Security Certified Program Part 1

Just in case you all were wondering where I had been last week (yeah right, like you guys missed me :( ), I was attending the first class of the Security Certified Program - Network Security Fundamentals (NSF). I have to admit; my expectations were a little high for this class. I'm not sure why - maybe it was because I hadn't been to a class in so long, and I was a little anxious, I'll admit. Anyway, the class seemed to be a very good starting point for someone with little to no knowledge of security. This class is to security what Networking Essentials or Network + was for beinning networking. They go over hardening Windows and Linux, as well as some security dos and don'ts. Also among the topics are a more advanced discussion of the TCP/IP suite, Routing and ACLs, and some attack techniques and their prevention. The official outline can be found on the SCP site here . I didn't get as much out of the class as someone would who was even more of a beginner. I have the benefit of working as a Net Sec Admin in addition to my already taking the the Interconnecting Cisco Network Devices class. Believe it or not, I was actually able to help the class understand some of the topics a little better. Well, with that said, I think this is a great course for beginners to the security arena. The first-level cert comes when you pass the corresponding exams for both the NSF and NDC classes - that's two exams for the cert. This will get you a status of Security Certified Network Professional. The next level cert of Security Certified Network Architect required two additional exams, to which there are two more corresponding classes. My current plans are to go after the cert. The way I see it, it would add value to my security experience and make me a bit more marketable. If anyone has any questions about the class, feel free to post them or PM me. I will post another review when I take the second class in Feb. Take care.