CompTIA® Security+ Certification Preparation

Picture of CompTIA® Security+ Certification Preparation
Quick Facts
  • Delivery Method Online
  • Professional Certificate
  • 24hrs Suggested Study Time
  • 3 Months Access
  • Tutor Support
  • Study On Any Device
  • 363 Students

Prepare for the CompTIA® Security+ exam as you review the information you need to pass the test and earn this important certification.

The U.S. Department of Labor forecasts that computer security and related computer-support specialties will be among the fastest-growing occupations through 2018. CompTIA's Security+ certificate is widely regarded as the entry-level certificate for this fast-growing field. Getting that certificate requires passing CompTIA's challenging SY0-301 exam.

This course, the second of two courses, reviews the key terminology and concepts needed to ace the exam, all in a condensed format for rapid reading. The course provides helpful study tools, including crossword puzzles, games, and practice questions to aid your learning. All of the content is geared toward helping you prepare to pass the SY0-301 exam, so you can leave the test center with your Security+ passing score in hand.

Please note that youwill be subject to a CompTIA Security+ renewal process every three years.

Courses are delivered to you through expertly executed lessons, online instruction and interaction with like-minded students. Our courses are designed to deliver all of the benefits of studying in a classroom whilst giving you the flexibility to study at a time and place to suit your needs. You can access your classroom 24/7 from any device with an internet connection.

This course has a 3 month duration. You'll complete comprehensive lessons, quizzes and assignments before submitting your final exam at the end of the course to achieve your certificate. Courses must be completed within the 3 month access period.

We'll start off with a brief review of the Security+ exam and its objectives. Then we'll jump right into talking about access control. Authentication—verifying that a user requesting entry to a system or network is who they claim to be—is the first step in access control, which protects valuable and sensitive resources from unauthorized users and evildoers. In this lesson, we'll explore authentication, as well as its methods, protocols, and devices.

Last time, we talked about the authentication step in access control. In this lesson, we're going to continue our exploration of access control with a closer look at authorization and types of access control. Both of these are extremely important parts of the security policies protecting network resources. We'll take a detailed look at the elements that make up these two processes.

In this lesson, we'll cover the policy and administration of accounts in a secure environment. First, we'll go over the different types of accounts you might work with, including individual accounts and group accounts. Then we'll talk about password policies, which govern how to make passwords as strong as possible, when passwords should expire, and how to deal with lost or forgotten passwords. Lastly, we'll discuss permissions, privileges, and the administrative actions required to minimize vulnerability.

As network administrators, we're constantly managing risk. But what does that really mean? In this lesson, we'll investigate the elements of the risk management process, including vulnerabilities, threats, risks, and likelihood and the methods used to identify, determine, or calculate each. The ultimate goal of risk management is to reduce risk to a level that's acceptable to the system and organization. In this lesson, you'll discover the methods we use to figure out what level of risk is acceptable.

Do you know the differences between penetration testing and vulnerability scanning? When is it best to use each? In this lesson, you'll find out the answers to those questions. We'll take a look at the six phases of the penetration testing process, and you'll find out how vulnerability management works. Then we'll look at methods of software vulnerability testing, including black box, white box, and gray box testing. We'll wrap up the lesson with a discussion of disaster recovery plans and data backup methods.

How do we protect the crucial data that allows our organizations to function day in and day out? That's the question we'll address in this lesson. We'll start with a look at data loss prevention systems, which manage, identify, and protect data in its various states. You'll get acquainted with data encryption applications and hardware-based encryption devices. And we'll cover some considerations for off-site and remote data storage—what should you keep in mind about data when deciding where to store it and back it up? Maintaining your data's integrity and security is incredibly important, so you won't want to miss this lesson.

In Lesson 7, we'll focus on the security of application software. There are a few ways to make applications more secure, including application hardening and careful patch management. We'll see how these work, and we'll take a look at some common application attacks. You'll also see how to make sure the in-house software development process is as secure as you can make it. We'll even look at the ways in which a host computer is secured both internally and externally.

As businesses go global and standard business hours no longer apply, mobile devices are becoming more common in organizational networks. In this lesson, we'll look at the threats mobile devices introduce and the security methods for removing these threats. We'll investigate some internal measures for dealing with mobile devices, including what you can to protect data if a device is lost or stolen. We'll also explore what you should include in external security policies for mobile devices, and you'll see how technologies like mobile biometrics, voice encryption, and GPS tracking can help on the mobile security front. Mobile devices are only getting more essential to both our business and personal lives, so securing them is an increasingly important priority.

If you're working in IT these days, chances are you're working with virtualization in some form. But what exactly is virtualization? In this lesson, we'll build on what you learned about it in the first course. You'll find out how server virtualization works, and we'll explore virtualization software and hardware. You'll also learn how virtualization can benefit an organization, and we'll discuss the particular security concerns that come along with it. We'll finish up with a look at the various types of cloud computing available today.

If you work in network security, being cryptic is just part of the job! Cryptography, or encryption, is what we use to prevent unauthorized people from being able to understand or use intercepted data. In Lesson 10, we'll explore the concepts behind encryption and the primary types of encryption in use. We'll talk about the most common encryption algorithms and ciphers, and you'll learn about the secure transport of encrypted data.

With the Internet so integrated into our everyday lives, we depend on a security and validation system that most of us take for granted: the public key infrastructure (PKI). The PKI protects us, often unknowingly, against people and companies we don't know and may not trust if we did. In this lesson, you'll learn about the PKI and the security elements that work to protect you. We'll also talk about how and why they work.

The CompTIA Security+ exam covers a wide-range of security concepts, topics, terminology, and practices, as well as a bit of hardware and software. In this lesson, which is the last of the two prep courses for the Security+ exam, we'll review the key terms and concepts you'll see on the exam. We'll revisit what you really must know, and I'll give you some final tips for taking a CompTIA exam.

Ron Gilster

Ron Gilster

Ron Gilster is a best-selling author with more than 40 titles in print. He writes on topics including information technology (IT) certifications, real estate, and business. Ron has held a variety of IT-related positions, ranging from computer oper... Read more

Read Ron Gilster's Profile

Frequently Asked Questions

Once you've made the payment, we'll send you a confirmation email with a link to start your course. Feel free to get started whenever you're ready!

You'll have 3 months access to your course. In that time you are free to study at your own pace. The course duration is 24 hours.

Online learning is a flexible way to study that fits around your schedule, giving you the freedom to learn at your own pace from anywhere in the world. You'll have 3 months to complete the course and can take the multiple-choice questions and final exam whenever it suits you.

If you need help, you can contact us anytime. You can also join the discussion area where you can interact with other students. The discussion area for each lesson is open for the entire duration of the course.

Of course! We offer a 7-day money back guarantee. As long as you haven't completed the course, you can get a full refund within 7 days of enrolling.

We do not offer extensions or transfers for this self-paced course. However, you will have 3 months to complete the course, and if you need to cancel within the first 10 days of enrolment, we offer a money back guarantee.

The Learning Environment

From the moment that you enrol in the CompTIA® Security+ Certification Preparation you will become an integral part of our learning community. You'll find yourself with the freedom to learn at a speed that suits you, on any device, from anywhere in the world. Achieving your career goals no longer has to mean compromising family and work commitments.

Our Values

Learn At Your Own Pace

We believe in personalised learning. That's why we provide all the tools and support you need to succeed at your own pace. With flexible learning, you'll stay motivated and retain more information. Plus, you can balance your studies with work and family commitments to make your dreams a reality.

We Won't Break The Bank

Education should be accessible to anyone who wants to learn. That's why we offer some of the most competitive prices in the industry with payments plans for just $25 per week. Investing in your future is a smart choice and doesn’t have to break the bank.

Industry-Led Courses

There's no better way to learn than from experts with years of experience in your field. That's why each of our 200+ industry-led courses are designed to give you a real-life perspective on your industry. With our expert mentors, you'll learn from people who have a wealth of knowledge and experience, and who are passionate about sharing it with you.

Get The Personal Support You Deserve

At Vibe Learning, we're real people who are dedicated to providing you with personal support every step of the way. Our industry experts are not only professional and knowledgeable but also incredibly passionate about sharing their expertise with you. With their guidance, you'll gain invaluable insights and practical knowledge to help you succeed.

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Photoshop CS5 Intermediate Online Course | Vibe Learning
 

Photoshop CS5 Intermediate

Picture of Photoshop CS5 Intermediate
Quick Facts
  • Delivery Method Online
  • Professional Certificate
  • 24hrs Suggested Study Time
  • 3 Months Access
  • Tutor Support
  • Study On Any Device
  • 583 Students

Take your Adobe Photoshop CS5 skills to the next level by mastering layers, layer masks, Smart Objects, and other advanced features that let you re-edit images easily long after you create them.

If you're already using the basic tools in Adobe Photoshop CS5, take your photo-editing skills to a new level!

In this course, you'll become an expert at using layers, layer masks, and other advanced features that let you change images easily long after you create them (and long after the Photoshop ""undo"" command expires).

Non-destructive editing lets you work faster and reuse parts of images over and over. In these lessons, you'll learn how to save every single pixel in your original image so you never have to say, ""I'm sorry—I tossed that information."" In addition, you'll discover how to use Smart Objects so you can crop or resize an image and return it to its original size months afterward. (You'll even learn some clever tricks for warping Smart Objects!)

After that, you'll find out how to add shadows or embossing non-destructively. And if you want to design page layouts you can fill with different images, you'll learn how to create templates you can reuse.

Whether you use Photoshop to edit photos, make scrapbook pages, or design original artwork, this course will give you all the skills you need to let your creativity shine. Once you see what non-destructive editing can do for your projects, you'll never look back!

Courses are delivered to you through expertly executed lessons, online instruction and interaction with like-minded students. Our courses are designed to deliver all of the benefits of studying in a classroom whilst giving you the flexibility to study at a time and place to suit your needs. You can access your classroom 24/7 from any device with an internet connection.

This course has a 3 month duration. You'll complete comprehensive lessons, quizzes and assignments before submitting your final exam at the end of the course to achieve your certificate. Courses must be completed within the 3 month access period.

Layers add a new world of possibilities to using Photoshop. In this lesson, you’ll create, view, and hide layers. Why do layers matter? Well, they open so many opportunities for fine-tuning your images. You can edit a layered image nondestructively, so you don’t have to start over if you make a mistake or need to change something.

Today we’ll focus on the clues Photoshop gives to explain exactly what you’re doing to a layer as you’re working. You’ll create, move, duplicate, lock, unlock, cut, and paste layers. Knowing this information will let you alter images quickly and nondestructively . . . and the lock commands will help you prevent others (and yourself!) from accidentally altering your work.

Take advantage of Smart Objects—the most awesome and significant innovation in Photoshop since the layers feature was introduced. You can place a RAW-format photo (or JPG or TIF) file inside the Smart Object and re-edit it in Camera RAW anytime you want. You’ll discover how to crop and resize photos nondestructively using Smart Objects, and you’ll love the way they let you make a protected package out of an image.

Today you’ll see how you can make an individual layer in an image larger or smaller, rotate it, and use the amazing Warp command. And you can reverse all these changes anytime you want—if you make them on a Smart Object layer. You can even use filters nondestructively, so long as you apply them to a Smart Object (gee, those come in handy!). You’ll also create a pear that, when cut open, has an orange inside it.

<p>Each time you edit the exposure in an image, you lose image quality. But what if there were a way to edit the exposure as much as you wanted and not hurt the quality? There is! An <i>adjustment layer</i> makes no permanent change to the image, and you can stack up these layers as you wish. You won&rsquo;t ever want to apply a regular Levels command or Adjustment command directly to an image again.</p>

In this lesson, you&rsquo;ll find out about layer masks&mdash;another way that Photoshop lets you have your cake and eat it too. If you bring a picture of little Johnny onto a new background image, and you erase all the stuff that was in the background, what happens if you change your mind? You&rsquo;d better hope you have the original image somewhere, and then you&rsquo;re in for a lot more work. However, if you use a layer mask, you&rsquo;ll keep every pixel that&rsquo;s in the original image and hide the parts of the original that you no longer wish to see.

Did the dog eat Grandmother&rsquo;s portrait? Or did time and water do that damage? No matter. Using layers makes it easier than ever before to restore some of your treasured family heritage. You&rsquo;ll get ample practice with that today, plus links to websites that specialize in image restoration. Again, the theme of this lesson is nondestructive editing&mdash;working in layers so that you can always change your mind about a correction without having to begin again.

What happens if you want to place a person into a swimming pool or the ocean using Photoshop? To make the composite realistic, you need to transition from total opacity above the water line to total transparency below it. You'll learn that skill today as you work with grayscale and gradient masks. You'll also experiment with vignette edges and other edge effects, plus you'll create a Web page header.

One of the most common ways to lose sleep while using Photoshop is to try to add a new background behind a model with wispy, flowing hair. Hair and fur have always been the bane of Photoshop users. CS5 introduces an ingenious new command to make this process easier. That's one of the tricks you'll learn today when we explore some new commands on the Masks panel.

<p>Have you ever wondered how to put images inside type, like those old postcards for various cities? You&rsquo;ll find out today. It&rsquo;s called a <em>clipping mask</em>, and it&rsquo;s a digital version of spreading glitter onto a paper that has a design drawn in glue&mdash;the glitter only sticks to the glue. In this case, the new layers only stick to the base layer in the clipping mask. Making a clipping mask is easy, but it provides one of Photoshop&rsquo;s &ldquo;wow&rdquo; moments.</p>

Photoshop can use the values in an image to correct the image. That sounds scary and mysterious, but it&rsquo;s actually easy to do. Today, you&rsquo;ll create luminosity masks and use them to correct images and to develop false duotone images and wonderfully creative image composites. This lesson should nurture your creativity and yet give you some solid ways to add punch to an image or to create stunning sepia tones.

Do you like the look of double-exposed images? Would you enjoy creating a seamless composite of your vacation images? Then this is your lesson! It&rsquo;s one of my favorites in the course. Up to now, you&rsquo;ve masked images so that you can either see the image in the layer or not, or you&rsquo;ve used a gradient or paint in the mask to get a grayscale transition. Now you&rsquo;ll use photos in the mask to get a hide-and-seek look to layer visibility. You&rsquo;ll also create an image that has a different photo in each color channel. And you&rsquo;ll finish the course with a fun assignment that lets you put together everything you&rsquo;ve learned.

Sherry London

Sherry London

Sherry London is a noted Photoshop and Illustrator expert, an artist, a writer, and a teacher. Her fiber art has been featured in magazines and exhibitions. Her published works include Photoshop CS2 Gone Wild, Photoshop Magic, Photoshop Effects Ma... Read more

Read Sherry London's Profile

Frequently Asked Questions

Once you've made the payment, we'll send you a confirmation email with a link to start your course. Feel free to get started whenever you're ready!

You'll have 3 months access to your course. In that time you are free to study at your own pace. The course duration is 24 hours.

Online learning is a flexible way to study that fits around your schedule, giving you the freedom to learn at your own pace from anywhere in the world. You'll have 3 months to complete the course and can take the multiple-choice questions and final exam whenever it suits you.

If you need help, you can contact us anytime. You can also join the discussion area where you can interact with other students. The discussion area for each lesson is open for the entire duration of the course.

Of course! We offer a 7-day money back guarantee. As long as you haven't completed the course, you can get a full refund within 7 days of enrolling.

We do not offer extensions or transfers for this self-paced course. However, you will have 3 months to complete the course, and if you need to cancel within the first 10 days of enrolment, we offer a money back guarantee.

The Learning Environment

From the moment that you enrol in the Photoshop CS5 Intermediate you will become an integral part of our learning community. You'll find yourself with the freedom to learn at a speed that suits you, on any device, from anywhere in the world. Achieving your career goals no longer has to mean compromising family and work commitments.

Our Values

Learn At Your Own Pace

We believe in personalised learning. That's why we provide all the tools and support you need to succeed at your own pace. With flexible learning, you'll stay motivated and retain more information. Plus, you can balance your studies with work and family commitments to make your dreams a reality.

We Won't Break The Bank

Education should be accessible to anyone who wants to learn. That's why we offer some of the most competitive prices in the industry with payments plans for just $25 per week. Investing in your future is a smart choice and doesn’t have to break the bank.

Industry-Led Courses

There's no better way to learn than from experts with years of experience in your field. That's why each of our 200+ industry-led courses are designed to give you a real-life perspective on your industry. With our expert mentors, you'll learn from people who have a wealth of knowledge and experience, and who are passionate about sharing it with you.

Get The Personal Support You Deserve

At Vibe Learning, we're real people who are dedicated to providing you with personal support every step of the way. Our industry experts are not only professional and knowledgeable but also incredibly passionate about sharing their expertise with you. With their guidance, you'll gain invaluable insights and practical knowledge to help you succeed.