Security Certifications Books
This list of the best Security+ certification books out there will make you appreciate the fact that there are still publishers and authors that take the care and time to craft a quality educational product. Whether you are a hardworking professional trying to level up on your knowledge or studying for the exams, find any of these books to be extremely useful for you.
The CompTIA Security+ is highly valued by IT professionals and employers alike. This vendor-neutral certification is part of CompTIA’s “Core” family of certifications and one of its top credentials in terms of popularity. Together, the Security+, A+ and Network+ credentials make up what my friends reverently refer to as the “holy trinity” of certifications. Earning the Security+ credential sends a strong message to employers and prospective employers that you possess the skills and knowledge necessary to be a valuable cybersecurity-focused team member.
1.CompTIA Security+ Get Certified Get Ahead: SY0-501 Study Guide
Author: Darril Gibson
Publisher: YCDA, LLC; 4 edition (October 12, 2017)
The CompTIA Security+ Get Certified Get Ahead SY0-501 Study Guide is an update to the top-selling SY0-201, SY0-301, and SY0-401 study guides, which have helped thousands of readers pass the exam the first time they took it.
It covers all of the SY0-501 objectives and includes the same elements readers raved about in the previous two 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 he’s honed in the classroom that have helped hundreds of students master the Security+ content.
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 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 book 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 to help you understand the content and the reasoning behind the question. You'll also have access to free online resources including labs and additional practice test questions. Using all of 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 SY0-501 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.
2.CompTIA A+ Certification All-in-One Exam Guide, Ninth Edition (Exams 220-901 & 220-902) 9th Edition
Author: Mike Meyers
Publisher: McGraw-Hill Education; 9 edition (January 4, 2016)
Written by the leading authority on CompTIA A+ certification and training, this self-study book and CD has been thoroughly updated to cover 100% of the exam objectives on the 2015 CompTIA A+ exams. New topics include managing and maintaining cellular devices, including tablets; configuring operating systems, including Windows 8, Android, and iOS; and enhanced, mobile-centered security and troubleshooting procedures. The All-in-One Exam Guide enables you to take the test with complete confidence. It also serves as a practical reference for IT support and technical personnel.
this is the only comptia a+ book i would recommend. the author does not drift off to complicated things when starting to learn the basics. author also has a sense of humor. there are limited but good external resources that comes with the book. if you want more, you have to pay additional fees online to access all of them. comes with CD which I mainly use as a soft PDF copy of the book. the test bank that is included is very limited.
3.CompTIA Security+ Certification Guide: Master IT security essentials and exam topics for CompTIA Security+ SY0-501 certification
Author: Ian Neil
Publisher: Packt Publishing (September 29, 2018)
CompTIA Security+ is a worldwide certification that establishes the fundamental knowledge required to perform core security functions and pursue an IT security career. CompTIA Security+ Certification Guide is a best-in-class exam study guide that covers all of CompTIA Security+ 501 exam objectives. It is authored by Ian Neil, who is a world-class trainer of CompTIA Security+ 501. Packed with self-assessment scenarios and realistic exam questions, this guide will help you master the core concepts to succeed in the exam the first time you take it.
Using relevant examples, you will learn all the important security fundamentals from Certificates and Encryption to Identity and Access Management concepts. You will then dive into the important domains of the exam; namely, threats, attacks and vulnerabilities, technologies and tools, architecture and design, risk management, and cryptography and Public Key Infrastructure (PKI).
This book comes with over 600 practice questions with detailed explanation that is at the exam level and also includes two mock exams to help you with your study plan. This guide will ensure that encryption and certificates are made easy for you.
4.Mike Meyers' CompTIA Security+ Certification Guide, Second Edition (Exam SY0-501) 2nd Edition
Author: Mike Meyers (Author), Scott Jernigan (Author)
Publisher: McGraw-Hill Education; 2 edition (December 22, 2017)
Take the CompTIA Security+ exam (exam SY0-501) with confidence using the comprehensive information contained in this highly effective study resource. Like the exam, the guide goes beyond knowledge application and is designed to ensure that security personnel anticipate security risks and guard against them.
In Mike Meyers’ CompTIA Security+ Certification Guide, Second Edition (Exam SY0-501), the bestselling author and leading authority on CompTIA A+ certification brings his proven methodology to IT security. Mike covers all exam objectives in small, digestible modules that allow you to focus on individual skills as you move through a broad and complex set of skills and concepts. The book features hundreds of accurate practice questions as well as a toolbox of the author’s favorite network security related freeware/shareware.
If you've watched any of Mike Myers videos, you'd know he wrote the book cause it talks to you. My recommendation, if you're trying to pass the security+, buy this book, get his videos on Udemy or wherever and watch. Yeah I sound like a commercial, but I am just a guy who used his books and videos to get my A+ and Security + certifications .
