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Everything you need to know about the cybersecurity industry's most widely held entry-level certification as of 2026 — the five SY0-701 domains, exam structure, cost, prerequisites, career paths, and how Security+ compares to other foundational credentials. A complete reference for anyone considering Security+ or trying to understand what it covers.
Core principles, controls, cryptography, and zero trust fundamentals.
Threat actors, attack vectors, vulnerabilities, and mitigation.
Secure design across cloud, network, and data protection.
Monitoring, hardening, identity, and incident response.
Governance, risk, compliance, and security awareness.
Security+ is CompTIA's foundational cybersecurity certification — first released in 2002, now on exam code SY0-701, and held by more than 700,000 professionals worldwide.
It validates the baseline skills to assess an organization's security posture, secure hybrid and cloud environments, identify and respond to threats, and work with an awareness of governance, risk, and compliance.
The credential is vendor-neutral, ANAB-accredited under ISO/IEC 17024, and approved under DoD 8140 (it served as an IAT and IAM Level II baseline under the legacy 8570 framework). Security+ is issued and maintained by CompTIA, the vendor-neutral nonprofit that has administered the program since 2002.
Four reasons Security+ has become the credential most cybersecurity hiring managers look for first.
Held by more than 700,000 professionals, Security+ appears in more entry-level cybersecurity job postings than any comparable certification. When employers describe the credential they want a new security hire to hold, this is the one they name.
Security+ teaches concepts and skills that apply across platforms and ecosystems, rather than tying you to a single vendor's tools. That makes it a portable foundation before any specialization.
PBQs put candidates in simulated environments — configuring controls, reading logs, spotting issues — so the exam tests applied skill, not just recall.
Security+ is an approved foundational qualification under DoD Manual 8140.03 for multiple work roles in the Defense Cyber Workforce Framework (DCWF), making it one of the most common credentials for federal and contractor cyber positions.
Under the legacy DoD 8570 framework it served as an IAT Level II and IAM Level II baseline before 8140 replaced 8570 in 2023, giving it more than two decades of federal recognition. Current qualification matrices are published at the DoD Cyber Exchange.
Everything you need to know about the certification, the exam structure, and how to maintain Security+ as of 2026.
Security+ has no required training — you can register for the exam directly. How you get ready is up to you, and the right approach depends on your timeline, your starting point, and how you learn best.
Books, practice exams, and free objective guides. The lowest-cost route, best for disciplined learners with time and an existing IT foundation. Typically 6 to 16 weeks depending on background.
Structured video courseware, labs, and practice questions you work through on your own schedule. A middle path that adds structure and hands-on PBQ practice without a fixed class time.
A focused, instructor-led format that compresses preparation into a few days, with live PBQ labs and the exam at the end. Best when you want to certify quickly and have baseline IT knowledge to build on.
Security+ is usually one of the first security certifications people earn. It builds on foundational IT credentials and opens the door to specialized offensive, defensive, and leadership paths.
Build the baseline
The foundation cert
Two questions to answer before you commit: are you ready to sit the exam, and is Security+ the right cert for where you're headed. Here's a straight answer to both.
You can start Security+ prep directly.
Security+ has no formal prerequisites, so anyone can register. If you already have networking basics — an A+ and Network+ level of knowledge, or roughly one to two years of hands-on IT experience — you have the foundation Security+ builds on and can move straight into focused exam prep.
Build the basics first.
You can still register without prerequisites, but Security+ assumes familiarity with networks, protocols, and systems. If those are new to you, starting with Network+ or ISC2's entry-level CC first will make the security concepts land faster — and make the exam meaningfully less of a grind.
Security+ shows up in hiring requirements across entry and early-career security and IT roles. These are the job titles where employers most often list it as required or preferred:
Monitors alerts, triages events, and supports incident response inside a security operations center.
Manages and hardens servers, endpoints, and identity systems with security baked into daily operations.
Configures and defends network infrastructure, applying secure protocols, segmentation, and access controls.
Implements and maintains the security controls that protect an organization's systems, data, and users.
Supports vulnerability assessments and entry-level offensive engagements as a foundation for deeper pen testing work.
Assesses controls against frameworks, supports risk reporting, and helps keep the organization audit-ready.
Security+ is one of several entry-level security certifications. Here's how it stacks up against two common alternatives.
| CompTIA Security+ | ISC2 CC | Microsoft SC-900 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Issuer | CompTIA | ISC2 | Microsoft |
| Exam Format | Up to 90 multiple-choice + PBQ, 90 min | 100 multiple-choice, 2 hours | 40–60 questions, ~60 min |
| Level | Foundational | Entry | Fundamentals (Microsoft ecosystem) |
| Focus | Broad, vendor-neutral core security | Entry-level security concepts | Microsoft security, compliance & identity |
| Exam Cost | ~$425 | Free via ISC2 program (annual fee after) | ~$99 |
| Renewal | 50 CEUs over 3 years | 45 CPEs over 3 years + annual fee | Does not expire |
| DoD 8140 Approved | Yes | Yes | No |
| Best For | Career entry and DoD baseline recognition | Absolute beginners testing the field | Those working in Microsoft-centric environments |
These certifications cover overlapping ground at the foundational level. Security+ remains the one employers name most often for entry-level security roles.
Our official CompTIA Security+ boot camp covers every SY0-701 objective in four focused days — with hands-on PBQ labs, your $425 exam voucher, a free retake, and a first-attempt pass guarantee included.
Exam prep, domain breakdowns, version timing, and whether the credential is worth it in 2026.
The tentative SY0-801 timeline, what is actually changing (AI and LLM coverage lead the list), the overlap window with SY0-701, and how to decide which version to sit based on where you are in your study plan.
Why waiting for a newer exam version can cost you a role, how hiring and DoD 8140 approval treat the credential rather than the version code, and the case for getting certified inside the current window.
A domain-by-domain breakdown of where SY0-701 candidates actually lose points, why Security Operations carries the most weight, and how to allocate study time instead of splitting it evenly.
PBQs are where well-prepared candidates run out of time. A look at how the simulations work, how long they really take, and how to manage pacing across the 90-minute exam.
How to use practice questions strategically rather than as a memorization crutch, plus sample items from beginner to advanced and a full breakdown of the SY0-701 exam format.
An honest look at where Security+ pays off, who it serves best, how renewals work, and why it remains the entry credential most cybersecurity hiring managers look for first.
SY0-701 organizes the exam into five weighted domains spanning concepts, threats, architecture, operations, and program management. The percentages show how much of the exam each domain represents. Click any domain for details.
Core security principles, the CIA triad, security control categories and types, change management, cryptographic solutions, and zero trust fundamentals that underpin everything else on the exam.
Threat actors and motivations, attack surfaces and vectors, common vulnerabilities across systems and applications, indicators of malicious activity, and the techniques used to mitigate them.
Secure design across cloud, on-premises, network, and hybrid models, plus data protection strategies, resilience, and the architectural tradeoffs that shape a defensible enterprise.
The heaviest domain. Monitoring and hardening, identity and access management, vulnerability management, automation and orchestration, and the incident response lifecycle.
Governance structures, risk management processes, third-party and vendor risk, compliance reporting, audits, and building effective security awareness across an organization.
Domain weights reflect the current CompTIA Security+ SY0-701 exam objectives. CompTIA periodically refreshes objectives within a version; always confirm the current breakdown on the official CompTIA exam page before testing.
The questions candidates ask most often when researching the CompTIA Security+ certification.
Security+ is CompTIA's foundational, vendor-neutral cybersecurity certification. First released in 2002 and now on exam code SY0-701, it validates the baseline skills to assess security posture, secure hybrid environments, identify and mitigate threats, and operate with an awareness of governance, risk, and compliance. More than 700,000 professionals hold it worldwide, and it's frequently the first security credential employers ask for.
