Hardware and network troubleshooting

IT technicians are the front line for any sort of hardware and networking issues that occur in the workplace. By carefully learning best practices and troubleshooting for common problems, you’ll not only pass the 220-1001 exam, but you’ll also be a standout at work.

Operating systems

We now move on to the skills needed for the 220-1002 exam, which begins with learning the common operating systems including Microsoft Windows, Linux, and Mac OS. You’ll need to know installation and upgrade methods, command line tools, and how to solve for common operating system questions you’ll face on the job.
Security
Learn to keep individual computers and office networks safe by employing host-based and network-based security measures such as encryption, website authentication, and malware removal. You’ll also want to know the basics of physical security to keep your company’s hardware secure.
ITIL 4 Foundation

This 2-day course is designed for anyone who needs an understanding of IT Service Management to help deliver better value to customers. It is appropriate for all IT staff and management, as well as customers who work closely with IT to support business requirements. This course is also designed for students who are seeking the ITIL® 4 Foundation certification and who want to prepare for ITIL® 4 Foundation exam. Learn more here.
10961 Automating Administration with Windows PowerShell v5.0

Windows PowerShell is an advanced tasking tool, with one specific use being aiding in completing necessary, but repetitive tasks. PowerShell uses a language to help write and execute scripts, remotely manage single or multiple Windows-based servers, automate day to day management and administration tasks, and more. The 5 day course is intended for students who want to automate administrative tasks from the command line. Learn more here.

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What are the differences between the objectives of the sy0-401 vs. the sy0-501?

The Security+ certification exam has specific objectives, each worth a certain percentage of the total. The sy0-401 exam’s six objectives were:
Network security — 20 percent
Compliance and operational security — 18 percent
Threats and vulnerabilities — 20 percent
Application, data and host security — 15 percent
Access control and identity management — 15 percent
Cryptography — 12 percent

The sy0-501 exam also has six objectives, but three of them are quite different from sy0-401 objectives:
Threats, attacks and vulnerabilities — 21 percent
Technologies and tools — 22 percent
Architecture and design — 15 percent
Identity and access management —16 percent
Risk management — 14 percent
Cryptography and PKI — 12 percent

More generally, therefore, we can say that the primary difference between the Security+ sy0-401 vs. the sy0-501 is that sy0-501 includes core security functions, like using security frameworks and tools, configuring resilient networks, and performing risk management and risk mitigation. Also, with sy0-501, the content has been reorganized, and it focuses more on application and less on analytics.

To keep your Security+ certification up to date, you have several options: take the new version of the exam, take the CertMaster e-learning course, or earn a higher-level certification. No matter which option you choose, updating your certification will require knowledge, skills and experience in cybersecurity areas not included in the previous exam. To get prepared, you should seek out study materials designed for the new version of the exam. Keeping your certification current will be valuable, since it proves you are keeping current with the changing cybersecurity field.
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Validate your Linux skills with CompTIA Linux+

If you wish to debug a user application, you can choose to do target emulation with the quick emulator (QEMU). QEMU is officially the Linux emulator for kernel virtual machine (KVM). KVM allows emulating another Linux OS for debugging purposes and can also be used to do source-level debugging by the host using emulated hardware instead of the actual target.

Linux scalability is inherent to Linux and comes with every GNU/Debian Linux system by default. Being able to add an architecture through the use of the default package manager app takes the guesswork out of the equation and builds time for cross-compilers and utilities. By using an IDE, cross-targeting executables, debugging and deployment almost becomes a single step, making it quick and easy to add another processor architecture to application development.

Bad actors are hacking more networks, but networks are holding up better than ever, thanks to five solid years of global investment in cybersecurity. Since the historic cyberattacks of 2013 - 2014, most organizations realized that cybersecurity is a necessary investment. Companies have hired certified and experienced cybersecurity professionals.

