Certification training · Online
Cybersecurity certification training for people breaking in and moving up
North Star Security helps career changers, IT folks, and students prepare for the certifications that open doors in cybersecurity, starting with CompTIA Security+, Network+, and CySA+. The study plans are practical, the advice is plain, and nobody's going to promise you a job or a passing score.
Pick a certification and I'll email you a free study starter.
- Pick a certificationSecurity+, Network+ or CySA+
- Get the free starter by emailWhat to study first
- Follow the planWork from the official objectives
Who it's for
Who this is for
- Career changers who want a clear starting point instead of a hundred browser tabs.
- IT folks (help desk, sysadmins, network techs) who already do some security work and want the cert that says so.
- Students who want to learn the material well enough to use it, not just recognize it on a test.
If you're not sure which certification comes first, that's a normal place to start. Each starter explains where the exam fits so you can decide.
Choose your certification
What's available right now
Free cert starters. One for each exam I cover today:
-
The core cert
CompTIA Security+
covers both SY0-701 and the new SY0-801, plus how to decide which one to book. (CompTIA is changing versions in late 2026, so this matters.)
Read the Security+ guide Download the Security+ starter -
Before Security+
CompTIA Network+
draw the path, then break it on purpose. You learn networking faster by troubleshooting it than by memorizing ports.
Guide coming soon
Download the Network+ starter -
After Security+
CompTIA CySA+
detection and response practice for after Security+, still tied to the official objectives.
Guide coming soon
Download the CySA+ starter
Every starter works from CompTIA's published exam objectives. None of them is an official exam or a set of real questions.
How it works
How I approach training
Certifications matter because hiring managers and HR filters look for them. But the people who do well in their first security role can explain why a control exists and what they'd check first when something looks wrong. So the training here aims at both: prepare for the exam, and understand the work behind it.
That means:
Study the objectives, not the rumors. CompTIA publishes what each exam covers. We start there.
Practice by doing. Labs, diagrams, and short write-ups beat rereading notes.
Be honest about readiness. Each starter shows you how to check whether you're ready to book, and what to work on if you're not.
Who's teaching
About me
I'm Travis Sanchez, founder of North Star Security. I hold an M.S. in Cybersecurity and the CISM and CRISC certifications, and I've spent four years working in cybersecurity governance, risk, and compliance (GRC). That's the side of security where you learn quickly what organizations actually expect from their people.
CTF walkthroughs and career videos for people trying to get into the field are coming soon to my YouTube channel, recorded on camera in my own voice. All of the training is online, so you can use it from anywhere.
These materials are study aids. They are not a promise that you will pass, and they are not official vendor materials.
- CISMCertified Information Security Manager
- CRISCCertified in Risk and Information Systems Control
- M.S.Cybersecurity
- GRCFour years in cybersecurity GRC
Want to go further than the free material?
Paid Security+ coaching and hands-on labs are coming to our paid community. When you sign up for the free starter, tick the box and I'll email you when they open.
Get the free starterStart with one certification
You don't need a perfect plan to begin. Pick the exam you're working toward, and I'll send you a starter that tells you what to study first and how to know when you're ready to book.
You'll also get occasional notes when a new starter or paid training is ready. Every email has an unsubscribe link. See the Privacy page.