CompTIA Security+
1 Threats, Attacks, and Vulnerabilities
1-1 Types of Threats
1-2 Types of Attacks
1-3 Vulnerabilities
1-4 Threat Actors and Motives
1-5 Threat Intelligence
1-6 Incident Response
1-7 Penetration Testing
1-8 Vulnerability Scanning
1-9 Threat Modeling
1-10 Security Controls
2 Technologies and Tools
2-1 Firewalls
2-2 Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS)
2-3 Intrusion Prevention Systems (IPS)
2-4 Security Information and Event Management (SIEM)
2-5 Data Loss Prevention (DLP)
2-6 Security Orchestration, Automation, and Response (SOAR)
2-7 Endpoint Security
2-8 Network Security
2-9 Cloud Security
2-10 Mobile Device Security
2-11 Secure Coding Practices
2-12 Cryptography
2-13 Public Key Infrastructure (PKI)
2-14 Certificate Management
2-15 Security Tools and Utilities
3 Architecture and Design
3-1 Security Models
3-2 Security Controls
3-3 Secure Network Design
3-4 Secure Systems Design
3-5 Secure Application Design
3-6 Secure Cloud Architecture
3-7 Secure Mobile Architecture
3-8 Secure IoT Architecture
3-9 Secure Data Storage
3-10 Secure Backup and Recovery
3-11 Security in DevOps
3-12 Security in Agile Development
3-13 Security in Continuous IntegrationContinuous Deployment (CICD)
3-14 Security in Configuration Management
3-15 Security in Identity and Access Management (IAM)
4 Identity and Access Management
4-1 Authentication Methods
4-2 Authorization Mechanisms
4-3 Identity and Access Management (IAM) Concepts
4-4 Single Sign-On (SSO)
4-5 Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
4-6 Federation
4-7 Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)
4-8 Attribute-Based Access Control (ABAC)
4-9 Identity as a Service (IDaaS)
4-10 Identity Lifecycle Management
4-11 Access Reviews and Audits
4-12 Privileged Access Management (PAM)
4-13 Identity Federation
4-14 Identity Provisioning and Deprovisioning
5 Risk Management
5-1 Risk Management Concepts
5-2 Risk Assessment
5-3 Risk Mitigation Strategies
5-4 Business Impact Analysis (BIA)
5-5 Risk Register
5-6 Risk Treatment
5-7 Risk Monitoring and Reporting
5-8 Risk Appetite and Tolerance
5-9 Risk Communication
5-10 Risk Transfer
5-11 Risk Acceptance
5-12 Risk Avoidance
5-13 Risk Reduction
5-14 Risk in Cloud Environments
5-15 Risk in Mobile Environments
5-16 Risk in IoT Environments
6 Cryptography and PKI
6-1 Cryptographic Concepts
6-2 Symmetric Encryption
6-3 Asymmetric Encryption
6-4 Hashing
6-5 Digital Signatures
6-6 Public Key Infrastructure (PKI)
6-7 Certificate Management
6-8 Certificate Authorities (CAs)
6-9 Certificate Revocation
6-10 Key Management
6-11 Cryptographic Protocols
6-12 Cryptographic Attacks
6-13 Quantum Cryptography
6-14 Post-Quantum Cryptography
6-15 Cryptographic Use Cases
7 Security Operations
7-1 Security Operations Concepts
7-2 Security Policies and Procedures
7-3 Security Awareness and Training
7-4 Security Monitoring and Logging
7-5 Incident Response
7-6 Forensics
7-7 Disaster Recovery
7-8 Business Continuity
7-9 Physical Security
7-10 Personnel Security
7-11 Supply Chain Security
7-12 Third-Party Risk Management
7-13 Security Audits and Assessments
7-14 Compliance and Regulatory Requirements
7-15 Security Metrics and Reporting
7-16 Security Operations Center (SOC)
7-17 Security Orchestration, Automation, and Response (SOAR)
7-18 Security in DevOps
7-19 Security in Agile Development
7-20 Security in Continuous IntegrationContinuous Deployment (CICD)
6.15 Cryptographic Use Cases Explained

6.15 Cryptographic Use Cases Explained

Key Concepts

Cryptographic Use Cases encompass various scenarios where encryption and cryptographic techniques are applied to secure data and communications. Key concepts include Secure Email, Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), Secure Web Browsing, Data Encryption at Rest, Secure File Transfer, and Digital Signatures.

Secure Email

Secure Email involves using cryptographic techniques to protect the confidentiality, integrity, and authenticity of email communications. This is typically achieved through the use of S/MIME or PGP protocols.

Example: Alice wants to send a confidential email to Bob. She uses PGP to encrypt the email content with Bob's public key. Bob receives the email and decrypts it using his private key, ensuring that only he can read the message.

Virtual Private Networks (VPNs)

Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) use encryption to create a secure, encrypted connection over a public network, such as the internet. This allows users to securely access private networks and data.

Example: A remote employee connects to their company's network using a VPN. The VPN encrypts all data transmitted between the employee's device and the company's network, ensuring that sensitive information remains secure during transmission.

Secure Web Browsing

Secure Web Browsing involves using HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure) to encrypt data exchanged between a web browser and a web server. This ensures that sensitive information, such as login credentials and personal data, is protected from interception.

Example: When a user visits a secure website, their browser establishes an HTTPS connection with the server. The data exchanged, such as form submissions and login details, is encrypted, preventing attackers from intercepting and reading the information.

Data Encryption at Rest

Data Encryption at Rest refers to the encryption of data stored on physical devices or in databases. This protects the data from unauthorized access if the storage medium is stolen or compromised.

Example: A company encrypts all customer data stored on its servers using AES encryption. Even if the servers are physically accessed by unauthorized individuals, the data remains unreadable without the decryption key.

Secure File Transfer

Secure File Transfer involves using cryptographic protocols to ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and authenticity of files transferred over a network. Common protocols include SFTP and FTPS.

Example: A business transfers sensitive documents to a partner using SFTP. The files are encrypted during transmission, ensuring that they cannot be intercepted and read by unauthorized parties.

Digital Signatures

Digital Signatures use cryptographic techniques to verify the authenticity and integrity of digital documents or messages. They provide a way to ensure that the content has not been altered and that it originated from a specific sender.

Example: A contractor sends a signed contract to a client using digital signatures. The client can verify the signature using the contractor's public key, ensuring that the contract is authentic and has not been tampered with.

Conclusion

Cryptographic Use Cases are essential for securing data and communications in various scenarios. By understanding and implementing Secure Email, Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), Secure Web Browsing, Data Encryption at Rest, Secure File Transfer, and Digital Signatures, organizations can protect their sensitive information and maintain the trust of their users.