The CompTIA A+ Core Series requires candidates to pass two exams: Core 1 (220-1101) and Core 2 (220-1102) covering the following new content, emphasizing the technologies and skills IT pros need to support a hybrid workforce.

• Increased reliance on SaaS applications for remote work

• More on troubleshooting and how to remotely diagnose and correct common software, hardware, or connectivity problems

• Changing core technologies from cloud virtualization and IoT device security to data management and scripting

• Multiple operating systems now encountered by technicians on a regular basis, including the major systems, their use cases, and how to keep them running properly

• Reflects the changing nature of the job role, where many tasks are sent to specialized providers as certified personnel need to assess whether it’s best to fix something on site, or to save time and money by sending proprietary technologies directly to vendors

• Help Desk Technician

• Field Service Technician

• Associate Network Engineer

• Junior Systems Administrator

• Desktop Support Specialist

• System Support Technician

CompTIA A+ Core 1 (220-1201)
CompTIA A+ Core 2 (220-1202)

Exam version: V15; Core 1 and Core 2 exams must be taken from the same version, no mixing allowed

Number of questions: Maximum of 90 per exam, including multiple-choice (single and multiple response), drag-and-drop, and performance-based questions

Length of test: 90 minutes

Passing score: A+ Core 1: 675 (on a scale of 900)

Recommended experience: 12 months of hands-on experience in an IT support specialist job role

Unlike other vendor-specific networking certifications, CompTIA Network+ prepares candidates to support networks on any platform. CompTIA Network+ is the only certification that covers the specific skills that network professionals need. Other certifications are so broad, they don’t cover the hands-on skills and precise knowledge needed in today’s networking environments.

What Skills Will You Learn?

Networking Fundamentals

• Explain basic networking concepts including network services, physical connections, topologies and architecture, and cloud connectivity.

Network Implementations

• Explain routing technologies and networking devices; deploy ethernet solutions and configure wireless technologies.

Network Operations

• Monitor and optimize networks to ensure business continuity.

Network Security

• Explain security concepts and network attacks in order to harden networks against threats.

Network Troubleshooting

• Troubleshoot common cable, connectivity, and software issues related to networking.

• Junior Network Administrator

• Datacenter Support Technician

• Network Engineer

• System Administrator

• NOC Technician

• Telecommunications Technician

• Cable Technician

Maximum of 90 questions

90 Minutes

Passing Score: 720 (on a scale of 100-900)

What you’ll learn:

• Analyze cloud models and design solutions to meet business requirements for effective cloud architecture.

• Execute workload migrations, implement infrastructure as code (IaC), and provision cloud resources to support deployment.

• Manage and optimize cloud environments by scaling, performing backups, and ensuring recovery operations.

• Implement security measures, address vulnerabilities, and ensure compliance with standards like PCI DSS and ISO 27001.

• Apply DevOps fundamentals, including source control, CI/CD pipelines, automation, system integration, and DevOps tools.

• Diagnose and resolve deployment, network, and security issues to troubleshoot cloud environments effectively.

• Sr. Systems Administrator

• Cloud Engineer

• Systems Engineer

• Sr. Network Administrator

• Sr. Network Engineer

• Cloud Specialist

• Cloud Project Manager

Duration: 90 minutes

Number of questions: maximum of 90, including multiple-choice and performance-based questions

Recommended experience: 2–3 years of hands-on experience as a systems administrator or cloud engineer

Passing score: 750 (on a scale of 100-900)

The Only Job-Focused Linux Certification

• Covers the latest foundational skills demanded by hiring managers.

Gain Hands-On Linux Skills

• Performance-based and multiple choice questions prove you can think on your feet.

Build Foundational Knowledge

• Learn all major distributions of Linux, setting the foundation for vendor/distro-specific knowledge.

What Skills Will You Learn?

