CompTIA Security+ SY0-701 vs SY0-801: What’s Changing in the New Exam?

CompTIA Security+ is preparing for its next major exam update, and candidates currently studying for SY0-701 are facing an important decision: continue with the current exam or prepare for the upcoming SY0-801?

The change is significant, but it does not mean that everything from SY0-701 becomes irrelevant. The new Security+ version keeps the same overall certification direction while updating the exam to reflect newer cybersecurity technologies, threats, security practices, and operational requirements.

The upcoming SY0-801 is expected to launch around November 17, 2026, while the English SY0-701 exam is expected to remain available until June 11, 2027. This creates a period during which candidates may have a choice between the current and new versions.

So, what is actually changing from SY0-701 to SY0-801, and which Security+ exam should you take?

Is SY0-801 Replacing SY0-701?

Yes. SY0-801 is the next version of the CompTIA Security+ exam and is generally referred to as Security+ V8.

SY0-701 is the current version, while SY0-801 represents the next update to the certification exam. The transition does not create a completely different certification; instead, CompTIA is updating the exam objectives to reflect the current cybersecurity landscape.

According to the currently published information, SY0-801 is expected to launch on or around November 17, 2026. The English SY0-701 exam is expected to retire on June 11, 2027, giving candidates several months in which the two versions may overlap.

This overlap is important for anyone who has already invested significant time preparing for SY0-701.

When Is the SY0-801 Exam Expected to Launch?

The currently reported launch date for SY0-801 is November 17, 2026, described as an expected or “on or around” date rather than something candidates should treat as an invitation to schedule before CompTIA makes the exam available.

The current SY0-701 English exam is expected to remain available until June 11, 2027. Other SY0-701 language versions have a later retirement date according to currently published information.

That means candidates do not necessarily need to abandon an existing SY0-701 study plan simply because SY0-801 is approaching.

Your decision should depend on when you expect to be ready, how much of SY0-701 you have already studied, and whether the newer objectives better match your learning plans.

What Is the Biggest Difference Between SY0-701 and SY0-801?

The biggest change is not a complete redesign of Security+.

Instead, CompTIA is updating the content to reflect a more modern cybersecurity environment.

The five-domain structure remains, but the weighting changes:

Security+ Domain	SY0-701	SY0-801
General Security Concepts	12%	16%
Threats, Vulnerabilities, and Mitigations / Attacks	22%	24%
Security Architecture	18%	19%
Security Operations	28%	27%
Security Program Management and Oversight	20%	14%

The most noticeable change is the shift between General Security Concepts and Security Program Management and Oversight.

General concepts increase from 12% to 16%, while Program Management and Oversight decreases from 20% to 14%. Security Operations remains the largest domain, although its weighting changes slightly from 28% to 27%.

This means candidates should not simply reuse an SY0-701 study schedule without reviewing the new objectives.

Is Artificial Intelligence Added to SY0-801?

Yes. AI security is one of the most important new areas to pay attention to.

The SY0-801 objectives introduce security considerations involving artificial intelligence, including threats associated with AI systems and models.

Candidates should become familiar with concepts such as:

• AI as an attack surface
• Prompt injection
• Model or data poisoning
• Jailbreaking
• Hallucinations
• Privacy and data exposure
• Risks associated with AI systems

This is a logical development for Security+ because AI is increasingly being incorporated into business applications, security tools, development workflows, and enterprise infrastructure.

The important point is that SY0-801 does not turn Security+ into an AI certification.

Instead, candidates need to understand the cybersecurity risks created by AI and how AI-related capabilities can be used defensively.

Why Are AI and LLM Security Important for Security+?

Generative AI has introduced new security considerations that were not as prominent when the previous Security+ objectives were developed.

For example, a security professional may need to understand why an attacker could use prompt injection to manipulate an AI application, or how sensitive information could be exposed through inappropriate data handling.

Candidates should therefore think about AI in two directions:

How can AI create security risks?

and

How can AI support security operations?

This makes AI security an important area to add to your study plan when transitioning from SY0-701 to SY0-801.

Are There New Modern Cybersecurity Threats in SY0-801?

Yes.

The updated objectives incorporate a number of newer or more current security concepts.

Examples include:

• Deepfakes
• Quishing
• Fileless malware
• AI-related attacks
• Modern identity technologies
• Passwordless authentication
• Passkeys
• New cloud-security concepts

These changes reflect how the threat landscape has evolved.

A Security+ candidate should therefore be prepared to recognize not only traditional attacks but also newer techniques that organizations increasingly need to defend against.

Does SY0-801 Change the Threats and Vulnerabilities Domain?

Yes.

The second domain is renamed from Threats, Vulnerabilities, and Mitigations in SY0-701 to Threats, Vulnerabilities, and Attacks in SY0-801.

