CompTIA Security+ (SY0-601) - Cybersecurity Fundamentals Flashcards

Question 1

Phishing

Accepted Answer

A social engineering attack where an attacker attempts to trick individuals into revealing sensitive information (e.g., usernames, passwords, credit card details) by masquerading as a trustworthy entity in electronic communication.

Question 2

Malware

Accepted Answer

Malicious software designed to disrupt, damage, or gain unauthorized access to a computer system. Common types include `viruses`, `worms`, `Trojans`, `ransomware`, `spyware`, and `rootkits`.

Question 3

Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS)

Accepted Answer

An attack where multiple compromised computer systems (a 'botnet') are used to flood a target server, service, or network with traffic, making it unavailable to legitimate users.

Question 4

Man-in-the-Middle (MitM) Attack

Accepted Answer

An attack where an attacker secretly relays and possibly alters the communication between two parties who believe they are directly communicating with each other.

Question 5

SQL Injection

Accepted Answer

A code injection technique used to attack data-driven applications, in which malicious SQL statements are inserted into an entry field for execution (e.g., to dump database contents to the attacker).

Question 6

Cross-Site Scripting (XSS)

Accepted Answer

A type of security vulnerability typically found in web applications. XSS enables attackers to inject client-side scripts into web pages viewed by other users, often to bypass access controls or steal session cookies.

Question 7

Zero-day Exploit

Accepted Answer

A cyberattack that exploits a previously unknown vulnerability in a computer application or operating system for which developers have not yet had time to create a patch.

Question 8

Firewall

Accepted Answer

A network security device that monitors and filters incoming and outgoing network traffic based on an organization's previously established security policies. It can be hardware, software, or cloud-based.

Question 9

Intrusion Detection System (IDS) vs. Intrusion Prevention System (IPS)

Accepted Answer

An `IDS` monitors network or system activities for malicious activity or policy violations and reports them. An `IPS` not only detects but also actively blocks or prevents detected threats from reaching their targets.

Question 10

Virtual Private Network (VPN)

Accepted Answer

A technology that creates a secure, encrypted connection over a less secure network, such as the internet. It allows users to send and receive data as if their computing devices were directly connected to the private network.

Question 11

Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR)

Accepted Answer

An integrated, layered approach to endpoint protection that combines real-time continuous monitoring and collection of endpoint data with automated response capabilities.

Question 12

Patch Management

Accepted Answer

The process of identifying, acquiring, testing, and applying patches (code changes) to software and systems to fix bugs, improve functionality, and, most importantly, resolve security vulnerabilities.

Question 13

Symmetric vs. Asymmetric Encryption

Accepted Answer

`Symmetric encryption` uses a single, shared secret key for both encryption and decryption. `Asymmetric encryption` (or public-key cryptography) uses a pair of keys: a public key for encryption and a private key for decryption.

Question 14

Hashing

Accepted Answer

A one-way cryptographic function that takes an input (or 'message') and returns a fixed-size string of bytes, typically a 'hash value' or 'message digest'. It's used for data integrity verification, not encryption.

Question 15

Digital Signature

Accepted Answer

A mathematical scheme for demonstrating the authenticity of digital messages or documents. A valid digital signature gives a recipient reason to believe that the message was created by a known sender (authentication) and that it was not altered in transit (integrity).

Question 16

Public Key Infrastructure (PKI)

Accepted Answer

A set of roles, policies, and procedures needed to create, manage, distribute, use, store, and revoke digital certificates and manage public-key encryption. It binds public keys with respective user identities.

Question 17

Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)

Accepted Answer

An authentication method that requires users to provide two or more verification factors to gain access to a resource, such as an application, online account, or VPN. Examples include something you know (password), something you have (token), or something you are (biometric).

Question 18

Principle of Least Privilege

Accepted Answer

A security principle that dictates that a user, program, or process should be given only the minimum levels of access—or permissions—necessary to perform its function.

Question 19

Risk Management

Accepted Answer

The process of identifying, assessing, and controlling threats to an organization's capital and earnings. It involves strategies like `risk avoidance`, `risk transfer`, `risk mitigation`, and `risk acceptance`.

Question 20

Incident Response Life Cycle

Accepted Answer

A structured approach to handling security incidents, typically involving six phases: `Preparation`, `Identification`, `Containment`, `Eradication`, `Recovery`, and `Lessons Learned`.

Question 21

Social Engineering

Accepted Answer

The psychological manipulation of people into performing actions or divulging confidential information. It relies on human error rather than vulnerabilities in software or systems.

Question 22

Hardening

Accepted Answer

The process of securing a system by reducing its attack surface. This involves removing unnecessary software, services, and ports, applying security patches, and configuring secure settings.

CompTIA Security+ (SY0-601) - Cybersecurity Fundamentals

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