5.CompTIA Advanced Security Practitioner (CASP) CAS-003 Cert Guide (2nd Edition) (Certification Guide) 2nd Edition
Author: Robin Abernathy (Author), Troy McMillan (Author)
Publisher: Pearson IT Certification; 2 edition (May 20, 2018)
CompTIA Advanced Security Practitioner (CASP) CAS-003 Authorized Cert Guide is a best-of-breed exam study guide. Leading security certification training experts Robin Abernathy and Troy McMillan share preparation hints and test-taking tips, helping you identify areas of weakness and improve both your conceptual knowledge and hands-on skills. Material is presented in a concise manner, focusing on increasing your understanding and retention of exam topics.
The book presents you with an organized test preparation routine through the use of proven series elements and techniques. Exam topic lists make referencing easy. Chapter-ending Exam Preparation Tasks help you drill on key concepts you must know thoroughly. Review questions help you assess your knowledge, and a final preparation chapter guides you through tools and resources to help you craft your final study plan.
The companion website contains the powerful Pearson Test Prep practice test software, complete with hundreds of exam-realistic questions. The assessment engine offers you a wealth of customization options and reporting features, laying out a complete assessment of your knowledge to help you focus your study where it is needed most. This online assessment engine enables you to access the practice tests via the Internet on any desktop, laptop, tablet, or smartphone device with internet connectivity. The web-based version also allows you to download the software to your desktop, so you can use the practice test even when you don't have an internet connection. The desktop version syncs with your online version when an internet connection is established, to update and track your progress. This integrated learning package offers these additional benefits:
• Allows you to focus on individual topic areas or take complete, timed exams
• Presents unique sets of exam-realistic practice questions
• Tracks your performance and provides feedback on a module-by-module basis, laying out a complete assessment of your knowledge to help you focus your study where it is needed most.
Well-regarded for its level of detail, assessment features, and challenging review questions and exercises, this CompTIA approved study guide helps you master the concepts and techniques that will enable you to succeed on the exam the first time, including:
- Enterprise security
- Risk management and incident response
- Research, analysis, and assessment
- Integration of computing, communications, and business disciplines
- Technical integration of enterprise components
6.CompTIA Security+ Certification Kit: Exam SY0-501 5th Edition
Author: Emmett Dulaney (Author), Chuck Easttom (Author), James Michael Stewart (Author), S. Russell Christy (Author)
Publisher: Sybex; 5 edition (May 15, 2018)
The CompTIA Security+ Certification Kit contains three books: the Review Guide, the Study Guide, and the practice tests. The Review Guide is 601 pages long with 6 chapters giving you an in-depth explanations for the Security+ exam objectives. The 6 chapters correspond to the 6 domains of the CompTIA Security+ Objectives. At the end of each chapter are 20 questions covering the salient points. That is 120 questions in total. Nitpick: CIDR notation is mentioned as not being on Security+. No formula is given.
The Study Guide is 12 chapters. Immediately you can tell that the 12 chapters do not correspond directly to the 6 domains of the CompTIA Security+ Objectives. They do cover everything, but just not in order. At the beginning of the book are assessment questions, which you can use to determine how ready you are. Following each chapter are 10 to 20 review questions covering what you have learned. Nitpick: CIDR notation is not mentioned at all.
There are minor errata in the books, which you should be able to pick up on with no trouble. One that tripped me up is the meaning of COPE. Does it mean corporate-owned personally-enabled (Review Guide)? Does it mean company owned and provided (Study Guide)? How about we let the practice test book be the tie-breaker? No, the practice test book uses both acronyms.
The Practice Tests (again) has six chapters, each with about 150 questions. There is one final practice test with 100 questions. As always, in the back are the answers with explanations. Even though a test is on a specific domain, it may ask questions from another domain. TACACS+ is from domain 4.2, but a question on it is asked in the Chapter 2 tests, as well as two questions on CIDR. (Yes, I missed those questions.)
The Kit also includes access to the online questions, tests, and flashcards. There are 115 total questions instead of the 120 questions in the Review Guide. There are also two practice tests - one with 84 questions, and one with 85 questions. There are 614 flashcards that contain all the acronyms and definitions that you could possibly want. I do like that the on-line system keeps track of my progress, and gives me an answer for the questions that I missed along with an explanation. However, sometimes the Flash Cards have questions which are not on the SY0-501 exam objectives or contain errors. One example of the former is the question "What is M of N control?" (Yes, I missed it.) One example of the later is that ECC asymmetric cryptography means Error Correcting Code, when it really means Elliptic-curve cryptography.
7.CompTIA Security+ Guide to Network Security Fundamentals - Standalone Book 6th Edition
Author: Mark Ciampa
Publisher: Cengage Learning; 6 edition (September 22, 2017)
It's a CompTIA textbook and it reads like a textbook. There seems to be plenty of information. More than enough for the Security+ cert, I'd imagine. If only my instructor that had us purchase this for a college class actually used it as material or even a guide. Really, I just don't know what college is for anymore when everything is such a high percentage DIY endeavor anyway.
