CompTIA Security+ Study Notes

Botnet

A collection of compromised computers under the control of a master node

Spam

Abuse of electronic messaging systems

Unauthorized Access

Access to computer resources and data without the consent of the owner

Information Security

Act of protecting data and information from unauthorized access, unlawful modification and disruption, disclosure, corruption, and destruction

Information Systems Security

Act of protecting the systems that hold and process critical data

Spam

Activity that abuses electronic messaging systems, most commonly through email

Worm

Acts like a virus but can self-replicate

Physical Controls

Alarm systems, locks, surveillance cameras, identification cards, and security guards

Trojan

Appears to do a desired function but also does something malicious

Updates and Patches

Applying software updates and patches to keep systems secure

Bluetooth Attacks

Attacks that exploit vulnerabilities in Bluetooth technology

Physical Tampering

Attempting to gain physical access to a network device

Cryptography and PKI

Category of security domains (12%)

Risk Management

Category of security domains (14%)

Architecture and Design

Category of security domains (15%)

Identity and Access Management

Category of security domains (16%)

Threats, Attacks, and Vulnerabilities

Category of security domains (21%)

Technologies and Tools

Category of security domains (22%)

Backdoors

Code placed in computer programs to bypass normal authentication and other security mechanisms

Virus

Code that infects a computer when a file is opened or executed

Threats to VMs

Common threats to virtual machines

System Failure

Computer crashes or an individual application fails

Hardening

Configuring an operating system securely by updating it, creating rules and policies, and removing unnecessary applications and services

Bring Your Own Device

Considerations and security measures for BYOD policies

Virtualization

Creating virtual resources and securing virtual machines

Network Zones

Designating specific areas of a network for different purposes

Network Design

Designing secure network architectures

Unnecessary Services

Disabling unneeded services in the operating system

Authentication

Establishing a person's identity with proof and confirmation by a system

Privilege Escalation

Exploiting a design flaw or bug in a system to gain access to resources that a normal user isn't able to access

Rootkit

Gains administrative control of your system by targeting boot loader or kernel

Authorization

Granting a user access to a certain piece of data or certain areas of a building

Hacktivists

Hackers who are driven by a cause like social change, political agendas, or terrorism

Organized Crime

Hackers who are part of a crime group that is well-funded and highly sophisticated

Blue Hats

Hackers who attempt to hack into a network with permission of the company but are not employed by the company

Elite

Hackers who find and exploit vulnerabilities before anyone else does

Script Kiddies

Hackers with little to no skill who only use the tools and exploits written by others

Gray Hats

Hackers without any affiliation to a company who attempt to break into a company's network but risk the law by doing so

Advanced Persistent Threats

Highly trained and funded groups of hackers (often by nation states) with covert and open-source intelligence at their disposal

Symptoms of Infection

Indications that a computer might be infected with malware

Confidentiality

Information has not been disclosed to unauthorized people

Integrity

Information has not been modified or altered without proper authorization

Availability

Information is able to be stored, accessed, or protected at all times

Application Layer

Layer from which the message is created, formed, and originated

Data Link Layer

Layer that describes how a connection is established, maintained, and transferred over the physical layer

Transport Layer

Layer that manages and ensures transmission of packets from a host to a destination

Session Layer

Layer that manages the establishment, termination, and synchronization of a session over the network

Physical Layer

Layer that represents the actual network cables and radio waves used to carry data

Presentation Layer

Layer that translates information into a format that the sender and receiver both understand

Network Layer

Layer that uses logical addressing to route or switch information between hosts, the network, and the internetworks

Logic Bombs

Malicious code that has been inserted inside a program and will execute only when certain conditions have been met

Viruses

Malicious code that runs on a machine without the user's knowledge and infects the computer when executed

Black Hats

Malicious hackers who break into computer systems and networks without authorization or permission

Trojan horses

Malicious software that is disguised as a piece of harmless or desirable software

Worms

Malicious software, like a virus, but is able to replicate itself without user interaction

Malware infections

Malware infections usually start within software, messaging, and media

Ransomware

Malware that restricts access to a victim's computer system until a ransom is received

Spyware

Malware that secretly gathers information about the user without their consent

Social Engineering

Manipulating users into revealing confidential information or performing detrimental actions

MAC Spoofing

Masking the attacker's MAC address to pretend to have the MAC address of another device

Mobile Malware

Measures to prevent and protect against mobile malware

Preventing Malware

Measures to prevent malware infections

Mobile Device Theft

Measures to protect against mobile device theft

Network Security

Measures to secure a network

Security of Apps

Measures to secure mobile applications

Securing Wireless Devices

Measures to secure wireless devices and networks

Threat Vector

Method used by an attacker to access a victim's machine

Attack Vector

Method used by an attacker to gain access to a victim's machine in order to infect it with malware

SIM Cloning & ID Theft

Methods used to clone SIM cards and steal identities

Minimum to Pass

Minimum score required to pass the exam

OSI Model

Model used to explain network communications between a host and remote device

User training

Most cost-effective security control

Switches

Network devices that connect devices within a network

Routers

Network devices that connect multiple networks to form an internetwork

White Hats

Non-malicious hackers who attempt to break into a company's systems at their request

Trusted Operating Systems

Operating systems that meet government requirements and have multilevel security

MAC Flooding

Overwhelming the limited switch memory with MAC addresses to cause the switch to fail-open

Active Interception

Placement of a computer between the sender and receiver to capture or modify the traffic between them

Administrative Controls

Policies, procedures, security awareness training, contingency planning, and disaster recovery plans

Secure Software Development

Principles and methods for secure software development

Patch Management

Process of planning, testing, implementing, and auditing software patches

Non-repudiation

Proof that someone has taken an action

Unnecessary Applications

Removing unnecessary programs from computers

File Systems and Hard Drives

Securing file systems and hard drives

Mobile Device Security

Security measures for mobile devices

Securing VMs

Security measures for virtual machines

Web Browser Security

Security measures for web browsers

Group Policies

Set of rules or policies that can be applied to a set of users or computer accounts within the operating system

Malware

Short-hand term for malicious software

Technical Controls

Smart cards, encryption, access control lists (ACLs), intrusion detection systems, and network authentication

Rootkits

Software designed to gain administrative level control over a system without detection

Malware

Software designed to infiltrate a computer system and possibly damage it without the user's knowledge or consent

Hypervisors

Software or hardware that manages the distribution of physical resources to virtual machines

Spyware

Software that collects your information without your consent

Removing Malware

Steps to identify and remove malware from an infected system

Hardening Mobile Devices

Steps to secure mobile devices

Ransomware

Takes control of your computer or data unless you pay

90 minutes

Time given to answer up to 90 questions

Accounting

Tracking of data, computer usage, and network resources

Restricting Applications

Whitelisting and blacklisting applications to control their execution