Free Practice Questions for LPI Security Essentials
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Key Facts: LPI Security Essentials Exam
40
Exam Questions
LPI 020 exam blueprint
60 min
Exam Duration
LPI 020 exam blueprint
$120
Exam Fee (USD, Tier 1)
lpi.org/exam-pricing
500 / 800
Passing Score
LPI scaled scoring
Pearson VUE
Test Provider
LPI testing partner
Lifetime
Credential Validity
LPI Essentials certificates do not expire
LPI Security Essentials (exam 020-100) is a 40-question, 60-minute certification with a $120 USD Tier 1 fee, scored 200-800 with a 500 cut. It targets users and IT staff who must understand security fundamentals: CIA triad and AAA, symmetric vs asymmetric cryptography, AES/RSA/SHA-256, Diffie-Hellman, Perfect Forward Secrecy, X.509/TLS 1.3, OpenPGP/S/MIME, malware families (viruses, worms, ransomware, rootkits, keyloggers, cryptominers), backup strategies and the 3-2-1 rule, Wi-Fi security (WPA2 vs WPA3), VPNs (OpenVPN, WireGuard, IPsec), Tor, SSH hardening, fail2ban, nftables/ufw, SPF/DKIM/DMARC, MFA and TOTP (RFC 6238), FIDO2/WebAuthn passkeys, password hashing with bcrypt/scrypt/Argon2, GDPR principles, and pseudonymization vs anonymization.
Sample LPI Security Essentials Practice Questions
Try these sample questions to review concepts for the LPI Security Essentials exam. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.
1Which three properties form the classic CIA triad in information security?
2Which CIA property is most directly violated when an attacker silently modifies a database record without authorization?
3Which threat actor type is best described as a highly resourced, often state-sponsored group that maintains long-term covert access to a target network?
4What does CVE stand for in the context of vulnerability tracking?
5What term describes a security flaw that is actively being exploited before the vendor releases a patch?
6Which activity is the primary purpose of penetration testing?
7Which group is typically convened to coordinate response to a major security incident across an organization or sector?
8What practice describes a researcher privately reporting a vulnerability to the vendor and waiting an agreed period before public disclosure?
9Which legal area most directly governs unauthorized access to a computer system?
10Which security goal ensures that a sender cannot later deny having sent a signed message?
About the LPI Security Essentials Exam
The LPI Security Essentials (exam 020-100) certification verifies foundational, vendor-neutral knowledge of IT security: security concepts and goals, cryptography and PKI, device and storage security, network and service security, and identity and privacy.
Exam sponsor: Linux Professional Institute (LPI) / Pearson VUE. The requirements and fees below concern the certification or admission exam, separate from our free practice resources.
Questions
40 questions
Time Limit
60 minutes
Passing Score
500 / 800 (scaled)
Reported exam pass rate: Not publicly disclosed. LPI does not publish exam-level pass rates Exam sponsor website
Fees, eligibility, and exam policies can change. Confirm them with the exam sponsor before applying or paying.
Our practice resources: topics covered
We aim to reflect publicly available exam outlines and topic information in our study resources. Coverage, format, and difficulty may differ from the actual exam, and we cannot guarantee that every detail is accurate or current. Confirm exam requirements, fees, and policies with the official exam sponsor.
Security Concepts
Goals (CIA triad and non-repudiation), AAA, threat actors, CVE, zero-day, privilege escalation, penetration testing, APTs, CERT/CSIRT, responsible vs full disclosure, bug bounties, and legal frameworks (penal, privacy, copyright).
Encryption
Symmetric (AES, ChaCha20) vs asymmetric (RSA, ECC), hashing (SHA-256/SHA-3, MD5 deprecated), Diffie-Hellman, Perfect Forward Secrecy, X.509 fields and CA chain validation, Let's Encrypt/ACME, TLS 1.3, OpenPGP/GnuPG, S/MIME, VeraCrypt, BitLocker, LUKS, Cryptomator.
Node, Device and Storage Security
Hardware security, IoT, USB/Bluetooth/RFID risk, TPM and trusted computing, application security (buffer overflows, SQL injection), software updates and trusted repositories, host firewalls (ufw, nftables), malware families, backup strategies (full/differential/incremental, 3-2-1 rule, immutability), Unix and Windows permissions.
Network and Service Security
OSI layers, TCP/UDP, IPv4/IPv6, DNS and DNSSEC, IaaS/PaaS/SaaS, Wi-Fi (WEP/WPA/WPA2/WPA3 SAE), MITM and ARP spoofing, DoS/DDoS and botnets, VPNs (IPsec, OpenVPN, WireGuard), Tor and anonymity, SSH hardening (sshd_config, keys, fail2ban), SPF/DKIM/DMARC, HSTS, SFTP/SCP.
Identity and Privacy
Authentication factors, passwords and password managers (KeePass), 2FA/MFA, TOTP, FIDO2/WebAuthn/passkeys, password hashing with salt (bcrypt, scrypt, Argon2), brute-force/dictionary/rainbow attacks, phishing and social engineering, NDAs, GDPR principles, pseudonymization vs anonymization, browser fingerprinting, cookie attributes.
Preparing for the LPI Security Essentials Exam
What You Need to Know
- Passing score: 500 / 800 (scaled)
- Exam length: 40 questions
- Time limit: 60 minutes
- Exam / certification fees: $120 USD (Tier 1) Official sources
Using Our Practice Resources
- Work through all 100 available questions
- Review every answer and explanation
- Track weak areas and revisit them
- Use our AI tutor for tough concepts
LPI Security Essentials: Suggested Study Strategy
Frequently Asked Questions
What is on the LPI Security Essentials (020-100) exam?
Five topic groups: Security Concepts (CIA, AAA, threat actors, CVE, ethical disclosure), Encryption (symmetric/asymmetric, hashing, PKI, TLS, OpenPGP, S/MIME, disk encryption), Node/Device/Storage Security (TPM, IoT, malware, backups, permissions), Network and Service Security (DNS, Wi-Fi, VPN, Tor, SSH hardening, SPF/DKIM/DMARC), and Identity and Privacy (MFA, FIDO2, password hashing, GDPR, pseudonymization).
How long is the exam and how many questions does it have?
LPI Security Essentials is 40 questions in 60 minutes. Question types include multiple choice and fill-in-the-blank, delivered via Pearson VUE at a test center or OnVUE remote proctoring.
What is the passing score for 020-100?
LPI uses a scaled 200-800 scoring system across all its exams. You need 500 or higher to pass. Because LPI calibrates difficulty between forms, the raw number of correct answers required for 500 varies by exam form.
How much does the exam cost?
In Tier 1 markets the LPI Security Essentials exam fee is approximately $120 USD per attempt, the same price as Linux Essentials, Open Source Essentials, and Web Development Essentials. LPI charges lower fees in many markets (India, Pakistan, Brazil, Africa); confirm your local price on the official LPI exam pricing page before buying a voucher.
Who should take Security Essentials?
Security Essentials is aimed at people who use IT systems and need a solid security foundation: end users, junior IT staff, students, journalists, NGO workers, and anyone preparing for higher LPI or vendor security exams. It is also useful as a vocabulary primer before CompTIA Security+ or LPIC-3 303.
How does it compare to LPI Linux Essentials (010-160)?
Linux Essentials focuses on the Linux command line, file system, and basic administration. Security Essentials focuses on cross-platform security knowledge: cryptography, PKI, malware, networking security, MFA, and privacy. Both are Tier 1 / $120 / 40 questions / 60 minutes / lifetime credentials, and many candidates take both in the same study cycle.