Free CySA+ Cheat Sheet 2026: Azure Fundamentals Quick Reference

Security Operations

33%of exam

SOC Flow Telemetry Threat IntelHuntingMalware Cues

Vulnerability Management

30%of exam

Scan Types Risk FactorsCVSSMitigation Cloud Findings

Incident Response Management

20%of exam

IR Flow Frameworks ForensicsContainmentEvidence

Reporting and Communication

17%of exam

Audience Metrics ComplianceReportsEscalation

Quick Facts

Exam: CS0-003
Version: CySA+ V3
Questions: Max 85
Time: 165 min
Pass: 750/900
Format: MCQ + PBQ
Level: Intermediate
Launch: Jun 6 2023

SOC Loop

Collect, correlate, triage, enrich, escalate, tune.

CollectCorrelateTriageEnrichEscalateTune

IOC vs TTP

IOC

Hash
IP/domain
Artifact

TTP

Behavior
Technique
Reusable pattern

Clue vs method

Alert Picker

Many failed logons→Password attack(Check 4625)
Single odd success→Account takeover(Check 4624)
Random DNS names→DGA hunt(Entropy)
Regular callbacks→Beaconing hunt(C2)
LSASS touched→Credential theft(EDR)
Recent domain→Intel enrichment(Reputation)
Same alert floods→Rule tuning(Noise)
Multiple tools agree→Escalate incident(Correlated)

SOC Flow

Ingest: Collect telemetry
Normalize: Common fields
Correlate: Link events
Triage: Rank alerts
Enrich: Add context
Escalate: Hand off incident
Tune: Reduce noise
Automate: Repeat playbooks

SIEM vs SOAR

SIEM

Collect logs
Correlate alerts
Search events

SOAR

Run playbooks
Automate tasks
Orchestrate tools

See vs act

Telemetry

Syslog: Network device logs
Windows 4624: Successful logon
Windows 4625: Failed logon
DNS logs: Domain lookups
Proxy logs: Web requests
NetFlow: Traffic metadata
EDR: Endpoint behavior
Cloud audit: API activity

Threat Intel

Strategic: Executive trends
Operational: Campaign details
Tactical: TTP mapping
Technical: IOCs
STIX: Intel format
TAXII: Intel transport
Confidence: Source reliability
Relevance: Environment fit

Malware Cues

DGA: Random domains
Beaconing: Regular callbacks
PowerShell: Script abuse
LSASS access: Credential theft
Masquerade: Fake legitimate name
Injection: Code in process
Persistence: Survive reboot
Exfil: Data leaves

Risk Stack

Severity plus exposure plus exploitability plus value.

CVSSExposureExploitAsset

Credentialed vs Uncredentialed

Credentialed

Authenticated
Patch detail
Config depth

Uncredentialed

Attacker view
Surface only
Fewer details

Inside vs outside

Vuln Picker

Internet-facing critical→Patch first(High exposure)
Known exploited→Emergency change(KEV)
Patch blocked→Compensating control(Document)
Scanner doubtful→Validate finding(False positive)
Legacy system→Segment monitor(Plan replace)
Web exploit risk→WAF rule(Virtual patch)
Cloud exposure→Fix IAM(Least privilege)
Production risk→Maintenance window(Change control)

Scan Types

Credentialed: Authenticated depth
Uncredentialed: External view
Agent: Host resident
Agentless: Network reach
Active: Probe targets
Passive: Observe traffic
Static: Code review
Dynamic: Runtime testing

Risk Factors

CVSS: Base severity
EPSS: Exploit likelihood
KEV: Known exploited
Exposure: Reachable target
Criticality: Business value
Exploit code: Attack available
Compensating: Alternate control
Exception: Approved delay

Mitigation

Patch: Fix software
Harden: Secure config
Segment: Limit reach
WAF: Virtual patch
IPS rule: Block exploit
MFA: Reduce account risk
Allowlist: Constrain execution
Replace: Retire legacy

Cloud Findings

Public bucket: Data exposure
Open SG: Wide ingress
No MFA: Weak admin
Excess IAM: Overprivilege
No logging: Blind activity
Stale keys: Credential risk
CSPM: Posture checks
Kubernetes: Cluster surface

IR Order

Prepare, detect, contain, eradicate, recover, learn.

