The Official Comptia Cysa Self-paced Study Guide (exam Cs0 .

The official comptia cysa self-paced study guide (exam cs0-002)What you'll learn Take and pass the CompTIA CySA (CS0-001 or CS0-002) certification examUnderstand threat and vulnerability management conceptsUnderstand how to conduct a cyber incident responseUnderstand how to setup a strong security architecture for your networksKnow what different types of cybersecurity tools are on the marketand which to use in different scenarios Requirements Basic understanding of network and network securityUnderstand the concepts covered by the Network and Security examsThis course aligns directly to the CompTIA CySA CS0-002 Certification Study Guide Description ** Taught by a Best Selling IT Certification Instructor ** This courseprovides everything you need in order to study for the CompTIA Cybersecurity Analyst (CySA ) (CS0-002) exam, including a downloadable Study Guide (PDF), quizzes to check your knowledge as you progress through the videos, and a full-length practice exam to test your knowledge before test day! Taught by an expert in information technologyand cybersecurity with over 20 years of experience, this course is a fun way to learn what you need to know to pass the CompTIA Cybersecurity Analyst (CySA ) (CS0-002) exam or to better prepare yourself to serve on your organization's cyber defense team.The CompTIA CySA (Cybersecurity Analyst ) (CS0-002) certification is a vendorneutral certification that validates your knowledge and ability to conduct intermediate-level cybersecurity skills. This certification fills the gap between the entry-level CompTIA Security exam (for those with about 1 year in the field) and the advanced-level CompTIA Advanced Security Practitioner (for those with at least 5 years in the field). TheCompTIA CySA exam is focused on the technical, hands-on details of the cybersecurity field, including not only cyber threats, secure network architecture, and risk management, but also the ability to perform log analysis, configuration assessments, and more.This CySA (CS0-002) course is designed for IT Security analysts, vulnerabilityanalysts, threat intelligence analysts, or anyone who is trying to get a better understanding of the concepts involved in conducting cybersecurity analysis, to include threat management, vulnerability management, cyber incident response, security architecture, and the toolsets associated with these cybersecurity efforts.To help you practice for theCompTIA CySA (CS0-002) exam, this course even comes with a realistic practice exam containing 90 multiple-choice questions spread across the five domains tested by the CompTIA CySA (CS0-002) certification exam!This course will provide you with full coverage of the five domains of the CySA (CS0-002) exam: Threat and VulnerabilityManagement (22%) Software and Systems Security (18%) Security Operations and Monitoring (25%) Incident Response (25%) Compliance and Assessment (13%) Who this course is for: Students preparing for the CompTIA CySA (CS0-001 or CS0-002) Certification ExamThreat analystsVulnerability analystsRisk management professionalsEntry-levelincident response professionals Source Link: Link: Link: Cybersecurity Analyst (CSA ) Study Guide Exam CS0-001 Mike Chapple David Seidl Senior Acquisitions Editor: Kenyon Brown Development Editor: David Clark Technical Editor: Robin Abernathy Production Editor: Rebecca Anderson Copy Editor: Elizabeth Welch Editorial Manager: MaryBeth Wakefield Production Manager: Kathleen Wisor Executive Editor: Jim Minatel Book Designers: Judy Fung and Bill Gibson Proofreader: Kim Wimpsett Indexer: Ted Laux Project Coordinator, Cover: Brent Savage Cover Designer: Wiley Cover Image: Getty Images Inc./Jeremy Woodhouse Copyright 2017 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Indianapolis,Indiana Published simultaneously in Canada ISBN: 978-1-119-34897-9 ISBN: 978-1-119-34991-4 (ebk.) ISBN: 978-1-119-34988-4 (ebk.) Manufactured in the United States of America No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording,scanning or otherwise, except as permitted under Sections 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, (978) 750-8400, fax (978) 6468600. Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Permissions Department, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030, (201) 748-6011, fax (201) 748-6008, or online at . Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: The publisher and the author make no representations or warranties with respect to theaccuracy or completeness of the contents of this work and specifically disclaim all warranties, including without limitation warranties of fitness for a particular purpose. No warranty may be created or extended by sales or promotional materials. