The CompTIA Security+ exam contains up to 90 questions to be completed in 90 minutes, with a passing score of 750 out of 900 (approximately 83%). This makes Security+ the most demanding exam in CompTIA's core certification trio — requiring a higher passing score than both A+ (675-700) and Network+ (720). Security+ is the world's most widely held cybersecurity certification, with over 700,000 professionals certified globally.
As the baseline certification for cybersecurity careers, Security+ is DoD 8570/8140 approved for IAT Level II positions, making it mandatory for many government cybersecurity roles. Security+ holders earn an average of $75,000-$95,000 in their first cybersecurity role, with experienced professionals reaching $110,000+ within 3-5 years.
| Domain | % of Exam | ~Questions | Key Topics |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Security Concepts | 12% | ~11 | Security controls, CIA triad, zero trust, AAA, gap analysis |
| Threats, Vulnerabilities, and Mitigations | 22% | ~20 | Threat actors, attack vectors, malware, social engineering |
| Security Architecture | 18% | ~16 | Network architecture, cloud security, resilience, data protection |
| Security Operations | 28% | ~25 | Monitoring, incident response, automation, digital forensics |
| Security Program Management | 20% | ~18 | Governance, risk management, compliance, audits, awareness |
| Feature | Previous Version (Retired) | Current Version |
|---|---|---|
| Domains | 5 | 4 (restructured) |
| New Topics | — | Zero trust, automation, threat intelligence, SOAR |
| Emphasis Shift | Implementation-focused | Operations and governance-focused |
Single-answer and multiple-select questions. No partial credit for multi-select — you must get all selections correct.
Typically 3-5 PBQs at the beginning:
You can only miss approximately 15 questions out of 90:
| Cert | Questions | Time | Score | Cost | Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Security+ | Up to 90 | 90 min | 750/900 | $392 | Entry |
| CySA+ | Up to 85 | 165 min | 750/900 | $392 | Intermediate |
| CASP+ | Up to 90 | 165 min | Pass/Fail | $494 | Advanced |
| CISSP | 125-175 | 240 min | 700/1000 | $749 | Advanced |
| CEH | 125 | 240 min | 60-85% | $1,199 | Intermediate |
| ISC2 CC | 100 | 120 min | 700/1000 | $199 | Entry |
Know: never trust/always verify, least privilege, microsegmentation, continuous authentication, assume breach mentality. Understand application to network design, cloud, and identity management.
Symmetric vs. asymmetric encryption, hashing (SHA-256, MD5), digital signatures, PKI lifecycle, TLS/SSL handshake, key exchange (Diffie-Hellman, ECDHE).
Preparation → identification → containment → eradication → recovery → lessons learned. SIEM configuration, threat hunting, SOAR automation, vulnerability management lifecycle.
Up to 90 questions in 90 minutes including MC, multi-select, and PBQs.
750/900 (~83%). Highest in CompTIA's core trio.
Typically 3-5 covering firewall config, log analysis, PKI, and IR scenarios.
Yes. Higher passing score (750 vs 720) and more abstract concepts.
Yes. Approved for DoD 8570/8140 IAT Level II positions.
6-10 weeks with Network+ experience. 10-14 weeks for beginners.
$392 USD. Bundles available.
The current Security+ exam features 4 domains with emphasis on operations and zero trust.
Test your cybersecurity knowledge with adaptive practice questions covering all Security+ domains.
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