Requirement 5 of 9

Cyber Defenses

Explain common defensive technologies, demonstrate updates, and complete three practical system-security activities.

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Checklist

Requirement 5 discussion guide

Use these notes to explain common cyber defenses and why updates and layered protections matter.

Defense examples

  • Access controls limit who can log in or use certain features.
  • Antivirus and anti-malware tools look for harmful files or suspicious behavior.
  • Firewalls filter network traffic, while intrusion detection and prevention tools watch for signs of attack.
  • VPNs can help protect traffic on untrusted networks by encrypting connections between your device and a trusted service.

Why updates matter

Key points

  • Updates fix vulnerabilities, patch bugs, improve stability, and sometimes add new protections.
  • Outdated systems are easier targets because attackers often look for known weaknesses that have already been patched.

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Installing updates

Explain why updates matter and demonstrate how to check for and verify updates on a device you are allowed to use.

Why updates are needed

  • Updates patch security weaknesses, fix bugs, and improve reliability.
  • Attackers often look for devices that are still missing known patches.

What to demonstrate

  • Show how to check for operating system or app updates.
  • Show how to verify that the device is up to date after updates are installed.

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System security activities

Choose three activities you can complete with permission, then discuss the results with your counselor.

Select 3 activities

Pick any three system-security activities below. When three are selected, this step will mark complete.

0 selected, 3 required

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Select items above to show their notes here. Choose at least 3.

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Safety

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Ethics

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Requirement 3

Fundamentals

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Requirement 4

Cyber Threats, Vulnerabilities, and Attacks

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Requirement 5

Cyber Defenses

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Requirement 6

Cryptography

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Requirement 7

Connected Devices and IoT

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Requirement 8

Cybersecurity Activities

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Requirement 9

Careers

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