TechKnowSurge
CompTIA Security+ 1.1
TechKnowSurge Catalog Interactives Name the Control Type
InteractiveSecurityFree

Name the Control Type

A dummy camera, an IPS alert, a screen watermark, a motion sensor: is each control physical or technical, and does it prevent, deter or detect?

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

About this interactive

The Risk Mitigation and Controls lesson describes every control on two separate axes. Category is how the control is put in place. The lesson names four: managerial (policies and standards), operational (day-to-day procedures people carry out), technical (hardware or software) and physical (things in the physical world, such as locks, lights, sensors and cameras). Type is the job the control does: preventive (stops the action), deterrent (discourages it without stopping it), detective (notices that it happened), corrective (fixes things afterwards), compensating (stands in for a control you cannot use) and directive (tells people what to do). The video gives insurance as its example of a compensating control; insurance transfers risk instead. This set practises the two axes together on two categories and three types. The two axes are independent: a physical control can prevent (a lock), deter (a light) or detect (a motion sensor), and so can a technical control (allow-listing, a name stamped on the screen, a SIEM alert). Each category here appears in three bins and each type in two, so every card needs both axes. And one control can do more than one job. A camera an intruder can see deters them; its footage, reviewed after a break-in, detects who it was. An intrusion prevention system blocks an exploit and also raises an alert about it. Each card describes one job, so classify the job the card describes. A dummy camera deters but can detect nothing. The other categories and types, each on its own, are practised in the Types of Security Controls lesson of the Security Program module.

What you'll learn

Aligned to

CompTIA Security+
1.1 Compare and contrast various types of security controls.

Key terms

Security Control
Any safeguard or countermeasure — whether technical, physical, or administrative — implemented to protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of systems and data. Security controls are classified by function (preventative, detective, corrective) and type (technical, physical, administrative).
Physical Control
A security control that protects assets through tangible, real-world measures — such as locks, security cameras, mantraps, fences, and safes — to prevent unauthorized physical access or tampering.
Technical Control
A security control implemented through technology — such as firewalls, antivirus software, encryption, or access control systems — rather than through physical measures or administrative policies.
Preventative Control
A security control designed to stop a threat or incident from occurring in the first place. Firewalls, encryption, and access control policies are common examples of preventative controls.
Deterrent Control
A security control that discourages threat actors from attempting an attack by making the environment appear more difficult or risky to compromise. Warning banners, visible cameras, and security signage are common deterrent controls.
Detective Control
A security control that identifies and alerts on security incidents or anomalous activity as they occur or after the fact. Intrusion detection systems, security logs, and audit trails are examples of detective controls.

Topics

Security Controls Risk Management Interactive Categorize

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 →