About the Author
Dawn Dunkerley received a PhD in Information Systems from Nova
Southeastern University in 2011 with a doctoral focus on measuring
information security success within organizations. Her research interests
include cyberwarfare, cybersecurity, and the success and measurement of
organizational cybersecurity initiatives. Dr. Dunkerley holds numerous
professional certifications, including the Certified Information Systems
Security Professional (CISSP), Information Systems Security Architecture
Professional (ISSAP), Information Systems Security Engineering
Professional (ISSEP), Information Systems Security Management
Professional (ISSMP), Certified Secure Software Lifecycle Professional
(CSSLP), Certified in Risk and Information System Control (CRISC), and
CompTIA Security+. She is an Area Editor for the Cyber Defense Review
published by the United States Army Cyber Institute at West Point and a
Fellow of the Americas Institute of Cybersecurity Leadership.
About the Technical Editor
Bobby E. Rogers is an information security engineer working as a contractor
for U.S. Department of Defense agencies, helping to secure, certify, and
accredit their information systems. His duties include information system
security engineering, risk management, and certification and accreditation
efforts. He retired after 21 years in the U.S. Air Force, serving as a network
security engineer and instructor, and has secured networks all over the world.
Bobby has a master’s degree in information assurance (IA) and is pursuing a
doctoral degree in cybersecurity from Capitol Technology University in
Maryland. His many certifications include CISSP-ISSEP, CEH, and MCSE:
Security, as well as the CompTIA A+, Network+, Security+, and Mobility+

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Objective 1.2 Given a scenario, analyze potential indicators to
determine the type of attack
Analyze and Differentiate Among Types of Malware
Viruses
Keyloggers
Trojans
Backdoor
Logic Bombs
Worms
Adware and Spyware
Ransomware
Rootkits
Botnets
Malicious Code or Script Execution
Analyze and Differentiate Among Types of Password Attacks
Analyze and Differentiate Among Nonstandard and Emerging
Attacks
Supply-Chain Attacks
Physical Attacks
Adversarial Artificial Intelligence
Cloud-Based vs. On-Premises Attacks
REVIEW
1.2 QUESTIONS
1.2 ANSWERS
Objective 1.3 Given a scenario, analyze potential indicators associated
with application attacks
Application Attacks
Buffer Overflows
Resource Exhaustion
Privilege Escalation
Hijacking
HTML Attachments

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Malicious Add-Ons
Cross-Site Scripting
Request Forgeries
Application Programming Interface Attacks
Driver Manipulation
Header Manipulation
Injections
Directory Traversal
Arbitrary Code Execution
Zero-Day Attacks
Race Conditions
Replay
REVIEW
1.3 QUESTIONS
1.3 ANSWERS
Objective 1.4 Given a scenario, analyze potential indicators associated
with network attacks
Wireless Attacks
Data Emanation
Jamming
Bluetooth Vulnerabilities
Near-Field Communication
War Driving
Access Points (Evil Twin)
Disassociation
Packet Sniffing and Eavesdropping
WPS Attacks
WEP/WPA Attacks
Network Attacks
Denial-of-Service
Layer 2 Attacks
Smurf Attack

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TCP/IP Hijacking
On-Path
Xmas Attack
DNS Poisoning
Domain Kiting
Domain Reputation
Typosquatting
Client-side Attacks
Watering Hole Attack
REVIEW
1.4 QUESTIONS
1.4 ANSWERS
Objective 1.5 Explain different threat actors, vectors, and intelligence
sources
Understanding and Analyzing Threats
Actors, Attributes, and Vectors
Threat Intelligence Sources
Research Sources
REVIEW
1.5 QUESTIONS
1.5 ANSWERS
Objective 1.6 Explain the security concerns associated with various
types of vulnerabilities
Vulnerabilities
Vulnerability Types
REVIEW
1.6 QUESTIONS
1.6 ANSWERS
Objective 1.7 Summarize the techniques used in security assessments
Implement Assessment Techniques to Discover Security
Threats and Vulnerabilities
Vulnerability Assessment Tools and Techniques

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REVIEW
1.7 QUESTIONS
1.7 ANSWERS
Objective 1.8 Explain the techniques used in penetration testing
Penetration Testing Techniques
Known, Unknown, and Partially Known Environment
Testing
Exercise Types
REVIEW
1.8 QUESTIONS
1.8 ANSWERS
5.0 Governance, Risk, and Compliance
Objective 5.1 Compare and contrast various types of controls
Control Categories
Managerial Controls
Technical Controls
Operational Controls
Control Types
REVIEW
5.1 QUESTIONS
5.1 ANSWERS
Objective 5.2 Explain the importance of applicable regulations,
standards, or frameworks that impact organizational security
posture
Understanding Guidance Documents
Regulations, Legislation, and Standards
Key Frameworks
Benchmarks and Secure Configuration Guides
REVIEW
5.2 QUESTIONS
5.2 ANSWERS

