Quick Answer
Configure ACLs, 802.1X, and WPA3 on switches and APs, then place firewalls, IDS/IPS, and VPNs correctly to enforce least privilege. Get segmentation right: VLANs plus ACLs must actually block lateral movement, not just exist.
Network Security is 14% of the CompTIA Network+ N10-009 exam. It covers hardening wired and wireless networks, implementing segmentation and access control, and applying defense-in-depth. Expect scenario questions where you select the correct security control, protocol, or placement for a given threat, and identify misconfigurations in ACLs, VLANs, or wireless authentication settings.
What the exam tests
Common exam traps
Network Device Hardening
Objective 4.2 · Network Security
Network Access Control (NAC)
Objective 4.2 · Network Security
Common Network Attacks
Objective 4.1 · Network Security
Firewalls and ACLs
Objective 4.3 · Network Security
VPNs and Remote Access
Objective 4.4 · Network Security
Wireless Security Protocols
Objective 4.5 · Network Security
Threat Actors and Motivations
Objective 4.1 · Network Security
Reconnaissance Attack Types
Objective 4.1 · Network Security
DoS and DDoS Attack Types
Objective 4.1 · Network Security
ARP Spoofing and Poisoning
Objective 4.1 · Network Security
DNS Hijacking, Cache Poisoning, and DNSSEC
Objective 4.1 · Network Security
VLAN Hopping Attacks
Objective 4.1 · Network Security
Rogue DHCP Server Attacks
Objective 4.1 · Network Security
Evil Twin Wireless Attacks
Objective 4.1 · Network Security
Social Engineering Techniques
Objective 4.1 · Network Security
Malware Types: Ransomware, Worm, Trojan, Rootkit
Objective 4.1 · Network Security
Defense-in-Depth Strategy
Objective 4.2 · Network Security
Network Segmentation and DMZ Architecture
Objective 4.2 · Network Security
IDS vs IPS Deployment Modes
Objective 4.3 · Network Security
Next-Generation Firewall Features
Objective 4.3 · Network Security
Honeypots and Honeynets
Objective 4.2 · Network Security
802.1X Port Authentication
Objective 4.2 · Network Security
EAP Methods for 802.1X
Objective 4.2 · Network Security
Certificate-Based Authentication
Objective 4.2 · Network Security
VPN Types: Site-to-Site, Remote Access, SSL/TLS
Objective 4.4 · Network Security
IPsec Transport vs Tunnel Mode
Objective 4.4 · Network Security
VPN Split Tunneling
Objective 4.4 · Network Security
Zero Trust Network Architecture
Objective 4.2 · Network Security
Data Loss Prevention (DLP) for Networks
Objective 4.2 · Network Security
Security Zone Design and Segmentation
Objective 4.2 · Network Security
WPA3 Protocol: SAE, Forward Secrecy
Objective 4.5 · Network Security
RADIUS vs LDAP for Network Authentication
Objective 4.5 · Network Security
Free N10-009 practice questions with full explanations. Test what you learn chapter by chapter.
N10-009 Practice Questions