Security+

This courses covers security concepts, tools, and procedures.

We learn the following topics

• Proactively implement sound security protocols to mitigate security risks
• Quickly respond to security issues
• Retroactively identify where security breaches may have occurred
• Design a network, on-site or in the cloud, with security in mind

Objectives

• Mitigating threats
• Cryptography
• Authentication
• User and role-based security
• Peripheral security
• Public key infrastructure
• Application and messaging security
• Ports and protocols
• Network security
• Wireless security
• Remote access security
• Auditing, logging, and monitoring
• Vulnerability testing and monitoring
• Organizational security
• Business continuity
• CompTIA Security+ objectives map
• CompTIA Security+ acronyms

Who can take this course

Candidates for the Security+ certification (SY0-301)

Prerequisites

CompTIA A+ certification and CompTIA Network+ certification or equivalent experience

Follow-On Courses

• Certified Ethical Hacker v7
• CISSP Prep Course
• CISA Prep Course

Certification Programs

This course is part of the following programs

• CompTIA Security+ Certification

Course Content

1. Mitigating Threats

• System maintenance
• Application security
• Physical security
• Malware
• Social engineering

2. Cryptography

• Symmetric cryptography
• Public key cryptography

3. Authentication

• Authentication factors and requirements
• Authentication systems
• Authentication system vulnerabilities

4. User- and Role-Based Security

• Baseline security policies
• Resource access

5. Peripheral Security

• File and disk encryption
• Peripheral and component security
• Mobile device security

6. Public Key Infrastructure

• Public key cryptography
• Implementing public key infrastructure (PKI)
• Web server security with PKI

7. Application and Messaging Security

• Application security
• E-mail security
• Social networking and messaging

8. Ports and Protocols

• TCP/IP basics
• Protocol-based attacks

9. Network Security

• Network devices
• Secure network topologies
• Secure networking
• Virtualization and cloud computing

10. Wireless Security

• Wireless network security
• Mobile device security

11. Remote Access Security

• Remote access
• Virtual private networks

12. Vulnerability Testing

• Risk and vulnerability assessment
• Auditing and logging
• Intrusion detection and prevention systems
• Incident response

13. Organizational Security

• Organizational policies
• Education and training
• Disposal and destruction

14. Business Continuity

• Redundancy planning
• Disaster recovery
• Environmental controls

Appendix A: CompTIA Security+ Objectives Map

Appendix B: CompTIA Security+ Acronyms

Labs

Lab activities include instructor-led question and answer sessions, interactive group discussions, as well as hands-on activities.

1. Mitigating Threats Lab Activities

• Identifying common security threats
• Updating the operating system
• Managing software patches
• Checking for and installing service packs
• Determining whether you need to update your computer's BIOS
• Configuring Windows Firewall
• Managing application security
• ID-related security concerns
• Plant security
• Identifying and differentiating malware
• Installing antivirus software
• Scanning your system for spyware
• Social engineering
• Phishing
• Comparing anti-spam measures
• Evaluating the risks of social networking

2. Cryptography Lab Activities

• Encrypting and decrypting data with a one-time pad
• Calculating hashes
• Sharing a secret message with steganography
• Public key cyptography
• Certificates
• Certificate trusts
• Comparing single- and dual-sided certificates
• Quantum cryptography

3. Authentication Lab Activities

• Evaluating authentication factors
• Requirements of a secure authentication system
• Comparing authentication protocols
• NTLM authentication
• Components of Kerberos
• Null sessions
• Identifying authentication vulnerabilities
• Capturing passwords with a protocol analyzer
• Cracking passwords

4. User- and Role-Based Security Lab Activities

• Using MBSA to analyze security
• Creating a console to manage local security policies
• Using the GPMC
• Creating users and groups based on security needs
• Securing file resources

5. Peripheral Security Lab Activities

• Enabling file-based encryption
• Creating an encrypted volume
• Mounting, using, and dismounting an encrypted volume
• Risks associated with common peripherals
• Using Windows Policies to mitigate the security risks of peripherals
• Vulnerabilities of mobile devices
• Mobile device security

6. PKI Lab Activities

• Life cycle and management of certificates
• Installing a stand-alone root certificate authority (CA)
• Installing an enterprise subordinate CA
• Implementing a file-based certificate request
• Managing your certificate server
• Requesting a user certificate
• Revoking a certificate
• Enabling the EFS recovery agent template
• Enrolling for a recovery agent certificate
• Enabling key archival
• Re-enrolling all certificates
• Requesting and installing a web server certificate
• Enabling SSL for the certificate server web site
• Making a secure connection
• Requesting a client certificate via the web

7. Application and Messaging Security Lab Activities

• Analyzing application risks
• Distinguishing between application attacks
• Identifying the security risks of an e-mail system
• Configuring an e-mail client to use secure authentication
• S/MIME features
• Installing Gnu Privacy Guard and Enigmail
• Creating an Open PGP certificate and key pair
• Sending a signed message
• Evaluating the risks of social networking
• Considering IM security

8. Ports and Protocols Lab Activities

• TCP/IP architecture
• Protocols in the TCP/IP suite
• Using port numbers
• Comparing IPv4 and IPv6 packets
• Preventing common protocol-based attacks
• Assessing your vulnerability to DDoS attacks
• Scanning ports
• Checking ARP cache
• Spoofing attacks
• Replay and hijacking attacks

9. Network Security Lab Activities

• Low-layer networking devices
• Routers
• NAT and PAT devices
• Firewalls and proxy servers
• Identifying inherent weaknesses in network devices
• Overcoming device threats
• Comparing firewall-based secure topologies
• Disabling connection bridging
• VLANs
• Benefits of NAC
• Security enabled by VPNs
• Configuring firewall rules
• Blocking ports with a firewall
• VLAN security
• Router security
• Benefits and risks of virtualization
• Benefits and risks of cloud computing

10. Wireless Security Lab Activities

• Comparing wireless network protocols
• Configuring a wireless access point
• Configuring a wireless client
• Wireless networking vulnerabilities
• Scanning for insecure access points
• Enabling transmission encryption
• Identifying threats related to cell phones and PDAs

11. Remote Access Security Lab Activities

• RADIUS authentication
• Role of LDAP in a remote access environment
• TACACS+ authentication
• How 802.1x adds security to your network
• Installing Network Policy and Access Services
• Configuring an NPS network policy
• Configuring NPS accounting
• Comparing VPN protocols
• Installing Routing and Remote Access Services
• Enabling a VPN
• Configuring NPS to provide RADIUS authentication for your VPN

12. Vulnerability Testing Lab Activities

• Vulnerability and penetration testing
• Scanning the network
• Viewing event logs
• Device and application logging
• IDS characteristics
• Comparing host-based and network intrusion detection systems
• Role and use of honeypots and honeynets
• Examining the forensics process

13. Organizational Security Lab Activities

• CIA, controls, and risk assessment
• Creating a security policy
• Creating a human resource policy
• Incidence response and reporting policies
• Change management software options
• Need for user education and training
• Education opportunities and methods
• Deciding whether to destroy or dispose of IT equipment

14. Business Continuity Lab Activities

• Creating a business continuity plan
• RAID levels
• Selecting backup schemes
• Identifying appropriate media rotation and storage plans