Security+ exam prep: performance-based labs
In questions like the Security+ performance-based ones you fill in rule tables, place devices and examine logs and packets, all against the clock.
Level 201 · 15 lessons · 12 practice labs
Lessons
Network and access simulations
- Approaching performance-based questions: read, apply, verify
- Filling in a firewall rule table for a scenario
- Placing security devices on a network diagram
- Configuring a wireless network with the strongest settings
- Choosing and applying an access model for a scenario
- Short task: separate the guest network from the corporate one
Analysis simulations
- Identifying the attack type in logs
- Matching attacks to their signs and countermeasures
- Solving certificate problems: chain, expiry, name mismatch
- Finding the suspicious connection in a packet capture
- Short task: pull the attacker’s IP and method out of mixed logs
Process simulations
- Putting incident response steps in the right order
- Risk calculation and choosing a control type
- Choosing protection by data class
- Capstone: a timed set of five performance-based questions
Practice labs
- Fill in a rule table for a scenario: In an interactive rule table you fill in source, destination, port and action for web, mail and management traffic.
- Place security devices on a diagram: You drag a firewall, IPS, proxy and SIEM collector to their most effective places on a network diagram and justify them.
- Complete enterprise wireless settings: In a wireless controller simulation you configure WPA3-Enterprise, RADIUS, certificate validation and guest separation together.
- Assign rights by role: In a hospital system scenario you fill in a least-privilege permission matrix for doctor, nurse and registration roles.
- Choose the access model that fits: For four organisation scenarios you choose between mandatory, discretionary, role and attribute-based models and apply them.
- Diagnose and fix certificate errors: You separate chain, expiry and name mismatch errors on three sites from browser and openssl output and pick the right fix.
- Name the attack from a log fragment: You match six log fragments to attack types such as SQL injection, directory traversal and brute force.
- Find the suspicious connection in a capture: In a capture opened in Wireshark you find the internal machine regularly connecting to an unusual port and its outside target.
- Pull the attacker and method out of mixed logs: Reading firewall, web and authentication logs together you identify the attacker's IP, method and the account affected.
- Put incident response steps in order: You drag the shuffled steps of a malware incident into the correct response order.
- Choose the control type for each risk: For five risks you pick preventive, detective, corrective or deterrent controls and label them technical or administrative.
- Five performance-based questions in twenty-five minutes: You complete rule table, certificate, log analysis, access model and incident ordering questions within the time and see your score.
About this course
In questions like the Security+ performance-based ones you fill in rule tables, place devices and examine logs and packets, all against the clock.
What you will learn
- Network and access simulations
- Analysis simulations
- Process simulations
Prerequisites
Finishing the level 101 courses of the same path, or knowing those topics, is enough.
Lab environment
Lessons run on your own Kali Linux desktop in the browser, with the tools ready in their windowed interfaces. Nothing to install; a computer screen is recommended.
Frequently asked questions
- Is this course right for my level?
- The course is at level 201; it assumes you know the topics of the lower-level courses.
- Is there anything to install?
- No. Every lesson runs in your own lab environment that opens in the browser.
- How do lessons work?
- Each lesson has 8 to 10 steps and a short quiz. Early steps show the command to type, later steps give less help; if two attempts fail, the solution opens.
- Can I try it for free?
- Yes. The first three lessons of every course are free.