TechKnowSurge
CompTIA Security+ 1.3 ISC2 CISSP 7.3 CompTIA Security+ 4.1 NIST 800-53 CM-2 NIST 800-53 CM-3
TechKnowSurge Catalog Interactives Configuration or Change Management?
InteractiveSecurityFree

Configuration or Change Management?

Each card is one piece of IT work. Decide whether it is configuration management or change management.

⚑ Complete this interactive to capture a CTF flag worth 5 points.

About this interactive

The lesson says the two terms overlap and are often confused, and then separates them. Configuration management is about settings. You capture a system's approved settings as a baseline, keep that record current, and audit systems to check their settings still match it. Security+ calls this establishing, deploying and maintaining secure baselines. Change management is about the act of changing something in the organization. It runs every change through the same process: a request, an owner, a plan, an evaluation (often by a change advisory board), implementation, monitoring and closure. The lesson's example is rolling out new software on a server: that is not configuring the server, it is a change, so it goes through change management. The overlap is real: configuration management has its own change control, and every change alters some configuration. The rest of the module mostly talks about change management. A quick test for each card: is it about knowing and checking what the settings are, or about taking a change through the process?

What you'll learn

Aligned to

CompTIA Security+
1.3 Explain the importance of change management processes and the impact to security.
4.1 Given a scenario, apply common security techniques to computing resources.
ISC2 CISSP
7.3 Perform Configuration Management (CM)
NIST 800-53
CM-2 Baseline Configuration
CM-3 Configuration Change Control

Key terms

Configuration Management
The process of tracking and controlling changes to hardware, software, and documentation throughout a system's lifecycle.
Change Management
A structured process for requesting, reviewing, approving, and documenting changes to IT systems or organizational procedures. Change management reduces security risk by ensuring modifications are tested and authorized before deployment.
Change Request
A formal submission from a user, customer, or stakeholder initiating the process to make a change within an IT environment.

Topics

Change Management Configuration Management Interactive Streak Sort

About TechKnowSurge

TechKnowSurge builds IT and cybersecurity professionals through hands-on, concept-first training built around real understanding — not memorization. Free interactive tools, structured programs, and 25+ years of real-world experience, all in one place.

Explore free tools and programs →