CIN TTT Series Security+ V8

Join the CompTIA Instructor Network and special guest @BrianFord as he Leads the Security+ TTT series using the CompTIA CertMaster Learn content. Brian will cover the exam objectives and provide hands on examples as you strengthen your cybersecurity analytics skills. We will discuss how to cover the content with students and suggest various labs to let students gain hands-on experience as they prepare for certification.

The new CompTIA Security+ (SY0-801) represents the latest and greatest in cybersecurity, covering the most in-demand skills related to current threats, automation, zero trust, IoT, risk – and more. Once certified, you’ll understand the core skills needed to succeed on the job – and employers will notice too. The Security+ exam verifies you have the knowledge and skills required to:

What: CIN TTT Series: Security+ V8
When: November 03 - November 19, 2026 (Six sessions), 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM CDT
Who: Brian Ford
Where: ON24
Register Now
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Yes! all ready to go see you in November

Friday Watercooler: My Divorce from Windows

I've gotten into arguments now with folks who are stuck in the Microslop cult, which now is being led by Slopilot. And I've been tinkering with Omarchy as of yesterday...loaded it on a couple machines.

But getting away from Windoze has been actually good for me.
Rick, I really wish you wouldn't beat around the bush... do you like Microsoft or not? :p

CIN APP missing in App store

The CIN mobile app was removed earlier this year. Unfortunately it was not as popular as expected and the use did not match the cost for updating and maintaining.
I tried using it, personally and found it was tougher than just using the website, IMAO. In most applications, I think the website does just fine.

The ONLY thing I wish we could get on the CIN boards are pinned posts on the Home feed. That way, important posts about TTT's (not my ramblings about my latest 'journey to linux' adventure) get posted prominently when folks log on.

But I think I mentioned that one before - just one of those 'bubble up' things...lol

Friday Watercooler: My Divorce from Windows

I dropped Windows years ago and never looked back. I only use it by force for servers or cloud stuff and if necessary at work. Outside of that. Window$ is dead in my own personal ecosystem.
I've gotten into arguments now with folks who are stuck in the Microslop cult, which now is being led by Slopilot. And I've been tinkering with Omarchy as of yesterday...loaded it on a couple machines. It's not very peppy on my Dell Chromebook 3400 - which I've learned is very reliant on the "super" key. Took me a minute to find that the key is bound to the one with a magnifying glass - so I'm mostly in business there. The Optiplex 7070 is screaming like a banshee.

But getting away from Windoze has been actually good for me. Makes me have to actually learn how to use my computer, rather than having Microsoft tell me how I'm supposed to use it.

I’ve tried and I keep trying. Tell me the secret.
Dogged persistence, my dude. Linux is a tool to get something done, so mastering the tool is what you have to do. Yes there are things that we'll always need a windows machine laying around to do - but I'm finding that to be less and less in my work.

I cannot imagine dropping Windows completely... but I have curtailed my use of it somewhat. Story to follow. (and yes, I was married to a Microsoftie, and she divorced me! Turnabout would be fair play ;) )
Well, I can't comment on the marital bit - Ms. Butler would probably not be happy if I wiped her machines and put Ubuntu on them - although she may teeter towards the Linux side of things if Microslop keeps insisting that Copilot manage your life, particularly if that data starts getting exfil'ed prolifically to the dark Azure cloud. And nothing that she does has a Windows requirement, so aside from learning how to do things in Linux, she may not be too, too broke up about it, overall.

CIN TTT Series Security+ V8

Join the CompTIA Instructor Network and special guest @BrianFord as he Leads the Security+ TTT series using the CompTIA CertMaster Learn content. Brian will cover the exam objectives and provide hands on examples as you strengthen your cybersecurity analytics skills. We will discuss how to cover the content with students and suggest various labs to let students gain hands-on experience as they prepare for certification.

The new CompTIA Security+ (SY0-801) represents the latest and greatest in cybersecurity, covering the most in-demand skills related to current threats, automation, zero trust, IoT, risk – and more. Once certified, you’ll understand the core skills needed to succeed on the job – and employers will notice too. The Security+ exam verifies you have the knowledge and skills required to:

What:
CIN TTT Series: Security+ V8
When: November 03 - November 19, 2026 (Six sessions), 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM CDT
Who: Brian Ford
Where: ON24
Register Now
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Omarchy - Have you tried?

