Duration
Questions
Cost
Everything you need to know about this certification exam
Exam Code:
SY0-701
Duration:
90 minutes
Questions:
Maximum of 90 questions
Format:
Multiple choice and performance-based
Passing Score:
750/900
Cost:
$370 USD
Validity:
3 years (50 CEUs required for renewal)
Languages:
English, Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish, German, French, Indonesian, Arabic, Russian, Italian
No formal prerequisites required
Recommended: 2+ years IT administration experience
Basic understanding of networking concepts
Familiarity with operating systems
Knowledge of basic security concepts
CompTIA Network+ certification helpful but not required
Breakdown of exam topics and their relative importance
Security controls
CIA triad and security principles
Change management
Security awareness and training
Threat actors and attack vectors
Malware and social engineering
Vulnerability management
Mitigation techniques
Security design and architecture
Zero trust and secure network design
Cloud security
Embedded systems security
Security tools and technologies
Incident response
Digital forensics
Automation and orchestration
Governance and compliance
Risk management
Privacy and data protection
Third-party risk management
Essential knowledge areas you need to focus on
N
Firewalls and IDS/IPS
VPNs and secure protocols
Network segmentation
Wireless security (WPA3, WPS)
Load balancers and proxies
C
Symmetric vs asymmetric encryption
Hashing algorithms (SHA, MD5)
Digital signatures and certificates
PKI and certificate management
Key management practices
I
Authentication methods (MFA, SSO)
Authorization models (RBAC, ABAC)
Identity federation
Privileged access management
Account management lifecycle
T
Malware types and analysis
Social engineering attacks
Vulnerability scanning
Penetration testing
Threat intelligence
I
Incident response procedures
Digital forensics basics
Evidence collection and preservation
Recovery and lessons learned
Business continuity planning
C
Risk assessment methodologies
Compliance frameworks (NIST, ISO)
Privacy regulations (GDPR, CCPA)
Security policies and procedures
Audit and assessment
Proven strategies to help you pass on your first attempt
Focus on hands-on practice with security tools
Understand concepts, not just memorize facts
Practice with performance-based questions
Study real-world security scenarios
Use multiple study resources
Join Security+ study groups
Take practice exams regularly
Complete PBQs first or save for last
Read questions carefully and completely
Eliminate obviously wrong answers
Look for keywords in questions
Manage your time effectively (1 minute per question)
Don't second-guess yourself
Stay calm and confident