Malicious code is code that can cause unwanted effects, security breaches, system harm, or other system problems. Malicious code poses a threat to application security and cannot be managed by antivirus software alone. This requires more robust security measures. The Systems and Application Security domains deal with countermeasures for different types of malware and malicious code that can cause security breaches. This article will discuss the seventh domain of SSCP, Network and Communications Security. It will also explain what you can expect from the SSCP exam.

Domains of SSCP

These are the seven SSCP domains:
Domain 1: Access Controls (16%)
Domain 2: Security Operations and Administration (15%)
Domain 3: Risk Identification Monitoring and Analysis (15%)
Domain 4: Incident Response and Recovery (13%).
Domain 5: Cryptography (10%)
Domain 6: Network and Communications Security (16%)
Domain 7: Systems and Application Security (15%)
Domain 7: Systems and Application Security
Domain 7 of SSCP certification exam consists of Systems and Application Security. 15% of the total weightage for the SSCP certification exam is in the Systems and Application Security domain. This domain will teach you how to protect endpoints against malicious code attacks and how countermeasures can be used to reduce endpoint threats. Endpoints include host workstations as well as digital wireless devices, scanners and printers. They are the termination point for a network connection. This domain will also discuss countermeasures and controls to prevent malicious code from attacking the network or its hosts. The Systems and Application Security domain covers the following subtopics:
Analyze malicious code and other activity to identify and analyze
Endpoint device security can be implemented and operated
Configure and operate cloud security
Securely operate virtual environments

1. Identify and Analyze Malicious Codes and Activity. This subsection will give you an in-depth understanding of malicious codes and malware, as well as the various countermeasures such as scanners, anti-malware code signing, sandboxing and more. This section will teach you how to identify and detect malware and computer code that could compromise your IT systems. This section also covers methods for introducing these variants to systems, tools and processes to limit exposure to this kind of behavior, as well as user training to assist their efforts. It will also discuss exploitation, insider risks, spoofing and phishing, spam and botnets, along with malicious web activity, payloads and malcode mitigation and common mistakes. This domain will also address malicious activity countermeasures like user awareness, system hardening and patching, sandboxing and isolation.
2. This section will explain how to implement and operate endpoint device security. Endpoint security systems today are designed to quickly identify, assess, block, and contain active threats. Endpoint security is a technique to prevent malicious actors and threats from attacking entry or endpoints of an device, such as smartphones, desktops, and laptops. This section will also discuss Mobile Device Management (MDM), such as COPE and BYOD. It will also discuss the drawbacks and benefits of Host-Based Intrusion Detection Systems. This section will also discuss topics such as application whitelisting and host-based firewalls.
3. This section will explain how to configure cloud security. This section will introduce you to the five key characteristics of cloud security, cloud deployment and service models. It will also cover virtualization