What do you think?
Rate this book
CompTIA Security+ Get Certified Get Ahead: SY0-601 Study Guide
Pass the First Time. The CompTIA Security+ Get Certified Get Ahead SY0-601 Study Guide is an update to the top-selling SY0-201, SY0-301, SY0-401, and SY0-501 study guides, which have helped thousands of readers pass the exam the first time they took it. Free Online Resources
Buyers have access to free online resources, This book covers all of the SY0-601 objectives and includes the same elements readers raved about in the previous versions. Each of the eleven chapters presents topics in an easy-to-understand manner and includes real-world examples of security principles in action. The author uses many of the same analogies and explanations that he honed in the classroom that have helped hundreds of students master the Security+ content.
The paperback copy includes a comprehensive index that helps you find relevant Security+ concepts. As an example, if you’re looking for CSRF, the index entry tells you exactly what page to find it The Kindle edition includes a search function allowing you to find any word in the book.
With this book, you’ll understand the important and relevant security topics for the Security+ exam without being overloaded with unnecessary details. Additionally, each chapter includes a comprehensive Exam Topic Review section to help you focus on what’s important.
Over 300 realistic practice test questions with in-depth explanations will help you test your comprehension and readiness for the exam. The study guide includes a 75 question pre-test, a 75 question post-test, and practice test questions at the end of every chapter. Each practice test question includes a detailed explanation helping you understand why the correct answers are correct and why the incorrect answers are incorrect. You'll also have access to free online resources including labs and additional practice test questions. Using these resources, you’ll be ready to take and pass the exam the first time you take it. If you plan to pursue any of the advanced security certifications, this guide will also help you lay a solid foundation of security knowledge. Learn this material, and you’ll be a step ahead for other exams. This SY0-601 study guide is for any IT or security professional interested in advancing in their field and a must-read for anyone striving to master the basics of IT systems security. The author supplements the book with blog posts
Buyers have access to free online resources, This book covers all of the SY0-601 objectives and includes the same elements readers raved about in the previous versions. Each of the eleven chapters presents topics in an easy-to-understand manner and includes real-world examples of security principles in action. The author uses many of the same analogies and explanations that he honed in the classroom that have helped hundreds of students master the Security+ content.
The paperback copy includes a comprehensive index that helps you find relevant Security+ concepts. As an example, if you’re looking for CSRF, the index entry tells you exactly what page to find it The Kindle edition includes a search function allowing you to find any word in the book.
With this book, you’ll understand the important and relevant security topics for the Security+ exam without being overloaded with unnecessary details. Additionally, each chapter includes a comprehensive Exam Topic Review section to help you focus on what’s important.
Over 300 realistic practice test questions with in-depth explanations will help you test your comprehension and readiness for the exam. The study guide includes a 75 question pre-test, a 75 question post-test, and practice test questions at the end of every chapter. Each practice test question includes a detailed explanation helping you understand why the correct answers are correct and why the incorrect answers are incorrect. You'll also have access to free online resources including labs and additional practice test questions. Using these resources, you’ll be ready to take and pass the exam the first time you take it. If you plan to pursue any of the advanced security certifications, this guide will also help you lay a solid foundation of security knowledge. Learn this material, and you’ll be a step ahead for other exams. This SY0-601 study guide is for any IT or security professional interested in advancing in their field and a must-read for anyone striving to master the basics of IT systems security. The author supplements the book with blog posts
- GenresNonfiction
593 pages, Paperback
Published June 1, 2021
474 people are currently reading
215 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
August 5, 2021
I first bought the Kindle edition due to the very good reviews I'd read here about the SY0-501 earlier version. The Kindle version was very cheap, about 8 or 9 euros, so I just bought it to try it out. I was amazed, this was really way better then everything I had tried before. For example, it was the first time I saw a very clear explanation of what the exam actually looks like.
The book doesn't follow the objectives in the order they are presented in the CompTIA objectives guide, which kind of frightened me, but, as I read more and more I understood why.
For me at least, it seems that the CompTIA objectives and examples are sometimes interconnected and repeated. In the official CompTIA document the goals are divided into five domains: Attacks, Design, Implementation, Incident response and Law. But that means the same topics will appear several times in different contexts. In other books they were usually presented in different and disconnected ways. For me that makes it much more difficult to study, because some other books just present the material and I have to connect things in my head, which is good but takes a much longer time to organize in a coherent whole. I am terrible at memorizing random things, they have to make sense. What I can remember is the logic that leads from A to B.
In Gibson's book, I have a feeling that everything seems much more connected, fluid and clear. We start with simple things and go on to more complicated stuff. We study all the goals and examples, but in a different order, which to me at least, is much more intuitive and I am finding that I am learning much faster and that things just "make sense", due perhaps to the plentifulness of practical examples and a way of exposing things that is particularly clear to me.
I am not saying that this is the best book for everyone, because just like in real life, different people will learn better from different teachers and methods. But for me this book seems really brilliant and I think only someone who has taught this material many, many times could have written something like this, deviating so much from the norm but getting such a good result at the end.
