is about how you study and where you get the materials. Here is the link to Complete study notes for All in On Exam Notes For CompTIA Main Domains

Let us Know what is CompTIA: CompTIA is the leading provider of vendor-neutral IT certifications and learning content for IT professionals around the world. CompTIA works with numerous delivery channel partners around the world to help IT professionals advance their knowledge, skills and career abilities to allow growth and development in the workplace performance levels.

CompTIA A+ 220–901: Undoubtedly, A+ Certification is the most widely recognized certification in the field of computer hardware and Operating Systems.here is the link to complete study guide for CompTIA A+ Essentials Exam Cram Study Guide

CompTIA A+ Practical 220–902: This topic covers windows operating systems, other operating systems and technologies, computer security, software troubleshooting and other topics For more details go through this link CompTIA A+ Practical Exam Cram Study Guide

CompTIA Network+ N10–007: CompTIA Network+ topics include Critical security concepts to helping networking professionals work with security practitioners, Key cloud computing best practices and typical service models, Coverage of newer hardware and virtualization techniques, Concepts to give individuals the combination of skills to keep the network resilient. For More details go through this link CompTIA Network+ Exam Cram Study Guide here on this topic it covers networking concepts, networking operations, network security, etc.,

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How to DDoS Like an Ethical Hacker

A DDoS attack is short for “Distributed Denial of Service”, and is the bigger brother of simpler denial-of-service attacks.

The point of these exercises to take down a website or service, typically by flooding it with more information than the victim website can process.

DoS attacks typically send information from only one source (think PC’s, or other internet-connected devices), but a DDoS attack uses thousands, or hundreds of thousands, of sources to flood its target. This makes it a few orders of magnitude more powerful than its smaller sibling.

This past October, a major DDoS attack occurred which put many popular websites such as Netflix, PayPal and Reddit out of service. A Distributed Denial of Service attack, or DDoS, occurs when multiple systems flood the bandwidth or resources of a targeted system, usually one or more web servers. Such an attack is often the result of multiple compromised systems (for example, a botnet) flooding the targeted system with traffic.

These attacks aren’t limited to major websites, either. Anybody can be a target. If DDoS attacks are one of the last things on your manufacturing mind, then now might be a good time to start preparing in case your business is targeted by cybercriminals.


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Security Threat of a DDoS Attack

More importantly, in many cases a DDoS attack is merely designed to distract from other criminal activity, such as data theft or network infiltration. The attacker keeps its target busy fighting off the DDoS attack, to then sneak in a piece of malware.
Five Most Famous DDoS Attacks

In recent years, DDoS attacks have only been increasing in both frequency and severity. Here, we’ll examine five of the largest and most famous DDoS attacks.
1. GitHub: 1.35 Tbps

On Feb. 28, 2018, GitHub—a popular developer platform—was hit with a sudden onslaught of traffic that clocked in at 1.35 terabits per second. If that sounds like a lot, that’s because it is—that amount of traffic is not only massive, it’s record-breaking.

According to GitHub, the traffic was traced back to “over a thousand different autonomous systems (ASNs) across tens of thousands of unique endpoints.”

In this graph, you can see just how much of a difference there was between normal traffic levels and those of the attack:

What’s worse is that GitHub was not entirely unprepared for a DDoS attack—they simply had no way of knowing that an attack of this scale would be launched.

As GitHub explained in the incident report linked above, “Over the past year we have deployed additional transit to our facilities. We’ve more than doubled our transit capacity during that time, which has allowed us to withstand certain volumetric attacks without impact to users…. Even still, attacks like this sometimes require the help of partners with larger transit networks to provide blocking and filtering.”

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How to know if a DDoS attack

Protocol attacks (sometimes also called state-exhaustion attacks) target a weakness in how a protocol operates. A well-known protocol attack is the SYN flood, which targets the three-way handshake mechanism in TCP. When a server receives a SYN packet, this is a signal to the server that another machine wants to open a TCP connection. The server will allocate some of its resources to this half-open connection, and send a SYN ACK packet back to the initiating machine. Under normal circumstances, the initiator will then send an ACK packet to the server, the three-way handshake is complete, and the machines will then exchange data.

US-CERT or the United States Computer Readiness Emergency Team has provided key guidelines on how to determine if an attack is imminent.
If the network performance degrades, especially when trying to open files stored on websites.
Failure to open a particular website
Problems opening any website
A higher than the customary volume of spam mail

There are newer DDoS techniques to watch out for. Such attacks include badly secured and unpatched IoT (Internet of Things) plug-and-play devices. These are highly vulnerable to traffic spikes. With threats always around the corner, network administrators and IT professionals must jointly work toward better security and DDoS mitigation. Despite the fact that several technologies exist to prevent various types of DDoS attacks, preventing one is a huge challenge.

In a SYN flood attack, an attacker sends a rapid succession of TCP SYN requests--typically from spoofed source IP addresses--to open a connection to a network server. The server sends SYN ACK packets back to the source addresses, which never reply with an ACK. The server keeps the half-open TCP connections around, using up resources, until the server is no longer able to accept any new connections.

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The different types of DDoS

The Mirai source code from the KrebsOnSecurity DDoS attack was leaked online after that attack and, not surprisingly, it appears that the Dyn DDoS attack was powered at least in part by the same Mirai code and vulnerable IoT devices, including webcams and DVRs. What was the motivation for the attack on Dyn? Retaliation for Dyn researcher Doug Madory's recent talk on DDoS attacks likely played a role, much as Brian Krebs was targeted after he reported on vDOS, a DDoS-for-hire service.

The power of recent attacks, the damage done, and the fact that such attacks can be conducted by small teams of adversaries or even determined individuals should serve as a wakeup call to enterprises everywhere. Companies often mistakenly assume that their Internet infrastructure is "too big to fail." They’ve purchased significant amounts of bandwidth, rarely coming anywhere near peak capacity, and they leverage service providers that can deliver more as needed. Yet the reality of a DDoS attack exceeding 620 Gbps, as was the case in the KrebsOnSecurity attack, is that any site would struggle to stay afloat. Bandwidth alone isn’t enough.

There are several types of attacks that are still in the DoS – “Denial of Services“ perimeter:
Network DoS
Applicative DoS
Network DDoS (including DrDOS)
Applicative DDoS
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How Does a DDoS Attack Work

From one or more computers designated as the command and control (C&C) server, the attacker sends remote “launch” instructions to the bots. Collectively, these systems provide enough power to carry out massive attacks—far larger than those launched from a single source. And by using a botnet, attackers are able to hide their identity because the attack originates from many different systems that all appear to be legitimate.

It was an attack that would forever change how denial-of-service attacks would be viewed. In early 2000, Canadian high school student Michael Calce, a.k.a. MafiaBoy, whacked Yahoo! with a distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack that managed to shut down one of the leading web powerhouses of the time. Over the course of the week that followed, Calce took aim, and successfully disrupted, other such sites as Amazon, CNN and eBay.

Certainly not the first DDoS attack, but that highly public and successful series of attacks transformed denial of service attacks from novelty and minor nuisance to powerful business disruptors in the minds of CISOs and CIOs forever.

Since then, DDoS attacks have become an all too frequent menace, as they are commonly used to exact revenge, conduct extortion, as a means of online activism, and even to wage cyberwar.

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