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ComptiA+ > 5. Security > Flashcards

5. Security Flashcards

1
Q

What is the difference between a virus and a worm?

A

A virus requires user interaction to spread, while a worm spreads automatically across networks.

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2
Q

What is the purpose of two-factor authentication (2FA)?

A

Enhances security by requiring two forms of verification, such as a password and a mobile code.

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3
Q

What is the role of a firewall?

A

Monitors and controls incoming and outgoing network traffic based on security rules.

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4
Q

What does encryption do?

A

Converts data into a coded format to protect it from unauthorized access.

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5
Q

What is the principle of least privilege (PoLP)?

A

A security concept where users are granted the minimum permissions needed to perform their tasks.

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6
Q

What is the purpose of a firewall?

A

Monitors and controls incoming and outgoing network traffic based on security rules.

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7
Q

What is two-factor authentication (2FA)?

A

A security method that requires two forms of verification, such as a password and a phone verification code.

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8
Q

What is the difference between symmetric and asymmetric encryption?

A

Symmetric encryption uses one key for encryption and decryption, while asymmetric encryption uses a public and private key pair.

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9
Q

What is the purpose of a VPN (Virtual Private Network)?

A

Encrypts internet traffic to provide secure communication and anonymity online.

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10
Q

What is a phishing attack?

A

A type of cyberattack where attackers trick users into providing sensitive information via fraudulent emails or websites.

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11
Q

What is a brute force attack?

A

A hacking method that tries all possible password combinations to gain unauthorized access.

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12
Q

What is the purpose of antivirus software?

A

Detects, prevents, and removes malware from a computer or network.

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13
Q

What is social engineering?

A

A tactic where attackers manipulate individuals into revealing confidential information.

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14
Q

What is the role of encryption in data security?

A

Protects data by converting it into unreadable formats accessible only with a decryption key.

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15
Q

What is a zero-day vulnerability?

A

A software flaw unknown to the vendor, often exploited before a fix is available.

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16
Q

What is the difference between a worm and a virus?

A

A worm spreads independently, while a virus requires a host file to spread.

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17
Q

What is multi-factor authentication (MFA)?

A

A security system requiring multiple verification methods, such as something you know, have, or are.

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18
Q

What is ransomware?

A

Malware that locks users out of their data until a ransom is paid.

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19
Q

What is the difference between a public and private key in encryption?

A

A public key encrypts data, while a private key decrypts it.

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20
Q

What is a man-in-the-middle (MITM) attack?

A

A cyberattack where an attacker intercepts and alters communication between two parties.

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21
Q

What is a digital certificate?

A

A certificate issued by a trusted authority to verify the identity of a website or user.

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22
Q

What is the purpose of penetration testing?

A

Identifies vulnerabilities in a system or network by simulating cyberattacks.

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23
Q

What is a DDoS attack?

A

A Distributed Denial of Service attack overwhelms a target with traffic, rendering it inaccessible.

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24
Q

What is the purpose of a security policy in an organization?

A

Defines rules and procedures for maintaining security and protecting assets.

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25
Q

What is the purpose of a hash function in cybersecurity?

A

Converts data into a fixed-length string, ensuring data integrity by detecting changes.

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26
Q

What is the purpose of a firewall?

A

Filters network traffic to protect systems from unauthorized access.

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27
Q

What is the difference between symmetric and asymmetric encryption?

A

Symmetric encryption uses the same key for encryption and decryption, while asymmetric encryption uses a public and a private key.

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28
Q

What is two-factor authentication (2FA)?

A

A security process that requires two forms of identification before granting access to a system or service.

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29
Q

What is a VPN (Virtual Private Network)?

A

A secure, encrypted connection between a device and a network, often used to protect internet traffic.

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30
Q

What is a DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) attack?

A

An attack that overwhelms a system with traffic from multiple sources, causing it to become unavailable.

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31
Q

What is a man-in-the-middle (MITM) attack?

A

An attack where the attacker intercepts communication between two parties without their knowledge.

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32
Q

What is the purpose of an antivirus program?

A

Detects, prevents, and removes malicious software (malware) from a computer or network.

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33
Q

What is the difference between a virus and a worm?

A

A virus attaches itself to a program or file, while a worm is a standalone malicious program that spreads across networks.

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34
Q

What is a Trojan horse?

A

Malicious software disguised as legitimate software that performs harmful actions when executed.