So far, I found only one topic that wasn't clear, regarding the Birthday attack. But the other books I consulted explain this badly too, or don't explain it at all (Wikipedia as a clear explanation on this). All other topics so far, and as far as I can see, seem to be correct and very well explained, both in precision and intuitive clarity.
Another important aspect is that some information (labs, appendices and other stuff) is online. The book includes the links and, obviously, they work perfectly (contrary to what some Amazon "reviews" state.) And I also like to complement reading this book with Prof Messer's videos on youtube and other books that contain practice questions.
In any case, I liked the book so much that I decided to buy also the physical edition. The physical book is quite big, it has its own publishing house, I think. The letters are easy to read and occupy almost the entire page. I also like the careful layout in each page and the printing quality. The only thing I don't like is the cover image. For me, this is the best book out there is on this topic, and I think it deserved the best cover. I also found a few glitches here and there in wording and stuff (for example, the author mentions the exam having 75 questions, but I believe that is just the minimum number of questions). But nothing that will impact one's grade.
For me buying the physical edition was essential... It's a very vast subject and it was just impractical for me to read it all on a digital device.
I hope I will pass on the first attempt. I'm very optimistic. But, if I can't, I think it will entirely because of me! I'll try to remember to update this post after the exam, to compare the difficulty on the exam with what the book presented.
The book doesn't follow the objectives in the order they are presented in the CompTIA objectives guide, which kind of frightened me, but, as I read more and more I understood why.
For me at least, it seems that the CompTIA objectives and examples are sometimes interconnected and repeated. In the official CompTIA document the goals are divided into five domains: Attacks, Design, Implementation, Incident response and Law. But that means the same topics will appear several times in different contexts. In other books they were usually presented in different and disconnected ways. For me that makes it much more difficult to study, because some other books just present the material and I have to connect things in my head, which is good but takes a much longer time to organize in a coherent whole. I am terrible at memorizing random things, they have to make sense. What I can remember is the logic that leads from A to B.
In Gibson's book, I have a feeling that everything seems much more connected, fluid and clear. We start with simple things and go on to more complicated stuff. We study all the goals and examples, but in a different order, which to me at least, is much more intuitive and I am finding that I am learning much faster and that things just "make sense", due perhaps to the plentifulness of practical examples and a way of exposing things that is particularly clear to me.
I am not saying that this is the best book for everyone, because just like in real life, different people will learn better from different teachers and methods. But for me this book seems really brilliant and I think only someone who has taught this material many, many times could have written something like this, deviating so much from the norm but getting such a good result at the end.
So far, I found only one topic that wasn't clear, regarding the Birthday attack. But the other books I consulted explain this badly too, or don't explain it at all (Wikipedia as a clear explanation on this). All other topics so far, and as far as I can see, seem to be correct and very well explained, both in precision and intuitive clarity.
Another important aspect is that some information (labs, appendices and other stuff) is online. The book includes the links and, obviously, they work perfectly (contrary to what some Amazon "reviews" state.) And I also like to complement reading this book with Prof Messer's videos on youtube and other books that contain practice questions.
In any case, I liked the book so much that I decided to buy also the physical edition. The physical book is quite big, it has its own publishing house, I think. The letters are easy to read and occupy almost the entire page. I also like the careful layout in each page and the printing quality. The only thing I don't like is the cover image. For me, this is the best book out there is on this topic, and I think it deserved the best cover. I also found a few glitches here and there in wording and stuff (for example, the author mentions the exam having 75 questions, but I believe that is just the minimum number of questions). But nothing that will impact one's grade.
For me buying the physical edition was essential... It's a very vast subject and it was just impractical for me to read it all on a digital device.
I hope I will pass on the first attempt. I'm very optimistic. But, if I can't, I think it will entirely because of me! I'll try to remember to update this post after the exam, to compare the difficulty on the exam with what the book presented.
May 17, 2021
CompTIA Security+Get Certified Get Ahead SYO-601
Excellent Book, a must if you plan on taking Security+601 exam. The material is very well put together, and it will want you to learn more.
Excellent Book, a must if you plan on taking Security+601 exam. The material is very well put together, and it will want you to learn more.
February 27, 2024
A few typos here and there. Only 2 of the typos could lead to confusion: both on page 77, chapter 3.
The "Remember this" box at the top of the page states that the ports used "for encrypted and unencrypted traffic (respectively) are:" 25 and 587 for SMTP, 110 and 995 for POP3, and 143 and 993 for IMAP4. Ports 25, 110, and 143 are used for unencrypted traffic while ports 587, 995, and 993 are used for encrypted traffic.
Right below the above mentioned box, within the "HTTPS" bullet point, it's stated that "the majority of Internet websites now us HTTP instead of HTTPS." HTTP and HTTPS in this sentence should be swapped.