The weighting also increases from 22% to 24%.

This is not merely a cosmetic change.

The updated objectives place greater emphasis on understanding modern attacks and how they affect systems, applications, identities, and data.

For candidates preparing for SY0-801, it is useful to think in terms of:

Threat Actor → Attack Technique → Vulnerability → Impact → Detection → Response

That approach can make scenario-based questions easier to understand.

Is Security Architecture Changing?

Security Architecture remains an important part of both versions.

The weighting increases slightly from 18% in SY0-701 to 19% in SY0-801.

The updated objectives continue to address enterprise, cloud, application, data, and infrastructure security.

Candidates should pay attention to modern architectural concepts and technologies, including areas such as:

• Cloud security
• Security Service Edge
• Identity-centric security
• Resilience
• Application security
• Data protection
• Secure infrastructure design

The key skill is understanding why a particular security architecture is appropriate for a given requirement.

Is Security Operations Still the Largest Domain?

Yes.

Security Operations remains the largest SY0-801 domain at 27%, compared with 28% for SY0-701.

Although the percentage decreases by one point, the domain remains extremely important.

Candidates should continue to focus on areas such as:

• Security monitoring
• Vulnerability management
• Identity and access management
• Endpoint security
• Network security
• Incident response
• Digital forensics
• Automation
• Security tools

One notable change is the increased relevance of automation and guardrails, including security considerations associated with CI/CD environments.

This reinforces the broader direction of the new exam: security professionals increasingly need to understand how security integrates with automated IT and development processes.

What Is Changing in Incident Response?

Incident response remains a major Security+ topic, but SY0-801 introduces some more specific scenarios and considerations.

For example, the updated objectives include negotiation between containment and eradication in certain incident-response situations.

This is particularly relevant to serious incidents such as ransomware, where organizations may need to make difficult decisions while attempting to contain an attack and restore business operations.

Candidates should continue to understand the basic incident-response process:

Preparation → Detection → Analysis → Containment → Eradication → Recovery → Lessons Learned

But SY0-801 preparation should also focus on applying that process to realistic operational scenarios.

Is Security Program Management Becoming Less Important?

The weighting decreases significantly.

Security Program Management and Oversight falls from 20% in SY0-701 to 14% in SY0-801.

This does not mean governance, risk, compliance, and security policies disappear.

They remain part of the exam.

However, compared with SY0-701, the new blueprint places relatively more emphasis on technical security concepts and modern operational challenges.

Candidates who previously spent a large amount of preparation time on governance topics should therefore review the updated objectives and adjust their study priorities.

Are Any SY0-701 Topics Reduced or Removed?

Yes, several concepts that were explicitly named in the SY0-701 objectives are no longer emphasized in the same way in the SY0-801 objectives.

Examples reported from the objective comparison include:

• SD-WAN
• SASE
• Containerization as an architecture concept
• Blockchain
• Key stretching

Security Service Edge (SSE), however, appears in the updated objectives.

This does not mean candidates should assume that a topic that is no longer explicitly listed can never appear anywhere in an exam question.

The safer approach is to use the current SY0-801 objectives as the primary preparation framework and prioritize topics that CompTIA explicitly identifies.

Are Passkeys and Passwordless Authentication New Areas?

Yes, these are examples of newer identity and authentication concepts receiving greater attention in the updated objectives.

Candidates should understand why organizations are moving beyond traditional password-based authentication and how technologies such as passkeys fit into modern identity security.

The important idea is not simply remembering another acronym or technology name.

You should understand the security problem being addressed:

How can organizations verify identity while reducing dependence on passwords and limiting common credential-based attacks?

That type of conceptual understanding is more useful for scenario-based questions.

Will SY0-801 Be Harder Than SY0-701?

It is too simplistic to say that SY0-801 will definitely be harder.

The new version changes the content mix, but a change in objectives does not automatically mean a higher difficulty level.

Candidates who already understand traditional cybersecurity concepts may need additional preparation for AI security, newer threats, modern identity technologies, and updated operational scenarios.

On the other hand, candidates who are already familiar with AI, cloud security, automation, and current cybersecurity practices may find some of the new content relatively natural.

The better question is:

Which exam matches my preparation timeline and existing knowledge?

Should You Take SY0-701 or Wait for SY0-801?

This is probably the most important question for current Security+ candidates.

If you have already spent substantial time preparing for SY0-701 and expect to be ready before its retirement, there may be little reason to abandon your preparation.

You have already invested time learning the current objectives, and the certification itself does not become invalid simply because a newer exam version is released.

However, if you are only beginning your Security+ preparation and your exam date will fall well into the period after SY0-801 becomes established, starting directly with the new objectives may make more sense.