System Management

Configure and manage software, storage, processes and services

Security

Understand best practices for permissions and authentication, firewalls, and file management

Scripting, Containers and Automation

Create simple shell scripts and execute basic BASH scripts, version control using Git and orchestration processes

Troubleshooting

Analyze system properties and processes and troubleshoot user, application and hardware issues

• Penetration Tester

• Cybersecurity Engineer

• Data Architect

• Solution Architect

• Linux Engineer

• Network Administrator

• Web Administrator

• Server Administrator

CompTIA Linux+ covers an evolving job role that focuses more on how Linux powers the cloud. The exam includes cutting edge technologies that help automate and orchestrate business processes, including infrastructure as code and containers.

Maximum of 90 questions

Multiple-choice and performance-based questions

90 Minutes

Passing Score: 720 (on a scale of 100 to 900)

Recommended experience: 12 months of hands-on experience working with Linux servers. CompTIA A+, Network+ and Server+ recommended.

Open the Door to Your Cybersecurity Career with CompTIA Security+

Launch a successful cybersecurity career

• Develop a core foundation of essential skills, paving the way for a fulfilling career. More job roles use Security+ for baseline cybersecurity skills than any other certification in the industry.

Assess on-the-job skills

• Security+ is the most widely adopted ISO/ANSI-accredited early career cybersecurity certification on the market with hands-on, performance-based questions on the certification exam. These practical questions assess your ability to effectively problem solve in real-life situations and demonstrate your expertise to potential employers immediately.

Embrace the latest trends

• Understand and use the most recent advancements in cybersecurity technology, terms, techniques, and tools. By acquiring early career skills in the latest trends such as automation, zero trust, risk analysis, operational technology, and IoT, you will be well-equipped to excel in the ever-evolving cybersecurity landscape.

• Cloud Penetration Tester

• Network Security Operations

• Penetration Tester

• Network Security Analyst

• Web App Penetration Tester

• Security Architect

The new CompTIA Security+ (SY0-701) represents the latest and greatest in cybersecurity, covering the most in-demand skills related to current threats, automation, zero trust, IoT, risk – and more. Once certified, you’ll understand the core skills needed to succeed on the job – and employers will notice too. The Security+ exam verifies you have the knowledge and skills required to:

• Assess the security posture of an enterprise environment and recommend and implement appropriate security solutions.

• Monitor and secure hybrid environments, including cloud, mobile, Internet of Things (IoT), and operational technology.

• Operate with an awareness of applicable regulations and policies, including principles of governance, risk, and compliance.

• Identify, analyze, and respond to security events and incidents.

Exam Details:

Maximum of 90 questions

Multiple choice and performance-based questions

90 minutes

Passing Score: 750 (on a scale of 100-900)

Recommended experience: CompTIA Network+ and two years of experience working in a security/ systems administrator job role

CompTIA CySA+ is the only intermediate high-stakes cybersecurity analyst certification with both hands-on, performance-based questions and multiple-choice questions.

CySA+ focuses on the candidates ability to not only proactively capture, monitor, and respond to network traffic findings, but also emphasizes software and application security, automation, threat hunting, and IT regulatory compliance, which affects the daily work of security analysts.

CySA+ covers the most up-to-date core security analyst skills and upcoming job skills used by threat intelligence analysts, application security analysts, compliance analysts, incident responders/handlers, and threat hunters, bringing new techniques for combating threats inside and outside of the Security Operations Center (SOC).