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Objective 5.3 Explain the importance of policies to organizational
security
Policies Supporting Organizational Security
Using Organizational Policies to Reduce Risk
Security Training and Awareness Policies
Data and Documentation Policies
User Behavior Policies
Change Management Policies
Incident Response Policy
Third-Party Risk Management
REVIEW
5.3 QUESTIONS
5.3 ANSWERS
Objective 5.4 Summarize risk management processes and concepts
Understanding and Managing Risk
Risk Assessment
Risk Register
Types of Disasters
Functional Recovery Plans
High Availability and Redundancy Planning
REVIEW
5.4 QUESTIONS
5.4 ANSWERS
Objective 5.5 Explain privacy and sensitive data concepts in relation
to security
Privacy and Sensitive Data
Organizational Consequences of Privacy and Data
Breaches
Notification of Breaches
Data Types
Privacy Enhancing Technologies
Data Ownership Roles and Responsibilities

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Terms of Agreement and Privacy Notices
REVIEW
5.5 QUESTIONS
5.5 ANSWERS
2.0 Architecture and Design
Objective 2.1 Explain the importance of security concepts in an
enterprise environment
Enterprise Security
Change and Configuration Management
Data Protection
Data Encryption
Cloud Storage
Storage Area Networks
Handling Big Data
Data Sovereignty
Response and Recovery
Deception and Disruption
REVIEW
2.1 QUESTIONS
2.1 ANSWERS
Objective 2.2 Summarize virtualization and cloud computing concepts
Cloud Computing
Anything as a Service
Cloud Deployment
Virtualization
REVIEW
2.2 QUESTIONS
2.2 ANSWERS
Objective 2.3 Summarize secure application development,
deployment, and automation concepts
Secure Application Development, Deployment, and

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Automation
Development Life-Cycle Models
Secure Coding Concepts
REVIEW
2.3 QUESTIONS
2.3 ANSWERS
Objective 2.4 Summarize authentication and authorization design
concepts
Authentication Concepts
Multifactor Authentication
Authentication Methods
Biometrics
Cloud vs. On-Premises Requirements
REVIEW
2.4 QUESTIONS
2.4 ANSWERS
Objective 2.5 Given a scenario, implement cybersecurity resilience
Resiliency Concepts
Service Levels
Redundancy
Backups
Nonpersistence
REVIEW
2.5 QUESTIONS
2.5 ANSWERS
Objective 2.6 Explain the security implications of embedded and
specialized systems
Embedded and Specialized Systems
Embedded Systems
Industrial Control Systems and Supervisory Control and
Data Acquisition Systems
Internet of Things

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Specialized Systems
Voice over IP
Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning Systems
Drones/UAVs
Multifunction Printers
Surveillance Systems
REVIEW
2.6 QUESTIONS
2.6 ANSWERS
Objective 2.7 Explain the importance of physical security controls
Physical Security
Physical Barriers
Badges
Lighting
Alarms
Signage
Surveillance
Locks
Access Control Vestibule
Personnel
Faraday Cages
Visitor Logs
USB Data Blocker
Secure Areas
Fire Suppression
Environmental Issues
REVIEW
2.7 QUESTIONS
2.7 ANSWERS
Objective 2.8 Summarize the basics of cryptographic concepts
Cryptography

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3.1 QUESTIONS
3.1 ANSWERS
Objective 3.2 Given a scenario, implement host or application security
solutions
Host and Application Security
Endpoint Protection
Boot Integrity
Databases
Application Security
Hardening
REVIEW
3.2 QUESTIONS
3.2 ANSWERS
Objective 3.3 Given a scenario, implement secure network designs
Secure Network Design
Load Balancing
Network Segmentation
Virtual Private Network
DNS
Network Access Control
Out-of-Band Management
Port Security
Network Appliances
Hardware Security Modules
Sensors
Collectors
Aggregators
Firewalls
Access Control Lists
Route Security
Quality of Service
Implications of IPv6

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Port Spanning/Monitoring
Monitoring Services
File Integrity Monitors
REVIEW
3.3 QUESTIONS
3.3 ANSWERS
Objective 3.4 Given a scenario, install and configure wireless security
settings
Wireless Security
Cryptographic Protocols
Authentication Protocols
Methods
Installation Considerations
REVIEW
3.4 QUESTIONS
3.4 ANSWERS
Objective 3.5 Given a scenario, implement secure mobile solutions
Mobile Security Solutions
Connection Methods and Receivers
Mobile Device Management
Mobile Devices
Enforcement and Monitoring
Deployment Models
REVIEW
3.5 QUESTIONS
3.5 ANSWERS
Objective 3.6 Given a scenario, apply cybersecurity solutions to the
cloud
Cloud Security
Cloud Security Controls
Solutions

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Cloud Native Controls vs. Third-Party Solutions
REVIEW
3.6 QUESTIONS
3.6 ANSWERS
Objective 3.7 Given a scenario, implement identity and account
management controls
Identity and Account Management
Identity
Account Types
Account Policies
REVIEW
3.7 QUESTIONS
3.7 ANSWERS
Objective 3.8 Given a scenario, implement authentication and
authorization solutions
Authentication and Authorization
Authentication Management
Authentication
Access Control Schemes
REVIEW
3.8 QUESTIONS
3.8 ANSWERS
Objective 3.9 Given a scenario, implement public key infrastructure
Public Key Infrastructure
PKI Fundamentals
Types of Certificates
Certificate Formats
Other Important Concepts
REVIEW
3.9 QUESTIONS
3.9 ANSWERS