A simple decision framework is:

Your Situation	Suggested Approach
Already deep into SY0-701 preparation	Continue toward SY0-701
Nearly ready for the exam	Prioritize SY0-701
Just starting preparation	Compare the new SY0-801 objectives
Exam planned after SY0-701 retirement	Prepare for SY0-801
Want the newest Security+ objectives	Choose SY0-801

The important thing is not to switch simply because a new exam exists.

Switch when the new version better fits your actual exam timeline.

Can You Switch From SY0-701 Preparation to SY0-801?

Yes, but you should not assume that switching requires starting from zero.

A large portion of the foundational cybersecurity knowledge remains relevant.

For example, concepts involving:

• Authentication
• Authorization
• Cryptography
• Network security
• Vulnerabilities
• Security controls
• Incident response
• Risk
• Security operations

remain central to Security+.

The more efficient approach is to identify the differences between the two objective sets and focus your additional study on the areas that have changed.

Think of the transition as:

Existing SY0-701 Knowledge + SY0-801 Changes = New Preparation Plan

rather than:

Forget SY0-701 → Start Everything Again

How Should You Prepare for SY0-801?

If you decide to prepare for the new version, begin with the official SY0-801 objectives.

Then organize your preparation around the five domains.

A practical approach is:

1. Review the new objectives

Understand what has changed before selecting study materials.

2. Identify new topics

Pay particular attention to AI security, modern attacks, identity technologies, cloud security, automation, and updated incident-response concepts.

3. Refresh common Security+ fundamentals

Do not ignore the areas that remain similar to SY0-701.

4. Practice scenario-based questions

Focus on understanding why a particular security control or response is appropriate.

5. Review mistakes

Use incorrect answers to identify specific knowledge gaps.

This approach prevents you from spending too much time relearning concepts that you already understand.

Are SY0-701 Practice Questions Still Useful?

Yes—particularly if you are planning to take SY0-701 before its retirement.

If you are already preparing for SY0-701, there is no need to discard your preparation simply because SY0-801 is approaching.

CertSpots SY0-701 practice questions can be used to reinforce the current exam objectives, identify weak areas, and evaluate your readiness.

However, candidates choosing SY0-801 should make sure their preparation materials are specifically aligned with the SY0-801 objectives rather than relying exclusively on older SY0-701 material.

The exam code should always match the objectives you are studying.

What Should Current SY0-701 Candidates Do Now?

If you are already studying for SY0-701, first determine how close you are to being exam-ready.

If you are progressing well and can realistically take the exam before the English retirement date, continuing with SY0-701 may be the simplest option.

If you are still at the very beginning of your preparation and expect your exam to fall after the transition, it is worth evaluating SY0-801.

The most important thing is to avoid creating unnecessary uncertainty.

A new exam version does not automatically invalidate everything you have already learned.

Your decision should be based on:

Preparation Progress + Expected Exam Date + Current Skills + Preferred Exam Objectives

What Should Beginners Do If They Have Not Started Security+ Yet?

For someone starting from scratch, SY0-801 is likely to become the natural long-term preparation target once it is available.

However, timing still matters.

If you need to earn Security+ sooner and can realistically complete your preparation before SY0-701 retires, the current version remains a viable path.

If your preparation will extend well beyond the transition period, beginning with the new objectives avoids having to switch versions later.

For beginners, the most important thing is to choose one objective set and follow it consistently.

Avoid mixing SY0-701 and SY0-801 study materials without checking which objectives they support.

What Is the Best Way to Compare SY0-701 and SY0-801?

The easiest way is to focus on four questions:

What stayed the same?

The core Security+ mission remains cybersecurity fundamentals, operational security, architecture, threats, and risk.

What became more important?

AI security, modern threats, identity technologies, automation, and current security practices receive greater attention.

What became less important?

Some governance content is reduced in weighting, while several older explicitly listed technologies receive less emphasis.

Which exam fits my timeline?

This is ultimately the deciding factor.

Final Thoughts: Should You Choose SY0-701 or SY0-801?

The transition from SY0-701 to SY0-801 is a significant Security+ update, but candidates do not need to treat it as a completely new certification.

The fundamentals remain important. What changes is the context in which those fundamentals are applied.

The new version brings more attention to AI security, modern attack techniques, passwordless authentication, cloud security, automation, and contemporary security operations, while adjusting the balance of the five exam domains.

If you are already deep into SY0-701 preparation and can take the exam before its retirement, continuing with your existing plan can be a sensible choice.

If you are just beginning and expect to test after the transition, SY0-801 may be the better long-term target.

The key is simple:

Don’t choose an exam because it is newer. Choose the version that matches your preparation timeline and the objectives you are ready to study.