But during this time, the software development process has become a larger risk. Cloud services made it easier and faster to develop software. Software and IoT devices were released before adequate cybersecurity testing. Think of the rash of home surveillance hacks. To help solve the problem, organizations are hiring application security analysts, who are cybersecurity analysts focused exclusively on software.

CompTIA CySA+ will cover more application security analyst skills, while CompTIA Security+ will cover cybersecurity best practices for the software development life cycle (SDLC).

This is the way development should be — intuitive and easy. Just a couple years ago, several days would be spent on adding each additional processor architecture. Now it can be as simple as adding a new cross-compiler.

Finally, the steps for adding new architectures are identical, except for platform name. This allows Linux developers to focus on code quality and program design, without the hassle of learning custom tool installations, making development more effective and less costly.
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IT Jobs are Top Contenders

The news is out – IT is one of the hottest career paths on the market today. US News’ top 100 jobs list compiles the best jobs in the U.S. based on job growth, salary, hiring demand, employment rate, stress level and work-life balance. While a diverse range of jobs span the list, from dental hygienist to sales representative, three out of the top ten jobs are in IT. This is yet another sure indicator that the IT sector is growing by leaps and bounds – and it’s looking for talented workers to fill all these newly added positions.

Whether it’s being a software developer, computer systems analyst or information security analyst, the Department of Labor predicts at minimum a 20 percent employment growth for each of these fields through 2022. For a software developer alone, both application developers and systems-focused developers, there will be nearly 140,000 brand new positions. That’s a lot of jobs in a sector that has habitually not had enough talent to fill all its open positions.

Are you looking to land one of those new positions but aren’t sure how to start? The best thing you can do is become certified. Certifications are a big deal in the IT field. Whether you’ve been working the field and want your skills accredited or are just getting started and want a solid foundation to springboard from, certs are the way to go. It proves your professional excellence and highlights your motivation to stay up to date on the latest technology.

Hoping to land U.S. News’ number one tech job, software development? Earning a CompTIA Linux+ Powered by LPI certification will make you a top candidate. As a software developer you’ll be spending a whole lot of time working with operating systems, the biggest and most universally used of which happens to be Linux. Earning a certification in Linux+, a CompTIA certification that is universally recognized, will make a world of difference when hunting for that dream software job.

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Job Opportunities for CompTIA Candidates

So what types of jobs will you be able to apply for and feel confident in attaining with CompTIA certifications under your belt? Well, that depends on which certifications you start with. Let's take a look at three of the most popular options:

CompTIA A+

With the A+ certification you will be able to apply for jobs as a computer technician, technical support representative, help desk specialist, printer repair technician and other similar opportunities. Some companies, like CompuCom and Ricoh, have made CompTIA A+ certification mandatory for their service technicians.

See more information on the A+ certification.

CompTIA Network+

The Network+ certification opens up even more job opportunities allowing you to work as a network administrator (usually at the jr level), network engineer, network technician, and other similar positions. Also, keep in mind that Microsoft, Novell, Cisco and HP also recognize CompTIA Network+ as part of their certification tracks.

Here's more info on the Network+ certification.

CompTIA Security+

The Security+ certification allows you to apply for many of the jobs that require a security clearance; you'll be able to work as a security analyst, security specialist, network security engineer and more. Many companies including Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Motorola, Symantec, as well as the U.S. Navy, Army, Air Force and Marines employ Security+ certified individuals.

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Benefits of CompTIA Security+ Certification

This certification is ideal for IT security professionals who are relatively new to the field or have never taken a security certification exam before. It’s also useful if you’re looking to switch to cybersecurity from a related field. It is recommended as the first security certification you should earn, as it deals with the core skills needed for any job in cyber security and can help you to move into an intermediate-level cybersecurity position.

Earning the CompTIA Security+ certification can help you land job roles that are in high demand and command a good salary, such as security architect, security engineer, security or systems administrator, security analyst, network administrator, security consultant, and junior IT auditor. Although certification isn’t typically a requirement for these positions, it can provide a career advantage.
What’s the history of cybersecurity as a career field?

