CompTIA Security+ Review and 8-Week Study Plan (SY0-701 vs the New SY0-801)

If you've looked at entry-level cybersecurity job postings, you've seen it: "Security+ required" or "Security+ preferred." CompTIA Security+ is the most widely requested entry-level security certification, and for a lot of roles, especially US government and defense contractor jobs, it's a hard requirement rather than a nice-to-have.

This review explains what the exam covers, the timing question everyone is asking right now (SY0-701 or the new SY0-801?), what it costs, who should take it, and an 8-week study plan built around hands-on practice. It's step 3 in the certifications stage of our Cybersecurity learning path.

Security+ at a glance

Why employers ask for it

Three reasons Security+ shows up in so many postings:

1. Government and contractor requirements. Security+ is an approved baseline certification for many cybersecurity roles under the US Department of Defense's workforce framework (DoD 8140, which replaced the older 8570). Contractors working on DoD systems often need staff who hold it.
2. HR and applicant tracking filters. Many recruiters screen resumes by keyword before a human reads them. Our guide to what recruiters actually care about covers how those filters work. Security+ is one of the keywords that gets you through.
3. A shared baseline. It's vendor-neutral and broad, so hiring managers know roughly what a holder has studied, whatever tools their team uses.

Be clear-eyed about what it isn't: Security+ doesn't prove you can do the job. That's what labs, projects, and experience are for. Our TryHackMe SOC Level 1 review explains why "Security+ plus a hands-on credential plus a real write-up" beats any one of them alone.

What's on the exam (SY0-701)

Security Operations is the biggest domain, so give it the most practice time. Domain 2's social engineering material overlaps heavily with our cybersecurity basics guide, which is a good warm-up.

Performance-based questions

PBQs are short simulations: dragging firewall rules into the right order, matching attacks to mitigations, reviewing log entries, or configuring settings. They usually appear at the start of the exam and take longer than multiple-choice questions. A common strategy is to flag PBQs, answer the multiple-choice questions first, then return to the PBQs with your remaining time.

SY0-701 or SY0-801?

CompTIA updates Security+ about every three years. The new SY0-801 keeps a five-domain structure, with added emphasis on areas like AI security, newer social engineering techniques, and zero trust, according to CompTIA's announcements and training providers' summaries of the draft objectives.

Both versions earn the same certification: CompTIA Security+.

Study materials for a new exam version lag the launch, sometimes by months. Don't switch to SY0-801 just because it's newer; switch when you can study it properly.

Who Security+ is for

Good fit:

• Career changers aiming for SOC analyst, security analyst, IT security, or junior security engineer roles
• Help desk and IT support staff moving into security
• Anyone targeting US government or defense contractor work
• People who finished the Google Cybersecurity Certificate or ISC2 Certified in Cybersecurity and want the credential employers filter for

Can wait or skip:

• Experienced security professionals, who are usually better served by advanced certifications
• People targeting roles where employers explicitly ask for something else, such as a cloud-provider certification
• Complete beginners with no IT background, who may find a networking foundation (Network+ or CCNA) or the Google certificate an easier first step

Is Security+ worth it?

For most people breaking into security, especially through government-adjacent employers, yes. Treat it as the key that opens the door, then use labs and projects to prove you can do the work.

The best study resources

You don't need many. Pick one main course, one book or notes set, and one practice exam source:

Avoid "brain dumps": sites selling real exam questions. Using them violates CompTIA's candidate agreement and can get your certification revoked, and they teach you nothing. Our guide to using AI to study for certifications covers how to use AI tutors without falling for made-up "exam questions."

The 8-week study plan

This plan assumes 8 to 10 hours a week and some basic IT familiarity. Add two to four weeks if you're new to networking.

Exam readiness rule of thumb: many instructors suggest booking only when you're scoring comfortably above passing, often around 85% or more, on reputable practice exams, and when you can explain why the wrong answers are wrong.

Study habits that work

• Recall, don't reread. Close the book and explain a concept out loud, or quiz yourself. Our Learning How to Learn review covers why active recall and spaced repetition beat rereading.
• Make an attack-to-defense table. For every attack you study, write the control that stops it.
• Learn the "why." Security+ questions often ask for the best answer among several plausible ones. Understanding the reasoning matters more than memorizing definitions.
• Practice under time pressure. 90 questions in 90 minutes leaves little slack once PBQs are included.

Exam day tips

• Read the last sentence first. It tells you what the question actually asks.
• Watch for qualifiers: "best," "first," "most likely," "least."
• Flag and move on. Don't spend five minutes on one question.
• For online proctoring, test your system the day before, clear your desk, and follow the check-in rules exactly.

After you pass

• Add it to your resume and LinkedIn using the exact name, "CompTIA Security+," so filters find it.
• Keep building hands-on skills: a SOC-focused lab path such as TryHackMe SOC Level 1, and a write-up of something you investigated.
• Plan renewal: Security+ is valid for three years. CompTIA's continuing education program lets you renew through approved activities and training, or by earning certain higher-level certifications.
• Next certifications depend on your direction: cloud security, blue team and SOC credentials, or architecture certifications such as Microsoft SC-100 once you have experience.

Frequently asked questions

How hard is the Security+ exam?

It's broad rather than deeply technical. People with IT experience often prepare in four to eight weeks; complete beginners usually need longer, especially to learn networking basics first.

Can I get a job with only Security+?

It helps a lot with getting interviews, especially for government-related roles, but most employers also want evidence of hands-on skill: labs, projects, a home lab, or IT experience. See can you get a cybersecurity job without a degree.

Should I take Network+ before Security+?

It's recommended, not required. If networking is new to you, learning it first (through Network+ or CCNA study) makes Security+ much easier, even if you don't take that exam.

Security+ or ISC2 Certified in Cybersecurity?

ISC2 CC is a good, low-cost entry point, but for many roles, especially US government work, Security+ is the requirement. Our ISC2 CC review compares them.

How much does Security+ cost?

A voucher costs several hundred dollars, roughly $400 to $440 at list prices in late 2026, plus the cost of study materials. Retakes require a new voucher. Check CompTIA's store for current pricing and any student or bundle discounts.

Bottom line

Security+ is the closest thing entry-level cybersecurity has to a universal key: it gets your resume past filters and meets government requirements. It won't make you job-ready on its own, so study it with labs alongside, then show your skills with real projects. If you're mid-way through SY0-701, finish it before June 2027; if you're starting fresh, pick the version you can study well.

Sources

• CompTIA Security+: exam details, objectives, and version information.
• CompTIA Continuing Education: renewal requirements.
• DoD Cyber Workforce (DoD 8140): US Department of Defense cyber workforce qualification framework.
• Professor Messer: free Security+ training videos.
• Pearson VUE: CompTIA: exam scheduling and testing policies.