SY0-801 (Security+ V8) launches November 17, 2026, and the English SY0-701 exam retires June 11, 2027. From that date, SY0-801 is the only English Security+ exam you can book. The format does not change. The content shifts toward fundamentals, threats, and AI risk, and away from governance.
| Decision factor | Answer |
| Difficulty | Moderate (editorial rating: 3 of 5). Same format, more scenario-based objectives |
| Official pass rate | Not published by CompTIA for any Security+ version |
| Realistic prep time | 35 to 60 hours, based on CompTIA’s estimates of 25 to 40 hours for CertMaster Learn and 10 to 20 hours for CertMaster Practice |
What is the CompTIA Security SY0-801 release date, and how long is the overlap?
| Milestone | Date | Days from Oct 1, 2026 | What you can book |
| Today | Oct 1, 2026 | 0 | SY0-701 only |
| SY0-801 launch | Nov 17, 2026 | 47 | SY0-701 or SY0-801 |
| SY0-701 English retires | Jun 11, 2027 | 253 | SY0-801 only (English) |
| SY0-701 Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish, Thai retire | Aug 13, 2027 | 316 | SY0-801, or translated SY0-701 |
| SY0-801 estimated retirement | About 3 years after launch | Not yet dated | Next version |
- English candidates get a 206-day window, from November 17, 2026 to June 11, 2027, when both versions can be booked.
- CompTIA estimates SY0-801 will retire about three years after launch, which points to late 2029.
Delve into the details of: How Much Does The CompTIA Security+ Cost In 2026?
CompTIA Security+ SY0-801 vs SY0-701: how do the exam specs compare?
The specs below come from CompTIA’s official exam pages for Security+ V8 and Security+ V7.
| Spec | SY0-701 (V7) | SY0-801 (V8) |
| Launch date | Nov 7, 2023 | Nov 17, 2026 |
| Max questions | 90 (multiple-choice and performance-based) | 90 (multiple-choice and performance-based) |
| Duration | 90 minutes | 90 minutes |
| Passing score | 750 (100 to 900 scale) | 750 (100 to 900 scale) |
| Languages | English, Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish, Thai | English only |
| Recommended experience | Network+ plus 2 years in a security/systems admin role | 2 years hands-on as a security administrator |
| Listed on page | DoD 8140 work roles | ISO 17024 accreditation through ANAB |
| Objectives | 28 | 27 |
- Network+ is no longer named in the V8 recommended experience. It was a recommendation on V7, not a prerequisite, and neither version has formal prerequisites.
- V8 launches in English only. Candidates who want a translated exam must sit SY0-701 before August 13, 2027.
Dive deeper into: Network+ vs Security+: Choosing the Right Path for a Successful Career in Networking and Cybersecurity
How do the domain weights change?
Approximate question counts: multiply each weight by the 90-question maximum. CompTIA does not publish per-domain question counts.
| Domain | SY0-701 | SY0-801 | Change | Approx. Qs (701) | Approx. Qs (801) |
| 1.0 General Security Concepts | 12% | 16% | +4 | 11 | 14 |
| 2.0 Threats, Vulnerabilities, and Mitigations (701) / Attacks (801) | 22% | 24% | +2 | 20 | 22 |
| 3.0 Security Architecture | 18% | 19% | +1 | 16 | 17 |
| 4.0 Security Operations | 28% | 27% | -1 | 25 | 24 |
| 5.0 Security Program Management and Oversight | 20% | 14% | -6 | 18 | 13 |
Governance loses about 5 questions, the largest single shift. Security Operations remains the heaviest domain in both versions.
Explore about: CompTIA Security+ Jobs 2026: Top Career Paths, Salaries & Entry-Level Roles
What topics are new in the SY0-801 objectives?
| Domain | New in SY0-801 |
| 1.0 | Defense in depth and least privilege listed as core concepts |
| 2.0 | Large language models as an attack surface; new objective 2.6 on AI threats (prompt injection, poisoning, model manipulation, jailbreaking, hallucinations, evasion, bias, explainability); quishing; deepfakes; RCS messaging; living-off-the-land tools; fileless malware; MFA bypass; public repositories and public object storage |
| 3.0 | Security Service Edge (SSE); Group Managed Service Accounts (gMSAs); privilege creep; autoscaling; backup immutability; data subprocessor role; child/minor data |
| 4.0 | Canary accounts; secrets scanning; BIMI email security; CSPM; IPAM; passkeys; emergency access accounts; AI capabilities in automation (agentic, chatbot, predictive analysis, AI-augmented baselines); negotiation as an incident response phase |
| 5.0 | Cyber Kill Chain and Diamond Model as audit reference sources; AML/CTF and anti-bribery compliance training; personnel behavior risk scoring |
What is no longer itemized in SY0-801?
