Security+ is the certification most people earn when they move from general IT into security work. Hiring managers use it as a baseline, and the U.S. Department of Defense uses it to qualify people for a long list of cyber and IT roles. Before you study a single control or attack, it helps to know exactly what the exam asks of you.
This lesson covers the CompTIA Security+ SY0-801 exam itself: who it is for, when it replaces the previous version, how it is scored, how the five domains are weighted, and how this course maps onto them. Everything after this lesson teaches the objectives; this one teaches the test.
Security+ certifies the work of a junior security administrator
CompTIA positions Security+ as proof that you can handle core security tasks: assessing an environment, recommending and applying controls, monitoring and responding to incidents, and working within laws, policies and risk processes. The recommended background for SY0-801 is about two years of hands-on experience as a security administrator. That is a recommendation, not a requirement. There is no prerequisite certification, and many candidates pass with less experience, often after A+ or Network+.
The job titles CompTIA associates with the certification include security analyst, security engineer and systems administrator. In practice you'll also see it requested for help desk roles that touch security, SOC analyst positions and network administrator jobs.
Security+ also matters for government work. CompTIA maps it to many work roles under the DoD 8140 framework, which replaced the older 8570 directive. If you work for the U.S. military or a defense contractor, your role's qualification requirements may name Security+ directly. Check your specific work role, because requirements differ by role and proficiency level.
SY0-801 replaces SY0-701 on November 17, 2026
CompTIA revises Security+ roughly every three years. The current version, SY0-801 (also called V8), launches on November 17, 2026. The previous version, SY0-701, stays available in English until June 11, 2027, and in Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish and Thai until August 13, 2027. SY0-801 launches in English only.
During the overlap you can choose either version. Both lead to the same certification. This course teaches SY0-801, and here is why that matters even if your exam date is close:
- SY0-801 adds an objective on threats from artificial intelligence and a separate objective on threat intelligence and vulnerability scoring.
- Several SY0-701 topics are no longer listed, including blockchain, SD-WAN and SASE, and the detailed wireless configuration items.
- Nine of the 27 objectives are "given a scenario" objectives, up from seven, so more of the exam asks you to apply a concept rather than recall it.
If you are already deep into SY0-701 material and testing before June 2027, much of this course still applies, since most topics carry over. If you are starting now, study SY0-801.