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4.0 Operations and Incident Response
Objective 4.1 Given a scenario, use the appropriate tool to assess
organizational security
Assessing Organizational Security
Network Reconnaissance and Discovery
File Manipulation
Shell and Script Environments
Packet Capture and Replay
Forensics
Exploitation Frameworks
Password Crackers
Data Sanitization
REVIEW
4.1 QUESTIONS
4.1 ANSWERS
Objective 4.2 Summarize the importance of policies, processes, and
procedures for incident response
Incident Response
Incident Response Plans
Incident Response Process
Exercises
Attack Frameworks
Communication Plan
Business Continuity Plan
Disaster Recovery Plan
Continuity of Operations Planning
Incident Response Team
Stakeholder Management
Retention Policies
REVIEW
4.2 QUESTIONS

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4.2 ANSWERS
Objective 4.3 Given an incident, utilize appropriate data sources to
support an investigation
Data Sources
Vulnerability Scan Output
SIEM Dashboards
Log Files
syslog/rsyslog/syslog-ng
journalctl
NXLog
Bandwidth Monitors
Metadata
NetFlow/sFlow
Protocol Analyzer Output
REVIEW
4.3 QUESTIONS
4.3 ANSWERS
Objective 4.4 Given an incident, apply mitigation techniques or
controls to secure an environment
Incident Mitigation
Reconfigure Endpoint Security Solutions
Configuration Changes
Isolation
Containment
Segmentation
Security Orchestration, Automation, and Response
REVIEW
4.4 QUESTIONS
4.4 ANSWERS
Objective 4.5 Explain the key aspects of digital forensics
Digital Forensics
Documentation and Evidence

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Acknowledgments
So many thanks go to McGraw Hill Professional, especially Tim Green,
Emily Walters, and Janet Walden. You’ve been exceptionally helpful and
patient through this process.
Finally, I couldn’t have completed this project without my technical
editor, Bobby Rogers. He continues to be the best partner and, more
importantly, the best friend I could hope to work alongside. Thank you.
—Dawn Dunkerley

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Introduction
This book is your guide to CompTIA’s Security+ certification, the vendor-
neutral, industry-standard certification developed for foundation-level
cybersecurity professionals. Based on a worldwide job task analysis, the
exam structure focuses on cybersecurity core competencies, understanding
governance, risk, and compliance; attacks, threats, and vulnerabilities;
architecture and design; operations and incident response; and
implementation.
Whether the CompTIA Security+ certification is your first step toward a
career focus in security or an additional skill credential, this book is your
guide to success on the CompTIA Security+ certification exam.
This book is organized similarly to the official CompTIA Security+ exam
objectives, consisting of five domains, each of which is divided into
objectives that align with the CompTIA Security+ exam objectives. I stick
closely to the exam content that’s officially stated by CompTIA, and when I
don’t, I provide you my expert take on the best way to approach the topics.
For example, I’ve chosen to present Domain 5, with its coverage of risk, after
Domain 1 and its discussion of threat and vulnerability.
Each domain contains some useful items to call out points of interest:
EXAM TIP Indicates critical topics you’re likely to see on the actual
exam.

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NOTE Points out ancillary but pertinent information, as well as areas
for further study.
KEY TERM Describes special terms, in detail, and in a way you can
easily understand.
CAUTION Warns you of common pitfalls, misconceptions, and
potentially harmful or risky situations in working with the technology in
the real world.
Cross-Reference
Directs you to other places in the book where concepts are covered, for
your reference.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES Where you can find books, websites,
and other media for further assistance.
The end of each objective gives you two handy tools. The Review covers
each objective with a synopsis—a great way to quickly review the critical
information. Then the Questions and Answers enable you to test your newly
acquired skills. For further study, this book includes access to online practice
exams that will help to prepare you for taking the exam itself. All the
information you need for accessing the exam questions is provided in the

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appendix. I recommend that you take the practice exams to identify where
you have knowledge gaps and then go back and review as needed.
The IT industry changes and grows continuously, and so should you.
Finishing one certification is just a step in an ongoing process of gaining
more knowledge to match your constantly changing and developing skills.
Remember, in the cybersecurity business, if you’re not moving forward,
you’re way behind!

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Threats, Attacks, and
Vulnerabilities
Domain Objectives
• 1.1 Compare and contrast different types of social engineering
techniques
• 1.2 Given a scenario, analyze potential indicators to determine the
type of attack
• 1.3 Given a scenario, analyze potential indicators associated with
application attacks
• 1.4 Given a scenario, analyze potential indicators associated with
network attacks
• 1.5 Explain different threat actors, vectors, and intelligence sources
• 1.6 Explain the security concerns associated with various types of
vulnerabilities
• 1.7 Summarize the techniques used in security assessments
• 1.8 Explain the techniques used in penetration testing

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Mike Meyers CompTIA Security+ SY0-601 Exam Certification Passport, 6th Edition (2021)

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