These SY0-701 items do not appear in the SY0-801 objectives or acronym list.
| Domain | Dropped from the itemized list |
| 1.0 | Blockchain; open public ledger; key stretching; steganography; named crypto hardware (TPM, HSM, secure enclave); Zero Trust control-plane and data-plane terms; physical sensor types (infrared, pressure, microwave, ultrasonic); bollards; fencing |
| 2.0 | Birthday and collision attacks; XSS and SQLi as named attacks; bloatware |
| 3.0 | SASE; SD-WAN; containerization; RTOS; embedded systems; ICS/SCADA (replaced by the broader “OT” label); SDN |
| 4.0 | WPA3 and RADIUS wireless settings; COPE and CYOD deployment models; NGFW |
CompTIA states that its bulleted examples are not exhaustive and that unlisted topics may still appear on the exam. Treat these items as lower priority, not zero priority.
How do SY0-701 objectives map to SY0-801?
| SY0-701 objective | SY0-801 objective | Change |
| 1.1 Security controls + 1.2 Fundamental concepts | 1.1 Security concepts and controls | Merged |
| 1.3 Change management | 1.2 Change management | Now scenario-based |
| 1.4 Cryptographic solutions | 1.3 Cryptographic solutions | Renumbered |
| 4.3 threat feeds, CVSS, CVE | 2.1 Characteristics of threats and vulnerabilities | New objective built from relocated content |
| 2.1 Threat actors | 2.2 Threat actors | Adds terrorist, competitor, accidental actors |
| 2.2 Threat vectors | 2.3 Threat vectors and sources | Expanded vector list |
| 2.3 Vulnerabilities | 2.4 Vulnerabilities and attack surfaces | Adds LLMs, identity providers |
| 2.4 Indicators of malicious activity | 2.5 Indicators of malicious activity | Renumbered |
| None | 2.6 AI threats and vulnerabilities | Entirely new |
| 2.5 Mitigation techniques + 4.1 Computing resources + 4.5 Enterprise capabilities | 4.1 Mitigating controls, techniques, and solutions | Three objectives merged |
| 1.2 Zero Trust + 3.2 Enterprise infrastructure | 3.2 Manage the security architecture | Now hosts Zero Trust architecture |
| 4.6 Identity and access management | 4.5 Identity and access management | Renumbered |
| 4.7 Automation and orchestration | 4.6 Automation and orchestration | Now scenario-based; adds AI |
| 4.8 Incident response / 4.9 Data sources | 4.7 / 4.8 | Renumbered |
| 5.1 to 5.6 | 5.1 to 5.6 | Same six themes, reworded |
Is SY0-801 harder than SY0-701?
It is more applied, not longer. Objectives phrased “Given a scenario” signal task-based testing, and the official documents show their share rising.
| Version | Scenario-based objectives | Share of all objectives |
| SY0-701 | 7 of 28 | 25% |
| SY0-801 | 9 of 27 | 33% |
The scenario-based objectives are change management (1.2), vulnerability management (4.3), and automation and orchestration (4.6). Candidates who memorize definitions without lab practice should expect SY0-801 to feel harder.
How should you re-plan study hours if you started on SY0-701 materials?
| Domain | 40-hr plan (701) | 40-hr plan (801) | Shift |
| 1.0 General Security Concepts | 4.8 hrs | 6.4 hrs | +1.6 hrs |
| 2.0 Threats | 8.8 hrs | 9.6 hrs | +0.8 hrs |
| 3.0 Security Architecture | 7.2 hrs | 7.6 hrs | +0.4 hrs |
| 4.0 Security Operations | 11.2 hrs | 10.8 hrs | -0.4 hrs |
| 5.0 Program Management | 8.0 hrs | 5.6 hrs | -2.4 hrs |
Will comptia security sy0 801 vs sy0 701 questions look different?
The question types stay the same: multiple-choice and performance-based, under a 90-minute limit. Differences in CompTIA Security SY0-801 vs sy0 701 questions come from content:
- Scenario items on prompt injection, data poisoning, and AI agents in security automation.
- Fewer governance-vocabulary items as Domain 5 shrinks.
- Email authentication scenarios that now include BIMI alongside SPF, DKIM, and DMARC.
Is there a reliable comptia security sy0 801 vs sy0 701 practice test today?
No practice test can use live SY0-801 exam data before launch. Any CompTIA Security+ SY0-801 vs SY0-701 practice test available today is based on the published exam objectives. CompTIA lists CertMaster Practice as a V8 product, so confirm availability at launch. Dumpsgate also offers practice tests based on the published objectives, while SY0-701 practice tests remain useful for the shared core.
What do vouchers, retakes, and the exam cost?
The SY0-701 voucher retails for $439 from CompTIA, up from $425 before June 1, 2026, per Total Seminars. Confirm the live price at checkout. As of October 1, 2026, CompTIA’s V8 page lists no SY0-801 price.