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for every situation. This work is sold withthe understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional services. If professional assistance is rendering legal, accounting, or other professional services. If professional assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought. Neither the publisher nor the author shall beliable for damages arising herefrom. The fact that an organization or Web site is referred to in this work as a citation and/or a potential source of further information does not mean that the author or the publisher endorses the information the organization or Web site may provide or recommendations it may make. Further, readers should be awarethat Internet Web sites listed in this work may have changed or disappeared between when this work was written and when it is read. For general information on our other products and services or to obtain technical support, please contact our Customer Care Department within the U.S. at (877) 762-2974, outside the U.S. at (317) 572-3993 or fax(317) 572-4002. Wiley publishes in a variety of print and electronic formats and by print-on-demand. Some material included with standard print versions of this book may not be included in e-books or in print-on-demand. If this book refers to media such as a CD or DVD that is not included in the version you purchased, you may download this materialat . For more information about Wiley products, visit www.wiley.com. Library of Congress Control Number: 2017935704 TRADEMARKS: Wiley, the Wiley logo, and the Sybex logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of John Wiley & Sons, Inc. and/or its affiliates, in the United States and other countries, and may not be used without writtenpermission. CompTIA and CSA are trademarks or registered trademarks of CompTIA Properties, LLC. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. is not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book. This eBook was posted by AlenMiler on AvaxHome! Many New eBooks in my Blog:Mirror: I dedicate this book to my father, who was a role model of the value of hard work, commitment to family, and the importance of doing the right thing. Rest in peace, Dad. —Mike Chapple This book is dedicated to Ric Williams, my friend, mentor, and partner in crime through my first forays into the commercial IT world. Thanks for making myjob as a “network janitor” one of the best experiences of my life. —David Seidl Acknowledgments Books like this involve work from many people, and as authors, we truly appreciate the hard work and dedication that the team at Wiley shows. We would especially like to thank senior acquisitions editor Kenyon Brown. We have worked with Ken onmultiple projects and consistently enjoy our work with him. We also greatly appreciated the editing and production team for the book, including David Clark, our developmental editor, who brought years of experience and great talent to the project, Robin Abernathy, our technical editor, who provided insightful advice and gave wonderful feedbackthroughout the book, and Becca Anderson, our production editor, who guided us through layouts, formatting, and final cleanup to produce a great book. We would also like to thank the many behind-the-scenes contributors, including the graphics, production, and technical teams who make the book and companion materials into a finished product.Our agent, Carole Jelen of Waterside Productions, continues to provide us with wonderful opportunities, advice, and assistance throughout our writing careers. Finally, we would like to thank our families and significant others who support us through the late evenings, busy weekends, and long hours that a book like this requires to write, edit, and getto press. About the Authors Mike Chapple, Ph.D., CSA , is author of the best-selling CISSP (ISC)2 Certified Information Systems Security Professional Official Study Guide (Sybex, 2015) and the CISSP (ISC)2 Official Practice Tests (Sybex 2016). He is an information security professional with two decades of experience in higher education, the privatesector, and government. Mike currently serves as senior director for IT Service Delivery at the University of Notre Dame. In this role, he oversees the information security, data governance, IT architecture, project management, strategic planning, and product management functions for Notre Dame. Mike also serves as Associate Teaching Professor inthe university’s IT, Analytics, and Operations department, where he teaches undergraduate and graduate courses on cybersecurity, data management, and business analytics. Before returning to Notre Dame, Mike served as executive vice president and chief information officer of the Brand Institute, a Miami-based marketing consultancy. Mike alsospent four years in the information security research group at the National Security Agency and served as an active duty intelligence officer in the U.S. Air Force. Mike is technical editor for Information Security Magazine and has written more than 25 books. He earned both his B.S. and Ph.D. degrees from Notre Dame in computer science andengineering. Mike