As the foundational IT certification in the CompTIA Cybersecurity Career Pathway, CompTIA Security+ serves as a springboard for cybersecurity careers, ensuring security professionals are better prepared to solve a wide variety of issues when securing and defending networks in today's complicated business computing landscape.
Below, we’ve answered some of the questions you may have about CompTIA Security+ and how you can add this powerful certification to your resume.
Why should I get CompTIA Security+?
- Attract the attention of employers with an endorsement of your skills that is respected globally and industry-wide.
- Position yourself as a top candidate for entry-level cybersecurity positions.
- Confirm to yourself that you've mastered the latest skills and concepts that act as the foundation of a career in cybersecurity.
What sort of questions should I expect on CompTIA Security+?
- It includes a mix of multiple-choice and performance-based questions, which require you to apply knowledge in simulations of the type of situations you would find yourself in on the job.
- It's the only entry-level cybersecurity certification that includes this type of hands-on evaluation, and those who earn it demonstrate that they have more than just an academic understanding of what's needed for the job.
- Test-takers report that performance-based questions take up about one-third of their total time on the exam.
Download the exam objectives and practice questions to learn more.
How does CompTIA Security+ relate to today’s cybersecurity practices?
Entry-level security technicians need a better picture of the full network than was necessary even five years ago to identify abnormal behavior and understand how network architecture can mitigate damage from cyberattacks.
CompTIA Security+ reflects this increase in the baseline skills needed for entry-level cybersecurity jobs.
How does CompTIA Security+ compare to more advanced certifications?
CompTIA Security+ covers the baseline skills needed to perform core security functions:
- Risk management
- Risk mitigation
- Configuring resilient networks
- Using security frameworks
The exam covers threats, attacks and vulnerabilities before addressing tools and risk management techniques. It emphasizes application over analytics.
Do I really need to know these concepts to keep networks safe?
Yes! Being able to do hands-on audits of network security and penetration testing to reveal holes in security is critical to hardening networks and maintaining appropriate security for business of all sizes, and it's highly sought after by employers.
Understanding these concepts will help you in your job search and in your mastery of the profession as you continue onward and upward.
What sort of jobs will CompTIA Security+ prepare me for?
CompTIA Security+ verifies the skills necessary for many in-demand IT positions:
- Network administrator
- Systems administrator
- Security administrator
- Junior IT auditor
- Penetration tester
How can I prepare for the exam?
CompTIA offers a number of exam prep tools to fit your learning style and schedule, many of which may be used in combination for each other as you study for your certification exam.
- CompTIA CertMaster Practice for Security+: Knowledge assessment and eLearning tool to help you prepare for your exam.
- The Official CompTIA Security+ Study Guide: Print and eBook study guides covering the essential principles of network security and risk management.
CompTIA also partners with a number of organizations that offer instructor-led training through the CompTIA Authorized Partner Program. Explore these tools and find a way to study that works for you.
Get CompTIA Security+ and launch your cybersecurity career.
