Certified: The Security+ Prepcast

In cybersecurity, tools matter. Whether you are tracking vulnerabilities, detecting intrusions, or validating compliance, the right tools give you consistency, visibility, and efficiency. But to use those tools effectively, you need to understand the standards they follow and the rules they enforce. In this episode, we begin our two-part look at key security monitoring tools by focusing on two foundational components: the Security Content Automation Protocol, and the use of security benchmarks. These tools help organizations streamline their assessments, enforce best practices, and speak a common language across teams and technologies.
Let’s start with the Security Content Automation Protocol—commonly known as S C A P. The Security Content Automation Protocol is a set of standards developed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Its purpose is to automate the process of vulnerability management, configuration assessment, and security measurement across information systems. In other words, it helps organizations check whether systems meet predefined security policies—and do so in a way that is repeatable and machine-readable.
S C A P is not a single tool. It is a framework made up of multiple components. These include standardized languages for describing vulnerabilities, configuration settings, and security checks. It also includes scoring systems and content repositories that allow security tools to share data in a consistent way.
For example, S C A P includes the Common Vulnerability Enumeration for identifying vulnerabilities, the Common Configuration Enumeration for system settings, and the Common Platform Enumeration for defining hardware and software platforms. These components are used by scanners and compliance tools to automatically compare a system’s state to known vulnerabilities and configuration rules.
Why does this matter? Because without standardization, every tool would have its own way of reporting issues—and results would be hard to compare or automate. S C A P enables interoperability. A vulnerability scanner can use S C A P content to identify issues, and then pass that data to a reporting engine or remediation platform without requiring custom formatting or translation. It brings consistency and repeatability to security assessments.
Let’s consider a real-world example. A federal agency is required to comply with baseline security controls as defined by the United States government. Rather than manually checking each system, the agency uses S C A P-enabled tools that pull configuration checklists and vulnerability data from standardized repositories. These tools scan systems against the required controls, generate compliance scores, and produce audit-ready reports. Because S C A P is the standard across all tools, results are consistent, verifiable, and compatible with central reporting dashboards.
S C A P also supports continuous monitoring. As new vulnerabilities and configuration issues are discovered, updates can be pushed to the content repositories. Tools that support S C A P automatically pull the latest definitions and apply them in future scans. This allows organizations to stay current without manually updating each tool or rewriting rules. The protocol makes it easier to manage large environments and maintain a strong security posture over time.
Another benefit of S C A P is automation. By defining policies and baselines in machine-readable formats, organizations can scan systems, detect issues, and generate remediation tasks without human intervention. This is especially valuable in environments with thousands of endpoints, limited staff, or tight compliance deadlines. S C A P helps scale security operations without sacrificing accuracy or consistency.
Now let’s turn to security benchmarks. Security benchmarks are predefined sets of configuration guidelines and best practices used to harden systems, reduce risk, and support compliance. These benchmarks provide step-by-step recommendations for securing specific platforms—such as Windows servers, Linux distributions, network devices, or cloud services.
One of the most widely used sources of benchmarks is the Center for Internet Security. Their C I S benchmarks are developed by expert communities and published for free. Each benchmark includes configuration settings that are categorized by risk level, with detailed explanations and scoring metrics. These guidelines help organizations know what to configure, why it matters, and how to measure progress.
Benchmarks are essential for system hardening. By default, many operating systems and applications prioritize functionality over security. They may leave unnecessary services enabled, use weak default settings, or expose ports that are not needed. Applying a benchmark helps reduce the attack surface, enforce policy, and ensure that systems meet minimum security standards.
For example, a system administrator may use the C I S benchmark for Windows Server to disable legacy protocols, enforce strong password policies, limit administrative access, and configure auditing settings. Once the benchmark is applied, the system is less vulnerable to common attacks—and better prepared to withstand targeted threats. Security tools can then scan the system to confirm that it complies with the selected benchmark.
Benchmarks also support compliance frameworks. Regulations like the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, and the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program often require evidence that systems are properly secured. Benchmarks provide that evidence. They translate abstract security principles into concrete configuration rules that can be validated, reported, and reviewed.
Let’s explore a practical example. A healthcare provider preparing for an audit needs to demonstrate that its systems meet industry best practices. Rather than build custom checklists, the provider uses C I S benchmarks to assess and configure its systems. A configuration assessment tool scans endpoints against the benchmarks, flags any deviations, and tracks remediation efforts. When the auditor arrives, the provider presents benchmark reports that clearly show which controls are in place, which are in progress, and how exceptions are documented. This level of clarity and consistency helps streamline the audit and avoid compliance penalties.
Benchmarks can also support internal reviews. Security teams can use them to assess existing systems, validate new deployments, or track changes over time. Some organizations even integrate benchmark checks into their build pipelines, ensuring that virtual machines or containers meet security baselines before they are released into production. This shifts security left—catching misconfigurations early and reducing the risk of vulnerable systems being deployed.
However, using benchmarks requires planning. Not every recommendation is appropriate for every environment. Some controls may interfere with business applications or legacy systems. That’s why benchmarks often include profiles, such as level one for general security and level two for more strict environments. Organizations should evaluate which controls apply, test changes before rollout, and document any exceptions with justifications and compensating controls.
To summarize, security monitoring tools are only as good as the standards they follow. The Security Content Automation Protocol provides a powerful framework for standardizing vulnerability data, configuration checks, and platform definitions. It enables automation, consistency, and interoperability across tools and teams. Security benchmarks offer practical, measurable guidance for system hardening and compliance. They reduce complexity by translating best practices into specific settings that can be applied and verified. Together, these tools help organizations streamline their security efforts and raise their baseline defenses.
For the Security Plus exam, be ready to explain what S C A P is, what components it includes, and how it supports automation and compliance. Expect questions about how benchmarks are used, where they come from, and what role they play in hardening and auditing systems. You may see scenario questions that ask how to assess systems using S C A P or how to respond to a non-compliant configuration based on a benchmark scan. Review terms like configuration baseline, machine-readable format, benchmark deviation, and continuous compliance—they’re all fair game.
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