CompTIA Security+ SYO-701 - Preparation and certification
As one of the leading IT certification providers, CompTIA offers intermediate certificates for anyone interested and starting in IT. Some of the most recognized CompTIA certificates include:
- Security+
- Network+
- A+
- Linux+
- CySA+
- Cloud+
- Server+
More certificates can be found on the official website.
CompTIA updates certificates every three year so make sure you study from the latest sources (courses, books, videos) that cover the current version released. At the moment of writing this article, the current Security+ version released in November 2023 is SY0–701.
The exam consists of a maximum of 90 questions, multiple-choice and performance-based (PBQs) with a duration of 90 minutes. PBQs, being the most complex part of the exam, test a candidate’s ability to solve problems with real-world examples and can be delivered as simulations or within virtual environment.
Prerequisites
Experience
There are no mandatory requirements for the Security+ certificate and many have taken it at the beginning of their careers without any prior IT knowledge. While being very extensive and not cost-free that is not the general recommendation. Having some (at least 2 years) experience in IT administration is a plus as practical knowledge helps put theoretical explanations and examples into perspective.
Network+
Network+ knowledge is vital for earning the Security+ certification as understanding networking is fundamental for cybersecurity principles. There is no formal requirement to have Net+ before the Sec+ but it is important to keep in mind that Security+ is building on network fundamentals:
- OSI and TCP/IP model,
- IP addressing,
- ports and protocols,
- networking devices,
- wireless technologies and
- network services (DNS, DHCP, NTP).
Objectives
Domains or exam objectives measured by Security+ SY0–701 with the percentages of examination are as follows:
- General security concepts — 12%
- Threats, vulnerabilities and mitigations — 22%
- Security architecture — 18%
- Security operations — 28%
- Security program management and oversight — 20%
Each domain consists of important security aspects within its spectrum which need to be compared and contrasted, explained or analyzed, depending on the concept.
The full list of terms covered in the above domains can be found on the official website.
Pay attention to:
- Well-known ports and protocols,
- Windows logs (System, Application, Security),
- Linux directories,
- Linux filesystem and
- IP addressing scheme.
Preparation
Being an extensive exam it is crucial to prepare well and know what to expect once the exam clock starts. Diverse materials, good time management and rounding-up up the study session with tests that simulate the real exam are crucial.
Multiple sources — broaden your sessions with more perspectives, examples, and facts. The best approach is combining a book and an online course or video.
My go-to sources for preparing for the exam:
- CompTIA Security+ SY0–701 Certification Study Guide — book
- Udemy course led by Jason Dion
- Professor Messer videos
Study timeline — it is not in vain that most of the best practices recommend scheduling a date for your exam before diving into the objectives (it can be rescheduled 24h before the scheduled date). The exam covers a vast quantity of security terms and practices so give yourself no more than 6 months of learning otherwise, there is a risk of forgetting important concepts.
Practice tests and PBQs — the last part should be taking as many practice tests as possible and simulating the real exam by measuring the time and looking up the answers only at the end of the test. Getting 85% or more is an excellent indicator of your readiness. Performance-based questions (PBQs) test the candidate’s skill and ability to round up the Security+ knowledge with real-world scenarios. You are presented with a situation involving setting up a network diagram, finding malicious artifacts and behaviors from application or system logs, recognizing malicious behaviors and more.
When is someone ready to take the exam?
Considering the size of the objectives that cover everything from CIA triad up to managing business in risk and threat-related situations it is important not to over-study as it can only prolong your learning time and you may end up in a mix-up of terms and concepts being beyond the scope of the exam.
A good indicator of the preparedness is:
- knowing to explain all the points in the objectives list with examples and
- getting 85% and more on several last practice tests.
In conclusion…
CompTIA Security+ exam is an invaluable source of cybersecurity knowledge and requires time and dedication to pass it.
When planning the concept of your studies for Sec+ be sure to use multiple sources (books and courses), reserve time for learning, and take practice tests to measure how ready you are for the actual exam. There are a lot of available courses, video and notes available on the Internet which can help you achieve your first of many certificates.
Good luck!