Physical, Logical and Wireless Security
Core 2 security asks for appropriate physical safeguards, authentication controls, permissions, encryption, wireless security, and secure account practices.
How to study for CompTIA A+
Treat each A+ item as a support decision: identify the device, symptom, layer, safest next step, user impact, and documentation requirement.
Core concepts
Concept 1
Physical security reduces unauthorized access to devices, rooms, networks, and media.
Exam cue: Match physical controls to physical access risk.
Concept 2
Logical security applies authentication, authorization, least privilege, encryption, and account controls.
Exam cue: Use least privilege and MFA for account protection.
Concept 3
Wireless security requires modern encryption, strong passphrases, secure management, and awareness of legacy risk.
Exam cue: Prefer modern wireless encryption over legacy protocols.
Risk pitfalls and guardrails
Giving local administrator rights for convenience.
Guardrail: Avoid answers that skip verification, expose user data, ignore recent changes, replace parts too early, or bypass policy for convenience.
Using WEP or weak wireless security.
Guardrail: Avoid answers that skip verification, expose user data, ignore recent changes, replace parts too early, or bypass policy for convenience.
Protecting the OS while leaving devices physically exposed.
Guardrail: Avoid answers that skip verification, expose user data, ignore recent changes, replace parts too early, or bypass policy for convenience.
Memory anchors
Least Privilege
Least privilege grants only the access needed for the task.
MFA
Multi-factor authentication uses more than one factor type to verify identity.
ACL
An access control list defines which subjects can access an object or network resource.
BitLocker
BitLocker encrypts supported Windows drives to protect data at rest.
EFS
Encrypting File System encrypts individual files or folders in supported Windows editions.
WPA3
WPA3 is a modern Wi-Fi security protocol with stronger protections than older standards.
Badge Reader
A badge reader controls physical access using assigned credentials.
Biometric Lock
A biometric lock uses a physical trait to authenticate access.
UAC
User Account Control prompts before elevated Windows actions are allowed.
Zero Trust
Zero Trust avoids implicit trust and verifies access based on identity, device, and context.
Checkpoint rule
Do the check-up only after you can summarize each concept in one sentence and identify one dangerous pitfall from memory.
Knowledge Check (after reading)
Short check-up to confirm understanding of this module.
Check-up Questions
A help desk account can reset passwords but cannot modify payroll data. Which access-control principle limits the account to only needed permissions?
A secure room unlocks only after a fingerprint match. Which physical authentication control is this?
Answer all questions to submit.
Next step personalized recommendations
Continue learning
Move forward only after this module is stable.
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