CompTIA Security+ Certification Overview

• CompTIA Security+ is a global certification validating baseline skills for core security functions and IT security careers.

Core Security Functions

• Assessing enterprise environment security posture is a core security function.
• Recommending and implementing security solutions are core functions.
• Monitoring and securing hybrid environments, including cloud, mobile, and IoT, is essential.
• Operating with awareness of applicable laws and policies is a core security function.
• Identifying, analyzing, and responding to security events and incidents are key.

Key Skills Validated by Security+

• Identifying various attacks, threats, and vulnerabilities against systems and networks is a key skill.
• Understanding security principles related to network and system architecture, including cloud and virtualization are key.
• Applying security best practices for implementing secure systems and networks are key.
• Incident response procedures and participating in security operations are key.
• Understanding risk management, compliance requirements, and security governance principles are essential.

Exam Domains

• Security+ is a broad certification covering numerous domains.
• Each domain represents a percentage of the exam.

Threats, Attacks, and Vulnerabilities (24%)

• Understanding different types of malware (e.g., viruses, worms, Trojans, ransomware, spyware) is important.
• Recognizing various attack vectors (e.g., phishing, spear phishing, whaling, vishing, pharming) is important.
• Analyzing vulnerabilities and security weaknesses (e.g., buffer overflows, SQL injection, cross-site scripting (XSS)) is important.
• Understanding social engineering techniques and how to defend against them are key.
• Recognizing the importance of threat intelligence is crucial.

Architecture and Design (21%)

• Understanding secure network architecture concepts (e.g., segmentation, DMZ, VPNs) is key.
• Understanding cloud security principles (e.g., IaaS, PaaS, SaaS, cloud deployment models) is important.
• Implementing secure system design (e.g., hardening, secure boot, endpoint protection) is crucial.
• Understanding the importance of physical security controls is crucial.
• Implementing identity and access management (IAM) solutions is essential.

Implementation (25%)

• Implementing and configuring security controls (e.g., firewalls, intrusion detection/prevention systems (IDS/IPS)) is crucial.
• Deploying secure network protocols (e.g., HTTPS, SSH, TLS/SSL) is essential.
• Implementing secure wireless technologies (e.g., WPA2/3) is essential.
• Implementing authentication and authorization mechanisms is key.
• Applying secure configuration baselines is crucial.

Operations and Incident Response (16%)

• Understanding incident response processes (e.g., identification, containment, eradication, recovery, lessons learned) is important.
• Monitoring security logs and alerts is crucial.
• Performing basic forensic analysis is important.
• Participating in vulnerability management activities is important.
• Understanding the importance of business continuity and disaster recovery planning is key.

Governance, Risk, and Compliance (14%)

• Understanding risk management concepts (e.g., risk assessment, risk mitigation) is crucial.
• Understanding compliance requirements (e.g., GDPR, HIPAA, PCI DSS)is important.
• Applying security governance principles (e.g., policies, standards, procedures) is essential.
• Understanding the importance of security awareness training is essential.
• Understanding basic legal and ethical considerations related to security is key.

Key Security Concepts

• Confidentiality: Ensuring that information is accessible only to authorized individuals.
• Integrity: Maintaining the accuracy and completeness of data.
• Availability: Ensuring that systems and data are accessible when needed.

Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting (AAA)

• Authentication: Verifying the identity of a user or device.
• Authorization: Determining what resources a user or device is allowed to access.
• Accounting: Tracking user activity and resource usage.

Cryptography

• Encryption: Converting data into an unreadable format to protect its confidentiality.
• Hashing: Creating a one-way function to verify data integrity.
• Digital signatures: Using cryptography to ensure the authenticity and integrity of a message.

Network Security

• Firewalls: Controlling network traffic based on predefined rules.
• Intrusion Detection/Prevention Systems (IDS/IPS): Monitoring network traffic for malicious activity.
• Virtual Private Networks (VPNs): Creating secure connections over public networks.
• Network Segmentation: Dividing a network into smaller, isolated segments to limit the impact of security breaches.

Wireless Security

• Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA2/3): Security protocols used to secure wireless networks.
• Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP): Authentication framework often used in wireless networks.

Cloud Security

• Cloud Computing Models (IaaS, PaaS, SaaS): Understanding the shared responsibility model in cloud environments.
• Cloud Security Controls: Implementing security measures specific to cloud environments.

Identity and Access Management (IAM)

• Role-Based Access Control (RBAC): Granting access based on a user's role within an organization.
• Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): Requiring multiple forms of authentication to verify a user's identity.

Incident Response

• Incident Response Lifecycle: A structured approach to handling security incidents, including preparation, detection and analysis, containment, eradication, recovery, and post-incident activity.

Risk Management

• Risk Assessment: Identifying and evaluating potential risks to an organization's assets.
• Risk Mitigation: Implementing controls to reduce the likelihood and impact of identified risks.

Security Tools

• Nmap: Network scanning tool.
• Wireshark: Network protocol analyzer.
• Metasploit: Penetration testing framework.
• Nessus: Vulnerability scanner.

Security Policies and Procedures

• Acceptable Use Policy (AUP): Defines how users are allowed to use an organization's resources.
• Password Policy: Establishes requirements for creating and managing strong passwords.
• Incident Response Plan (IRP): Outlines the steps to be taken in the event of a security incident.

Compliance Standards

• General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR): EU regulation on data protection and privacy.
• Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA): US law that protects sensitive patient health information.
• Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS): Security standard for organizations that handle credit card information.

Vulnerabilities

• Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE): A dictionary of publicly known security vulnerabilities and exposures.

Security Best Practices

• Principle of Least Privilege: Granting users only the minimum level of access required to perform their job functions.
• Defense in Depth: Implementing multiple layers of security controls to protect against a variety of threats.
• Regular Security Audits: Periodically assessing the effectiveness of security controls.

IoT Security

• Securing IoT devices: Addressing unique security challenges posed by IoT devices, such as weak passwords and firmware vulnerabilities.

Mobile Security

• Mobile Device Management (MDM): Tools and policies for managing and securing mobile devices.