CompTIA · SY0-701
CompTIA Security+ practice exams
The entry-level cybersecurity certification employers ask for by name — and the roadmap's first step outside cloud.
Or read 15 sample questions with answers.
Try a real SY0-701 question
An organization runs a recurring security awareness training program that teaches staff to recognize phishing and report suspicious activity. Which control category and control type best describe this program?
About the SY0-701 exam
CompTIA Security+ (SY0-701) is a vendor-neutral certification that validates the baseline knowledge expected of a working security practitioner: core security concepts, the current threat landscape, secure architecture, day-to-day security operations, and how a security program is governed.
It is broad rather than deep. The questions are a mix of multiple choice and performance-based items, and they reward knowing why a control exists and when to use it — not memorising tools.
The real exam
Public information published by CompTIA. A CertRidge practice exam matches this format — it is not a copy of the exam's contents.
- Format
- Up to 90 questions (multiple choice and performance-based) in 90 minutes. Delivered at a Pearson VUE test centre or online with a proctor.
- Cost
- Approximately 400 USD for a single exam voucher, before regional pricing and taxes.
- Scoring
- Scored on a 100–900 scale; 750 is the passing mark. CompTIA does not publish the exact question-to-scale conversion.
- Validity
- Valid for 3 years; renewed through CompTIA's continuing-education programme or by passing a higher-level exam.
Practice by exam domain
CertRidge practice exams draw questions in these same proportions, from a bank of 598 SY0-701 questions. Open a domain for what it covers and free questions with answers.
Who it's for
- People moving into a first security role — SOC analyst, junior security engineer, IT staff picking up security responsibilities
- Sysadmins and help-desk staff who need a recognised credential to move across into the security team
- Anyone whose employer or a contract (including many public-sector roles) requires a baseline security certification
How to prepare
- Weight your time by the objectives: Security Operations is 28% of the exam and Threats, Vulnerabilities, and Mitigations is 22% — half the exam between them.
- Be able to classify any control two ways: by type (technical, managerial, operational, physical) and by function (preventive, detective, corrective, deterrent, compensating).
- Know the attack vocabulary cold — phishing variants, on-path, injection, privilege escalation, the password-attack family — and one solid mitigation for each.
- Practise the performance-based style: given a scenario, pick the right control or the right first response. Use the free diagnostic to find your weakest domain first.
See the free SY0-701 cheat sheet for a one-page domain summary, the SY0-701 study guide for how to plan your preparation, and the content policy for how these questions are written.
Free SY0-701 practice resources
- 15 free SY0-701 practice questionsSpread across every domain, each with the answer and an explanation for every option.
- Free 10-question diagnosticA quick, scored check of where you stand, with no account needed.
- SY0-701 cheat sheetThe domains and the facts that come up most, on one page.
- SY0-701 study guideHow to plan your preparation, week by week.
Common questions about SY0-701
- Security+ Passing Score: 750 on a 100–900 Scale, ExplainedWhat the SY0-701 passing score means, how performance-based questions count, and CompTIA's retake rules.
- Is Security+ Hard? What Makes SY0-701 TrickyWho finds Security+ hard, the domains and question types that catch people out, and how long preparation usually takes.
- CompTIA Security+ vs. CISSP — Which Do You Need?Different exams for different career stages. What separates them, and how to tell which one you actually need right now.
SY0-701 questions, answered
- How much does the SY0-701 exam cost?
- Approximately 400 USD for a single exam voucher, before regional pricing and taxes.
- What is the SY0-701 passing score?
- Scored on a 100–900 scale; 750 is the passing mark. CompTIA does not publish the exact question-to-scale conversion.
- How many questions are on the SY0-701 exam?
- Up to 90 questions (multiple choice and performance-based) in 90 minutes. Delivered at a Pearson VUE test centre or online with a proctor.
- How long is the SY0-701 certification valid?
- Valid for 3 years; renewed through CompTIA's continuing-education programme or by passing a higher-level exam.
- Are there prerequisites for CompTIA Security+?
- There are no formal prerequisites. CompTIA recommends Network+ and about two years of IT administration experience with a security focus, but they are not required to sit the exam.
- Security+ vs CISSP: which should I take?
- Security+ is an entry-level certification for hands-on security roles and has no experience requirement. CISSP is an advanced certification for experienced security professionals and requires five years of relevant work experience. Most people take Security+ first.
- Where can I practise SY0-701 questions for free?
- CertRidge has a free 10-question SY0-701 diagnostic with every answer explained, no account needed, and 15 free sample questions with answers at certridge.com/certifications/comptia-security-plus/practice-questions. All questions are original, written to the published exam objectives.