also holds an M.S. in computer science from the University of Idaho and an MBA from Auburn University. Mike holds the Cybersecurity Analyst (CSA ), Security , and Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) certifications. David Seidl is the senior director for Campus Technology Services at the University ofNotre Dame. As the senior director for CTS, David is responsible for central platform and operating system support, database administration and services, identity and access management, application services, email and digital signage, and document management. During his over 20 years in information technology, he has served in a variety ofleadership, technical, and information security roles, including leading Notre Dame’s information security team as Notre Dame’s director of information security. He currently teaches a popular course on networking and security for Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business and has written books on security certification and cyberwarfare, includingco-authoring CISSP (ISC)2 Official Practice Tests (Sybex 2016). David holds a bachelor’s degree in communication technology and a master’s degree in information security from Eastern Michigan University, as well as CISSP, GPEN, and GCIH certifications. CONTENTS Acknowledgments About the Authors Introduction What Does This Book Cover?Objectives Map for CompTIA Cybersecurity Analyst (CSA ) Exam CS0-001 Objectives Map Assessment Test Answer to the Assessment Test Chapter 1 Defending Against Cybersecurity Threats Cybersecurity Objectives Evaluating Security Risks Building a Secure Network Secure Endpoint Management Penetration Testing Reverse EngineeringSummary Exam Essentials Lab Exercises Review Questions Chapter 2 Reconnaissance and Intelligence Gathering Footprinting Passive Footprinting Gathering Organizational Intelligence Detecting, Preventing, and Responding to Reconnaissance Summary Exam Essentials Lab Exercises Review Questions Chapter 3 Designing a VulnerabilityManagement Program Identifying Vulnerability Management Requirements Configuring and Executing Vulnerability Scans Developing a Remediation Workflow Overcoming Barriers to Vulnerability Scanning Summary Exam Essentials Lab Exercises Review Questions Chapter 4 Analyzing Vulnerability Scans Reviewing and Interpreting Scan ReportsValidating Scan Results Common Vulnerabilities Summary Exam Essentials Lab Exercises Review Questions Chapter 5 Building an Incident Response Program Security Incidents Phases of Incident Response Building the Foundation for Incident Response Creating an Incident Response Team Coordination and Information Sharing Classifying IncidentsSummary Exam Essentials Lab Exercises Review Questions Chapter 6 Analyzing Symptoms for Incident Response Analyzing Network Events Handling Network Probes and Attacks Investigating Host Issues Investigating Service and Application Issues Summary Exam Essentials Lab Exercises Review Questions Chapter 7 Performing Forensic AnalysisBuilding a Forensics Capability Understanding Forensic Software Conducting a Forensic Investigation Forensic Investigation: An Example Summary Exam Essentials Lab Exercises Review Questions Chapter 8 Recovery and Post-Incident Response Containing the Damage Incident Eradication and Recovery Wrapping Up the Response Summary ExamEssentials Lab Exercises Review Questions Chapter 9 Policy and Compliance Understanding Policy Documents Complying with Laws and Regulations Adopting a Standard Framework Implementing Policy-Based Controls Security Control Verification and Quality Control Summary Exam Essentials Lab Exercises Review Questions Chapter 10 Defensein-Depth Security Architectures Understanding Defense in Depth Implementing Defense in Depth Analyzing Security Architecture Summary Exam Essentials Lab Exercises Review Questions Chapter 11 Identity and Access Management Security Understanding Identity Threats to Identity and Access Identity as a Security Layer UnderstandingFederated Identity and Single Sign-On Review Questions Chapter 12 Software Development Security Understanding the Software Development Life Cycle Designing and Coding for Security Software Security Testing Summary Exam Essentials Lab Exercises Review Questions Chapter 13 Cybersecurity Toolkit Host Security Tools Monitoring andAnalysis Tools Scanning and Testing Tools Network Security Tools Web Application Security Tools Forensics Tools Summary Appendix A Answers to the Review Questions Chapter 1: Defending Against Cybersecurity Threats Chapter 2: Reconnaissance and Intelligence Gathering Chapter 3: Designing a Vulnerability Management Program Chapter 4:Analyzing Vulnerability Scans Chapter 5: Building an Incident Response Program Chapter 6: Analyzing Symptoms for Incident Response Chapter 7: Performing Forensic Analysis Chapter 8: Recovery and Post-Incident Response Chapter 9: Policy and Compliance Chapter 10: Defense-in-Depth Security Architectures Chapter 11: Identity and