compTIA A+ Exam Flashcards (copy)

Motherboard

Motherboard

The main circuit board connecting all components, available in form factors like ATX, micro ATX, and ITX, with expansion buses like PCIe and PCI.

Central Processing Unit (CPU)

Handles calculations, with cores containing L1/L2 cache and shared L3 cache, using sockets like LGA775, 1150, 1155 for Intel and AM3, AM3+ for AMD.

Random Access Memory (RAM)

Includes DIMMs like DDR, DDR2, DDR3, DDR4, SODIMMs, and channels like dual, triple, quad, with latency measured as CL or CAS.

Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA)

Consists of power and data connectors, with revisions like Rev 1, Rev 2, Rev 3, and mSATA for mini-SATA.

Hard Disk Drive (HDD)

Varies in speeds (5,400 to 15,000 RPM) and form factors (3.5”, 2.5”), while Solid-State Drives (SSD) use interfaces like NVMe, SATA, and PCIe.

Redundant Array of Independent/Inexpensive Disks (RAID)

Includes levels like RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5, RAID 10 for data storage and redundancy.

Small Computer Systems Interface (SCSI)

Modern standards include Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) and Internet SCSI for high-speed data transfers.

IPS

In-Plane Switching technology offers wider viewing angles for displays compared to TN (Twisted Nematic).

Optical Media

Uses discs like CD, DVD, Blu-ray with various capacities and recording technologies for data storage and retrieval.

Laptop

Portable computers with replaceable components like keyboards, RAM, screens, and drives, using connectors like M.2, Mini PCIe, and USB-C.

Heat Sink

Utilized with thermal paste for CPU cooling, while liquid cooling systems offer better thermal transfer than air cooling.

Sound Card

Connects via PCIe or PCI slots, featuring color-coded jacks for I/O and speakers, and optical I/Os like S/PDIF.

Video Card

Links to motherboards through PCIe slots, with connector types like DVI, HDMI, DisplayPort, and typical color depths of 16-bit to 32-bit.

Image Processing

Laser printing involves steps like processing, charging, exposing, developing, transferring, fusing, and cleaning for document creation.

Printer Configuration

Settings include duplexing, collation, orientation, and quality settings like DPI for printing customization.

BIOS/UEFI

Initializes components and boots the system, storing settings like time/date, boot order, passwords, and power management.

Networking

Involves LAN, WAN, MAN, PAN, SAN, WLAN, with devices like switches, routers, firewalls, and protocols like NAT, port forwarding, IDS, IPS, and UTM.

Network Cables

Types include twisted pair, fiber optic, coaxial, and plenum-rated cables, following standards like Cat 3, Cat 5, Cat 6, and wiring patterns like T568A and T568B.

Connection Methods

Thunderbolt versions offer varying data rates, while USB versions support different speeds and connector types for various devices.

Internet Protocol (IP)

Involves IPv4 and IPv6 addressing, CIDR, loopback addresses, and network speeds, with classes A, B, C for IPv4 addresses.

Wireless Ethernet

Different versions like 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g, 802.11n, 802.11ac, and 802.11ax offer varying data rates and frequency modulation for wireless networks.

Ports & Protocols

Common ports like FTP, SSH, Telnet, SMTP, DNS, HTTP, POP3, NetBIOS, IMAP, HTTPS, SMB, AFP, RDP for network communication.

Virtualization and Cloud Computing

Includes services like IaaS, PaaS, SaaS, VDI, and VM types like Type 1 and Type 2 hypervisors for virtual machine management.

Core 2 220-1102

Involves MMC snap-ins, MBR, GPT, logical drives, active partitions, and volumes for disk and partition management.

Samba

File- and printer-sharing service

EOL

End-of-life

CDFS

Compact disc file system

NFS

Network file system

NTFS

New Technology File System

FAT32

File Allocation Table 32

ext3, ext4

Third and fourth extended file systems

APFS

Apple File System

ExFAT

Extensible File Allocation Table

Command Prompt

Command-line program

Control Panel

View/change settings

Registry

Store settings

Task Manager

Monitor and start/end processes

Device Manager

Monitor and (dis)connect devices

Remote Desktop software

View/control a remote computer

User State Migration Tool (USMT)

Move user data

System Restore

Revert to earlier system configuration ("restore point")

WPA

Wi-Fi Protected Access

TKIP

Temporal Key Integrity Protocol

AES

Advanced Encryption Standard

RADIUS

Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service

TACACS+

Terminal Access Controller Access-Control System

Phishing

Attack by email; single target

Vishing

Attack by telephone or voicemail

Shoulder surfing

Look over someone’s shoulder, often with a recording device

Whaling

Phishing that targets high-ranking people, such as C-suite executives

Tailgating

Unauthorized entity follows authorized party into secured premises

Impersonation

Attacks using stolen credentials or personal information

Dumpster diving

Recover information from trash

Evil twin

Setting up a fake Wi-Fi access point, hoping people choose it over the genuine one

DoS

Denial of service - Overwhelming a target using a single machine

DDoS

Distributed denial of service - DoS using multiple machines

Zero-day attack

Vulnerability unbeknownst to developers

Spoofing

Gain unauthorized access by pretending to be authorized

On-path attack

Setting up Wi-Fi networks to trap unsuspecting users

Brute-force attack

Trying character combinations

Dictionary attack

Using lists of probable passwords

Insider threat

Potential for an insider to use their authorized access or understanding of an organization to harm that organization

SQL injection

Manipulating SQL to modify remote database (such as by using SQL map)

XSS

Cross-site scripting - Injecting malicious scripts into normal websites

Virus

Runs on a computer without the user’s knowledge

Worm

Replicates itself across a network

Trojan Horse

Performs useful functions superficially but runs malicious programs covertly

Spyware

Spies on a computer and records its activities

Rootkit

Gains administrator-level access to the system core undetected

Ransomware

Holds a computer hostage until the user pays