Cryptography
X.509 Certificates and Public Key Infrastructures (Weight: 5)
Understand X.509 certificates, lifecycle, fields, and X.509v3 extensions
Understand trust chains and PKI including certificate transparency
Generate and manage public and private keys
Create, operate, and secure a certification authority
Request, sign, and manage server and client certificates
Revoke certificates and certification authorities
Knowledge of Let's Encrypt, ACME, and certbot
Knowledge of CFSSL
openssl
OpenSSL configuration
PEM, DER, PKCS
CSR
CRL
OCSP
X.509 Certificates for Encryption, Signing and Authentication (Weight: 4)
Understand SSL and TLS including protocol versions and ciphers
Configure Apache HTTPD with mod_ssl for HTTPS including SNI and HSTS
Configure certificate chains and cipher configuration
Configure certificate-based user authentication
Configure OCSP stapling
Use OpenSSL for SSL/TLS testing
httpd.conf
mod_ssl
openssl
Encrypted File Systems (Weight: 3)
Understand block device and filesystem encryption
Use dm-crypt with LUKS1
Use eCryptfs for encrypted filesystems and home directories
Awareness of plain dm-crypt
Awareness of LUKS2 features
Understand Clevis, TPM2, Tang, and NBDE
cryptsetup
cryptmount
/etc/crypttab
ecryptfsd
mount.ecryptfs
umount.ecryptfs
pam_ecryptfs
DNS and Cryptography (Weight: 5)
Understand DNS, zones, and resource records
Understand DNSSEC including KSK, ZSK, DS, DNSKEY, RRSIG, NSEC, NSEC3
Configure BIND with DNSSEC secured zones
Manage DNSSEC key rollover and re-signing
Configure recursive DNSSEC validation
Understand CAA and DANE records
Use TSIG for secure communication
Awareness of DNS over TLS and DNS over HTTPS
Awareness of Multicast DNS
named.conf
dnssec-keygen
dnssec-signzone
dnssec-settime
dnssec-dsfromkey
rndc
dig
delv
openssl
Host Security
Host Hardening (Weight: 5)
Configure BIOS and GRUB 2 security
Disable unused services
Manage system capabilities
Configure ASLR, DEP, and Exec-Shield
Use USBGuard
Create SSH CA and SSH certificates
Work with chroot
Restrict process capabilities using systemd
Configure system isolation with systemd
Manage Meltdown and Spectre mitigations
Awareness of polkit
Security advantages of virtualization and containerization
Host Intrusion Detection (Weight: 5)
Use Linux Audit system
Use chkrootkit
Use rkhunter
Use Linux Malware Detect
Automate scans with cron
Verify package integrity using RPM and DPKG
Configure and use AIDE
Awareness of OpenSCAP
Resource Control (Weight: 3)
Configure ulimits
Understand cgroups
Manage cgroups and associations
Understand systemd slices, scopes, and services
Use systemd for resource limits
Access Control
Discretionary Access Control (Weight: 3)
Manage file ownership and permissions
Understand SetUID and SetGID
Manage ACLs
Manage extended attributes
Mandatory Access Control (Weight: 5)
Understand type enforcement and RBAC
Understand MAC and DAC
Configure and manage SELinux
Awareness of AppArmor and Smack
Network Security
Network Hardening (Weight: 4)
Understand wireless security mechanisms
Configure FreeRADIUS
Use Wireshark and tcpdump
Use Kismet
Detect rogue routers and DHCP messages
Awareness of aircrack-ng and bettercap
Network Intrusion Detection (Weight: 4)
Monitor bandwidth usage
Configure and use Snort
Configure and use OpenVAS
Packet Filtering (Weight: 5)
Understand firewall architectures including DMZ
Use iptables and ip6tables
Implement IPv4 and IPv6 filtering
Implement connection tracking and NAT
Manage IP sets
Awareness of nftables, ebtables, conntrackd
Virtual Private Networks (Weight: 4)
Understand bridged and routed VPNs
Understand OpenVPN, IPsec, IKEv2, and WireGuard
Configure OpenVPN
Configure strongSwan IPsec
Configure WireGuard
Awareness of L2TP
Threats and Vulnerability Assessment
Common Security Vulnerabilities and Threats (Weight: 2)
Trojans
Viruses
Rootkits
Keyloggers
DoS and DDoS
Man in the Middle
ARP and NDP forgery
Rogue APs and routers
IP spoofing
Buffer overflows
SQL injection
XSS
CSRF
Privilege escalation
Brute force attacks
Rainbow tables
Phishing
Social engineering
Penetration Testing (Weight: 3)
Understand penetration testing and ethical hacking
Understand legal implications
Understand pentest phases
Understand Metasploit architecture
Use nmap for network scanning
Use NSE scripts
Awareness of Kali Linux, Armitage, and SET
Host Intrusion Detection
Weight: 5
Description: Candidates should be familiar with the use and configuration of common host intrusion detection software. This includes managing the Linux Audit system and verifying a system's integrity.
