Security controls can be grouped into several major categories—technical, managerial, and operational—each playing a distinct but complementary role in securing modern enterprise environments. This episode takes a deeper dive into these categories, explaining how technical controls like firewalls and encryption mechanisms enforce security at the system level, while managerial controls such as policies, procedures, and risk assessments provide the strategic direction behind a security program. Operational controls focus on daily activities like user training, incident response, and access provisioning, ensuring that human and procedural elements align with policy and technical enforcement. We use practical examples and scenarios to illustrate how each category supports the other, creating a cohesive and robust defense. Mastering these distinctions helps learners not only understand the exam material, but also apply it in real-world security planning.