EH-Net

I want to take this test here in about 6 months but money is tight and paying $3500 for sans material is a big stretch. For those that took it did any of you use something else instead of sans for study? If so what? Any recommendations? I am sure it has been asked but how much harder than the Sec+ is the GSEC?

Thanks for the help.

The GSEC exam is based on the courseware by SANS.  All answers come from the books.  I took it twice.  Once in 2006 and again in 2009 (recert).  All based on the books.  But - real life experience is also a plus.  Since it covers a wide variety of topics (as it is the foundation course for going to 500 level), I would say you will definately need the material unless your knowledge is great in multiple areas.

There may be study guides that are available.  Also - you may want to see if someone may have a practice exam you could have.  They give two and usually, someone only uses one (I did and gave my other away last year).

Hope that helps a bit.  Anything else you'd like to know, please ask!

http://www.amazon.com/Network-Security-Bible-Eric-Cole/dp/0470502495/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1270063644&sr=8-1 covers a lot of it, and it's written by Eric Cole.

You can challenge it for $900, and retakes are $150. You'd have to fail it a lot before you come close to the $3500 ;)

I might have a practice exam or two I could part with if you're interested in seeing what the material is like. I'll let you know in a couple of days.

Thanks for the info guys. I would be interested in whatever you have dynamik just let me know when and if I can help you out in anyway. I do get O'rielly books for free if you want to trade something.

MicroJay this is a open book test from what I have read. What can I bring into the test with me? Can you use the internet to look stuff up? I read that that was done at one point. Can I bring any books that I want or just specific study material I used? Or is it sans material only allowed?

Thanks for the help.

Hey kriscamaro68,

The GSEC material is much harder than the Sec+. Also it is such a wide sampling of security topics that you do need the courseware from the class to pass. This is one of few SANS tests that i would say this for, but feel that the sheer amount of info in the GSEC makes it so.

kriscamaro68, take a look at the SANS study program (http://www.sans.org/security-training/volunteer.php). As a facilitator you can attend the course and get the materials, attend various events and have some more possibilities, still saving a lot of money.

Hi kriscamaro68,

Have you looked at applying for the work study option at a SANS conference?

I've done it a few time now and it's a fantastic experience.

http://www.sans.org/security-training/volunteer.php

It is an open book exam.  All of them (I believe) is open book.  You can bring any book that you can carry.  I think they limit it to a bag full.  But I have never been 'turned down' by anyone.  It used to be that you were able to do this at home and use the Internet for your exam (2006 was when I took the GSEC first).  The philosophy was that in real life, you would be using the Internet and other resources for problem solving, so why not the tests. 
Then they changed it about three (?) years ago.  It is now a proctored exam and must be done at a authorized location or with an HR Department within your company that registers with SANS to be a proctor.  You can no longer use the Internet or any computer resource.  It is all mind and books/papers.

My next question is have any of you taken the SSCP exam. If so What is your take on it's difficulty compared to the GSEC exam. I am planing on taking both so I am trying to get an idea of what I am getting myself into and maybe where to go next in a logical progression of difficulty in these exams.

Thanks.