Many professionals believe there is a separate 2025 version of the CompTIA Security+ exam. The current exam is SY0-701, and candidates should verify the active version on CompTIA’s exam page before buying a voucher or booking a date.

Last updated: October 2025. Editor’s note: Exam objectives, delivery rules, pricing, retake terms, and renewal policies can change, so candidates should confirm details with CompTIA and Pearson VUE close to their booking date.

What Security+ SY0-701 Measures

CompTIA Security+ is a vendor-neutral cybersecurity certification aimed at people who need to show baseline security knowledge across systems, networks, cloud environments, operations, and risk. It is often used by help desk technicians, junior systems administrators, network support staff, and career-changers as a first formal security credential.

The SY0-701 exam is organised around five domains: general security concepts; threats, vulnerabilities, and mitigations; security architecture; security operations; and security program management and oversight. Those domains reflect how entry-level security work has changed. Candidates are not only expected to recognise malware types or define access control models; they also need to understand hybrid environments, cloud responsibilities, operational monitoring, governance, and concepts such as zero trust. Readers who want a broader explanation of that model can use this guide to Zero Trust architecture alongside the official objectives.

At the time of writing, the exam includes up to 90 questions, lasts 90 minutes, and uses a scaled score from 100 to 900, with 750 required to pass. The exam may include multiple-choice questions and performance-based questions, and it is delivered through Pearson VUE either at a test centre or by online proctoring where available. Language availability should be checked before booking, because not every language option is available in every delivery context.

The most reliable preparation document is the official CompTIA exam objectives PDF for SY0-701. A useful habit is to treat each objective ID as a label for a skill gap. When a practice question is missed, the candidate should record the related objective, the reason for the error, and the next drill needed. This prevents a common pattern in Security+ preparation: taking more and more practice tests without understanding why the same topics keep going wrong.

Should Network+ Come First?

CompTIA does not require candidates to complete Network+ before Security+, but it does recommend prior IT administration experience with a security focus, and Network+ can help with the networking assumptions built into Security+. The practical decision is simpler than it often appears. Someone who already works with IP addressing, DNS, routing basics, ports, firewalls, Windows and Linux administration, and common troubleshooting should usually be able to start Security+ directly. Someone who still finds subnetting, TCP versus UDP, VLANs, NAT, or basic command-line network tools confusing may be better served by building those foundations first through networking study or a CompTIA learning path.

This matters because Security+ questions often combine concepts. A question about firewall rules may also test port knowledge, business impact, and least privilege. A log-analysis question may require the candidate to recognise normal network behaviour before identifying suspicious activity. Weak networking knowledge turns these into memorisation exercises, while solid fundamentals make the security reasoning clearer.

A Realistic 6–8 Week Study Plan

A workable study plan usually starts with the exam objectives, not with a random playlist or a stack of practice questions. Six to eight weeks is realistic for many candidates who already have basic IT exposure and can study consistently. Career-changers with little hands-on IT background may need longer, especially if they are building networking and operating-system skills at the same time.

The first two weeks should focus on orientation and foundations. Candidates should read through the objectives, identify unfamiliar terms, and study general security concepts, cryptography basics, identity, authentication, network security controls, and common threat categories. The goal at this stage is not speed. It is to build enough vocabulary to understand scenario questions without guessing from acronyms alone.

Weeks three and four should move into architecture, cloud, secure design, and operations. This is where a small home lab becomes valuable. A minimal lab can include one Windows virtual machine, one Linux virtual machine, Wireshark for packet inspection, a firewall platform such as pfSense if hardware or virtual resources allow it, and a lightweight SIEM or log collection tool. The point is not to build an enterprise environment. It is to turn abstract terms into actions: reading logs, seeing traffic, comparing allowed and blocked connections, and understanding what a control does before trying to memorise its definition.

Weeks five and six should emphasise practice questions, performance-based exercises, and gap repair. Candidates should timebox practice sessions, review every missed question, and map mistakes back to objective IDs. A wrong answer caused by rushing is different from a wrong answer caused by not understanding risk management or incident response. Labeling the error correctly makes the next study session more productive.

Weeks seven and eight, where available, are for timed review and exam simulation. Full-length practice tests should be used sparingly and reviewed carefully. Scores are less useful than patterns. If missed items cluster around log interpretation, security operations, cloud responsibility models, or governance terms, those areas should receive targeted review before booking the exam.

Some learners prefer a structured timetable, guided labs, and instructor support rather than self-directed study. In that case, a Security+ course can be useful if it is explicitly aligned to SY0-701 and includes hands-on practice rather than only slide-based coverage; Readynez offers a CompTIA Security+ certification course for candidates who want that format.

How to Prepare for Performance-Based Questions

Performance-based questions, or PBQs, are designed to test whether a candidate can apply knowledge in a scenario rather than only recognise a definition. They may involve interpreting logs, matching controls to requirements, configuring a basic security setting, identifying the right remediation, or arranging incident response steps. Candidates should not expect exact replicas in practice materials, and they should avoid any source that claims to reveal live exam content.

A good PBQ strategy begins before exam day. During study, candidates should practise scenario work several times per week, even if only for short sessions. Reviewing firewall logic, reading authentication logs, identifying phishing indicators, and stepping through the incident lifecycle all help build the kind of recognition PBQs require. A deeper scenario-focused resource such as a PBQ preparation guide can also help candidates understand the format without relying on memorised answers.

On exam day, PBQs can consume too much time if handled without a plan. Many candidates benefit from opening each PBQ briefly, deciding whether it is immediately solvable, and then either answering it or marking it for review and moving on. This PBQ-first assessment prevents surprises, while a PBQ-later completion strategy protects time for multiple-choice questions. The important point is not to fixate on a simulation that feels unfamiliar. The exam clock rewards controlled movement.

