Certified - CompTIA Tech+ Prepcast

Security is critical to every aspect of information technology, and in the CompTIA Tech Plus certification, this domain carries significant weight on the exam. It introduces foundational ideas such as confidentiality, integrity, and availability, collectively called the C I A triad, along with privacy, authentication, authorization, accounting, and regulatory compliance. Understanding these principles builds the groundwork for applying security consistently across systems, networks, and applications in ways that prevent misuse and protect sensitive information.
The C I A triad stands for confidentiality, integrity, and availability, and it serves as a guiding framework for shaping security policies, selecting technologies, and responding to threats. Each component addresses a different protection goal, and all three must be balanced so that data is safeguarded without unnecessarily hindering operations. Every other security practice or standard can be traced back to supporting one or more parts of this triad, making it a key exam and real-world reference point.
Confidentiality ensures that only authorized individuals can view or access sensitive information. It is enforced through techniques such as encryption, access control mechanisms, and user authentication processes. These measures protect data privacy and minimize the risk of breaches. When confidentiality is lost, the consequences can include legal violations, financial losses, and lasting damage to organizational reputation, making it a top priority in any security plan.
Integrity guarantees that data remains accurate, unaltered, and trustworthy throughout its lifecycle. Safeguards include the use of checksums to verify file contents, digital signatures to confirm authenticity, and version control systems to track changes. These tools help detect unauthorized modifications or corruption, ensuring that information used for decisions, transactions, and logging is reliable and consistent. Integrity protections are vital for both compliance and operational accuracy.
Availability ensures that systems, services, and information are accessible when they are needed. Supporting availability involves building in redundancy, maintaining current backups, balancing loads across resources, and monitoring uptime. Threats such as denial-of-service attacks aim to disrupt availability by overwhelming systems with traffic. Maintaining strong availability controls reduces downtime, keeps operations running smoothly, and preserves confidence in IT systems.
Privacy relates to how personally identifiable information is collected, stored, and shared. Examples of personal data include names, addresses, birthdates, and health records. IT systems must be designed to protect this data from unauthorized access or misuse. Responsibility for safeguarding privacy is shared between individual users, who must handle their own data carefully, and organizations, which must put the proper policies and controls in place to prevent exposure.
Personal data protection is reinforced by laws and regulations such as the General Data Protection Regulation and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. These rules require organizations to clearly explain how data is collected, used, and stored, and to obtain user consent where applicable. Failure to comply can result in penalties and loss of public trust. Practices such as limiting data collection to only what is necessary and ensuring consent are central to meeting compliance obligations.
Social networking introduces specific privacy risks, as users often post personal information publicly. Attackers can exploit this information to guess passwords, impersonate accounts, or craft targeted phishing messages. IT systems should promote safe sharing habits and use privacy-focused default settings. These risks extend beyond social media to instant messaging platforms, file-sharing tools, and cloud synchronization applications, all of which require careful management to prevent unintended data disclosure.
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Authentication, authorization, and accounting are core mechanisms that work together to control system access and track user activity. Authentication verifies identity, such as by requiring a username and password. Authorization defines which resources an authenticated user can use, while accounting logs actions for auditing and monitoring purposes. This combination ensures that only approved users can perform specific tasks and that their activity can be reviewed for compliance or security investigations.
Authentication methods vary in strength. Single-factor authentication uses one method, often a password. Multi-factor authentication combines at least two factors from the categories of something you know, something you have, or something you are. Common second factors include authenticator mobile applications, biometric scans, or hardware security tokens. Multi-factor authentication adds a strong layer of defense against unauthorized access by requiring attackers to compromise more than one verification method.
Single sign-on allows a user to authenticate once and then access multiple systems without logging in again. This reduces password fatigue and helps ensure users follow security policies. Role-based access control grants permissions according to defined job roles, simplifying administration and aligning with organizational policy. Both approaches streamline secure access while maintaining clear separation of privileges between different job functions.
The principle of least privilege ensures that users have only the permissions necessary to complete their work. This limits the damage possible if an account is compromised or a mistake is made. Access control models, including discretionary, mandatory, and role-based, define how permissions are assigned and enforced. Applying these models consistently helps reduce the risk of security breaches and accidental data exposure.
Non-repudiation ensures that a user cannot deny performing a specific action. This is achieved using tools such as digital signatures and secure logging, which provide proof of both the action and its origin. Non-repudiation is critical in systems that require accountability, such as financial platforms, legal agreements, and multi-user operational environments. It ensures traceability and supports trust in shared systems.
Logging and monitoring support both security and operational reliability. Logs capture system events, user actions, and login attempts. Monitoring tools review these logs to identify suspicious patterns, performance issues, or compliance violations. Automated alerts help security teams respond quickly to potential incidents. Maintaining and reviewing logs is necessary for auditing, forensic investigations, and ensuring that systems operate within policy guidelines.
Human error remains one of the most common causes of security breaches. Mistakes such as creating weak passwords, falling for phishing scams, or ignoring update notifications can lead to compromises. Regular training and awareness programs reduce these risks by reinforcing secure practices. Building a strong security culture is as important as deploying technical controls, as both are required to create a resilient environment.
On the exam, you may encounter questions asking you to match security concepts with their definitions or real-world applications. You should be prepared to identify the differences between authentication, authorization, and accounting, and to determine which element of the C I A triad is impacted in a given scenario. Expect scenarios involving the identification of personal data or privacy implications in IT systems, requiring you to connect concepts to their practical use.
Glossary terms for this topic include confidentiality, integrity, availability, authentication, authorization, accounting, multi-factor authentication, single sign-on, least privilege, and non-repudiation. Grouping these terms into categories such as access control, auditing, and data protection can improve recall during the exam. Reinforcing these terms with flashcards or case-based examples strengthens your ability to apply them in real-world contexts.
In IT practice, these security concepts are embedded in every system an IT professional manages. From configuring login screens to managing email servers, access control, privacy, and logging are always relevant. Administrators use these principles to enforce policies, monitor systems, and maintain secure configurations. Security is not an optional feature but a fundamental design consideration that applies to all IT roles and responsibilities.
In the next episode, we will focus on device security best practices, covering user awareness, malware prevention, patch management, and physical safeguards. You will learn how IT teams protect endpoints and guide users in avoiding common security threats. Join us for Episode Fifty-One: Device Security — Phishing, Malware, and Hardening.