PrepareDetectContainEradicateRecoverLearn

Contain vs Eradicate

Contain

Stop spread
Isolate host
Preserve evidence

Eradicate

Remove malware
Close vector
Fix root cause

Limit vs remove

Incident Picker

Incident unclear→Analyze scope(Identify)
Host active→Capture RAM(Volatile)
Spread ongoing→Contain first(Isolate)
Root cause known→Eradicate(Remove)
Clean rebuild ready→Recover(Restore)
Evidence needed→Forensic image(Hash)
Process gap found→Lessons learned(Improve)
Legal trigger→Escalate counsel(Notice)

IR Flow

Prepare: Plans ready
Detect: Find incident
Analyze: Scope impact
Contain: Limit spread
Eradicate: Remove cause
Recover: Restore service
Lessons: Improve process
RCA: Root cause

Frameworks

ATT&CK: Tactics techniques
Kill Chain: Attack stages
Diamond: Actor relation
D3FEND: Defensive techniques
OSSTMM: Testing methodology
OWASP: Web testing
Playbook: Repeat procedure
Tabletop: Exercise response

Forensics

Volatile: Capture first
RAM: Live evidence
Hash: Integrity proof
Image: Bit copy
Chain: Custody trail
Static: No execution
Dynamic: Sandbox behavior
Timeline: Event sequence

Report Fit

Audience decides detail, tone, metrics, timing.

AudienceDetailToneMetricTiming

MTTD vs MTTR

MTTD

Detection lag
Monitoring quality
Before triage

MTTR

Response duration
Recovery quality
After detection

Find vs fix

Audience

Executive: Risk impact
Technical: IOCs steps
Legal: Obligations
PR: Public message
Regulator: Required notice
Customer: Impact guidance
Owner: Remediation action
Board: Strategic risk

Executive vs Technical

Executive

Risk impact
Cost priority
Business action

Technical

IOCs
Commands
Remediation steps

Why vs how

Metrics

MTTD: Detect speed
MTTR: Respond speed
MTTC: Contain speed
SLA: Service promise
SLO: Target objective
False positive: Benign alert
Backlog: Open work
Trend: Direction change

Compliance

PCI DSS: Cardholder data
HIPAA: Health data
GDPR: EU privacy
SOX: Financial controls
NIST CSF: Risk framework
NICE: Work roles
Audit log: Accountability record
Data class: Handling level

Common Traps

CVSS Is Not Priority

Score only ≠ Risk context

IOC Is Not Attribution

Artifact clue ≠ Actor proof

Contain Is Not Clean

Spread limited ≠ Cause remains

Logs Are Not Evidence

Operational record ≠ Preserved artifact

SOAR Is Not SIEM

Automation workflow ≠ Event correlation

Executive Needs Impact

Business risk ≠ Packet detail

Last Minute

1.Security Operations is 33%
2.Vulnerability Management is 30%
3.Incident Response is 20%
4.Reporting Communication is 17%
5.SIEM correlates; SOAR automates
6.IOC clue; TTP behavior
7.Risk equals severity plus context
8.Contain before eradication
9.Capture volatile evidence first
10.Reports match stakeholder audience

CompTIA CySA+

Practice Questions400 questions Study Guide Cheat Sheet

1 blog

CompTIA CySA+ Certification Kit: Exam CS0-003

$60.86 · Buy on Amazon

Take courses on Udemy

Learning path on Pluralsight

Same family resources

Explore More CompTIA Certifications

Continue into nearby exams from the same family. Each card keeps practice questions, study guides, flashcards, videos, and articles in one place.

More From This Family

Videos and articles for deeper review.

VideoBest Cable Testers for Network Technicians in 2026: Klein VDV526-200 vs Fluke vs TRENDnet VideoCompTIA A+ Core 1 vs Core 2: Which Is Harder? (2026)VideoFREE Cisco CCST Cybersecurity (100-160) Exam Guide 2026: Pass First Try VideoSecurity+ SY0-701 Domain Weights & Percentages (2026)ArticleCySA+ CS0-003 in 30 Days: Study Plan for SOC Analysts (2026)14 min read ArticleBest Cable Testers for Network Technicians in 2026: Klein VDV526-200 vs Fluke vs TRENDnet14 min read ArticleBest Electronics Repair Toolkits for CompTIA A+ Exam Candidates: Complete 2026 Buying Guide14 min read ArticleBest Network Cable Crimping Tool Kits in 2026: Hands-On Prep for CompTIA A+ and Network+14 min read

CompTIA CySA+ Cheat Sheet