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35
Q

What is the principle of least privilege (PoLP)?

A

A security principle where users and applications are given the minimum level of access required to perform their tasks.

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36
Q

What is a zero-day vulnerability?

A

A security flaw that is unknown to the software vendor and can be exploited by attackers.

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37
Q

What is phishing?

A

A type of social engineering attack where an attacker attempts to trick individuals into revealing sensitive information.

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38
Q

What is multi-factor authentication (MFA)?

A

A security system that requires multiple forms of authentication (e.g., password, fingerprint, or SMS code).

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39
Q

What is a brute force attack?

A

An attack that tries every possible password combination until the correct one is found.

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40
Q

What is a dictionary attack?

A

A type of brute force attack that uses a predefined list of possible passwords.

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41
Q

What is the purpose of a Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) system?

A

Monitors and analyzes security events in real-time to detect and respond to threats.

42
Q

What is the role of encryption in securing data?

A

Protects data by converting it into a format that cannot be read without the proper decryption key.

43
Q

What is an SSL/TLS certificate?

A

A digital certificate that provides secure, encrypted communication over the internet.

44
Q

What is the difference between a public and private key in asymmetric encryption?

A

A public key is used to encrypt data, while a private key is used to decrypt it.

45
Q

What is a hash function?

A

A one-way function that converts data into a fixed-length hash value, used for data integrity checks.

46
Q

What is a rootkit?

A

A type of malware designed to hide its presence on a system and maintain privileged access.

47
Q

What is a sandbox in cybersecurity?

A

A controlled, isolated environment used to test or analyze suspicious programs without affecting the rest of the system.

48
Q

What is the purpose of an Intrusion Detection System (IDS)?

A

Monitors network traffic for signs of unauthorized access or malicious activity.

49
Q

What is an intrusion prevention system (IPS)?

A

An active security system that detects and prevents potential security threats in real-time.

50
Q

What is a digital signature?

A

A cryptographic technique used to verify the authenticity and integrity of a digital message or document.

51
Q

What is a vulnerability assessment?

A

The process of identifying, evaluating, and prioritizing security vulnerabilities in a system or network.

52
Q

What is a penetration test (pen test)?

A

A simulated attack on a system to identify vulnerabilities and weaknesses in the security controls.

53
Q

What is a security patch?

A

A software update designed to fix security vulnerabilities or bugs in a program.

54
Q

What is the role of an endpoint protection system?

A

Protects devices such as computers, smartphones, and tablets from malware and unauthorized access.

55
Q

What is the principle of defense in depth?

A

A layered security approach where multiple defense mechanisms are employed to protect systems from threats.

56
Q

What is a public key infrastructure (PKI)?

A

A framework for managing digital keys and certificates to enable secure communication and authentication.

57
Q

What is a honeypot?

A

A decoy system or service designed to attract and trap cyber attackers in order to study their behavior.

58
Q

What is a security audit?

A

A comprehensive review of an organization’s security policies, practices, and systems to identify potential risks.

59
Q

What is the purpose of a firewall rule?

A

Specifies the conditions under which network traffic is allowed or blocked by a firewall.

60
Q

What is data encryption at rest?

A

Encrypting data stored on a device or server to protect it from unauthorized access when it is not being transmitted.

61
Q

What is data encryption in transit?

A

Encrypting data while it is being transmitted over a network to prevent unauthorized access or interception.

62
Q

What is the role of the security operations center (SOC)?

A

A team that monitors and responds to security threats in real-time.

63
Q

What is a whitelist?

A

A list of approved entities (e.g., IP addresses, email addresses) that are trusted and allowed to access a system or network.

64
Q

What is a blacklist?

A

A list of known malicious entities (e.g., IP addresses, websites) that are blocked from accessing a system or network.

65
Q

What is the difference between a public and private network?

A

A public network is accessible to everyone, while a private network is restricted to authorized users.

66
Q

What is the purpose of an access control list (ACL)?

A

Defines the permissions and access rights for users or devices to resources in a system or network.

67
Q

What is a cross-site scripting (XSS) attack?

A

An attack where malicious code is injected into a web page, which is then executed by the victim�s browser.

68
Q

What is a cross-site request forgery (CSRF) attack?

A

An attack that tricks the victim into performing an action on a website where they are authenticated, without their consent.

69
Q

What is a session hijacking attack?

