It is always possible that with the right set of resources and proper study patterns, one can crack any exam. But, the exam related to security is much more challenging than other exams so you need to very careful in your preparation. The CompTIA Security+ (SY0-501) exam is an extremely competitive exam that brings credibility to your profile and therefore it is quintessential to study with a proper learning path and expert guidance.As a certified professional, you’ll gain the knowledge and skills needed for tasks like setting up and protecting systems for applications, networks, and devices. You’ll also work while following the rules and laws that apply. Companies always want experts with the right skills to keep their organization safe, and they don’t compromise on security.
CompTIA Security+ (SY0-501) English language exam is retiring on July 31, 2021. A new exam Security+ (SY0-601) is now available.
So, to get a job, you need to be an expert in the field. This exam will help you become a top choice for employers. Let’s begin by learning all about the exam so you don’t miss any important details. Then, we’ll dive into the study guide to help you reach your goal.
What is CompTIA Security+ (SY0-501) Certification Exam?
The CompTIA Security+ (SY0-501) certification exam checks if you have the knowledge and abilities to evaluate a company’s security, suggest the right security solutions, secure different types of environments (like cloud, mobile, and IoT), and follow laws and rules about security. It also tests your skills in spotting and handling security problems. Now that you understand what the exam is about, let’s dive into more details about it.
Exam overview
CompTIA gives all the important details for the SY0-501 exam. The exam has a maximum of 90 questions, including multiple-choice and performance-based questions. You’ll have 90 minutes to finish it. To pass, you need a score of at least 750 out of 900. The exam is available in English, Japanese, Portuguese, and Simplified Chinese. It costs $370, and it’s usually retired after three years from its launch.
| Exam name | CompTIA Security+ |
| Exam price | $370 USD |
| Exam code | SY0-501 |
| Exam duration | 90 minutes |
| No. of questions | 90 |
| Passing score | 750/900 |
| Scheduling platform | Pearson VUE |
| Recommended Experience | CompTIA Network+ and two years of experience in IT administration with a security focus |
We are now fully equipped with all the basic details of the exam. let us know move to detailed course outline.
CompTIA Security+ (SY0-501) Exam Course Outline
The exam has the following major basis on which you will be evaluated upon –
Topic 1: Threats, Attacks and Vulnerabilities
1.1 Firstly, Given a scenario for analyzing indicators of compromise and determining the type of malware.
- Viruses
- Crypto-malware
- Also, Ransomware
- Worm
- Trojan
- Rootkit
- Also,Keylogger
- Adware
1.2 Secondly, Comparing and contrasting types of attacks.
- Social engineering
- Application/service attacks
- Also,Wireless attacks
- Cryptographic attacks
1.3 Thirdly, Explaining the threat actor types and attributes.
- Types of actors
- Attributes of actors
- Also,Use of open-source intelligence
1.4 Also, Describing penetration testing concepts.
- Active reconnaissance
- Passive reconnaissance
- Pivot
- Also,Initial exploitation
- Persistence
- Escalation of privilege
- Also,Black box
- White box
- Gray box
1.5 Subsequently, Explaining vulnerability scanning concepts.
- Passively test security controls
- Identify vulnerability
- Also,Identifying lack of security controls and common misconfigurations
- Intrusive vs. non-intrusive
- Credentialed vs. non-credentialed
- Also,False positive
1.6 Furthermore, Defining the impact associated with types of vulnerabilities.
- Race conditions
- Also,Improper input handling and error handling
- Misconfiguration/weak configuration
- Default configuration
- Resource exhaustion
- Also,Untrained users
- Improperly configured accounts
- Vulnerable business processes
- Also, Weak cipher suites and implementations
- Memory/buffer vulnerability
- Also,System sprawl/undocumented assets
- Architecture/design weaknesses
- New threats/zero day
- Also,Improper certificate and key management
Topic 2: Technologies and Tools
2.1 Firstly, Installing and configuring network components with both hardware and software-based to support organizational security.
