• To ensure you get the most out of your CIN membership and stay connected with the latest updates, we are asking all members to update their community profiles. Please take a few moments to log in and: • Complete all sections of your profile • Review your current information for accuracy • Enter an alternative email address if desired (CIN requires your valid business email address for your training organization). Keeping your profile up to date helps us better serve you, ensures your account is correctly linked with CompTIA’s CRM, streamlines processes, enhances communication, and guarantees you never miss out on valuable CIN opportunities. Thank you for taking this important step! step!

[Help] CertMaster Perform – "This Teacher Has No Active Classes" When Trying to Enroll via CIN TTT Series Access Key

Hi everyone, I'd like to know about activating CertMaster Perform using an access key obtained from a CIN TTT Series course — whether it was attended live or accessed on-demand. After adding the institution as "CIN TTT Series," I'm unable to enroll in a class under the instructor assigned to that course. I keep getting the message: "This teacher has no active classes."

For example, I currently have access to CySA+ V4 but can't join Nicholas Pierce's class. Similarly, for the on-demand SecAI+ V1 course, I'm unable to join Dwayne Natwick's class, and the same issue occurs with Data+ V2 taught by Frederick Anaafi.

This is my first time using CertMaster Perform, so I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong. @Stephen Schneiter — or anyone who knows the answer — could you please help clarify? Thank you!

Looking for a CompTIA Server+ Instructor (Online) / Recherche Formateur CompTIA Server+

Hello everyone / Bonjour à tous,

(Français)Je suis à la recherche d'un formateur certifié pour animer une session de formation CompTIA Server+ en ligne pour Soracert.

Détails de la mission :
  • Modalité : En ligne (Virtual Instructor-Led Training)
  • Durée : 4 jours
  • Période : 1ère ou 2ème semaine de juillet
  • Langue : Francophone de préférence (les profils anglophones sont également les bienvenus).
(English)I am currently looking for a certified instructor to deliver an online CompTIA Server+ training session.

Mission Details:
  • Format: Online (vILT)
  • Duration: 4 days
  • Timing: 1st or 2nd week of July
  • Language: French preferred (English-speaking instructors are also welcome).
Si vous êtes disponible ou si vous avez des recommandations, n'hésitez pas à me contacter / If you are available or have any recommendations, please feel free to reach out directly:
Merci d'avance ! / Thank you in advance!

New-ish to teaching IT and looking for suggestions

Hi everyone! I am not a new teacher, but I am new to teaching IT classes. I've taught math mostly and some PLTW computer science/programming-focused courses the last several years. Our district realized that while our community has very little need for programmers, we have a tremendous need for IT workers in all sectors. Additionally, new dual credit partnerships with the local community college have come in and out with PLTW and in with CompTIA! The district actually purchased TestOut licenses, but...

This year I will have 3 levels of IT classes - the classes were determined by the District and Community College
Year1: Tech+ (and other intro to computers skills MS Office suite, HTML)
Year2: A+
Year3: Net+ (1st sem) and Linux+ (2nd sem)

I am still relatively new to the world of IT myself - I took my A+ Cert last with the students! I do have some experience and interest in the IT world, but I am more broad than deep. I plan to do the same route for certification this year with Net+ and Linux+, but I am looking for suggestions from the more experienced teachers that might be here as to how best to run the "day to day" with my students.

Do you use digital notebooks? Do you use CertMaster (or another program)? Last year I showed videos from TestOut, pausing them for discussions and connections, but students filled out guided note sheets that I created. The notes followed the videos and then forced them to scavenger hunt the "text". It was a ton of work for me, but it did work well.
What works well for you?

I also want my students to have some hands-on and authentic experiences, but I do not have much in the way of resources. My 1st year students always take apart and reassemble old computers and laptops - they don't work however. For A+, I gave my students a box of parts and had them assemble the computer as a review, but they were the same old computers my first years use. I also had my A+ students last year make patch cables and test them. I am absolutely looking for any other low-cost, easy-to-implement hands-on labs/activities.

Finally, this year I should have access to 20-ish working computers obsoleted from the district, but they have been completely erased - NO Windows OS, and I am not allowed to reconnect them to the district network. Aside from installing Linux on them (which is very likely) are there any free resources you would suggest I put on them? Ultimately, these older laptops will probably have to serve my classes for several years - and I want them secured so that I can do that, but I also need some ideas of what I can actually DO with them.

Thank you all for reading through this and for any help and suggestions you might offer!

  • Question
Regarding the CertMaster CE product

Hi All,

I originally obtained my Security+ Certification in July 2020 with the SY0-501 version. Three years later, in 2023, I renewed it using the CertMaster CE product for security+ at the time. Now, it's renewal time again. I would like to ask some clarifications because some of the official info is a little conflicting.

In this information page about CertMaster CE:


It specifically mentions SY0-601 or earlier.

However, in the actual product page:


All the way to bottom where the CE Product is, there is no mention of or earlier. Only SY0-601 is mentioned by name.

Will I be able to renew my certification using the current CertMaster CE product for Security+? My expiration is on the 24th this July, but I can probably bang it out in a week. Just have to consider the purchase approval process in my company. Any clarifications are welcome.
  • Like
Reactions: Abu Afza

  • Question
Did Not Receive CertMaster Codes for SecAI+ and CySA+

Hi everyone!

I was not able to receive the CertMaster voucher/access codes for both SecAI+ and CySA+.

For SecAI+, I attended the training through the on-demand sessions, and I saw that @Stephen Schneiter mentioned that learners should receive the access code after completing the first session, even for on-demand learners. I already completed the sessions, but I have not received the email yet.

For CySA+, I attended the first day live session, but I also have not received the CertMaster voucher/access code.

May I kindly ask if the voucher/access codes are sent automatically after attendance is recorded, or if they can be resent directly?

I would appreciate your help on this. Thank you!

Penetration Testing/Threat Modeling Reporting Tool?

Hey all! I was curious if anyone has any solution suggestions for replacement of a penetration testing/threat modeling (overall-security) reporting tool? Ideally, something that would work with BurpSuite and/or integrate with Prisma or any other vulnerability documentation repos is best.

Thanks in advance!!

Building the Future of IT Through Learning, Innovation, and Community

Hello CompTIA Community! 👋

I’m excited to join this community and connect with professionals, educators, and learners who are passionate about the future of technology.

My focus has always been on helping people make technology practical, approachable, and meaningful. As an IT educator, I enjoy helping students build confidence through hands-on learning, real-world problem solving, and continuous skill development.

I’m especially interested in how Artificial Intelligence, cybersecurity, networking, and automation are changing the way we learn and work in IT.

I look forward to sharing ideas, learning from this community, and connecting with others who are helping prepare the next generation of technology professionals.

What IT skill do you think will become the most important for professionals to develop in the next few years?

LinkedIn Exam Scammers

I have reported to LinkedIn almost 1000 times about scammers coming from India or the Philippines sending connect requests to myself and countless others in my network offering 100% guarantee's to pass exams. Here is the problem that really needs the CIN involvement from CompTIA because I see NO ONE talking about it on this side of the fence. LinkedIn is doing absolutely nothing and what is horrible and shameful is there is a bustling market and as hard as I work my butt off daily to study. I think EVERYONE should be required to take the exam HONESTLY. I know we have all of these written bylaws but criminals and their customers don't give a crap about rules.

1. Enable Geolocation exam scheduling. If a person's address is in Baltimore, Maryland or Philadelphia, PA. They should not be able to have a exam pass on their exam center from India, Shanghai, China or a foreign country outside of the US. The same is vice versa for someone sitting in Nairobi, Kenya with an exam center in Pakistan or India.

2. Focus on Practical questions in a higher density 80/20 versus multiple choice exams where brain dumps are common from unscrupulous vendors. I have reported even US based exam centers where I was asked if I wanted to pass some CompTIA or ISC2 exams. What was even more surprising is the same exam center was still open and I know they were doing this scam. I know it is a business and they have to be "caught", but if you see a ridiculous amount of exam passing in the same center. Their should be pattern verification and validation. This is not rocket science.

3. Cheaters will always find a way. I get it, but seriously. If we want employers and industry to take CompTIA exams dead serious. I would question why we don't make it more challenging for scammer companies or cheaters who profit off of the CompTIA name and exam brands.

4. Identify the exam center by name and location ON THE CERTIFICATION VALIDATION PORTAL. That is the #1 way to put a nail slammed shut on the scammer. If the exam center location is printed on the Certificate itself AND in the portal of the Certification validation portal. It literally shames people into taking their own dang exam and it disincentivizes the scammers whole business model of anonymity. CompTIA could lead the industry to doing such a simple change by adding a line to the certification exam with the location of the exam center where a person took the exam. Remote proctored exams should identify the city, state or country the exam was proctored.

5. "Login and take the exam for you" scams which has become the most common. Work with Pearson Vue to block all remote session ports during the exam and common remote software which will be a running process on the machine. If a person's machine flags. Require them to report to a local onsite exam center instead of just cancelling the exam.

Thoughts?