The first hack can be traced back to 1903 when a magician hacked into a secure wireless telegraph. In the late 1930s, Polish and British computer specialists used early forms of hacking to crack the Nazi Enigma code. It wasn’t until 1955, though, that the word “hack” would come to mean tampering with machines. And it was the late 1970s before malicious hacking of computers started to become a problem. From there, hacking accelerated in both sophistication and scope. Cybersecurity soon crystallized as a career field as black hat hacking became a corporate and national security concern.

The U.S. Department of Defense has approved the CompTIA Security+ credential to meet Directive 8140/8570.01-M requirements. The certification also complies with ISO 17024.
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Ways Data Influences Computer Networking

Big Data

The big data craze has cooled in the past couple years. Where there used to be some fascination with datasets at enormous volume or complex variety, businesses came to realize that a comprehensive data strategy was needed. Many firms did not have formal practices around their existing data management, so this became the starting point that eventually led to big data.

During the period of high interest in big data, CompTIA conducted a series of studies on the subject. The latest report in this series looked at how data volumes were growing across a wide spectrum of applications, from 58% of companies reporting growth in customer relationship data to 38% of companies reporting growth in audio files being captured.

In the modern era, the applications generating all this data are often spread across a variety of cloud providers, driving a need for networks that can connect many different sources and prioritize many types of data.
Blockchain

More recently, blockchain and other distributed ledger technologies have gotten attention as a way to disrupt traditional methods of data capture. Blockchain is most commonly thought of as the technology behind Bitcoin, but the implications go far beyond cryptocurrency.

When asked what part of the technology stack blockchain is actually replacing, most experts say that the closest component is probably the database, but not all databases are candidates for a blockchain overhaul.

According to CompTIA’s blockchain research brief, digital identity and asset management are the top use cases for companies exploring blockchain technology. Payments ranks last in the list, partly because existing payment systems work better in real-time than prototype blockchain systems.

The networks connecting these disparate systems will need to be tuned to handle the characteristics of each application.
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COMPTIA INTERNATIONAL IT CERTIFICATIONS

Businesses today understand the need for global operations – maintaining staff, offices, production facilities, datacenters and more not only in their home country, but throughout the world in key markets. Both United States-based companies and multi-national corporations have expanded their efforts beyond conventional markets – particularly in countries like China, India, Russia, and Brazil which have seen strong economic develop and are regarded as the top emerging markets.

For the desktop operating systems, can use virtualization to create virtual computers within your main computer. Using a virtualization application such as VirtualBox or Hyper-V, you can set up different operating system to run in separate windows on your Microsoft Windows desktop, and switch freely among them. All you need for this is the virtualization software and copies of the operating systems you need to install.

● Virtualization software: VirtualBox is a free download from Oracle. Hyper-V comes free with Windows.
● Operating systems: You can pick up copies of Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 cheaply at online auction sites, and Ubuntu Linux is free.

For iOS and Android, these are popular enough that surely you have a friend or two with a tablet or smartphone you can borrow for a few days to familiarize yourself with the system.

On both domestic and foreign soil, companies look to those with IT certifications when hiring individuals to design and deploy hardware solutions and to produce deliverables using critical business applications. CompTIA, the leader in hardware IT certifications, not only offers certification in the North American market, but throughout the world; allowing professionals in Asia, South America, Europe, and the Middle East to advance their IT careers and be recognized by the world’s top firms as experts in their area of specialization.
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CompTIA certification for IT professionals

“There are many different reasons why someone might pursue a CompTIA certification,” said Seth Pinckney, IT client manager at Tri-C. “It’s a way for someone new to the field to add an important line to their resume. It’s a way for those established in the field to demonstrate professional growth or prepare for a change in positions. In short, a CompTIA certification shows current and prospective employers that your skills are up to date.”