- Firewall
- VPN concentrator
- NIPS/NIDS
- Also,Router
- Switch
- Proxy
- Also,Load balancer
- Access point
- SIEM
- DLP
- Also,NAC
- Mail gateway
- Bridge
- SSL/TLS accelerators
- Also,SSL decryptors
- Media gateway
- Hardware security module
2.2 Secondly, A scenario for using appropriate software tools to assess the security posture of an organization.
- Protocol analyzer
- Network scanners
- Also,Wireless scanners/cracker
- Password cracker
- Vulnerability scanner
- Configuration compliance scanner
- Also,Exploitation frameworks
- Data sanitization tools
- Steganography tools
- Also,Honeypot
- Backup utilities
- Banner grabbing
- Also, Passive vs. active
- Command line tools
2.3 Also, Given a scenario for troubleshooting common security issues.
- Unencrypted credentials/clear text
- Logs and events anomalies
- Permission issues
- Access violations
- Also,Certificate issues
- Data exfiltration
- Misconfigured devices
- Weak security configurations
- Personnel issues
- Unauthorized software
- Also,Baseline deviation
- License compliance violation
- Asset management
- Authentication issues
2.4 Furthermore, With a scenario to analyze and interpret the output from security technologies
- HIDS/HIPS
- Antivirus
- File integrity check
- Host-based firewall
- Application whitelisting
- Removable media control
- Also,Advanced malware tools
- Patch management tools
- UTM
- Also,DLP
- Data execution prevention
- Web application firewall
2.5 Also, Scenario for deploying mobile devices securely.
- Connection methods
- Mobile device management concepts
- Also,Enforcement and monitoring for:
- Deployment models
2.6 Furthermore, Given a scenario for implementing secure protocols.
- Protocols
- Use cases
Topic 3: Architecture and Design
3.1 Firstly, Explaining use cases and purpose for frameworks including best practices and secure configuration guides.
- Industry-standard frameworks and reference architectures
- Also,Benchmarks/secure configuration guides
- Defense-in-depth/layered security
3.2 Secondly, Given a scenario for implementing secure network architecture concepts.
- Zones/topologies
- Segregation/segmentation/isolation
- Also,Tunneling/VPN
- Security device/technology placement
- Also,SDN
3.3 Also, A scenario to implement secure systems design.
- Hardware/firmware security
- Operating systems
- Also,Peripherals
3.4 Furthermore, Explaining the importance of secure staging deployment concepts.
- Sandboxing
- Environment
- Also,Secure baseline
- Integrity measurement
3.5 Also, Describing the security implications of embedded systems.
- SCADA/ICS
- Smart devices/IoT
- Also,HVAC
- SoC
- Also,RTOS
- Printers/MFDs
- Camera systems
- Also,Special purpose
3.6 Subsequently, Summarizing secure application development and deployment concepts.
- Development life-cycle models
- Secure DevOps
- Version control and change management
- Also,Provisioning and deprovisioning
- Secure coding techniques
- Code quality and testing
- Also,Compiled vs. runtime code
3.7 Furthermore, Outlining cloud and virtualization concepts.
- Hypervisor
- VM sprawl avoidance
- VM escape protection
- Also,Cloud storage
- Deployment models for cloud
- On-premise vs. hosted vs. cloud
- Also,VDI/VDE
- Cloud access security broker
- Security as a Service
3.8 Also, Explaining use of resiliency and automation strategies reduce risk.
- Automation/scripting
- Templates
- Also,Master image
- Non-persistence
- Also,Elasticity
- Scalability
- Also,Distributive allocation
- Redundancy
- Fault tolerance
- Also,High availability
- RAID
3.9 Subsequently, Describing the importance of physical security controls.
- Lighting
- Signs
- Fencing/gate/cage
- Also,Security guards
- Alarms
- Also,Safe
- Secure cabinets/enclosures
- Protected distribution/Protected cabling
- Also,Air Gap
- Mantrap
- Also,Faraday cage
- Lock types
- Also,Biometrics
- Barricades/bollards
- Tokens/cards
- Also,Environmental controls
- Cable locks
- Also,Screen filters
- Cameras
- Also,Motion detection
- Logs
- Infrared detection
- Also,Key management
Topic 4: Identity and Access Management
4.1 Firstly, Contrasting and comparing identity and access management concepts
- Identification, authentication, authorization and accounting (AAA)