There are no formal prerequisites — anyone can register for and sit the exam. CompTIA recommends candidates first earn Network+ and have around two years of IT administration experience with a security focus, but neither is required. That open access is part of why Security+ is such a common entry point into the field.
SY0-701 contains up to 90 questions delivered over 90 minutes, mixing multiple-choice items with performance-based questions (PBQs) that place you in simulated environments. The passing score is 750 on a scale of 100 to 900. The exam is delivered through Pearson VUE testing centers or via online proctoring. PBQs tend to appear early and take longer, so pacing matters.
As of 2026, the official Security+ SY0-701 exam voucher is approximately $425 USD direct from CompTIA in the United States. Authorized resellers, academic discounts, and voucher-plus-retake bundles can change the effective price, and training providers often include the voucher with a course. Each retake requires a new voucher.
SY0-701 covers five weighted domains: General Security Concepts (12%), Threats, Vulnerabilities, and Mitigations (22%), Security Architecture (18%), Security Operations (28%), and Security Program Management and Oversight (20%). Security Operations is the single largest domain, so monitoring, hardening, identity, and incident response get more exam space than any other area.
Security+ is valid for three years. You renew through CompTIA's Continuing Education program by earning 50 CEUs over the three-year cycle, or by passing a higher-level CompTIA certification. Renewal runs roughly $150 across the cycle. Many people simply level up to a more advanced cert, which also renews Security+.
Network+ validates networking fundamentals — protocols, infrastructure, and troubleshooting — while Security+ focuses on securing systems, identifying threats, and managing risk. CompTIA recommends Network+ first because security concepts build on a networking foundation, but it isn't required. A lot of people earn both, with Network+ as the stepping stone into Security+.
Yes. Security+ is an approved foundational qualification for multiple DCWF work roles under DoDM 8140.03. Under the legacy 8570 framework it served as an IAT Level II and IAM Level II baseline certification, giving it long-standing recognition for federal, military, and defense contractor cyber positions.
Security+ supports roles such as security analyst, SOC analyst, systems administrator, network administrator, security specialist, junior penetration tester, and IT auditor or GRC analyst. It's most often used as the credential that opens the door to a first cybersecurity role or that formalizes the security side of an existing IT job.
CompTIA first released Security+ in 2002, and it has been revised regularly since. The current release is SY0-701, which launched in November 2023. The certification is accredited under ISO/IEC 17024 — the international standard for personnel certification bodies — which is part of why it's accepted in government and regulated industries.
Candidates with some IT or networking background typically study for 6 to 10 weeks at 10 to 15 hours per week. Those newer to IT often need longer, in the 12 to 16 week range. Boot camp formats compress preparation into a few focused days of instruction immediately followed by the exam — which works when candidates already have baseline networking and systems knowledge to build on.
For most people entering cybersecurity, yes. Security+ appears in more entry-level job postings than any comparable credential, satisfies DoD 8140 requirements, and is recognized internationally. It's most valuable for career-changers and IT professionals moving into security. It's less essential for established practitioners who already hold higher-level credentials.
No. Security+ doesn't require you to write code. SY0-701 does expect familiarity with automation and scripting concepts at a conceptual level as part of the Security Operations domain, but you're tested on understanding what these do and why they matter — not on writing scripts from scratch.
SY0-701 is the current and only active version as of 2026. A newer version, SY0-801, is expected to preview later in 2026, with a roughly six-month overlap window during which both are available. A Security+ certification appears on your resume simply as Security+ and stays valid for three years regardless of which version you sat, and DoD 8140 approval applies to the credential rather than a specific version code. Most candidates with a near-term goal sit the active exam rather than wait.
Whether you're weighing the certification, working out funding, or planning training for a team — tell us where you are and we'll help you map out the right path.