The statistics bear out the value of earning a CompTIA certification:
70 percent of IT professionals, and 93 percent of hiring managers, believe IT certifications are beneficial.
58 percent of organizations believe certified IT staff are more valuable, and 53 percent of organizations believe certified IT staff perform better.
Among certified IT employees, nearly half believe they are better at insightful problem-solving, and more than a third agree they are more able to understand new and complex technologies.
CompTIA-certified IT professionals earn, on average, more than $70,000 per year.

Throughout the second half of the year, Tri-C will offer both online and classroom training courses to prepare students for certification in CompTIA IT Fundamentals and CompTIA A+. Students can take the certification exams at the testing center on Tri-C’s Metropolitan Campus.

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Study Techniques

These aren’t difficult exams by any means. I started using a technique where I study for 25 minutes, break for 5, and repeat. After 3 or 4 cycles, I take a 15-30 minute break from the material and do something else. This really helps combat fatigue when you’re trying to absorb a lot of info.

One of my dreaded study topics was always the Windows Upgrade Paths. This time around I spotted a pattern! If you want to upgrade to a higher version of Windows, transfer to an equal or higher version if you are doing an in place upgrade. In simpler terms, Windows 7 Home premium has to go to Windows 8 core and up. While Windows 7 pro has to go to Windows 8 pro and up.

If you are just starting out in the world of security, then the CompTIA Security+ Certification is the right choice for you. However, to acquire it, you need to pass the certification exam. The CompTIA Security+ Certification exam is designed to test the knowledge of entry-level IT security professionals. It is a 90-minute exam with 100 questions. The exam covers topics such as:
Cryptography
Public Key Infrastructure and Access Security Risk Analysis
Vulnerability Testing
IDS and Forensics
Wi-Fi and Remote Access
Security Policies

There is no experience requirement; however, CompTIA recommends two or more years of security experience. With the CompTIA Security+ Certificate in hand, you may very well earn a salary increase of 20% or more.

Secondly, Windows XP cannot perform an in place upgrade to Windows Vista or 7, but can upgrade to 8. Next on the list was troubleshooting. This is part of both exams now. Make sure to study how to fix boot errors. This means you need to know command line utilities. Printers are heavily focuses on as well, so make sure you know where all the utilities are, and practice navigating to them. Explore the options available as well so that you know exactly where the setting you need can be configured.
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Advantages of CompTIA Network+

One of the key advantages for anyone obtaining a CompTIA certification is the fact that it's universal. These certifications are vendor-neutral, so Network+ will prepare you to work with all kinds of computer networks, whether PC, Apple, or Linux based.

Network+ will demonstrate to employers that you possess the range of skills needed to build, manage, troubleshoot, and protect critical network systems of computers and other information technology.
Anand Software and training has released the CompTIA A+ Core1 220-1001 Practice Exams Android Application. This application essentially is a practice test simulator that provides 350+ questions for learning, practice, and tests your preparation for A+ Core 1.
A+ Core1 Exam Simulator specifically designed and verified by the experts in the field for the candidates who are looking for A+ Practice tests. The candidates will get this app on Google Play Store for their Android Devices, It covers all objectives basically included in the latest syllabus of A+ Core1 220-1001 certification exam like Mobile Devices, Networking, Hardware, Virtualization, and Cloud Computing and Hardware and Network Troubleshooting in a sort of major way. It Includes various question types like generally multiple choice, exhibit based and performance-based (text drag and drop and image drag and drop). Provides flashcards for each question which helps you to understand the topic for that question properly, Review function after taking the simulated examination allows you to understand the incorrect answers and explanation for the question.

What are the latest features in A+ Core1 Practice Exams.?
Includes 350+ Practice Questions.
Detailed explanation is available for each question.
Review mode: You can easily review your past exams.
Lab Exercises for hands-on experience.
Category wise scoring, and reporting.
Integrated Test Engine with online feedback.
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Foundation for Any Tech Career

Some things never change. Today Hodson has an Xbox One sitting next to him in his home office. It’s a more sophisticated machine than the CPC 464, but it fulfils the same need for the still-ardent gamer.