A

An attack where the attacker steals a valid session token to impersonate the victim and gain unauthorized access.

70
Q

What is the purpose of a password manager?

A

A tool that securely stores and manages passwords for websites and applications.

71
Q

What is a Zero Trust security model?

A

A security approach that assumes no trust for any user or device, requiring authentication and authorization for all access requests.

72
Q

What is a certificate authority (CA)?

A

An entity that issues and manages digital certificates, ensuring the authenticity and integrity of public keys.

73
Q

What is an incident response plan?

A

A documented approach for responding to security incidents, ensuring that the organization can quickly and effectively mitigate damage.

74
Q

What is a remote wipe?

A

A feature that allows an administrator to erase data from a mobile device remotely in case it is lost or stolen.

75
Q

What is the role of security awareness training?

A

Educates employees and users on best practices for protecting sensitive information and avoiding security threats.

76
Q

What is an advanced persistent threat (APT)?

A

A prolonged and targeted cyberattack aimed at stealing sensitive information or compromising an organization�s network.

77
Q

What is a brute force attack?

A

An attack where an attacker attempts to gain access by trying every possible password or encryption key.

78
Q

What is a denial of service (DoS) attack?

A

An attack that aims to make a service or network resource unavailable by overwhelming it with traffic or requests.

79
Q

What is the difference between black hat, white hat, and gray hat hackers?

A

Black hat hackers engage in illegal activities, white hat hackers work ethically to protect systems, and gray hat hackers may operate in between the two.

80
Q

What is an SSL/TLS handshake?

A

The process of establishing a secure connection between a client and server using SSL/TLS protocols.

81
Q

What is the purpose of an audit trail?

A

A record of actions and events that helps track access to sensitive data and can be used for forensic analysis in case of a security breach.

82
Q

What is the difference between encryption and hashing?

A

Encryption converts data into a readable format with a decryption key, while hashing generates a fixed-length representation of data that cannot be reversed.

83
Q

What is the purpose of an access token?

A

An object that represents the authorization granted to a user or application to access a specific resource.

84
Q

What is a security patch management process?

A

The process of identifying, testing, and applying security patches to software and systems to fix vulnerabilities.

85
Q

What is a security token?

A

A physical or digital device that generates a one-time passcode for authentication purposes.

86
Q

What is endpoint detection and response (EDR)?

A

A security solution that monitors and responds to threats across endpoint devices such as laptops, desktops, and servers.

87
Q

What is social engineering?

A

The manipulation of individuals into revealing confidential information or performing actions that compromise security.

88
Q

What is the difference between authentication and authorization?

A

Authentication verifies a user’s identity, while authorization determines what actions the user is allowed to perform.

89
Q

What is the purpose of a patch management system?

A

To ensure that software updates, including security patches, are applied in a timely and effective manner.

90
Q

What is an SSL/TLS certificate expiration date?

A

The date after which an SSL/TLS certificate is no longer valid and must be renewed to ensure secure communication.

91
Q

What is a VPN kill switch?

A

A security feature that disconnects a device from the internet if the VPN connection is lost, preventing data from being exposed.

92
Q

What is a brute-force password attack?

A

An attack where all possible combinations of passwords are tried until the correct one is found.

93
Q

What is a botnet?

A

A network of infected devices controlled by cybercriminals to launch coordinated attacks, often for DDoS or spam purposes.

94
Q

What is phishing with spoofing?

A

A phishing attack where the attacker masquerades as a trusted entity, often by modifying the sender’s address to appear legitimate.

95
Q

What is the purpose of a VPN concentrator?

A

A device that manages multiple VPN connections and ensures secure communication between remote users and a network.

96
Q

What is a honeynet?

A

A network of intentionally vulnerable systems designed to lure cyber attackers and gather intelligence about their tactics.

97
Q

What is the purpose of a security patch release cycle?

A

To regularly provide and update security patches to fix vulnerabilities and ensure systems are protected.

98
Q

What is a Digital Rights Management (DRM) system?

A

Technology used to control and restrict the use, copying, and distribution of digital content.

99
Q

What is a ransomware attack?

A

A type of malware that encrypts a victim’s files and demands payment for the decryption key.

100
Q

What is a Trojan-backdoor?

A

A type of Trojan horse malware that opens a backdoor into a system, allowing unauthorized access.

ComptiA+ (7 decks)

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