AccessManagement Security Chapter 12: Software Development Security Appendix B Answers to the Lab Exercises Chapter 1: Defending Against Cybersecurity Threats Chapter 2: Reconnaissance and Intelligence Gathering Chapter 4: Analyzing Vulnerability Scans Chapter 5: Building an Incident Response Program Chapter 6: Analyzing Symptoms forIncident Response Chapter 7: Performing Forensic Analysis Chapter 8: Recovery and Post-Incident Response Chapter 9: Policy and Compliance Chapter 10: Defense-in-Depth Security Architectures Chapter 11: Identity and Access Management Security Chapter 12: Software Development Security Index Advert EULA List of Illustrations Chapter 1Figure 1.1 The three key objectives of cybersecurity programs are confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Figure 1.2 Risks exist at the intersection of threats and vulnerabilities. If either the threat or vulnerability is missing, there is no risk. Figure 1.3 The NIST SP 800-30 risk assessment process suggests that an organization should identify threatsand vulnerabilities and then use that information to determine the level of risk posed by the combination of those threats and vulnerabilities. Figure 1.4 Many organizations use a risk matrix to determine an overall risk rating based on likelihood and impact assessments. Figure 1.5 In an 802.1x system, the device attempting to join the network runs aNAC supplicant, which communicates with an authenticator on the network switch or wireless access point. The authenticator uses RADIUS to communicate with an authentication server. Figure 1.6 A triple-homed firewall connects to three different networks, typically an internal network, a DMZ, and the Internet. Figure 1.7 A triple-homed firewallmay also be used to isolate internal network segments of varying trust levels. Figure 1.8 Group Policy Objects (GPOs) may be used to apply settings to many different systems at the same time. Figure 1.9 NIST divides penetration testing into four phases. Figure 1.10 The attack phase of a penetration test uses a cyclical process that gains a footholdand then uses it to expand access within the target organization. Chapter 2 Figure 2.1 Zenmap topology view Figure 2.2 Nmap scan results Figure 2.3 Nmap service and version detection Figure 2.4 Nmap of a Windows 10 system Figure 2.5 Angry IP Scanner Figure 2.6 Cisco router log Figure 2.7 SNMP configuration from a typical Cisco routerFigure 2.8 Linux netstat -a output Figure 2.9 Windows netstat -o output Figure 2.10 Windows netstat -e output Figure 2.11 Windows netstat -nr output Figure 2.12 Linux dhcp.conf file Figure 2.13 Nslookup for google.com Figure 2.14 nslookup using Google’s DNS with MX query flag Figure 2.15 Traceroute for bbc.co.uk Figure 2.16 Whois query datafor google.com Figure 2.17 host command response for google.com Figure 2.18 Packet capture data from an nmap scan Figure 2.19 Demonstration account from immersion.media.mit.edu Chapter 3 Figure 3.1 FIPS 199 Standards Figure 3.2 QualysGuard asset map Figure 3.3 Configuring a Nessus scan Figure 3.4 Sample Nessus scan report Figure3.5 Nessus scan templates Figure 3.6 Disabling unused plug-ins Figure 3.7 Configuring authenticated scanning Figure 3.8 Choosing a scan appliance Figure 3.9 National Cyber Awareness System Vulnerability Summary Figure 3.10 Nessus Automatic Updates Figure 3.11 Vulnerability management life cycle Figure 3.12 QualysGuard dashboardexample Figure 3.13 Nessus report example by IP address Figure 3.14 Nessus report example by criticality Figure 3.15 Detailed vulnerability report Figure 3.16 QualysGuard scan performance settings Chapter 4 Figure 4.1 Nessus vulnerability scan report Figure 4.2 Qualys vulnerability scan report Figure 4.3 Scan report showing vulnerabilities andbest practices Figure 4.4 Vulnerability trend analysis Figure 4.5 Vulnerabilities exploited in 2015 by year of initial discovery Figure 4.6 Missing patch vulnerability Figure 4.7 Unsupported operating system vulnerability Figure 4.8 Dirty COW website Figure 4.9 Code execution vulnerability Figure 4.10 FTP cleartext authentication vulnerability Figure4.11 Debug mode vulnerability Figure 4.12 Outdated SSL version vulnerability Figure 4.13 Insecure SSL cipher vulnerability Figure 4.14 Invalid certificate warning Figure 4.15 DNS amplification vulnerability Figure 4.16 Internal IP disclosure vulnerability Figure 4.17 Inside a virtual host Figure 4.18 SQL injection vulnerability Figure 4.19 Cross-sitescripting vulnerability Figure 4.20 First vulnerability report Figure 4.21 Second vulnerability report Chapter 5 Figure 5.1 Incident response process Figure 5.2 Incident response checklist Chapter 6 Figure 6.1 Routers provide a central view of network traffic flow by sending data to flow collectors. Figure 6.2 Netflow data example Figure 6.3 Passivemonitoring between two systems Figure 6.4 PRTG network overview Figure 6.5 Netflow Traffic Analyzer Figure 6.6 SolarWinds Performance Monitor Figure 6.7 Nagios Core tactical