Likewise, while today’s networks and computers – never mind smartphones and tablets – might have been unfathomable a few decades ago, enterprise technology is built around the same basic architecture as its antecedents.

And so even as Hodson is always engaging, explaining and telling the story of the granular complexity of the new tech world (and even publishing a book on it; his forthcoming Cyber Risk Management) he still sees those CompTIA A+-level basics as the foundation of it all.

"If you haven't had that grounding in how computers work, that's really where you need to start. Understanding a computer, understanding the constituent parts, understanding the software on a foundational level – having that breadth is important," Hodson said. "[Whether someone wants to pursue] cybersecurity, database engineering, forensics or application coding, I think CompTIA A+ is a good place to start.”
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Measuring the strength of a DDoS

According to this study, 82% of attacks last less than 4 hours. In terms of bandwith volume, 34% clock in at between 100 MB’s to 1 GB’s, and only 5.3% exceed the 10 GB/s mark.

A 1 GB/s denial-of-service attack is strong enough to take down most of the websites out there, since their data hosting simply doesn’t offer enough bandwith to keep the site online.

After infecting a device, Momentum attempts to achieve persistence by modifying the “rc” files; then it joins the command and control (C&C) server and connects to an internet relay chat (IRC) channel called #HellRoom to register itself and accept commands. The IRC protocol is the main method of communication with the command and control (C&C) servers. The botnet operators can then control infected systems by sending messages to the IRC channel.

One of the biggest ever recorded was the Mirai botnet attack in Autumn 2016, coming at over 1 terrabytes per second. It overwhelmed the Dyn DNS provider, and then the effect cascaded, temporarily taking down major websites such as Reddit or Twitter.

Nowadays, even beginner hackers who can’t even code to save their life (called script kiddies) have access to big and powerful botnets-for-hire that can flood a target with 100 GB/s. This type threat isn’t going away, quite the contrary. Quite the contrary, it will only become powerful and widely accessible than before.

More Info: what is a distributed denial of service attack

Switch to a new hosting provider

Most web hosts rave about their performance. However, it’s obvious that not all of them are at the same level performance-wise. Some web hosting servers slow down dramatically even under a moderate strain, which makes those providers terrible options if you face a DDoS attack.

The good news is, most reputable web hosting providers implement some level of protection against traffic floods at the server level. SiteGround, for example, uses a hardware firewall and looks out for unusual numbers of connections.

Varonis monitors your DNS, VPN, Proxies, and data to help detect signs of an impending DDoS attack against your corporate network. Varonis tracks behavior patterns and generates warnings when current behavior matches a threat model or deviates from standard behavior. This can include malware botnet attacks or significant increases in network traffic that indicate a DDoS attack.

Another example is WP Engine, which integrates with Cloudflare out of the box to provide DDoS protection for all its plans. Those are two of our favorite WordPress web hosts, but they’re far from the only options that offer DDoS protection.
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Protection Mitigate DDoS Attacks Your Server?

Generally, a DDoS is perpetrated by something known as a botnet – a collection of devices infected with some form of malware that allow them to be controlled via a central platform. Traditionally, such botnets primarily consisted of ‘zombie’ computers, and the odd printer or router. Unfortunately, this has changed.

Generally speaking, organizations should start planning for DDoS attacks in advance. It is much harder to respond after an attack is already under way. While DDoS attacks can't be prevented, steps can be taken to make it harder for an attacker to render a network unresponsive.

