WGU C836 • FUNDAMENTALS OF INFORMATION SECURITY • 2026/2027
WGU C836 Fundamentals of Information Security – Western Governors
University (WGU) – 2026/2027 Academic Year – Comprehensive Objective
Assessment (OA) Review
WGU C836
FUNDAMENTALS OF
INFORMATION SECURITY
ORIGINAL STUDY GUIDE
Comprehensive OA Review • 120 Original Practice Questions • Answers • Rationales • Distractor
Analysis
COURSE FOCUS
WGU describes this course as a foundation in information-security terminology, principles, processes, best
practices, vulnerabilities, countermeasures, planning, and administrative controls.
Original study content only; not actual or recalled OA questions.
CORE TOPIC MAP
Security Foundations • 15 questions
Risk Management • 9 questions
Security Controls • 8 questions
Access Control • 8 questions
Identity and Access • 8 questions
Cryptography • 12 questions
Threats and Vulnerabilities • 8 questions
Malware • 8 questions
Network Security • 8 questions
Security Operations • 8 questions
Incident Response • 8 questions
Business Continuity • 4 questions
Governance • 8 questions
Security Awareness • 4 questions
Original Study Guide • Not Actual/Recalled OA Content
,WGU C836 • FUNDAMENTALS OF INFORMATION SECURITY • 2026/2027
Security Principles • 4 questions
HOW TO USE
Learn → Practice → Remediate → Verify against current WGU materials.
Original Study Guide • Not Actual/Recalled OA Content
,WGU C836 • FUNDAMENTALS OF INFORMATION SECURITY • 2026/2027
Security Foundations
QUESTION 1 MULTIPLE CHOICE Security Foundations Recall
Q1. Which CIA property focuses on preventing unauthorized disclosure?
A. Confidentiality
B. Availability
C. Integrity
D. Redundancy
CORRECT ANSWER
A. Confidentiality
CONCEPTUAL RATIONALE
Confidentiality protects information from unauthorized disclosure or access.
DISTRACTOR ANALYSIS
Availability concerns access; integrity concerns unauthorized alteration.
STUDY TIP
Identify the key clue before comparing the choices.
QUESTION 2 MULTIPLE CHOICE Security Foundations Application
Q2. Unauthorized changes are made to a financial record. Which CIA property is primarily affected?
A. Integrity
B. Confidentiality
C. Availability
D. Authentication
CORRECT ANSWER
A. Integrity
CONCEPTUAL RATIONALE
Integrity protects the accuracy and trustworthiness of information against unauthorized modification.
DISTRACTOR ANALYSIS
The clue is unauthorized modification, not disclosure or downtime.
STUDY TIP
Identify the key clue before comparing the choices.
QUESTION 3 MULTIPLE CHOICE Security Foundations Application
Q3. A service is inaccessible to legitimate users because its capacity is overwhelmed. Which CIA property is
primarily affected?
A. Availability
B. Integrity
C. Confidentiality
D. Authenticity
Original Study Guide • Not Actual/Recalled OA Content
, WGU C836 • FUNDAMENTALS OF INFORMATION SECURITY • 2026/2027
CORRECT ANSWER
A. Availability
CONCEPTUAL RATIONALE
Availability concerns reliable access to systems and information when needed.
DISTRACTOR ANALYSIS
The scenario centers on access, not disclosure or modification.
STUDY TIP
Identify the key clue before comparing the choices.
Risk Management
QUESTION 4 MULTIPLE CHOICE Risk Management Application
Q4. An organization identifies a vulnerability but has not evaluated its likelihood or impact. What is the next
useful risk-analysis step?
A. Assess likelihood and impact
B. Give everyone administrator access
C. Ignore the vulnerability
D. Delete the finding
CORRECT ANSWER
A. Assess likelihood and impact
CONCEPTUAL RATIONALE
Risk analysis considers likelihood and impact to determine significance and guide treatment.
DISTRACTOR ANALYSIS
The other choices do not constitute sound risk analysis.
STUDY TIP
Identify the key clue before comparing the choices.
QUESTION 5 MULTIPLE CHOICE Risk Management Judgment
Q5. A low-likelihood event could cause catastrophic business disruption. Which statement is best?
A. It may still be significant because impact is extremely high
B. It is irrelevant because likelihood is low
C. It should always be accepted
D. It requires no analysis
CORRECT ANSWER
A. It may still be significant because impact is extremely high
CONCEPTUAL RATIONALE
Risk decisions consider both likelihood and impact; very high impact can make a low-likelihood event
important.
DISTRACTOR ANALYSIS
Low likelihood does not automatically mean low risk.
