Hi. I might be rejoining the workforce soon (hallelujah), in a company doing fraud prevention, detection and investigation and analysis (my specialty). I'm interested in learning more of the technical side of the business so I can work more effectively with the engineers in the business and understand the threats posed to online and mobile banking, as well as keeping myself more marketable in the future. Should I be considering an A+ certification, then go for the Security+ certification, or would I be able to prepare for the Security+ certification alone without the A+ training? Thanks.

Hi,

As they are both stand alone certification, I'd go for the one that actually going to help you in your career. There's nothing worse than studying for something that you don't need and don't enjoy.

Best of luck with your choice.

Tim

That's a great question, If you don't understand the basics of how computer network works, you may find Security+ a little on the difficult side. CompTIA designed Security+ to be a 3rd year Certification for IT folks that have worked on helpdesk or as a junior network lackey. Not to scare you off, but it's not a cert to be taken lightly. Yes there are basic Security concepts, but they are targeted toward IT professionals.

The general path to Security+ (also what CompTIA recommends) is = A+, Network+, then Security+. With that said, yes someone could take and pass Security+ before attempting A+ or Network+. This is of course my opinion, so take it with a grain of salt.

Also let us know how you do when you do take either of these exams.

I'd suggest you do Network+ first then Security+
Network+ teaches you the basics of networking obviously which is good to have. It also teaches you stuff about defense in depth and multi-layer security. However the Sec+ goes into more detail and incudes things like reporting and security management. You could just do the Security+ but in my opinion you'd only have one piece of the puzzle. If you already have good understanding of basic networking.i.e. switches,routers,hubs,network design types, firewalls, IPS, cabling types, standards etc then go straight to Security+. The A+ is more aimed at PC and printer troubleshooting so I don't know whether this would be very relevant to you