view Figure 6.8 Nagios Core notifications view Figure 6.9 Network bandwidth monitoring showing a dropped link Figure 6.10 Beaconing in Wireshark Figure 6.11Unexpected network traffic shown in flows Figure 6.12 Sample functional design of a cloud-based DDoS mitigation service Figure 6.13 nmap scan of a potential rogue system Figure 6.14 The Windows Resource Monitor view of system resources Figure 6.15 The Windows Performance Monitor view of system usage Chapter 7 Figure 7.1 Sample chainof-custody form Figure 7.2 Advanced Office Password Breaker cracking a Word DOC file Figure 7.3 Order of volatility of common storage locations Figure 7.4 dd of a volume Figure 7.5 FTK imaging of a system Figure 7.6 FTK image metadata Figure 7.7 Logicube’s Forensic Dossier duplicator device Figure 7.8 A Tableau SATA- and IDE-capablehardware write blocker Figure 7.9 FTK image hashing and bad sector checking Figure 7.10 USB Historian drive image Figure 7.11 Initial case information and tracking Figure 7.12 Initial case information and tracking Figure 7.13 Email extraction Figure 7.14 Web search history Figure 7.15 iCloud setup log with timestamp Figure 7.16 CCleanerremnant data via the Index Search function Figure 7.17 Resignation letter found based on document type Figure 7.18 Sample forensic finding from Stroz Friedberg’s Facebook contract investigation Chapter 8 Figure 8.1 Incident response process Figure 8.2 Proactive network segmentation Figure 8.3 Network segmentation for incident responseFigure 8.4 Network isolation for incident response Figure 8.5 Network removal for incident response Figure 8.6 Patching priorities Figure 8.7 Sanitization and disposition decision flow Chapter 9 Figure 9.1 Excerpt from CMS training matrix Figure 9.2 Excerpt from UC Berkeley Minimum Security Standards for Electronic Information Figure 9.3 NISTCybersecurity Framework Core Structure Figure 9.4 Asset Management Cybersecurity Framework Figure 9.5 TOGAF Architecture Development Model Figure 9.6 ITIL service life cycle Chapter 10 Figure 10.1 Layered security network design Figure 10.2 Uniform protection applied to all systems Figure 10.3 Protected enclave for credit cardoperations Figure 10.4 Data classification–based design Figure 10.5 DMZ with a single firewall Figure 10.6 Single firewall service-leg DMZ Figure 10.7 Dual-firewall network design Figure 10.8 Outsourced remote services via public Internet Figure 10.9 VPN-connected remote network design Figure 10.10 A fully redundant network edge designFigure 10.11 Single points of failure in a network design Figure 10.12 Single points of failure in a process flow Figure 10.13 Sample security architecture Chapter 11 Figure 11.1 A high-level logical view of identity management infrastructure Figure 11.2 LDAP directory structure Figure 11.3 Kerberos authentication flow Figure 11.4 OAuth covertredirects Figure 11.5 A sample account life cycle Figure 11.6 Phishing for a PayPal ID Figure 11.7 Authentication security model Figure 11.8 Google Authenticator token Figure 11.9 Context-based authentication Figure 11.10 Federated identity high-level design Figure 11.11 Attribute release request for loginradius.com Figure 11.12 Simple SAMLtransaction Figure 11.13 OAuth authentication process Chapter 12 Figure 12.1 High-level SDLC view Figure 12.2 The Waterfall SDLC model Figure 12.3 The Spiral SDLC model Figure 12.4 Agile sprints Figure 12.5 Rapid Application Development prototypes Figure 12.6 Fagan code review Figure 12.7 Acunetix web application scan vulnerabilityreport Figure 12.8 Tamper Data session showing login data Chapter 13 Figure 13.1 Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Figure 13.2 Sysinternals Process Explorer Figure 13.3 Kiwi Syslog Figure 13.4 Splunk Figure 13.5 AlienVault SIEM Figure 13.6 AlienVault SIEM drill-down Figure 13.7 SolarWinds’s Orion Figure 13.8 Nmap Figure 13.9 Nikto webapplication scanner Figure 13.10 Nessus web application scanner Figure 13.11 Metasploit Console Figure 13.12 John the Ripper Figure 13.13 Check Point firewall console Figure 13.14 Bro intrusion detection and prevention system Figure 13.15 Wireshark packet captures Figure 13.16 tcpdump packet captures Figure 13.17 Netstat output Figure13.18 Ping Figure 13.19 Traceroute Figure 13.20 ifconfig Figure 13.21 nslookup Figure 13.22 dig Figure 13.23 Proxy servers act as intermediaries for network communications. Figure 13.24 Configuring a web proxy Figure 13.25 Kproxy.com public anonymizing proxy Figure 13.26 ModSecurity firewall log entry Figure 13.27 Zed Attack Proxy (ZAP)Figure 13.28 Burp Proxy Figure 13.29 shasum Figure 13.30 FTK email viewer Introduction CompTIA Cybersecurity Analyst (CSA ) Study Guide provides accessible explanations and real-world knowledge about the exam objectives that make up the Cybersecurity Analyst certification. This book will help you to assess your knowledge before takingthe exam, as well as provide a stepping-stone to further learning in areas where you may want to