CompTIA Security+ (SY0-701) practice questions

Domain coverage 5 domains

• General Security Concepts (12%)
• Threats, Vulnerabilities, and Mitigations (22%)
• Security Architecture (18%)
• Security Operations (28%)
• Security Program Management and Oversight (20%)

Sample questions 10 of 100 shown

1. Q1 General Security Concepts (12%)

   Which of the following best describes the principle of "Never Trust, Always Verify" applied to every connection regardless of network location?

   1. Defense in depth
   2. Least privilege
   3. Zero Trust
   4. Separation of duties

   Zero Trust treats every request as untrusted, regardless of whether it originates from inside or outside the network. Every connection must be authenticated, authorized, and continuously validated.
2. Q2 General Security Concepts (12%)

   A company implements a policy requiring employees to use a smart card and a PIN to enter the server room. This best demonstrates which security concept?

   1. Least privilege
   2. Multi-factor authentication
   3. Role-based access control
   4. Single sign-on

   Multi-factor authentication combines something you have (smart card) with something you know (PIN). These are two different categories of authentication factors.
3. Q3 General Security Concepts (12%)

   Which of the following best describes non-repudiation?

   1. Ensuring data has not been modified during transmission
   2. Guaranteeing that a message sender cannot deny having sent the message
   3. Verifying a user's identity before granting access
   4. Encrypting data so only the intended recipient can read it

   Non-repudiation prevents a party from denying actions they performed, typically achieved through digital signatures. Only the sender possesses the private key, so a valid signature proves the message was generated by that sender.
4. Q4 General Security Concepts (12%)

   An organization wants to prevent sensitive documents from being copied to USB drives. What type of security control is this?

   1. Detective
   2. Corrective
   3. Preventive
   4. Compensating

   Blocking USB drive usage is a preventive control — it stops the unauthorized action before it occurs. Detective controls identify events after they happen; corrective controls fix them.
5. Q5 General Security Concepts (12%)

   Which cryptographic concept ensures that a sender cannot deny having sent a message?

   1. Confidentiality
   2. Integrity
   3. Availability
   4. Non-repudiation

   Non-repudiation is provided by digital signatures — only the sender holds the private key, so a valid signature proves the message was generated by that sender. Confidentiality = encryption; Integrity = hashing; Availability = uptime.
6. Q6 General Security Concepts (12%)

   A security administrator is implementing a Zero Trust architecture. Which principle is most fundamental to this approach?

   1. Trust all internal network traffic by default
   2. Never trust, always verify — regardless of network location
   3. Perimeter firewalls are sufficient to protect internal assets
   4. VPN connections grant full access to all internal resources

   Zero Trust assumes no implicit trust based on network location. Every access request must be authenticated, authorized, and encrypted — whether it originates from inside or outside the corporate network.
7. Q7 General Security Concepts (12%)

   Which of the following describes the gap analysis process in security?

   1. Identifying the difference between the current security posture and the desired security state
   2. Scanning a network for open ports
   3. Testing an application for SQL injection vulnerabilities
   4. Monitoring network traffic for anomalies

   Gap analysis compares an organization's current security controls against a target framework or standard (e.g., NIST, ISO 27001) to determine areas needing improvement.
8. Q8 General Security Concepts (12%)

   A company installs security cameras in its office building to deter unauthorized access. What type of security control is this?

   1. Preventive technical control
   2. Detective physical control
   3. Deterrent physical control
   4. Compensating administrative control

   Visible security cameras act as a deterrent physical control. While cameras also have detective capabilities, their visible placement primarily aims to discourage unauthorized behavior.
9. Q9 General Security Concepts (12%)

   An organization requires all employees to complete annual security awareness training. This represents which category and type of control?

   1. Technical preventive control
   2. Administrative preventive control
   3. Physical detective control
   4. Operational corrective control

   Security awareness training is an administrative preventive control. It is administrative because it involves policies and procedures managed by people, and preventive because it aims to reduce the likelihood of security incidents by educating employees.
10. Q10 General Security Concepts (12%)

    A hospital encrypts all patient records stored in its database. This primarily protects which element of the CIA triad?

    1. Confidentiality
    2. Integrity
    3. Availability
    4. Non-repudiation

    Encrypting patient records primarily protects confidentiality, ensuring information is only accessible to authorized personnel. Even if an unauthorized person accesses the database, they cannot read the encrypted data.

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