Key Knowledge Areas:
Use and configure the Linux Audit system
Use chkrootkit
Use and configure rkhunter, including updates
Use Linux Malware Detect
Automate host scans using cron
Use RPM and DPKG package management tools to verify the integrity of installed files
Configure and use AIDE, including rule management
Awareness of OpenSCAP
Partial list of the used files, terms and utilities:
auditd
auditctl
ausearch, aureport
auditd.conf
audit.rules
pam_tty_audit.so
chkrootkit
rkhunter
/etc/rkhunter.conf
maldet
conf.maldet
rpm
dpkg
aide
/etc/aide/aide.conf
Resource Control
Weight: 3
Description: Candidates should be able to restrict the resources services and programs can consume.
Key Knowledge Areas:
Understand and configure ulimits
Understand cgroups, including classes, limits and accounting
Manage cgroups and process cgroup association
Understand systemd slices, scopes and services
Use systemd units to limit the system resources processes can consume
Awareness of cgmanager and libcgroup utilities
Partial list of the used files, terms and utilities:
ulimit
/etc/security/limits.conf
pam_limits.so
/sys/fs/group/
/proc/cgroups
systemd-cgls
systemd-cgtop
Access Control
Discretionary Access Control
Weight: 3
Description: Candidates should understand discretionary access control (DAC) and know how to implement it using access control lists (ACL). Additionally, candidates are required to understand and know how to use extended attributes.
Key Knowledge Areas:
Understand and manage file ownership and permissions, including SetUID and SetGID bits
Understand and manage access control lists
Understand and manage extended attributes and attribute classes
Partial list of the used files, terms and utilities:
getfacl
setfacl
getfattr
setfattr
Mandatory Access Control
Weight: 5
Description: Candidates should be familiar with mandatory access control (MAC) systems for Linux. Specifically, candidates should have a thorough knowledge of SELinux. Also, candidates should be aware of other mandatory access control systems for Linux.
Key Knowledge Areas:
Understand type enforcement
Understand role based access control
Understand mandatory access control and discretionary access control
Configure, manage and use SELinux
Awareness of AppArmor and Smack
Partial list of the used files, terms and utilities:
getenforce
setenforce
selinuxenabled
getsebool
setsebool
togglesebool
fixfiles
restorecon
setfiles
newrole
setcon
runcon
chcon
semanage
sestatus
seinfo
apol
seaudit
audit2why
audit2allow
/etc/selinux/*
Network Security
Network Hardening
Weight: 4
Description: Candidates should be able to secure networks against common threats.
Key Knowledge Areas:
Understand wireless network security mechanisms
Configure FreeRADIUS to authenticate network nodes
Use Wireshark and tcpdump to analyze network traffic
Use Kismet to analyze wireless networks
Identify rogue router advertisements and DHCP messages
Awareness of aircrack-ng and bettercap
Partial list of the used files, terms and utilities:
radiusd
radmin
radtest
radclient
radlast
radwho
radiusd.conf
/etc/raddb/*
wireshark
tshark
tcpdump
kismet
ndpmon
Network Intrusion Detection
Weight: 4
Description: Candidates should be familiar with security scanning and network intrusion detection software.