expand your skillset or expertise. Before you tackle the CSA , you should already be a security practitioner. CompTIA suggests that test takers have between 3 and 4 years of existing handson information security experience. You should also be familiarwith at least some of the tools and techniques described in this book. You don’t need to know every tool, but understanding how to approach a new scenario, tool, or technology that you may not know using existing experience is critical to passing the CSA exam. For up-to-the-minute updates covering additions or modifications to the CompTIAcertification exams, as well as additional study tools, videos, practice questions, and bonus material, be sure to visit the Sybex website and forum at www.sybex.com. CompTIA CompTIA is a nonprofit trade organization that offers certification in a variety of IT areas, ranging from the skills that a PC support technical needs, which are covered in theA exam, to advanced certifications like the CompTIA Advanced Security Practitioner, or CASP certification. CompTIA divides its exams into four different categories based on the skill level required for the exam and what topics it covers, as shown in the following table: Foundational Professional IT Fundamentals A Specialty Mastery CDIA CASPCloud with Virtualization CTT CSA Cloud Essentials Linux Healthcare IT Tech Mobility Network Security Project Server CompTIA recommends that practitioners follow a cybersecurity career path as shown here: As you can see, despite the A , Network , and Security falling into the Professional certification category, theCybersecurity Analyst exam is a more advanced exam, intended for professionals with hands-on experience and who possess the knowledge covered by the prior exams. CompTIA certifications are ISO and ANSI accredited, and they are used throughout multiple industries as a measure of technical skill and knowledge. In throughout multipleindustries as a measure of technical skill and knowledge. In addition, CompTIA certifications, including the Security and the CASP, have been approved by the U.S. government as Information Assuance baseline certifications and are included in the State Department’s Skills Incentive Program. The Cybersecurity Analyst Exam The CybersecurityAnalyst exam, which CompTIA refers to as the CSA , is designed to be a vendor-neutral certification for cybersecurity, threat, and vulnerability analysts. The CSA certification is designed for security analysts and engineers as well as Security Operations Center (SOC) staff, vulnerability analysts, and threat intelligence analysts. It focuses onsecurity analytics and practical use of security tools in real-world scenarios. It covers four major domains: Threat Management, Vulnerability Management, Cyber Incident Response, and Security Architecture and Tool Sets. These four areas include a range of topics, from reconnaissance to incident response and forensics, while focusing heavily onscenario-based learning. The CSA exam fits between the entry-level Security exam and the CompTIA Advanced Security Practitioner (CASP) certification, providing a mid-career certification for those who are seeking the next step in their certification and career path. The CSA exam is conducted in a format that CompTIA calls “performancebasedassessment.” This means that the exam uses hands-on simulations using actual security tools and scenarios to perform tasks that match those found in the daily work of a security practitioner. Exam questions may include multiple types of questions such as multiple-choice, fill-in-the-blank, multiple-response, dragand-drop, and image-based problems.CompTIA recommends that test takers have 3–4 years of information security– related experience before taking this exam. The exam costs 320 in the United States, with roughly equivalent prices in other locations around the globe. More details about the CSA exam and how to take it can be found at . Study and Exam Preparation Tips A testpreparation book like this cannot teach you every possible security software package, scenario, or specific technology that may appear on the exam. Instead, you should focus on whether you are familiar with the type or category Instead, you should focus on whether you are familiar with the type or category of technology, tool, process, or scenario asyou read the book. If you identify a gap, you may want to find additional tools to help you learn more about those topics. CompTIA recommends the use of NetWars-style simulations, penetration testing and defensive cybersecurity simulations, and incident response training to prepare for the CSA . Additional resources for hands-on exercises includethe following:

The official comptia cysa self-paced study guide (exam cs0-002) What you'll learn Take and pass the CompTIA CySA (CS0-001 or CS0-002) certification examUnderstand threat and vulnerability management conceptsUnderstand how to conduct a cyber incident responseUnderstand how to setup a