Voucher rules that matter during the transition:
- A standard voucher is tied to the exam, not the version, so a Security+ voucher bought now can be redeemed for SY0-801 after launch as long as you test before it expires, according to CompTIA Help.
- A retake included in a bundle is locked to the version you failed and cannot move to a different version, per CompTIA’s voucher terms. If you fail SY0-701 close to June 11, 2027, the retake must also be taken on SY0-701 before it retires.
- Retake waiting periods: none between attempts 1 and 2, and at least 14 calendar days before attempt 3 or later, under the CompTIA Candidate Agreement.
Return on the cost:
| ROI metric | Figure |
| Median annual wage, information security analysts (May 2025) | $129,180 |
| Median hourly wage | $62.11 |
| Projected job growth, 2025 to 2035 | 21% |
| Average annual openings | 14,100 |
| Voucher as share of median annual wage (derived) | 0.34% |
| Hours of median pay to cover the voucher (derived) | About 7.1 |
How does Security+ renewal work after you pass either version?
Under CompTIA’s Continuing Education program, Security+ renewal requires 50 CEUs and a $150 fee per three-year cycle.
| Renewal path | What it takes |
| Earn CEUs | 50 CEUs plus the $150 CE fee |
| Earn a higher CompTIA certification | CySA+, PenTest+, or SecurityX renews Security+ automatically, with no CE fee |
| Retake the exam | Pass the most current Security+ version |
The CE fee is not billed yearly. According to CompTIA’s CE renewal fees page, it is due only if you renew by uploading CEUs, and you must pay it by the certification’s expiration date.
If you pass SY0-701 in 2027 and later renew by exam, you will sit whichever version is current at that point, not SY0-701.
Does the exam version matter for DoD 8140 and federal jobs?
DoD qualification rules come from DoD Manual 8140.03, which points to the DoD Cyber Workforce Framework on the DoD Cyber Exchange as the reference for work roles. As of October 1, 2026, CompTIA’s own pages differ:
- V7 page: lists DoD 8140 work roles, including cyber defense analyst, incident responder, vulnerability analyst, and security control assessor.
- V8 page: lists ISO 17024 accreditation through ANAB but no DoD 8140 work-role list.
If a contract or position requires Security+ for a DoD 8140 role before mid-2027, SY0-701 is the version with roles already listed on CompTIA’s page. Confirm V8 status with your security manager or contracting officer before booking SY0-801 for a compliance deadline.
Should you take SecAI+ instead of waiting for Security+ V8’s AI content?
No. The two certifications serve different purposes. CompTIA SecAI+ (CY0-001) launched February 17, 2026, as the first certification in CompTIA’s expansion series. It has a maximum of 60 questions and focuses entirely on AI security.
| Factor | Security+ V8 | SecAI+ |
| AI coverage | Objectives 2.4 (LLMs), 2.6, and 4.6 | Entire exam |
| Role in the path | Core security baseline | Add-on specialization |
| Max questions | 90 | 60 |
Learn more about: CompTIA SecAI+ Cost In 2026: What You’re Really Paying For
Which version should you take?
| Your situation | Take | Reason |
| Studying now, can test before mid-May 2027 | SY0-701 | Mature materials, same credential, retake window intact |
| Need a DoD 8140 role on a near-term deadline | SY0-701 | DoD roles already listed on V7 page |
| Prefer Spanish, Portuguese, Japanese, or Thai | SY0-701 | V8 is English only; translated V7 runs to Aug 13, 2027 |
| Starting from zero after March 2027 | SY0-801 | Too little runway before V7 retires |
| Want AI-security skills on your study record | SY0-801 | Only V8 tests objective 2.6 |
| Already bought a single voucher, undecided | Either | Standard vouchers work for any version before expiry |
Verdict: should you wait for SY0-801?
Do not wait if you can sit the exam by mid-May 2027. Book SY0-701. It carries the same credential, has three years of refined study material behind it, has DoD 8140 roles listed today, and leaves room to use a retake before the June 11 cutoff. CompTIA’s Security+ certification hub itself calls V7 a strong option for candidates ready to certify now.
Choose SY0-801 if you are starting after March 2027 or want AI-risk coverage on your exam record. Either way, a standard voucher bought now stays usable across versions, so the purchase carries no version risk. Start with the Security+ 30-day study plan and set a test date before you buy.
Frequently asked questions
Are sites selling “real SY0-801 questions” safe to use?
No. CompTIA’s objectives documents state that candidates who use unauthorized “brain dump” material will have their certifications revoked and be suspended from future testing.
How long is a Security+ voucher valid?
Vouchers bought from the CompTIA Store are valid for 12 months from purchase, cannot be extended, and are non-refundable. An exam’s retirement date overrides the voucher’s expiration date.
