Mike Chapple - CompTIA CySA+ Practice Tests

Once you are fully prepared to take the exam, you can visit the CompTIA website to purchase your exam voucher:

www.comptiastore.com/Articles.asp?ID=265&category=vouchers

CompTIA partners with Pearson VUE's testing centers, so your next step will be to locate a testing center near you. In the United States, you can do this based on your address or your ZIP code, while non-U.S. test takers may find it easier to enter their city and country. You can search for a test center near you at the Pearson Vue website, where you will need to navigate to “Find a test center”:

www.pearsonvue.com/comptia/

Now that you know where you'd like to take the exam, simply set up a Pearson VUE testing account and schedule an exam:

www.comptia.org/testing/testing-options/take-in-person-exam

On the day of the test, bring two forms of identification, and make sure to show up with plenty of time before the exam starts. Remember that you will not be able to take your notes, electronic devices (including smartphones and watches), or other materials in with you.

Once you have taken the exam, you will be notified of your score immediately, so you'll know if you passed the test right away. You should keep track of your score report with your exam registration records and the email address you used to register for the exam.

CompTIA certifications must be renewed on a periodic basis. To renew your certification, you can either pass the most current version of the exam, earn a qualifying higher-level CompTIA or industry certification, or complete sufficient continuing education activities to earn enough continuing education units (CEUs) to renew it.

CompTIA provides information on renewals via their website at

www.comptia.org/continuing-education

When you sign up to renew your certification, you will be asked to agree to the CE program's Code of Ethics, to pay a renewal fee, and to submit the materials required for your chosen renewal method.

A full list of the industry certifications you can use to acquire CEUs toward renewing the CySA+ can be found at

www.comptia.org/continuing-education/choose/renew-with-a-single-activity/earn-a-higher-level-comptia-certification

This book is composed of seven chapters. Each of the first five chapters covers a domain, with a variety of questions that can help you test your knowledge of real-world, scenario, and best practices–based security knowledge. The final two chapters are complete practice exams that can serve as timed practice tests to help determine whether you're ready for the CySA+ exam.

We recommend taking the first practice exam to help identify where you may need to spend more study time and then using the domain-specific chapters to test your domain knowledge where it is weak. Once you're ready, take the second practice exam to make sure you've covered all the material and are ready to attempt the CySA+ exam.

As you work through questions in this book, you will encounter tools and technology that you may not be familiar with. If you find that you are facing a consistent gap or that a domain is particularly challenging, we recommend spending some time with books and materials that tackle that domain in depth. This can help you fill in gaps and help you be more prepared for the exam.

The following objective map for the CompTIA CySA+ (Cybersecurity Analyst) certification exam will enable you to find where each objective is covered in the book.

EXAM OBJECTIVES COVERED IN THIS CHAPTER:

1.1 Explain the importance of threat data and intelligence.Intelligence sourcesConfidence levelsIndicator managementThreat classificationThreat actorsIntelligence cycleCommodity malwareInformation sharing and analysis communities

1.2 Given a scenario, utilize threat intelligence to support organizational security.Attack frameworksThreat researchThreat modeling methodologiesThreat intelligence sharing with supported functions

1.3 Given a scenario, perform vulnerability management activities.Vulnerability identificationValidationRemediation/mitigationScanning parameters and criteriaInhibitors to remediation

1.4 Given a scenario, analyze the output from common vulnerability assessment tools.Web application scannerInfrastructure vulnerability scannerSoftware assessment tools and techniquesEnumerationWireless assessment toolsCloud infrastructure assessment tools

1.5 Explain the threats and vulnerabilities associated with specialized technology.MobileInternet of Things (IoT)EmbeddedReal-time operating system (RTOS)System-on-Chip (SoC)Field programmable gate array (FPGA)Physical access controlBuilding automation systemsVehicles and dronesWorkflow and process automation systemsIndustrial control systems (ICS)Supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA)