SY0-101 exam is rather easy, like most other Comptia Exams. It isnt designed to prove your security expertise, but rather establish a baseline of knowledge. In that role it passes, provided that the exam taker has SOME security knowledge. I probably put about 70 hours of total study time into this one but the best USE of my time was the uCertify and the Practical Cryptography" by Niels Ferguson/Bruce Schneier.