Which of the following are essential components of Technical Controls?

Implementing access control mechanisms is indeed an essential component of Technical Controls. Technical controls are safeguards that rely on technology to manage and reduce risk by enforcing security policies. Access control mechanisms specifically serve the purpose of regulating who can view or use resources in a computing environment. This includes authentication processes (such as passwords, biometrics, and multi-factor authentication) that verify the identity of users attempting to gain access, as well as access management features like role-based access control, which ensures that individuals only have access to information necessary for their roles.

This focus on restricting access through technology helps to protect data integrity and confidentiality while minimizing the risk of unauthorized access, making it a critical element of any comprehensive security strategy.

The other options, while important to overall cybersecurity and governance, do not fall strictly under the category of Technical Controls. Security-awareness training, for example, is a non-technical, educational approach aimed at informing users about security risks and best practices. Physical access restrictions relate to environmental security measures that prevent unauthorized physical access to IT resources. Network performance monitoring pertains to assessing and optimizing the operational aspect of network services and is centered on efficiency rather than applying security controls directly.