this post was submitted on 19 Jun 2026
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Cybersecurity

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I have been studying for a while from Prof Messer's videos online. I did a mock test from Gibson's Get Certified Ahead book, i did 20 out of 50 questions, I answered 12 correctly. However, the 10 questions on the CompTIA website, i answered all of them correctly, and they seem much easier.

Obviously, I want to pass. But now I am a little bit scared. On reddit (ew) discussions are always making it like some terrifying thing. While I was very confident, after trying Gibson im now a bit scared and will be studying form Gibson's book as well while maintaining my notes from Messer.

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Good practice exams will often be harder than the original test. Teachers do this in order to ensure you are prepared. If the practice test is harder, then the real test is easy. This is a pattern that I have noticed even in my college classes.

n reddit (ew) discussions are always making it like some terrifying thing.

To someone that doesn't know that they are using Windows, yes, the tests will be terrifying and difficult to study for. Often people are scared of computers and technology, and actively avoid knowing. But now, they will essentially have to cram a massive amount of information, since they are starting from scratch. And for those trying to break into cybersecurity from nothing, that is a common scenario.

For people who already know what a virus is, and how to spot phishing links, the test will be a lot less of a struggle. Now, you should study, in order to figure out gaps in your knowledge compared to what sec+ covers, but it won't be a nightmare.

clicks profile

Love computers, art, and nature.

You actively like computers instead of being scared of them. So I don't think you'll find the test terrifying.

[–] ryan_@piefed.social 5 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

Is this your first CompTIA cert? I took my Sec+ the same year that I did A+ and Net+ and from what I remember there was a lot of overlap. In my opinion, Sec+ was the easiest out of the three so if you’ve passed the others then you’re definitely capable of doing it.

That being said, I got mine in 2010 soooo 🤷

[–] evilcultist@sh.itjust.works 5 points 2 days ago

I haven’t taken it in years, but it wasn’t so much hard as antagonistic. I’ve taken a lot of different tests in different subjects over the years and none seemed as hellbent on putting in wrong answers that were so close to being correct as this one.

[–] Eeyore_Syndrome@sh.itjust.works 3 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I really love Pearson. /s

I love that I can take Linux+ on a Linux machine. /s