Recommendation/Advice/Experience on SecAI+

Hi Everyone!

I'm preparing myself on taking SecAI+. I just finished the on-demand TTT series released early this year and I also adquired a training in Udemy related to this cert. I've been certified in CySA+ and Pentest+ since 2021 but for SecAI+ given that this is an "expansion series" which foundations are Security+ I would like to hear your advice, recommendation, study guide, experiences during the exam, etc that could provide more insights on this exam.

Appreciate your comments and guidance

Best regards

  • Question
Is there a bug with the AutoOps+ TTT on-demand completion tracking?

Hello All,

I was wondering if I am the only one seeing this issue.
I completed the session 1 AutoOps+ TTT webinar last night, via on-demand on my mobile phone.
Today I used the same link to access the on-demand session again, on my laptop, to download the completion certificate.
The strange thing was that it said I needed to watch the 90 minutes to access the certificate.

I have been using this same process for the CySA+ TTT series without any issues. I downloaded the course materials and completion certificate on my PC after completing the session on my mobile phone.

One difference I noticed is that when I open the CySA+ TTT on-demand sessions, they ask for my registered email address. The AutoOps+ did not ask for my email address on my phone or my laptop.

Has anyone else seen this occur? My main concern is that my completion of each session may not be logged properly for my CertMaster access and my end-of-series test voucher.

@Stephen Schneiter are you able to check and verify that my session 1 for the AutoOps+ was logged as completed, so I can get the CertMaster voucher and be progressing towards the final test voucher as well?

At Long Last - The CyberCache is BACK!

First, apologies for taking so darned long to get this back up. I had to search around for a compiled list from the v1 cache - but landed on something I had rebuilt from Dec 2025. But, I think it's time to get it put back up.

So, here it is...

The Black Fedora Cyber Cache v2


Go check it out and if you have a contribution for the Cache, send me a DM and I'll get it added.

Enjoy!

Rick

  • Question
A+ Core 1

I sat and passed the A+ Core 1 yesterday (Friday 19th of June) using the Pearson OnVUE system. At the end of the exam I saw my result (passmark) 808 points, but I didn't see a breakdown of my weak areas. (Which I have always gotten for other exams that I have sat). Is there a way to recover this from CompTIA or from Pearson VUE?
Thanks

  • Question
Compcert Courses -- Where's The Beef

I'm wondering if these "CompTIA Compcert courses" that are not tied to actual CompTIA certifications are going to result in opportunities for instructor work, teaching classes that at best result in a "certificate of attendance"? In my decades of teaching as well as selling new courses to employers, students, and curriculum committees, that path has been made much more successful because of the recognition of CompTIA as a "Certification Issuer".

Thoughts?

Steve

Passed Linux+ XK0-006

I finally buckled down and took the Linux+ and passed it today. It took some extra study but after I let the 005 get away from me I swore to myself I wouldn't let it happen again. HUGE thanks to @Stephen Schneiter, Jason Eckert's great TTT and the amazing CIN network for the voucher. Watching the expiration timer tick down on it gave me the kick in the pants I needed to finish!

Success Story -- SecurityX PASS!

So... I've had a CompTIA SecurityX exam voucher sitting in my account for quite a while. I must have rescheduled this test a dozen times because of work commitments, family schedules, not enough time to study, kids screaming in the background, and life in general.

Last night, while the kids were outside following the classic rule of "come home when the streetlights come on," I headed to my home office testing center and finally sat for the exam.

I felt calm, focused, and confident. But I knew that Linux simulation question was coming, the one you can't go back to. It showed up around question 10, and honestly... I completely botched it. At that moment, I was convinced the exam had beaten me. After all, it had defeated me back in February 2025 and my older version recently expired.

I pushed forward, finished the remaining questions, went back through my flagged items, and even had some fun working through the Performance Based Questions (PBQs).

Then came the infamous 13 question survey. If you've ever taken a CompTIA exam, you know exactly what I'm talking about! I clicked Submit, and unlike most CompTIA exams, there was no immediate pass or fail message. I walked away wondering where I stood.

This morning, I was texting my friend Nancy, who is a huge part of my Facebook community, and I was telling her all about my experience. I was convinced I hadn't passed.

Then... I received an email from CompTIA congratulating me and asking me to accept my digital badge.

Wait... what?!

I logged into the CompTIA portal, pulled up my score report, and there it was.

PASS!

The biggest lesson I took away from this experience is simple. Don't doubt yourself. One tough question, or even one tough exam experience, doesn't define the outcome. Set a goal, commit to it, and keep moving forward. Sometimes the biggest obstacle standing in your way is your own self-doubt.

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