One practical approach is to reserve enough time at the end for marked PBQs and difficult flagged questions. Multiple-choice items can often be answered more quickly, and later questions may trigger useful memory for earlier scenarios. That said, candidates should not rush through everything simply to return to PBQs. The better method is deliberate triage: solve what is clear, mark what needs thought, and avoid spending several minutes on a single uncertain task.

Registration, Retakes, and Exam-Day Logistics

Security+ is scheduled through Pearson VUE after purchasing or applying an exam voucher. Candidates should create or use the correct CompTIA account details, confirm the exam code as SY0-701, choose the delivery method, and review identification requirements before selecting a date. Voucher pricing varies by region and may change, so the current CompTIA pricing and voucher pages are better sources than third-party summaries.

The choice between online proctoring and a test centre should be practical rather than convenient on paper. Online testing avoids travel but requires a reliable computer, stable internet connection, webcam, microphone, quiet room, acceptable identification, and a workspace that meets proctoring rules. A test centre reduces home technical risk but requires travel time, arrival planning, and adherence to local test-centre procedures.

• For online exams, run the system test in advance, update nothing at the last minute, close prohibited applications, and prepare the room before check-in.
• For test-centre exams, bring acceptable identification, arrive early, and avoid carrying unnecessary items because storage and admission rules can vary.
• For either format, confirm the appointment time, name spelling, exam code, cancellation rules, and retake policy before exam day.

CompTIA’s retake policy should be read directly before booking a second attempt. Policies can include waiting-period rules and require a new voucher or valid retake option. Candidates who fail should resist the urge to rebook immediately unless the score report shows only narrow gaps and preparation can be corrected quickly. A better response is to review the reported weak areas, map them to objectives, and schedule focused repair before paying for another attempt.

Common Preparation Traps

The most common Security+ study problem is shallow familiarity. Candidates may recognise acronyms such as EDR, SAML, XSS, RTO, DLP, or CASB but struggle to apply them in a scenario. The exam is more likely to reward understanding relationships: what problem a control solves, where it fits in an architecture, and what trade-off it introduces.

Another trap is ignoring logs and operational evidence. Security+ is not a dedicated SOC analyst exam, but SY0-701 expects candidates to understand security operations well enough to interpret symptoms, alerts, and response steps. Reading sample logs, reviewing authentication failures, and learning how incidents move from detection to containment to recovery can make scenario questions much less abstract.

A third mistake is relying only on multiple-choice practice. Multiple-choice questions are useful for recall and timing, but PBQs require a different kind of readiness. Candidates should combine reading, notes, flashcards, lab practice, and scenario drills. In many cases, the candidate who has touched a firewall rule, inspected a packet capture, or followed an incident response workflow will answer more calmly than one who has only memorised definitions.

After Passing: Renewal and the Next 12–18 Months

Security+ is not a one-time learning event. CompTIA certifications must be renewed according to CompTIA’s continuing education rules, and Security+ is normally maintained through CEUs or qualifying higher-level certifications. Candidates should confirm the current CEU requirement, eligible activities, fees, and submission rules on CompTIA’s renewal pages rather than relying on outdated summaries.

Common renewal activities can include relevant training, webinars, work experience, additional certifications, and other approved professional development. Higher-level CompTIA certifications may also renew Security+ when they meet CompTIA’s renewal rules. Defensive candidates often look toward CySA+ because it builds toward analyst and SOC skills; offensive-minded candidates may consider PenTest+; architecture, governance, and senior security paths may later point toward CASP+ or CISSP, depending on role goals and experience requirements.

The strongest 12–18 month plan combines certification progression with workplace evidence. A new Security+ holder targeting a SOC role should practise alert triage, log review, incident notes, and basic detection logic rather than immediately collecting unrelated credentials. Someone moving toward security administration should build competence in identity controls, endpoint hardening, vulnerability management, and change documentation. Candidates planning a defensive route can explore CompTIA CySA+ training, while those considering senior architecture or governance can review the CompTIA Advanced Security Practitioner path when their experience supports it.

FAQ

Is there a CompTIA Security+ 2025 exam?
There is not a separate exam called the 2025 version. Candidates preparing in 2025 should check CompTIA’s official page and confirm that SY0-701 is the active Security+ exam before booking.

How many questions are on Security+ SY0-701?
The exam has up to 90 questions and lasts 90 minutes. Questions may include multiple-choice and performance-based formats.

What score is needed to pass Security+?
Security+ uses a scaled score from 100 to 900. A score of 750 is required to pass.

Can Security+ be taken online?
Yes, where available, candidates can take the exam through online proctoring via Pearson VUE. A test-centre option is also available, and candidates should choose based on their technical setup, room conditions, travel needs, and comfort with proctoring rules.

How long should Security+ preparation take?
Many candidates with IT experience can prepare in six to eight weeks with consistent study, practice questions, PBQ drills, and lab work. Candidates without networking or operating-system foundations may need more time.

Does CySA+ renew Security+?
Higher-level CompTIA certifications can renew Security+ when they meet CompTIA’s continuing education rules. Candidates should check CompTIA’s current renewal guidance before relying on any specific renewal route.

Building a Security+ Plan That Holds Up

Passing Security+ in 2025 is less about finding a special version of the exam and more about preparing correctly for SY0-701. The strongest candidates verify the current exam, study from the objectives, practise PBQs, build small labs, and use missed questions as evidence of specific gaps rather than as a reason to panic.

A practical next step is to choose a date range, audit the objectives, and build a weekly plan that includes reading, labs, timed practice, and review. Candidates who want instructor-led structure can consider Readynez as one option, but the core requirement remains the same in any format: preparation should turn security terminology into decisions a practitioner can make under time pressure.