CompTIA Retires Security+ Exam SY0-601: Here's What You Need to Know

There aren't many cybersecurity certifications with a reputation like CompTIA's Security+. Well-respected, thoroughly challenging, and vendor-agnostic, Security+ has represented a cybersecurity professional's advanced skills and experience since 2002.

Over the years, CompTIA has kept Security+ relevant by retiring old versions and releasing new tests incorporating technological advancements and best practices reflecting modern professionalism.

The current version of the CompTIA Security+ exam, SY0-601, retires on July 31, 2024. SY0-601 was originally released in late 2020, which means the new Security+ exam, SY0-701, will have over three years' worth of new technology and tools to add while maintaining the same level of proficiency with legacy systems and skills.

This is good news for cybersecurity professionals at the start of their careers, but what about the people who've been preparing for the SY0-601?

Read on to learn about what's on the new Security+ exam and whether you should hurry to take the soon-to-be-retired version, or wait for the new one.

What’s Different Between the SY0-601 vs SY0-701 Exams?

CompTIA's policy updates the Security+ every three years to industry changes. According to CompTIA's Patrick Lane, there are six cybersecurity trends impacting cybersecurity careers and CompTIA cybersecurity certifications overall. These aren't precisely what to expect on the new Security+ exam SY0-701, but they are the overall trends most affecting the industry:

• Security in cloud computing

• More cybersecurity threats, attacks, and vulnerabilities

• Software security

• Proactive cybersecurity defense and threat intelligence

• Cybersecurity governance, regulatory and compliance

• More incident response

By those trends, the differences between the exam objectives of SY0-601 and SY0-701 are significant. CompTIA has put a greater emphasis on risk management and risk mitigation. They've put a new emphasis on cloud security and hybrid environments. And they determined that baseline skills for early career cybersecurity professionals have increased.

The SY0-601 exam objectives were:

1. Attacks, Threats and Vulnerabilities (24%)

2. Architecture and Design (21%)

3. Implementation (25%)

4. Operations and Incident Response (16%)

5. Governance, Risk and Compliance (14%)

The SY0-701 exam objectives will be:

1. General Security Concepts (12%)

2. Threats, Vulnerabilities and Mitigations (22%)

3. Security Architecture (18%)

4. Security Operations (28%)

5. Security Program Management and Oversight (20%)

In addition to the new sections and different amounts of material covered in each section, CompTIA updated 20% of the exam objectives to include current trends and hybrid environments.

The current trends include skills related to threats, attacks, vulnerabilities, automation, zero trust, risk, IoT, and cloud environments. Hybrid environment knowledge focuses on familiarity with techniques for securing environments that are located in the cloud and on-premises.

When Does CompTIA SY0-601 Retire?

SY0-601, the current certification exam for Security+, retires on July 31, 2024. Will that be enough time to take the old version of the Security+ exam, or should you start working on the new version? It all depends on your experience and the amount of time you need to study.

Most people who’ve taken the Security+ say they needed at least 2 months to prepare for the previous exam versions. On average, most respondents say they took under 2 months to prepare for the SY0-601 exam—but that’s actually quite fast.

It can take much longer depending on the number of hours you study each week, your experience level, and the quality of the materials you’re using to prepare.

SY0-601 and SY0-701 are similar, but they're far from identical. The best chance of success is to study only for the version of the exam you plan to take. Don't start an SY0-601 course if you can't finish it before July 31, 2024.

For experienced cybersecurity professionals and quick learners, that could be as late as May 2024. But brand new cybersecurity professionals should consider getting started with a SY0-701 course rather than risk missing your SY0-601 window.

What’s On the New Security+ SY0-701 Exam?

The SY0-701 Security+ exam emphasizes professional skills in securing enterprise networks, from technical to more abstract. From new security specialists to experienced administrators, the SY0-701 proves that a cybersecurity pro:

• Knows how to assess an enterprise security posture, recommend security solutions, and implement them.

• Can monitor and secure hybrid environments (i.e., cloud, mobile, Internet of Things (IoT), operational technology (OT), etc.)

• Familiar with applicable regulations and policies related to governance, risk, and compliance.

• Quickly identifies, analyzes, and responds to security events and incidents.

The new version of the Security+ exam, SY0-701, is particularly well-suited for security specialists, security administrators, and general systems administrators thanks to its updated objectives and modernized topics.

According to CyberSeek, 13% of all cybersecurity job openings listed CompTIA Security+ as a requirement. And earning it within a year of its updated exam's release will represent even more familiarity with cutting-edge knowledge and skills than those who earned it before the update.

What Prerequisites are Required for the Security+ Certification?

The prerequisites for SY0-701 are the same as those for SY0-601: none. Officially, CompTIA doesn't list any mandatory prerequisites for either version of the Security+ exam, so you can attempt the exam at any time.

However, both SY0-601 and SY0-701 rely on deep familiarity with networking skills and technologies, so CompTIA strongly recommends earning the Network+ before attempting the Security+.

The only notable change to the experience CompTIA recommends before attempting the SY0-701 is that they now recommend two years of experience working in a security/systems administrator role.

CompTIA's recommendation for the SY0-601 had been two years of experience in IT administration. This subtle change points to the shift toward specialization that CompTIA mentioned and the increase in baseline skills that early career cybersecurity professionals need to have.

If you need to shore up your IT experience before trying either SY0-601 or SY0-701, consider these CBT Nuggets courses:

• Security+ online training - a full course that covers all test objectives for the SY0-601 version of the Security+ exam. (A new, updated course is on its way for SY0-701.)

• Cloud Essentials+ online training - learn the basics of cloud and hybrid networks, subjects with increased focus on SY0-701.

• Network+ certification training - the recommended prerequisite for attempting Security+ is their networking certification, which this course prepares you for in its entirety.

• Certified CyberOps Associate online training - a tutorial course that covers the fundamentals of cryptography and cybersecurity principles.

Preparing for the SY0-701

With an increased focus on baseline skills for early career cybersecurity professionals, passing the SY0-701 will be a larger challenge for new and aspiring IT professionals than its predecessor. Much more familiarity with networking fundamentals and cloud and hybrid enterprise environments will be needed compared to the SY0-601. Here are the areas that make SY0-701 unique:

• Monitoring and securing hybrid environments

• Technical and administrative skills related to risk management and risk mitigation

• Identifying current, novel, and modern security threats to enterprise environments

• Understanding governance, risk, and compliance documentation and regulation

Key Takeaways

Now that you know everything there is to know about CompTIA's new Security+ exam, consider whether you should hurry up and finish SY0-601 or change gears and begin focusing on SY0-701. Good luck, and keep these main takeaways in mind:

• The last date to take the Security+ exam version SY0-601 is July 31, 2024

• The new Security+ exam SY0-701 is already available to take

• The majority of learners needed less than 2 months to prepare for the SY0-601

• SY0-701 places a much greater emphasis on current trends and hybrid environments than SY0-601

• There are no mandatory prerequisites to earn the SY0-701, but two years of professional experience and the Network+ are strongly recommended.

• According to CompTIA, 24% of all cybersecurity professionals in the U.S. have a Security+.

Ready to learn more about cybersecurity? Continue your IT certification training with CBT Nuggets courses like Intro to Cybersecurity, Introduction to Digital Forensics, or learn the 5 Issues Driving Cybersecurity Today.