Original Study Guide • Not Actual/Recalled OA Content
WGU C836 Fundamentals of Information Security – Western Governors
University (WGU) – 2026/2027 Academic Year – Comprehensive Objective
Assessment (OA) Review
WGU C836
FUNDAMENTALS OF
INFORMATION SECURITY
ORIGINAL STUDY GUIDE
Comprehensive OA Review • 120 Original Practice Questions • Answers • Rationales • Distractor
Analysis
COURSE FOCUS
WGU describes this course as a foundation in information-security terminology, principles, processes, best
practices, vulnerabilities, countermeasures, planning, and administrative controls.
Original study content only; not actual or recalled OA questions.
CORE TOPIC MAP
Security Foundations • 15 questions
Risk Management • 9 questions
Security Controls • 8 questions
Access Control • 8 questions
Identity and Access • 8 questions
Cryptography • 12 questions
Threats and Vulnerabilities • 8 questions
Malware • 8 questions
Network Security • 8 questions
Security Operations • 8 questions
Incident Response • 8 questions
Business Continuity • 4 questions
Governance • 8 questions
Security Awareness • 4 questions
Original Study Guide • Not Actual/Recalled OA Content
,WGU C836 • FUNDAMENTALS OF INFORMATION SECURITY • 2026/2027
Security Principles • 4 questions
HOW TO USE
Learn → Practice → Remediate → Verify against current WGU materials.
Original Study Guide • Not Actual/Recalled OA Content
,WGU C836 • FUNDAMENTALS OF INFORMATION SECURITY • 2026/2027
Security Foundations
QUESTION 1 MULTIPLE CHOICE Security Foundations Recall
Q1. Which CIA property focuses on preventing unauthorized disclosure?
A. Confidentiality
B. Availability
C. Integrity
D. Redundancy
CORRECT ANSWER
A. Confidentiality
CONCEPTUAL RATIONALE
Confidentiality protects information from unauthorized disclosure or access.
DISTRACTOR ANALYSIS
Availability concerns access; integrity concerns unauthorized alteration.
STUDY TIP
Identify the key clue before comparing the choices.
QUESTION 2 MULTIPLE CHOICE Security Foundations Application
Q2. Unauthorized changes are made to a financial record. Which CIA property is primarily affected?
A. Integrity
B. Confidentiality
C. Availability
D. Authentication
CORRECT ANSWER
A. Integrity
CONCEPTUAL RATIONALE
Integrity protects the accuracy and trustworthiness of information against unauthorized modification.
DISTRACTOR ANALYSIS
The clue is unauthorized modification, not disclosure or downtime.
STUDY TIP
Identify the key clue before comparing the choices.
QUESTION 3 MULTIPLE CHOICE Security Foundations Application
Q3. A service is inaccessible to legitimate users because its capacity is overwhelmed. Which CIA property is
primarily affected?
A. Availability
B. Integrity
C. Confidentiality
D. Authenticity
Original Study Guide • Not Actual/Recalled OA Content
, WGU C836 • FUNDAMENTALS OF INFORMATION SECURITY • 2026/2027
CORRECT ANSWER
A. Availability
CONCEPTUAL RATIONALE
Availability concerns reliable access to systems and information when needed.
DISTRACTOR ANALYSIS
The scenario centers on access, not disclosure or modification.
STUDY TIP
Identify the key clue before comparing the choices.
Risk Management
QUESTION 4 MULTIPLE CHOICE Risk Management Application
Q4. An organization identifies a vulnerability but has not evaluated its likelihood or impact. What is the next
useful risk-analysis step?
A. Assess likelihood and impact
B. Give everyone administrator access
C. Ignore the vulnerability
D. Delete the finding
CORRECT ANSWER
A. Assess likelihood and impact
CONCEPTUAL RATIONALE
Risk analysis considers likelihood and impact to determine significance and guide treatment.
DISTRACTOR ANALYSIS
The other choices do not constitute sound risk analysis.
STUDY TIP
Identify the key clue before comparing the choices.
QUESTION 5 MULTIPLE CHOICE Risk Management Judgment
Q5. A low-likelihood event could cause catastrophic business disruption. Which statement is best?
A. It may still be significant because impact is extremely high
B. It is irrelevant because likelihood is low
C. It should always be accepted
D. It requires no analysis
CORRECT ANSWER
A. It may still be significant because impact is extremely high
CONCEPTUAL RATIONALE
Risk decisions consider both likelihood and impact; very high impact can make a low-likelihood event
important.
DISTRACTOR ANALYSIS
Low likelihood does not automatically mean low risk.
Original Study Guide • Not Actual/Recalled OA Content
