Chapter 1 of 5 · CompTIA Security+ SY0-701
General Security Concepts
Control types, security basics, change management, encryption, hashing and PKI.
- 7topics
- 29 minfast track
- 3diagrams and exhibits
- 12%of the exam
Topics in this chapter
Take them in order, or jump to the one you need.
- 1Security Control Categories and TypesLearn the four Security+ control categories and six control types, with examples, so you can classify any safeguard that a…4 min
- 2CIA Triad, AAA and Non-repudiationUnderstand the CIA triad, non-repudiation, authentication, authorization and accounting, and how a gap analysis compares current…4 min
- 3Zero Trust, Physical Security and DeceptionZero trust planes, physical security controls and sensors, and deception tools such as honeypots, honeynets, honeyfiles and…Diagram4 min
- 4Change Management and Security ImpactHow change management protects security: approvals, impact analysis, backout plans, maintenance windows, dependencies…4 min
- 5Encryption and Key ManagementCompare symmetric and asymmetric encryption, key exchange, encryption levels, and key tools such as TPM, HSM, KMS and secure…5 min
- 6Hashing, Signatures and ObfuscationLearn hashing, salting, key stretching, digital signatures, blockchain, steganography, tokenization and masking, and which goal…4 min
- 7PKI and Digital CertificatesUnderstand public key infrastructure: certificate authorities, trust chains, CSRs, certificate types, CRL, OCSP, stapling and key…Diagram4 min
About this chapter
What this chapter covers
General Security Concepts is the foundation of the Security+ SY0-701 exam. It gives you the vocabulary that every later chapter relies on.
The chapter has four outline topics. They cover how controls are classified, the core ideas of security design, how changes are managed safely, and how cryptography protects data and identity.
Expect questions that ask you to name a control type, match a scenario to a security goal, or pick the right cryptographic tool.
How the topics fit together
Controls are the tools, the fundamental concepts explain why they are chosen, change management keeps them safe to alter, and cryptography supplies many of the technical protections.
- Security controls give you a way to label any safeguard.
- The CIA triad, AAA, zero trust and physical security explain what the controls are trying to achieve.
- Change management makes sure that new settings and updates do not weaken what is already working.
- Encryption, hashing and public key infrastructure (PKI) protect confidentiality, integrity and identity.
Many later questions reuse these terms, so spend time here to learn the exact definitions and the differences between similar words.
How to use these pages
Each topic page has the same shape, so you can skim for what you need.
- What it is: the idea in plain words.
- How it works: the mechanism, with diagrams and tables.
- What to remember for the exam: the facts to memorise.
- Common mistakes: the classic traps.
- Check yourself: three questions to test your understanding.
Read the pages in order. The cryptography pages build on each other, starting with keys and ending with certificates.
Ready for more practice?
The full CompTIA Security+ SY0-701 question bank has 848 questions, with timed practice exams and an explanation for every answer.
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