Pro tip: skip taking any cert classes unless you're getting a real degree (A.S, B.S., etc). "Obtain the materials", read them, maybe take some practice quizes online, and then just take the proctored exams.
8.CompTIA Network+ Certification Study Guide, Sixth Edition (Exam N10-006) (Certification Press) 6th Edition
Author: Glen Clarke
Publisher: McGraw-Hill Education; 6 edition (August 3, 2015)
The best IT certification exam study system available for CompTIA Network+ Exam N10-006
With more than five hundred practice exam questions, including new performance-based types, hours of video training, and lab exercises, CompTIA Network+ Certification Study Guide, Sixth Edition (Exam N10-006) covers everything you need to know to prepare for this challenging exam.
- 100% complete coverage of all official objectives for exam N10-006
- Exam Readiness checklist―you’re ready for the exam when all objectives on the list are checked off
- Inside the Exam sections in every chapter highlight key exam topics covered
- Two-Minute Drills for quick review at the end of every chapter
- Simulated exam questions match the format, tone, topics, and difficulty of the real exam
Covers all the exam topics, including:
Basic Network Concepts * Network Protocols and Standards * Networking Components * TCP/IP Addressing * TCP/IP Protocols * TCP/IP Utilities * Configuring Routers and Switches * Subnetting and Routing * Configuring Network Services * Wireless Networking * Remote Access and VPN Connectivity * Wide Area Network Technologies * Implementing a Network * Maintaining and Supporting a Network * Network Security Principles * Network Security Practices * Monitoring the Network * Troubleshooting the Network
Electronic content includes:
- 500+ practice exam questions
- Test engine with practice exams and custom quizzes based on chapters or exam objectives
- NEW performance-based questions
- NEW Pre-assessment test
- 3+ hours of video training
- 20+ lab exercises
- Quick Review Guide
- Worksheets
- PDF copy of the book
9.CompTIA Security+ Study Guide Authorized Courseware: Exam SY0-301 5th Edition
Author: Emmett Dulaney
Publisher:
This top-selling study guide helps candidates prepare for exam SY0-301 and certification as a CompTIA Security+ administrator. Inside the new, CompTIA Authorized edition, you'll find complete coverage of all Security+ exam objectives, loads of real-world examples, and a CD packed with cutting-edge exam prep tools. The book covers key exam topics such as general security concepts, infrastructure security, the basics of cryptography, and much more.
- Provides 100% coverage of all exam objectives for the new CompTIA Security+ exam SY0-301 including:
- Network security
- Compliance and operational security
- Threats and vulnerabilities
- Application, data and host security
- Access control and identity management
- Cryptography
- Covers key topics such as general security concepts, communication and infrastructure security, the basics of cryptography, operational security, and more
- Offers practical examples and insights drawn from the real world
- Includes a CD with two practice exams, all chapter review questions, electronic flashcards, and more
Obtain your Security+ certification and jump-start your career. It's possible with the kind of thorough preparation you'll receive from CompTIA Security+ Study Guide, 5th Edition.
10.CompTIA Security+ SY0-401 Cert Guide, Academic Edition 1st Edition
Author: David L. Prowse
Publisher: Pearson IT Certification; 1 edition (September 22, 2014)
CompTIA Security+ SY0-401 Authorized Cert Guide, Academic Edition includes video solutions to the hands-on labs, practice tests, and interactive simulations that let the reader learn by doing. Best-selling author and expert instructor David L. Prowse shares preparation hints and test-taking tips, helping you identify areas of weakness and improve both your conceptual knowledge and hands-on skills. Material is presented in a concise manner, focusing on increasing your understanding and retention of exam topics.
The book presents you with an organized test preparation routine through the use of proven series elements and techniques. Exam topic lists make referencing easy. Chapter review activities help you drill on key concepts you must know thoroughly. Review questions help you assess your knowledge, and a final preparation chapter guides you through tools and resources to help you craft your approach to passing the exam.
The companion Academic Edition DVD contains the powerful Pearson IT Certification Practice Test engine, with three complete practice exams and hundreds of exam-realistic questions and free access to the Premium Edition eBook. The assessment engine offers you a wealth of customization options and reporting features, laying out a complete assessment of your knowledge to help you focus your study where it is needed most. Work through 270 Flash Cards in Q&A and glossary term format to help reinforce your knowledge of key concepts and facts. The Academic Edition DVD also includes complete video solutions to 31 hands-on labs in the book and 31 interactive simulations on key exam topics to reinforce the learning by doing. Learning activities such as test password strength, match the type of Malware with its definition, find the security issues in the network map, and disallow a user access to the network on Saturday and Sunday.
