Chapter 4 of 5 · ISC2 CC
Networking and Cloud Security Concepts
OSI and TCP/IP, IPv4 and IPv6, VPNs, firewalls, wireless, IoT and ICS, segmentation, defense in depth, zero trust and cloud security.
- 3topics
- 9 minfast track
- 2diagrams and exhibits
- 21.3%of the exam
Topics in this chapter
Take them in order, or jump to the one you need.
- 1Network Security FundamentalsOSI and TCP/IP models, IPv4 and IPv6, ports and secure protocols, VPNs, firewalls, IDS, wireless and Bluetooth, and securing IoT…3 min
- 2Network Security ArchitectureNetwork segmentation with firewall zones, DMZs, VLANs and micro-segmentation, defense in depth, and zero trust, including where…Diagram3 min
- 3Cloud SecurityCloud characteristics, IaaS, PaaS and SaaS, public, private, hybrid and community clouds, the shared responsibility model, data…Diagram3 min
About this chapter
What this chapter covers
Networking and Cloud Security Concepts is worth about 21 percent of the CC exam. It covers how networks carry data, how they are protected, how they are designed to limit damage, and how security works when systems run in the cloud.
It covers network security (OSI and TCP/IP models, IPv4 and IPv6, VPNs, firewalls and ports, wireless, embedded systems, industrial control systems and IoT), network security architecture (segmentation with firewall zones, VLANs and micro-segmentation, defense in depth and zero trust) and cloud security (cloud characteristics, service and deployment models and the shared responsibility model). The 2026 outline adds AI examples such as machine-learning intrusion detection, separating AI development from production data and shared responsibility for hosted AI.
How the topics fit together
Questions ask which control protects a given traffic flow, where a system should be placed, and who is responsible for which part of a cloud service.
In the cloud, the provider and the customer share security. The customer always keeps responsibility for its data and who can access it.
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 tables and examples.
- What to remember for the exam: the facts to memorise and how questions are phrased.
- Common mistakes: the classic traps.
- Check yourself: three questions to test your understanding.
Ready for more practice?
The full ISC2 CC question bank has 671 questions, with timed practice exams and an explanation for every answer.
This study guide is independent and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by ISC2. Vendor names, certification names and exam codes are trademarks of their respective owners and are used for identification only.