So as I sit here writing Anthology reports and installing Omarchy on an old OptiPlex 7070, and trying to work on my SC300 MSFT learning, I can hear Redmond crying now...

Okay, not really, but @jasoneckert should appreciate the joke. But I thought I'd share with all of you the next steps on the journey with my walk away from Microsoft and their incessant need to push Copilot into every corner of my life.

So, in my list of learn by doing stuff for Linux - here are my current personal research projects:
  1. 1) AlienWare X17R1 running Commodore Vision OS 3.1 - still waiting for 4.0 to come out
  2. 2) Surface 5 with Linux Mint - it's almost heresy, but these days, Microsoft and I are pretty much frenemies.
  3. 3) Puppy, then Lubuntu on a Dell Chromebook 3400 - I may switch this one up with Omarchy - Wow, had to pull the battery so I could clear Google's stranglehold and load a proper UEFI BIOS so it would even take Linux. Say goodbye, ChromeOS - I never really loved you.
  4. 4) AlienWare M18 running Ubuntu 26 - The divorce is still in place; I have not gone crawling back to Windows because I miss MS Office that much.
  5. 5) Avalanche OS on my old LG G Watch. Finally breathed life back into my ailing timepiece.
  6. 6) And of course, the aforementioned Omarchy which I gotta say, has got to be the cleanest desktop interface I've seen.
I thought about resurrecting my Harvester HCI environment - had a 16 node cluster set up - that I never really leveraged...sadly.

So, what are your side-table projects that you have rolling?

Passed Linux Plus

Today I just passed Linux +. One needs to be on top of things to pass Linux + , its not an easy exam. Thanks Steve, CIN Director and Jason for all the resources and support. Its full of commands and hands on application of Linux stuff. One really needs to know what is happening otherwise, you can be left off guard.

Thanks Thanks
Congratulations Wezzie! I passed it in November and agree that it is NOT an easy exam. Fortunately, CompTIA has plenty of resources to help.

SecAI+

Interesting... I don't see a thread about this reasonably new certification?

OUR STORY SO FAR:

It was Friday afternoon when the training broker emailed me to ask if I have this certification, and if I am available the weeks of September 28 and October 5. Available? YES. Certified? No... but it is a mesh of cybersecurity and AI so it shouldn't take much. 'Can you be certified by Tuesday?' Wow, that's cutting it tight... but who needs a weekend when Monday is the holiest day of the Jewish year, right? Fine... I booked my exam appointment and downloaded the courseware.

I blazed through the course manual and PowerPoints over the weekend, and by the time I lit the candles I was comfortable in where I was. I would have another hour or two to study Monday night after breaking the fast, and then if I felt I needed it again on Tuesday morning.

(I did not count on getting sick Sunday evening and spending a lot of the next 36 hours very under the weather)

Tuesday morning I scrambled to arrange my makeshift exam area in the hallway; I made sure my son would take his German Shepherd out for a couple of hours, and I bribed my (much smaller) dog with treats so that she would let me sit the exam undisturbed.

It was one of those exams when I was not sure what the final page would say... but when I clicked and it read that I passed I was relieved. Also... it was not a borderline pass. Yay.

This marks the eleventh CompTIA exam that I have passed. To date my record is 11-0, which is much better than my record on Microsoft exams.

I realized as I booked the exam that this is the first version 1 of a CompTIA certification that I have ever taken. I never sat a CompTIA exam until 2021... my Network+ was the 98th certification exam I ever sat. I may have come late to the party with CompTIA, and while I might regret not starting sooner, I am glad I started. I am enjoying the vendor agnostic nature of the certifications that I never had with Microsoft or VMware... and there seems to be a lot more teaching opportunities for CompTIA these days than some other vendors.

Now let's see how much I enjoy delivering the SecAI+ in person next week!
I relate to your experience!

Linux+ study advice

No advice but, wish you a good chance.
I'll be taking the Linux+ XK0-006 exam this week. I have to admit that my Linux experience isn't on par with my Windows experience, but I do know a lot about hardware, software, scripting, security, networking, IAM, etc.

Do you have any advice that might help me prepare for the Linux+ exam? I have access to the CertMaster Learn, Labs, and Study materials. I also have access to the Instructor PDF and the slide decks for the class. Any sage advice, tips and tricks, "must-know" topics, or hints you can provide (without violating the NDA) would be greatly appreciate

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