IT Cheat Sheet 2026

The 30 highest-yield IT facts, distilled from real exam questions. Print it, save it as a PDF, or study it here — free, no sign-up.

1. A vulnerability scanner reports a flaw that, after manual review, does not actually exist on the system. What is this called? → False positive
2. What is virtualization in IT operations? → Running multiple systems on one machine
3. A Linux server reports 'No space left on device' but 'df -h' shows 40% free. What should be checked next? → Inode usage with 'df -i'
4. Which version of SNMP adds message authentication and encryption for managing network devices? → SNMPv3
5. A military system grants access by comparing a user's clearance level to classification labels on data. Which access control model is this? → Mandatory Access Control
6. Which concept allows multiple operating systems to run simultaneously on a single physical host? → Virtualization
7. What type of attack floods a system with traffic to disrupt services? → DDoS
8. Which U.S. federal law criminalizes accessing a computer without authorization or exceeding authorized access? → Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA)
9. Which algorithm is designed specifically to slow down brute-force attacks on stored passwords through key stretching? → bcrypt
10. Why should a VM snapshot NOT be relied on as a backup? → Snapshots depend on the base disk and usually live on the same storage
11. What is the purpose of an Acceptable Use Policy (AUP)? → To define how employees may and may not use organizational IT resources
12. While repairing a user's laptop, a technician notices personal photos and financial spreadsheets on the desktop. What is the most ethical action? → Complete the repair without viewing personal files unless required for the task
13. What should a technician do before opening a desktop power supply unit? → Never open it; replace the whole PSU because capacitors can hold a dangerous charge
14. After running 'chmod 640 report.txt', what permissions apply? → Owner read/write, group read, others no access
15. How should professionals apply safety and compliance in daily practice? → Consistently integrate best practices into every aspect of professional work
16. Which feature ensures that compromising a server's long-term private key does not expose previously recorded TLS sessions? → Perfect forward secrecy
17. An IT administrator is asked by a coworker to share the admin password 'just for today' to install a printer driver. What should the administrator do? → Decline and follow the organization's access request process
18. During a forensic investigation, why is maintaining a chain of custody important? → It documents who handled evidence and when, preserving its integrity for legal proceedings
19. How many CPE credits does the ISC2 CCSP require over its three-year cycle? → 90
20. A user cannot reach websites by name but can by IP address. Which component is most likely at fault? → DNS resolution
21. Why is version control such as Git considered a best practice for scripts and configuration files? → It tracks changes, enables rollback, and shows who changed what
22. In a cloud deployment model, which option allows an organization to use a mix of on-premises private infrastructure and public cloud services? → Hybrid cloud
23. A recurring outage happens every week despite being fixed each time. Which ITIL practice should address it? → Problem management
24. Which 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi channels are non-overlapping in the United States? → 1, 6, 11
25. Under the principle of least privilege, how should user permissions be assigned? → Users receive only the minimum access needed to perform their job
26. What type of agreement requires a contractor to keep proprietary company information confidential? → NDA
27. Which document defines the systems, timing, and allowed techniques for a penetration test? → Rules of engagement
28. What does 'auto-scaling' allow in a cloud environment? → Automatically adjusting the number of compute instances based on traffic or load
29. Which backup strategy is widely recommended as an industry best practice for data protection? → 3-2-1 rule: three copies, two media types, one offsite
30. When an employee leaves the company, which checklist item is MOST critical for security? → Disabling the user's accounts and collecting company equipment