Book Image

CompTIA Security+: SY0-601 Certification Guide - Second Edition

By : Ian Neil
Book Image

CompTIA Security+: SY0-601 Certification Guide - Second Edition

By: Ian Neil

Overview of this book

The CompTIA Security+ certification validates the fundamental knowledge required to perform core security functions and pursue a career in IT security. Authored by Ian Neil, a world-class CompTIA certification trainer, this book is a best-in-class study guide that fully covers the CompTIA Security+ 601 exam objectives. Complete with chapter review questions, realistic mock exams, and worked solutions, this guide will help you master the core concepts to pass the exam the first time you take it. With the help of relevant examples, you'll learn fundamental security concepts from certificates and encryption to identity and access management (IAM). As you progress, you'll delve into the important domains of the exam, including cloud security, threats, attacks and vulnerabilities, technologies and tools, architecture and design, risk management, cryptography, and public key infrastructure (PKI). You can access extra practice materials, including flashcards, performance-based questions, practical labs, mock exams, key terms glossary, and exam tips on the author's website at securityplus.training. By the end of this Security+ book, you'll have gained the knowledge and understanding to take the CompTIA exam with confidence.
Table of Contents (24 chapters)
1
Objectives for the CompTIA Security+ 601 exam
Free Chapter
2
Section 1: Security Aims and Objectives
7
Section 2: Monitoring the Security Infrastructure
12
Section 3: Protecting the Security Environment
17
Section 4: Mock Tests
18
Chapter 13: Mock Exam 1
19
Mock Exam 1 Solutions
20
Chapter 14: Mock Exam 2
21
Mock Exam 2 Solutions

PKI Concepts

The PKI provides asymmetric techniques using two keys: a public key and a private key. There is a certificate hierarchy, which is called the Certificate Authority, that manages, signs, issues, validates, and revokes certificates. Let's first look at the components of the certificate hierarchy. A certificate is known as an X509 certificate.

Certificate Hierarchy

The Certificate Authority (CA) is the ultimate authority as it holds the master key, also known as the root key, for signing all of the certificates that it gives to the Intermediary who issues the certificate to the requester.

Figure 2.1 – CA Hierarchy

Let's look at the CA hierarchy shown in the preceding diagram in more depth:

  • Online CA: An internal online CA is always up and running so that people in the company can request a certificate at any time of the day or night. This would not be the case in a government or top-security environment.
  • Offline...