The "Remember this" box at the top of the page states that the ports used "for encrypted and unencrypted traffic (respectively) are:" 25 and 587 for SMTP, 110 and 995 for POP3, and 143 and 993 for IMAP4. Ports 25, 110, and 143 are used for unencrypted traffic while ports 587, 995, and 993 are used for encrypted traffic.
Right below the above mentioned box, within the "HTTPS" bullet point, it's stated that "the majority of Internet websites now us HTTP instead of HTTPS." HTTP and HTTPS in this sentence should be swapped.
October 15, 2021
I passed my exam today and this was one of my primary sources so it's definitely a winner!
Read
October 9, 202385/100
Academic book specifically geared towards taking the CompTIA Security+ SYo-601 Exam. For those in cybersecurity, IT, and more, you know what I am talking about. From an educational standpoint, this book was excellent. A very long read, but a very helpful read. As far as definitions and concepts go, this book does an incredible job in the foundational, conceptual understanding. This book is a great source of prep for the multiple-choice questions on the exam and an even better baseline for basic security knowledge. Use other resources to prep for the Performance-Based Questions (PBQs). Would highly recommend. Just needs to include PBQ information and be supplemented with other resources such as YouTube, or it would be much closer to a 100/100. Since it is not a one-stop-shop (as nearly nothing is in preparation for this exam), it's rating cannot be much higher than the 85/100 I gave it. I read this book and studied CyberKraft and Professor Messer on YouTube to pass the CompTIA Sec+ 601 exam on my first attempt.
This review represents my honest opinion that is susceptible to change, open to discussion, and vulnerable to ignorance and perhaps even idiocy.
Academic book specifically geared towards taking the CompTIA Security+ SYo-601 Exam. For those in cybersecurity, IT, and more, you know what I am talking about. From an educational standpoint, this book was excellent. A very long read, but a very helpful read. As far as definitions and concepts go, this book does an incredible job in the foundational, conceptual understanding. This book is a great source of prep for the multiple-choice questions on the exam and an even better baseline for basic security knowledge. Use other resources to prep for the Performance-Based Questions (PBQs). Would highly recommend. Just needs to include PBQ information and be supplemented with other resources such as YouTube, or it would be much closer to a 100/100. Since it is not a one-stop-shop (as nearly nothing is in preparation for this exam), it's rating cannot be much higher than the 85/100 I gave it. I read this book and studied CyberKraft and Professor Messer on YouTube to pass the CompTIA Sec+ 601 exam on my first attempt.
This review represents my honest opinion that is susceptible to change, open to discussion, and vulnerable to ignorance and perhaps even idiocy.
May 6, 2022
I used this as a way to make sure I was ready for the Security+ exam. After passing the exam I have to say that this was a good resource that had me me well prepared. The entire prep took me 12 days, I have no background nor experience in the field, nor do I have a formal education. Because of my background I needed material that got me up to speed in time to be proficient enough to pass an industry standard certification. This book helped me do that. I also feel competent in the field.
July 31, 2024
Must have for the exam. Was one of my main resources for preparation, passed in first try. Book contains significant amount of necessary information needed for the exam as well as for general security world. Really liked how complicated topics were explained in easy way, and additionally provided with real world examples. Enjoyed a lot!
December 27, 2022
I passed the test on my first try! Used some other study tools as well (videos, quiz apps, study guides) but this was my primary source for studying. It did a pretty good job covering everything although I think having the supplemental materials helped. Would recommend!!
July 4, 2025
The practice tests in the front and back really helped frame my mind for the exam. While it was the older series, it still covered about 90% of the tested terrain. If this author releases a 701 version, I highly recommend picking it up if you’re working towards Sec+.
January 22, 2022
Great help for the security+ exam!
June 4, 2022
Great Cyber Security Book
I haven't taken the test yet. But having read the book for the past year or so, I learned a lot of Cyber Security concepts.
I haven't taken the test yet. But having read the book for the past year or so, I learned a lot of Cyber Security concepts.
February 3, 2023
Helped me with me my new job and get that pay raise!
December 12, 2023
awesome sauce thanks darril gibson x
January 6, 2024
now looking for 6 figure job 😎
January 17, 2024
The main reason I passed my exam
February 28, 2024
Edited to add: I passed on the first attempt!!
The best physical resource I've found for studying for Sec+. You can bounce around the book by topic, take practice exams, or read cover-to-cover (which is what I did). I went through several other audio books which claimed to be great Sec+ resources but was disappointed with the content in all of them. This resource is far and above the best one I found, and having the physical book in hand has been critical to my success. Cannot recommend this book enough for SYO-601+ prep!
The best physical resource I've found for studying for Sec+. You can bounce around the book by topic, take practice exams, or read cover-to-cover (which is what I did). I went through several other audio books which claimed to be great Sec+ resources but was disappointed with the content in all of them. This resource is far and above the best one I found, and having the physical book in hand has been critical to my success. Cannot recommend this book enough for SYO-601+ prep!
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews