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Columns => Editor-In-Chief => Topic started by: don on June 16, 2009, 12:15:56 PM



Title: [Article]-Review: SANS SEC 617 - Surely You`re Joking, Mr. Wright!
Post by: don on June 16, 2009, 12:15:56 PM
Here we go... the final review in SANS Triad of Ethical Hacking and Pen Testing courses. Let us know what you think.

Permanent link: [Article]-Review: SANS SEC 617 - Surely You're Joking, Mr. Wright! (http://www.ethicalhacker.net/content/view/260/24/)

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(http://www.ethicalhacker.net/images/stories/columns/editor/617/feynman_indexfinger_sm.jpg)

This review is long overdue. My apologies to EH-Net readers, SANS and especially Joshua Wright, developer and instructor of SEC 617 - Wireless Ethical Hacking, Penetration Testing, and Defenses (http://www.sans.org/info/34528). Its lateness is more due to my inability to comprehend exactly what I experienced than to a lack of desire to complete the task. I honestly sat down at the keyboard multiple times, but each time I felt I wasn’t doing the course or Mr. Wright justice. OK… so like every other SANS course, it had quality courseware, the instructor was top-notch, and I walked away with much more knowledge than when I arrived. So I could simply state the above sentence, report on each and every day of the course offering endless details, recommend it to the masses and be done with my job. But even that felt like empty rhetoric.

As with the review of SANS 560 – Network Pen Testing and Ethical Hacking entitled "Ed Skoudis and the Pen Testing Factory," (http://www.ethicalhacker.net/content/view/198/24/) and many other articles, I felt the writer’s need to have a theme. And it doesn’t have to be a movie, but something that weaves a thread through the words to keep the reader engaged. Just the right connection or idea can make all the difference in the world. And as many do when faced with writer’s block, I let it sit for a while knowing that inspiration would hit me when not looking. But even with pressure and anxiety to produce, it wasn’t coming. Forcing it made for poor results. Suddenly during the minutia of daily life, a bright red spine from one of many bookshelves in my basement caught my eye. I had found my theme.


Don


Title: Re: [Article]-Review: SANS SEC 617 - Surely You`re Joking, Mr. Wright!
Post by: Andrew Waite on June 16, 2009, 12:48:22 PM
Don,

thanks for the review. Sounds like a great course overall and as I've recently spent some time playing with wireless toys one that definitely peaks my interest. I've listened to, read and played with some of Josh's work previously and it's always top notch stuff.

Just feel sorry for the guy that couldn't make it.

Andrew


Title: Re: [Article]-Review: SANS SEC 617 - Surely You`re Joking, Mr. Wright!
Post by: UNIX on June 17, 2009, 12:10:39 AM
Thanks for the detailed review, really liked to read it.
SANS training courses seem to be very good and surely is something to consider for ones career.


Title: Re: [Article]-Review: SANS SEC 617 - Surely You`re Joking, Mr. Wright!
Post by: unsupported on June 17, 2009, 07:13:49 AM
Thanks for the detailed review, really liked to read it.
SANS training courses seem to be very good and surely is something to consider for ones career.

Don, thanks for the review!

awsec, it is something to consider, especially if someone else is going to pay for it.  $3k minimum for any course and $900 for the certification attempt is a hard pill to swallow.  Although, there are the alternatives like the Work Study program, which I want to take full advantage of next time SANS rolls into town.


Title: Re: [Article]-Review: SANS SEC 617 - Surely You`re Joking, Mr. Wright!
Post by: BillV on June 17, 2009, 07:20:54 AM
Great review, Don! Sounds like it's an excellent course. :)


Title: Re: [Article]-Review: SANS SEC 617 - Surely You`re Joking, Mr. Wright!
Post by: vijay2 on June 17, 2009, 08:18:13 AM
I am disappointed that Don choose to omit some of the EXTRA CURRICULAR  ACTIVITIES which some of us have visual Evidence, in the review.

Don - Great job,

VJ


Title: Re: [Article]-Review: SANS SEC 617 - Surely You`re Joking, Mr. Wright!
Post by: UNIX on June 17, 2009, 08:53:19 AM
awsec, it is something to consider, especially if someone else is going to pay for it.  $3k minimum for any course and $900 for the certification attempt is a hard pill to swallow.  Although, there are the alternatives like the Work Study program, which I want to take full advantage of next time SANS rolls into town.

Unfortunately my company won't pay any courses or certificates for me, but if I could afford such a big amount of money I would definitely buy them by myself as I have heard nothing but the best.


Title: Re: [Article]-Review: SANS SEC 617 - Surely You`re Joking, Mr. Wright!
Post by: zgroves on June 19, 2009, 06:08:00 PM
I have to agree with Don, Josh Wright is a top notch teacher and definitely knows his stuff when it comes to wireless hacking, fuzzing, etc.  I had the opportunity to take this course in 2007 and felt that it was well worth the money.  He is definitely a Ninja and it was humbling to learn from his skills.  Check out his blog http://www.willhackforsushi.com/ if you're still not convinced.


Title: Re: [Article]-Review: SANS SEC 617 - Surely You`re Joking, Mr. Wright!
Post by: jarocki on June 20, 2009, 08:41:02 AM
Don,

Good review and very well thought-out.  I'm glad you finally got it posted, because I've been waiting to hear your thoughts.  Perhaps the length of the course is over-contrived?

I haven't taken 617 yet, but Josh is a very dynamic speaker when I've seen him present, and he certainly does know his stuff!

Thanks for the write-up.  I hope our paths cross again soon.


Title: Re: [Article]-Review: SANS SEC 617 - Surely You`re Joking, Mr. Wright!
Post by: don on August 18, 2009, 10:00:35 PM
Submitted to digg as the following:

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Wireless God Shares Skills in Hacking Course for the Elite

Joshua Wright, expert wireless hacker & creator of the WPA cracking tool coWPAtty, developed and teaches the most advanced wireless hacking course available today. Get all the details in this extensive review entitled, "Surely You're Joking, Mr. Wright!"


http://digg.com/security/Wireless_God_Shares_Skills_in_Hacking_Course_for_the_Elite

Help get Josh's course the recognition it deserves.

Thanks,
Don


Title: Re: [Article]-Review: SANS SEC 617 - Surely You`re Joking, Mr. Wright!
Post by: Laz3r on August 18, 2009, 10:30:16 PM
I was thinking, maybe we should sticky a thread purely for Digg links.  I know there are plenty of people here who wouldn't mind taking a few minutes to help give this community and it's contributors the recognition they deserve.  This way, everything would be in one spot, and new people could spam through the links real quick. 


Title: Re: [Article]-Review: SANS SEC 617 - Surely You`re Joking, Mr. Wright!
Post by: BillV on August 19, 2009, 07:00:56 AM
Yeah, that's not a bad idea... plus it'll be bumped back to the top of the recent topics list each time a new one is added.