What is the difference between SY0-701 and SY0-601?

SY0-701 replaced SY0-601 in November 2023. The major changes: the domain structure was reorganised from 6 to 5 domains, cloud and hybrid environment content was significantly expanded, new topics like AI threats and supply chain security were added, and the performance-based question (PBQ) weighting increased. SY0-601 was retired in July 2024.

Is SY0-601 still valid?

SY0-601 was retired in July 2024. You cannot sit SY0-601 anymore — Pearson VUE only offers SY0-701. However, if you earned Security+ under SY0-601 before its retirement, your certification remains valid for 3 years from the date earned (maintained through CEs or exam retake).

Can I use SY0-601 study materials to prepare for SY0-701?

Partially, but not fully. Approximately 70% of the core concepts overlap, but 701 added significant new content — cloud security, AI/ML threats, zero trust architecture, supply chain risks, and Industrial Control System (ICS/SCADA) security — that 601 materials do not cover. Using only 601 materials will leave meaningful gaps that show up as wrong answers on 701.

When does SY0-701 retire?

SY0-701 is scheduled to retire in May 2027, following CompTIA's standard 3-year exam lifecycle. It will likely be replaced by SY0-801. If you plan to earn Security+, earning it under SY0-701 now (while materials are abundant and the community is active) is strongly recommended over waiting for 801.

Exam Version SY0-701 2026

SY0-701 vs SY0-601 — What Changed & Why It Matters for 2026 Candidates

SY0-601 is retired. SY0-701 is the only version you can sit. This is a complete breakdown of every meaningful change — so you know exactly what to study and what to ignore.

March 4, 2026 • 6 min read

⚠️ SY0-601 was retired in July 2024. You cannot sit it anywhere. If you have old study books or video courses labelled "SY0-601" or "SY0-501", be aware they will contain outdated content that may actively mislead you on the current exam. Verify all materials are explicitly SY0-701 before using them.

Quick Timeline

July 2020

SY0-601 launched

Nov 2023

SY0-701 launched — new domain structure, cloud focus, AI threats added

July 2024

SY0-601 retired — only SY0-701 available from Pearson VUE

Now

SY0-701 is the only version. Active and well-resourced.

May 2027

SY0-701 scheduled for retirement. SY0-801 expected to launch.

Domain Structure: 6 → 5 Domains, Reorganised Weights

SY0-601 Domain	Weight	→	SY0-701 Domain	Weight
Attacks, Threats & Vulns	24%	→	Threats, Vulnerabilities & Mitigations	22%
Architecture & Design	21%	→	Security Architecture	18%
Implementation	25%	→	Security Operations	28%
Operations & Incident Response	16%	→	Security Program Mgmt & Oversight	20%
Governance, Risk & Compliance	14%	→	General Security Concepts (NEW)	12%
(No equivalent)	—	→	(Concepts absorbed into all domains)	—

New Topics in SY0-701 (Not in SY0-601)

These topics appear in the SY0-701 exam objectives but were absent or minimal in SY0-601. If you used 601 materials only, this is where your knowledge gaps will be.

AI & ML Threats NEW in 701

Adversarial AI attacks, prompt injection, training data poisoning, AI-enhanced phishing. New to 701 — not covered in any 601 material.

Zero Trust Architecture (deeper) NEW in 701

601 mentioned ZTA briefly. 701 tests it in depth: control plane, data plane, policy enforcement points, identity-aware proxy (IAP), SASE, ZTNA vs VPN.

Supply Chain Security NEW in 701

Software supply chain attacks (SolarWinds-style), SBOM (Software Bill of Materials), vendor risk, third-party library vulnerabilities. Heavily emphasised in 701.

Infrastructure as Code (IaC) Security NEW in 701

Securing CI/CD pipelines, secrets management in code, drift detection, immutable infrastructure. Reflects modern DevSecOps focus.

Cloud-Native Security Controls NEW in 701

CASB, CIEM (Cloud Infrastructure Entitlement Management), CNAPP, cloud-native firewalls, serverless security considerations. Much deeper than 601.

ICS/SCADA & OT Security NEW in 701

Industrial Control Systems, Operational Technology (OT) security concerns, air-gapped network security for critical infrastructure.

What Was Reduced or Removed in SY0-701

Wireless security — 601 tested specific WPA2/WPA3 attack mechanics in greater depth; 701 focuses more on selecting the right wireless security control for a scenario

Specific cryptographic algorithm deep dives — 601 went deeper into encryption implementation details; 701 focuses on selection for scenario requirements

PKI implementation specifics — the internal depth of certificate authority hierarchies is reduced; the selection of the correct PKI component for a scenario remains

Physical security — covered briefly in 701 through control types but the dedicated physical security section from 601 is significantly reduced

Can You Use SY0-601 Materials to Study for SY0-701?

Safe to use from 601 materials

Core cryptography foundations (AES, RSA, hashing)
Networking fundamentals (TCP/IP, DNS, firewalls)
Basic attack categories (phishing, SQL injection, MITM)
PICERL incident response framework
Fundamental risk terminology (SLE, ALE, ARO)

Do NOT rely on 601 for these

Cloud security and CASB/SASE/ZTNA
AI/ML threats and supply chain attacks
Zero trust architecture depth
IaC and DevSecOps security
OT/ICS/SCADA security

Frequently Asked Questions

Is SY0-701 harder than SY0-601?

Yes — consistently reported as harder. More scenario-based questions, deeper cloud content, increased PBQ weighting, and new topic areas (AI threats, supply chain, IaC). Budget at least 2 extra weeks versus what older 601-era guides recommend.

My Security+ is SY0-601. Is it still valid?

If you already hold Security+ earned under SY0-601 before its July 2024 retirement, your certification is valid for 3 years from the date you earned it. You maintain it through CompTIA's CE programme. The version number does not affect employer recognition.

Should I wait for SY0-801?

No. SY0-801 has not launched and likely won't launch until May 2027. When it does, expect 6–12 months of limited study materials, fewer practice tests, and active community support ramping up from scratch. Earn SY0-701 now while the ecosystem is mature.

Practice SY0-701 Exclusively — 540 Questions Ready

Every question in our bank is written for SY0-701 objectives. No 601-era leftovers.

Full Mock Exam SY0-701 Cheat Sheet