Aruba Network Security Associate study plan
Aruba Network Security Associate · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 7 hours per week
Security fundamentals and threat landscape
Define the CIA triad and map each leg to a concrete network control
Classify the major threat categories (malware, phishing, MITM, DoS, rogue devices) and give one mitigation for each
Explain how ARP spoofing, DHCP starvation, and MAC flooding work at the protocol level
Build a personal glossary of at least 25 security terms with one-line definitions
Your checkpoint
A one-page threat-to-mitigation matrix covering at least 10 attack types, each with the protocol layer and a defense
Security fundamentals and threat landscape & Monitoring, logging, and incident response
Describe the anatomy of a wireless attack (evil twin, deauth, rogue AP) and identify the observable symptoms of each
Identify which log sources (controller, AP, RADIUS, DHCP) would reveal each attack type
Explain least privilege and defense-in-depth as design principles
Draft the detection signals you would alert on for three common attacks
Your checkpoint
A detection playbook for three attack scenarios listing the log source, the indicator, and the first response step for each
Network access control and authentication
Compare 802.1X, MAC authentication, and captive portal and state when each is appropriate
Trace the full EAP exchange between supplicant, authenticator, and authentication server
Distinguish PEAP, EAP-TLS, and EAP-TTLS by their credential type and server/client certificate requirements
Configure a RADIUS server profile and a basic 802.1X enforcement profile in a lab or simulator
Your checkpoint
A sequence diagram of a successful 802.1X/EAP-TLS authentication annotated with the message flow and certificate checks
Network access control and authentication & Role-based access control and policy enforcement
Explain the role of the ClearPass or equivalent policy engine in the authentication decision
Describe how roles are assigned after authentication and what attributes drive the assignment
Differentiate authentication, authorization, and accounting with a concrete example of each
Configure a role-mapping rule that assigns a guest role based on a device or user attribute
Your checkpoint
A working policy-flow diagram from client connect through role assignment to network access, with the attributes labeled
Role-based access control and policy enforcement
Define role-based access control and contrast it with rule-based enforcement
Explain how firewall policies, user roles, and device roles combine to permit or deny traffic
Describe how to enforce differentiated access for employees, contractors, guests, and IoT devices
Write at least three enforcement policies that apply different access levels to different roles
Your checkpoint
A role-to-policy table covering four user/device classes with the permitted and denied resources for each
Wired and wireless security configuration
Configure WPA2-Enterprise and WPA3 settings and identify the parameters that differ between them
Explain the security function of VLANs, port security, and DHCP snooping on the wired side
Describe how dynamic segmentation or role-based VLAN assignment works on a wireless network
Harden an AP profile by disabling unnecessary services and enabling management protections
Your checkpoint
A completed lab configuration checklist for one SSID and one wired port, with each security setting and its rationale
Monitoring, logging, and incident response & Wired and wireless security configuration
Identify the key log fields to capture from controllers, APs, and RADIUS for authentication failures
Set up a syslog or log-forwarding destination and verify events arrive
Distinguish alert severity levels and choose thresholds for failed-authentication and rogue-AP alerts
Describe the first three steps of incident response for a suspected rogue device
Your checkpoint
A sample alert configuration document with at least three alerts, their trigger conditions, and severity levels
Security fundamentals and threat landscape & Network access control and authentication & Role-based access control and policy enforcement & Wired and wireless security configuration & Monitoring, logging, and incident response
Review weak areas from prior weeks and re-explain each weak concept without notes
Practice scenario-based questions across all five domains and justify each answer
Consolidate the week 1-7 deliverables into a single reference sheet
Take a timed full-length practice assessment and review every missed item
Your checkpoint
A consolidated one-page quick-reference sheet plus a scored practice assessment with a written review of missed questions
Milestones
Week 2: Can name the observable symptoms and log sources for at least six attack types without notes
Week 4: Can trace an 802.1X/EAP exchange end to end and explain how a role is assigned after authentication
Week 6: Can explain the security settings for one SSID and one wired port and why each is enabled
Week 7: Has a working log destination receiving events and at least three configured alerts
Week 8: Scores at or above 80% on the timed practice assessment and has reviewed every missed item