Key Knowledge Areas:
Implement bandwidth usage monitoring
Configure and use Snort
Configure and use OpenVAS
Partial list of the used files, terms and utilities:
ntop
snort
snort-stat
pulledpork.pl
/etc/snort/*
openvas-adduser
openvas-rmuser
openvas-nvt-sync
openvassd
openvas-mkcert
openvas-feed-update
/etc/openvas/*
Network Intrusion Detection
Weight: 4
Description: Candidates should be familiar with the use and configuration of network security scanning, network monitoring and network intrusion detection software. This includes updating and maintaining the security scanners.
Key Knowledge Areas:
Implement bandwidth usage monitoring
Configure and use Snort, including rule management
Configure and use OpenVAS, including NASL
Partial list of the used files, terms and utilities:
ntop
snort
snort-stat
pulledpork.pl
/etc/snort/*
openvas-adduser
openvas-rmuser
openvas-nvt-sync
openvassd
openvas-mkcert
openvas-feed-update
/etc/openvas/*
Packet Filtering
Weight: 5
Description: Candidates should be familiar with the use and configuration of the netfilter Linux packet filter.
Key Knowledge Areas:
Understand common firewall architectures, including DMZ
Understand and use iptables and ip6tables, including standard modules, tests and targets
Implement packet filtering for IPv4 and IPv6
Implement connection tracking and network address translation
Manage IP sets and use them in netfilter rules
Awareness of nftables and nft
Awareness of ebtables
Awareness of conntrackd
Partial list of the used files, terms and utilities:
iptables
ip6tables
iptables-save
iptables-restore
ip6tables-save
ip6tables-restore
ipset
Virtual Private Networks
Weight: 4
Description: Candidates should be familiar with the use of OpenVPN, IPsec and WireGuard to set up remote access and site to site VPNs.
Key Knowledge Areas:
Understand the principles of bridged and routed VPNs
Understand the principles and major differences of the OpenVPN, IPsec, IKEv2 and WireGuard protocols
Configure and operate OpenVPN servers and clients
Configure and operate IPsec servers and clients using strongSwan
Configure and operate WireGuard servers and clients
Awareness of L2TP
Partial list of the used files, terms and utilities:
/etc/openvpn/
openvpn
/etc/strongswan.conf
/etc/strongswan.d/
/etc/swanctl/swanctl.conf
/etc/swanctl/
swanctl
/etc/wireguard/
wg
wg-quick
ip
Threats and Vulnerability Assessment
Common Security Vulnerabilities and Threats
Weight: 2
Description: Candidates should understand the principle of major types of security vulnerabilities and threats.
Key Knowledge Areas:
Conceptual understanding of threats against individual nodes
Conceptual understanding of threats against networks
Conceptual understanding of threats against application
Conceptual understanding of threats against credentials and confidentiality
Conceptual understanding of honeypots
Partial list of the used files, terms and utilities:
Trojans
Viruses
Rootkits
Keylogger
DoS and DDoS
Man in the Middle
ARP and NDP forgery
Rogue Access Points, Routers and DHCP servers
Link layer address and IP address spoofing
Buffer Overflows
SQL and Code Injections
Cross Site Scripting
Cross Site Request Forgery
Privilege escalation
Brute Force Attacks
Rainbow tables
Phishing
Social Engineering
Penetration Testing
Weight: 3
Description: Candidates understand the concepts of penetration testing, including an understand of commonly used penetration testing tools. Furthermore, candidates should be able to use nmap to verify the effectiveness of network security measures.
Key Knowledge Areas:
Understand the concepts of penetration testing and ethical hacking
Understand legal implications of penetration testing
Understand the phases of penetration tests, such as active and passive information gathering, enumeration, gaining access, privilege escalation, access maintenance, covering tracks
Understand the architecture and components of Metasploit, including Metasploit module types and how Metasploit integrates various security tools
Use nmap to scan networks and hosts, including different scan methods, version scans and operating system recognition
Understand the concepts of Nmap Scripting Engine and execute existing scripts
Awareness of Kali Linux, Armitage and the Social Engineer Toolkit (SET)
Partial list of the used files, terms and utilities:
nmap
