CompTIA Security+ Guide to Network Security Fundamentals

Dr. Mark Ciampa is a professor of analytics and information systems and the program director of the graduate Cybersecurity Data Analytics program in the Gordon Ford College of Business at Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Prior to this, he was an associate professor and served as Director of Academic Computing at Volunteer State Community College in Gallatin, Tennessee for 20 years. Mark has worked in the IT industry as a computer consultant for businesses, government agencies and educational institutions. He has published over 25 articles in peer-reviewed journals and books. He is also the author of over 30 technology textbooks from Cengage, including "Security+ Guide to Network Security Fundamentals," 8e, "CompTIA CySA+ Guide to Cybersecurity Analyst," 3e, "CWNA Guide to Wireless LANs," 3e, "Guide to Wireless Communications," "Security Awareness: Applying Practical Cybersecurity In Your World," 6e and "Networking BASICS." Dr. Ciampa holds a PhD in technology management with a specialization in digital communication systems from Indiana State University and has certifications in security and healthcare.

• I. SECURITY FOUNDATIONS.1. Introduction to Information Security.a. What is Information Security?i. Understanding Security.ii. Principles of Security.iii. Cybersecurity Versus Information Security.iv. Defining Information Security.b. Threat actors and Their Motivations.i. Unskilled Attackers.ii. Shadow IT.iii. Organized Crime.iv. Insider Threats.v. Hacktivists.vi. Nation-state Actors.vii. Other Threat Actors.c. How Attacks Occur.i. Threat Vectors and Attack Surfaces.ii. Categories of Vulnerabilities.iii. Impacts of Attacks.d. Information Security Resources.i. Frameworks.ii. Regulations.iii. Legislation.iv. Standards.v. Benchmarks/Secure Configuration Guides.vi. Information Sources.2. Pervasive Attack Surfaces and Controls.a. Social Engineering Attacks.i. Examples of Human Manipulation.ii. Types of Social Engineering Attacks.b. Physical Security Controls.i. Perimeter Defenses.ii. Preventing Data Leakage.iii. Computer Hardware Security.c. Data Controls.i. Data Classifications.ii. Types of Data.iii. Data Breach Consequences.iv. Protecting Data.II. CRYPTOGRAPHY.3. Fundamentals of Cryptography.a. Defining Cryptography.i. Steganography: Hiding the message.ii. Cryptography: Hiding the meaning.iii. Benefits of Cryptography.b. Cryptographic Algorithms.i. Variations of Algorithms.ii. Hash Algorithms.iii. Symmetric Cryptographic Algorithms.iv. Asymmetric Cryptographic Algorithms.c. Using Cryptography.i. Encryption Through Software.ii. Hardware Encryption.iii. Blockchain.d. Cryptographic Limitations and Attacks.i. Limitations of Cryptography.ii. Attacks on Cryptography.4. Advanced Cryptography.a. Digital Certificates.i. Defining Digital Certificates.ii. Managing Digital Certificates.iii. Types of Digital Certificates.b. Public Key Infrastructure (PKI).i. What is Public Key Infrastructure (PKI)?ii. Trust Models.iii. Managing PKI.iv. Key Management.c. Secure Communication and Transport Protocols.i. Transport Layer Security (TLS).ii. IP Security (IPSec).iii. Other Protocols.d. Implementing Cryptography.i. Key Strength.ii. Secret Algorithms.iii. Block Cipher Modes of Operation.III. DEVICE SECURITY.5. Endpoint Vulnerabilities, Attacks, and Defenses.a. Malware Attacks.i. Kidnap.ii. Eavesdrop.iii. Masquerade.iv. Launch.v. Sidestep.vi. Indicator of Attack (IoA).b. Application Vulnerabilities and Attacks.i. Application Vulnerabilities.ii. Application Attacks.c. Securing Endpoint Devices.i. Protecting Endpoints.ii. Hardening Endpoints.6. Mobile and Embedded Device Security.a. Securing Mobile Devices.i. Introduction to Mobile Devices.ii. Mobile Device Risks.iii. Protecting Mobile Devices.b. Embedded Systems and Specialized Devices.i. Types of Devices.ii. Security Considerations.c. Application Security.i. Application Development Concepts.ii. Secure Coding Techniques.iii. Code Testing.7. Identity and Access Management (IAM).a. Types of Authentication Credentials.i. Something You Know: Passwords.ii. Something You Have: Tokens and Security Keys.iii. Something You Are: Biometrics.iv. Something You Do: Behavioral biometrics.b. Authentication Best Practices.i. Securing Passwords.ii. Secure Authentication Technologies.c. Access Controls.i. Access Control Schemes.ii. Access Control Lists.IV. INFRASTRUCTURE AND ARCHITECTURES.8. Infrastructure Threats and Security Monitoring.a. Attacks on Networks.i. On-Path Attacks.ii. Domain Name System (DNS) Attacks.iii. Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS).iv. Malicious Coding and Scripting Attacks.v. Layer 2 Attacks.vi. Credential Relay Attacks.b. Security Monitoring and Alerting.i. Monitoring Methodologies.ii. Monitoring Activities.iii. Tools for Monitoring and Alerting.c. Email Monitoring and Security.i. How Email Works.ii. Email Threats.iii. Email Defenses.9. Infrastructure Security.a. Security Appliances.i. Common Network Devices.ii. Infrastructure Security Hardware.b. Software Security