Security

Protecting information and the systems that hold it: how attackers think, the controls that stop them, and what to do when something goes wrong — explained so you can recognize risks and act on them.

19 pages 143 glossary terms Security+ ISC2 CC

How to use this topic

The first pages set out the principles: what security protects, how risk is measured, and who attacks and how. The middle pages cover the controls — authentication, access control, cryptography and certificates, and security for networks, web applications and devices. The last pages are about running security in an organization: monitoring, incident response, vulnerability management, continuity, governance and compliance, privacy and physical security.

Security also appears where it belongs in the other topics — for example network security in Networking, hardening in Linux & Command Line, identity in Identity & Directory Services and Cloud, container security, secrets in automation and security testing. These pages link there instead of repeating it. Attacks are explained so that you can recognize and prevent them; nothing here is a guide to attacking systems you do not own.

Pages marked Security+ cover material from the CompTIA Security+ exam, and pages also marked ISC2 CC cover the entry-level ISC2 Certified in Cybersecurity exam.

Learning path

  1. 01What Is Information Security?What security protects and why: the CIA triad, authentication, authorization and accounting, non-repudiation, and defense in depth.BeginnerSecurity+ISC2 CC
  2. 02Threats, Vulnerabilities and RiskHow security people think about danger: threats, vulnerabilities and risk, measuring likelihood and impact, and the ways to treat a risk.BeginnerSecurity+ISC2 CC
  3. 03Threat Actors and Attack VectorsWho attacks and why, the routes they use to get in, and the models defenders use to describe an attack from start to finish.BeginnerSecurity+ISC2 CC
  4. 04Social Engineering and PhishingHow attackers trick people instead of computers: phishing in its many forms, pretexting and CEO fraud, and how to recognize and report it.BeginnerSecurity+ISC2 CC
  5. 05MalwareThe main families of malicious software — viruses, worms, trojans, ransomware, spyware and rootkits — how they spread and how to defend against them.BeginnerSecurity+ISC2 CC
  6. 06Passwords and AuthenticationProving who you are: authentication factors, good password practice, how passwords are stored safely, multi-factor authentication and passkeys.BeginnerSecurity+ISC2 CC
  7. 07Access ControlDeciding who may do what: access control models, least privilege, separation of duties, privileged access and regular access reviews.IntermediateSecurity+ISC2 CC
  8. 08Cryptography BasicsThe building blocks of secure communication: symmetric and asymmetric encryption, hashes, digital signatures and key management.IntermediateSecurity+ISC2 CC
  9. 09PKI and CertificatesHow we trust a website we have never met: certificates, certificate authorities, the chain of trust, TLS and what goes wrong in practice.IntermediateSecurity+
  10. 10Network Security in DepthProtecting networks beyond the basics: segmentation, intrusion detection and prevention, network access control and zero trust.IntermediateSecurity+ISC2 CC
  11. 11Web Application SecurityThe most common ways web applications are attacked — injection, cross-site scripting, broken authentication and misconfiguration — and how to prevent them.IntermediateSecurity+
  12. 12Endpoint SecurityProtecting laptops, desktops, servers and phones: endpoint detection and response, hardening, patching, encryption and application control.IntermediateSecurity+ISC2 CC
  13. 13Security Monitoring and the SOCSeeing attacks happen: security logs, SIEM, detection rules and alerts, and how a security operations center works.IntermediateSecurity+ISC2 CC
  14. 14Incident ResponseWhat to do when something goes wrong: the incident response lifecycle, playbooks, containment, evidence, communication and lessons learned.IntermediateSecurity+ISC2 CC
  15. 15Vulnerability ManagementFinding and fixing weaknesses before attackers do: scanning, CVE and CVSS, prioritizing, patching, and penetration testing.IntermediateSecurity+
  16. 16Business ContinuityKeeping the organization running through disruption: business impact analysis, continuity and disaster recovery plans, and testing them.IntermediateSecurity+ISC2 CC
  17. 17Governance, Frameworks and ComplianceHow organizations organize security: policies and standards, frameworks such as NIST CSF and ISO 27001, cybersecurity laws such as NIS2, and audits.IntermediateSecurity+ISC2 CC
  18. 18Privacy and Data ProtectionProtecting personal and sensitive data: data protection law, data classification, data loss prevention, and what to do after a data breach.IntermediateSecurity+ISC2 CC
  19. 19Physical SecurityProtecting the places and things that hold your data: site access, badges and tailgating, cameras and guards, secure areas and secure disposal.BeginnerSecurity+ISC2 CC

Security glossary

Short definitions of the terms used in this topic. The full glossary covers every topic.