As the old saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. While it is relatively little you can do against a complex DDoS attack without some sort of mitigation appliance, there are a few measures you can take to defeat bog-standard attempts. In addition to over-provisioning bandwidth (or choosing a host that can dynamically provision bandwidth to your site), you should take the following precautions:
Use an IDS/IPS or WAF to detect attacks early.
Add filters that block packets from obvious sources of attacks (bogus/blacklisted IPs, infected devices, etc.).
Drop all malformed and spoofed packets.
Lower your thresholds for SYN, ICMP, and UDP Flood drops.
Architecture. To fortify resources against a DDoS attack, it is important to make the architecture as resilient as possible. Fortifying network architecture is an important step not just in DDoS network defense, but in ensuring business continuity and protection from any kind of outage or disaster situation.

Thanks to the Internet of Things, we are now seeing botnets comprised of a staggering variety of devices. Fridges, coffee machines, webcams, televisions…if it connects to the web, it can be hacked. And if it can be hacked, it can be forcibly inducted into a botnet.

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The future of DDoS attacks

These attacks ferociously increase in volume and frequency, with a worrying speed.

2 or 3 years ago, Anonymous blocked the website of the US Senate with 20 Mb/s. More recently, Cloudflare has been very perturbed, numerous times, by attacks exceeding 100 Gb/s; attacks using 400 Gb/s have also been seen this year. It is even considered that the Tb/s limit will be reached and exceeded before the end of 2015.

The basic idea is to call a large number of servers (such as the DNS – name server, the NTP – time server, or Quake, CoD – online videogame protocols…) by using a UDP (User Datagram Protocol). This protocol, whose role is to enable the data transmission between two units, is one of the main protocols used by the Internet. Thanks to the UDP, it is possible to use a third person’s IP address to make the packets bounce (fragmentation of the transmitted data) and hide the source of the attack.

The idea is to send, for instance to a game server, a request for the list of current games from the target’s IP and not one’s own. This request will take a few octets and the answer can take several hundreds of Kilo octets, or even Mega octets. The pirate asks the gaming list, from the target’IP (by changing his source IP address), then “invests” a few octets into hundreds of game servers, and the target receives enormous waves of packets and bandwidth from all those servers. The higher the multiplication coefficient (the amplification factor) between the size of the minimal request and the size of the answer, the more efficient the DrDoS.

Beyond the number and volumes of the attacks, they also became a reflex for pirates. With only a few dollars an hour, it is possible to use a network of compromised machines and to make them do a DDoS. From the office computer from which I write this article, with a simple Perl script, I can send a DDoS of many Gb/s in a few minutes.

Although these action can be punished by a strong fine reaching up to 75.000€ and a 3 year prison sentence, the authors are never found (and very hardly findable anyway). DDoS attacks are thus a simple weapon, needing very little technical knowledge and money, and terribly efficient.


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The cost of launching a DDoS attack

The Mirai botnet was significant in that, unlike most DDoS attacks, it leveraged vulnerable IoT devices rather PCs and servers, It’s especially scary when one considers that by 2020, according to BI Intelligence, there will be 34 billion internet connected devices, and the majority (24 billion) will be IoT devices.

SYN flood. This volumetric attack prevents a server from handling new connection requests by manipulating the standard way TCP connects a client to a server. Normally, in what is known as a three-way handshake, a client connects to a website by sending a SYN (synchronize) packet, the server replies with a SYN-ACK (synchronize-acknowledge) packet, and then waits for an ACK (acknowledge) packet from the client. However, in a SYN flood attack, the attacker intentionally never sends the ACK packet but instead continues to flood the server with more SYN requests. This ties up the server’s resources with “half-open” connections to the point that it cannot respond to new, legitimate connection requests.

Unfortunately, Mirai won’t be the last IoT-powered botnet. An investigation across security teams within Akamai, Cloudflare, Flashpoint, Google, RiskIQ and Team Cymru uncovered a similarly sized botnet, dubbed WireX, consisting of 100,000 compromised Android devices within 100 countries. A series of large DDoS attacks that targeted content providers and content delivery networks prompted the investigation.

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