Main exam topics
Security controls; confidentiality, integrity and availability; authentication and authorization; zero trust; physical security; change management; non-repudiation; encryption, hashing, certificates and digital signatures.
SY0-701 topic overview · Independent study resource, not a prediction of exam questions.
Scenario summary
In a practice question, identify which security goal is affected. Encryption protects confidentiality, hashes help detect changes for integrity, and redundancy supports availability. An unauthorized change to a patient record is an integrity failure; disclosure instead affects confidentiality.
Security+ practice scenario · Full concepts below
Security starts with deciding what you need to protect and what could go wrong. Controls are safeguards that reduce that risk. The same safeguard has both a category (how it works) and a function (what it does).
Key terms & acronyms
- Confidentiality
- Only authorized people can access information.
- Integrity
- Information is accurate and has not been improperly changed.
- Availability
- Authorized users can access systems when needed.
- AAA
- Authentication verifies identity; authorization grants permissions; accounting records actions.
Concepts at a glance
| Concept | Purpose | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Preventive | Stops an event | A locked door or access rule |
| Detective | Identifies an event | An alarm or audit log |
| Corrective | Restores a safe state | Restore from a verified backup |
| Compensating | Replaces an unavailable safeguard | Additional monitoring while awaiting a patch |
In the workplace
A clinic encrypts patient records (confidentiality), verifies file hashes (integrity), and uses redundant servers (availability). A badge reader is a physical control; its purpose is preventive. A security policy is managerial.
Common mistakes & scenario tips
Do not confuse a control’s category with its function. A technical control can be preventive, detective, or corrective. Zero trust means verify explicitly, not “trust nobody and block everything.”