CompTIA Security+ (SY0-701)
Security+ is the most widely held entry-level security certification. It is vendor-neutral and covers core security concepts, threats and mitigations, architecture, operations, and program management. Employers list it as a baseline requirement for security analyst, systems administrator and SOC roles, and it satisfies common compliance baselines for security work.
- Up to 90
- Questions
- 90 min
- Duration
- 750 on a 100 to 900 scale
- Passing score
- About US$400
- Exam cost
multiple-choice and performance-based
Confirm current local pricing on comptia.org
Exam facts reviewed July 2026 · Independent study resource, not affiliated with CompTIA
Who should take it
IT professionals moving into security, systems and network administrators formalising security knowledge, and career changers targeting SOC or security-analyst roles. CompTIA recommends Network+ level knowledge and around two years in a security or systems administrator role. Nothing is enforced, though, so there are no hard prerequisites.
Skills measured
Domains and weightings as published by CompTIA. Full objectives →
- 12%General Security Concepts
- 22%Threats, Vulnerabilities, and Mitigations
- 18%Security Architecture
- 28%Security Operations
- 20%Security Program Management and Oversight
Prepare with Kwizza
- Free practice exam: full-length, weighted to the official blueprint, every answer explained
- Study guide: focus areas for each domain, common mistakes, and exam-day tips
- Exam objectives: the official domains, broken down skill by skill
- Sample questions: real questions from our bank, with answers and explanations
- How our exams are made: the quality checks behind every question
Frequently asked questions
- How hard is the Security+ exam?
- It is solidly intermediate, and broad rather than deep. Most failures come from underestimating the breadth: five domains that run from technical operations to governance. The performance-based questions at the start of the exam also catch people out. Candidates with hands-on IT experience typically prepare in 4 to 8 weeks.
- How many questions does SY0-701 have, and how long is it?
- Up to 90 questions in 90 minutes, mixing multiple-choice with performance-based items. The passing score is 750 on CompTIA's 100 to 900 scale. That scale is not a percentage, so do not read 750 as a percentage of questions answered correctly.
- Do I need other certifications first?
- No. There are no enforced prerequisites. CompTIA recommends Network+ level knowledge and about two years of security or systems administration experience, but motivated beginners pass with focused study.
- How long should I study for Security+?
- With an IT background, 4 to 8 weeks of consistent practice is typical. Without one, plan 2 to 3 months. Judge readiness by practice-exam performance: score comfortably above the pass mark on full-length, blueprint-weighted sets, several times in a row.
- Is Security+ worth it in 2026?
- It is still the security certification job listings ask for most often. It satisfies common compliance requirements for security roles, and it is the standard first step before deeper certifications like CySA+ or CISSP.
- Are Kwizza's practice questions real exam questions?
- No, and that is deliberate. Every question is original, written against the exam's officially published objectives and checked for duplicates, broken citations and item-writing flaws. Using real exam content violates CompTIA's NDA and teaches you less. Our questions test the same skills at the same difficulty with fresh scenarios.
Related certifications
- CompTIA CySA+ (CS0-004): The standard next step after Security+, at analyst-level detection and response
- Cisco CCNA (200-301): Covers the networking foundation Security+ assumes you already have