- Also,Multi Factor authentication
- Federation
- Also,Single sign-on
- Transitive trust
4.2 Secondly, Given a scenario for installing and configuring identity and access services.
- LDAP
- Also,Kerberos
- TACACS+
- CHAP
- Also,PAP
- MSCHAP
- Also,RADIUS
- SAML
- OpenID Connect
- Also,OAUTH
- Shibboleth
- Also,Secure token
- NTLM
4.3 Thirdly, A scenario to implement identity and access management controls.
- Access control models
- Physical access control
- Also,Biometric factors
- Tokens
- Also,Certificate-based authentication
- File system security
- Also,Database security
4.4 Fourthly, Scenario for differentiating common account management practices.
- Account types
- General Concepts
- Also,Account policy enforcement
Topic 5: Risk Management
5.1 Firstly, Explaining the importance of policies, plans and procedures related to organizational security.
- Standard operating procedure
- Also,Agreement types
- Personnel management
- Also,General security policies
5.2 Secondly, Summarizing business impact analysis concepts.
- RTO/RPO
- MTBF
- Also,MTTR
- Mission-essential functions
- Also,Identification of critical systems
- Single point of failure
- Also,Impact
- Privacy impact assessment
- Also,Privacy threshold assessment
5.3 Thirdly, Explaining risk management processes and concepts.
- Threat assessment
- Risk assessment
- Also,Change management
5.4 Fourthly, Given a scenario to follow incident response procedures
- Incident response plan
- Also,Incident response process
5.5 Also, Outlining the basic concepts of forensics.
- Order of volatility
- Chain of custody
- Legal hold
- Data acquisition
- Also,Preservation
- Recovery
- Also,Strategic intelligence/counterintelligence gathering
- Track man-hours
5.6 Subsequently, Explaining disaster recovery and continuity of operation concepts.
- Recovery sites
- Order of restoration
- Also,Backup concepts
- Geographic considerations
- Also,Continuity of operation planning
5.7 Furthermore, Comparing and contrasting various types of controls.
- Deterrent
- Also,Preventive
- Detective
- Corrective
- Also,Compensating
- Technical
- Administrative
5.8 Lastly, A scenario to carry out data security and privacy practices.
- Data destruction and media sanitization
- Also,Sensitivity labeling and handling of Data
- Data roles
- Retention of Data
- Also,Legal and compliance
Prepare for the Security+ exam using CompTIA Security+ (SY0-501) Study Guide!
Topic 6: Cryptography and PKI
6.1 Firstly, Comparing and contrasting basic concepts of cryptography
- Symmetric algorithms
- Modes of operation
- Also,Asymmetric algorithms
- Hashing
- Salt, IV, nonce
- Also,Elliptic curve
- Also,Weak/deprecated algorithms
- Key exchange
- Digital signatures
- Also,Diffusion
- Confusion
- Collision
- Steganography
- Obfuscation
- Also,Stream vs. block
- Key strength
- Also,Session keys
- Ephemeral key
- Secret algorithm
- Also,Data in transit, rest and use
- Random/pseudo-random number generation
- Also,Key stretching
- Implementation vs. algorithm selection
- Perfect forward secrecy
- Also,Security through obscurity
- Common use cases
6.2 Secondly, Describing cryptography algorithms and their basic characteristics.
- Symmetric algorithms
- Cipher modes
- Also,Asymmetric algorithms
- Hashing algorithms
- Also,Key stretching algorithms
- Obfuscation
6.3 Also, Given a scenario for installing and configuring wireless security settings
- Cryptographic protocols
- Authentication protocols
- Also,Methods
6.4 Furthermore, A scenario to implement public key infrastructure.
- Components
- Concepts
- Also,Types of certificates
- Certificate formats
So, this was the detailed syllabus for the exam. Let us now move to the preparatory guide specifically built to facilitate your preparation with the best available study material and expert guidance.
Preparation Guide for CompTIA Security+ (SY0-501) Exam
There are plenty of resources available to help you prepare for the exam. While it might seem challenging, with the right resources and effort, you can pass it easily. We recommend making a list of resources that suit your learning style. Let’s explore some expert resources that can help you excel in the CompTIA Security+ exam.
eLearning with CertMaster Learn™️ for Security+ and Other online Resources
Online classes and instructor-led courses are highly interactive ways to get ready for the exam. Numerous trustworthy websites offer great instructors and high-quality content for your preparation. These classes can be a good substitute for traditional classroom teaching, allowing you to attend from anywhere, and they provide excellent CompTIA Security+ (SY0-501) study material. CompTIA Security+ Certification Training
Interactive Labs with CompTIA Labs™️ for Security+
Secondly, merely cramming the portions is not enough. You must try the practical parts in the workshops or with the relevant software. This will also give you a real-life insight to how things actually work. Also, for the theoretical portions, you should know the practical application to handle the tricky questions.
Books and e-books
Subsequently, books form the most important part of the preparation. You can refer to the e-books or the paperbacks as prescribed by the CompTIA. Else, you can choose the books that are comfortable with your reading habits and which you understand well. Some of the CompTIA Security+ (SY0-501) books you can refer to are:
- Firstly, CompTIA Security+ All-in-One Exam Guide, Fifth Edition (Exam SY0-501)
- Secondly, CompTIA Security+ Get Certified Get Ahead: SY0-501 Study Guide
- The Official CompTIA Security+ Self-Paced Study Guide (Exam SY0-501) eBook
Practice papers and test series
Your practice is an important determiner of how well you pass the exam. Take as many CompTIA Security+ (SY0-501) practice exams and test series as you can. Moreover, these resources will assist you in assessing your readiness, pinpointing your areas of improvement, and highlighting the parts where you need to focus more. Numerous trustworthy educational websites offer exceptional content to support your journey toward excellence. Try a free CompTIA Security+ (SY0-501) practice test now!