What You’ll Learn:

Threat and Vulnerability Management

• Utilize and apply proactive threat intelligence to support organizational security and perform vulnerability management activities

Software and Systems Security

• Apply security solutions for infrastructure management and explain software & hardware assurance best practices

Security Operations and Monitoring

• Analyze data as part of continuous security monitoring activities and implement configuration changes to existing controls to improve security

Compliance and Assessment

• Apply security concepts in support of organizational risk mitigation and understand the importance of frameworks, policies, procedures, and controls

Incident Response

• Apply the appropriate incident response procedure, analyze potential indicators of compromise, and utilize basic digital forensics techniques

• Security analyst

  • Tier II SOC analyst

  • Security monitoring

• Threat intelligence analyst

• Security engineer

• Application security analyst

• Incident response or handler

• Compliance analyst

• Threat hunter

Maximum of 85 questions

Multiple choice and performance-based

165 minutes

Passing Score: 750 (on a scale of 100-900)

Recommended Experience Network+, Security+ or equivalent knowledge. Minimum of 4 years of hands-on information security or related experience.

Skills you’ll learn:

• Design, implement, and integrate secure solutions across complex environments to support a resilient enterprise in security architecture and engineering.

• Use automation, monitoring, detection, and incident response to proactively support ongoing security operations.

• Apply security practices to cloud, on-premises, and hybrid environments to ensure enterprise-wide protection.

• Utilize cryptographic technologies and techniques while evaluating the impact of emerging trends, such as artificial intelligence, on information security.

• Implement governance, compliance, risk management, and threat modeling strategies across the enterprise.

• Validate advanced, hands-on skills in security architecture and senior security engineering within live environments.

• Penetration Tester

• Cybersecurity Engineer

• Cybersecurity Manager

• Cybersecurity Architect

• Cybersecurity Analyst/Engineer

• IT Manager

Number of questions: maximum of 90, a mix of multiple-choice and performance-based questions

Duration: Maximum of 165 Minutes

Passing score: pass/fail only; no scaled score

Recommended Experience
Minimum of 10 years of general hands-on IT experience, including 5 years of hands-on security, with Network+, Security+, CySA+, Cloud+, and PenTest+ or equivalent knowledge

CompTIA PenTest+ is the most comprehensive exam covering all penetration testing stages. Unlike other penetration testing exams that only cover a portion of stages with essay questions and hands-on, PenTest+ uses both performance-based and knowledge-based questions to ensure all stages are addressed.

PenTest+ is the only exam on the market to include all aspects of vulnerability management. It not only covers hands-on vulnerability assessment, scanning, and analysis, but also includes planning, scoping, and managing weaknesses, not just exploiting them.

PenTest+ is the most current penetration testing exam covering the latest techniques against expanded attack surfaces. It is a unique exam that requires a candidate to demonstrate the most relevant pen testing skills for the cloud, hybrid environments, web applications, Internet of Things (IoT), and traditional on-premises.

What Skills Will You Learn?

Planning and Scoping

• Includes updated techniques emphasizing governance, risk, and compliance concepts, scoping and organizational/customer requirements, and demonstrating an ethical hacking mindset.

Information Gathering and Vulnerability Scanning

• Includes updated skills on performing vulnerability scanning and passive/active reconnaissance, vulnerability management, as well as analyzing the results of the reconnaissance exercise.

Attacks and Exploits

• Includes updated approaches to expanded attack surfaces, researching social engineering techniques, performing network attacks, wireless attacks, application-based attacks and attacks on cloud technologies, and performing post-exploitation techniques.

Reporting and Communication

• Expanded to focus on the importance of reporting and communication in an increased regulatory environment during the pen testing process through analyzing findings and recommending appropriate remediation within a report.

Tools and Code Analysis

• Includes updated concepts of identifying scripts in various software deployments, analyzing a script or code sample, and explaining use cases of various tools used during the phases of a penetration test. It is important to note that no scripting and coding is required.

• Penetration Tester

• Security Consultant

• Cloud Penetration Tester

• Web App Penetration Tester

• Cloud Security Specialist

• Network & Security Specialist

Maximum of 85 questions

Performance-based and multiple choice questions

165 minutes

Passing Score: 750 (on a scale of 100-900)

Recommended Experience
Network+, Security+ or equivalent knowledge. Minimum of 3-4 years of hands-on information security or related experience. While there is no required prerequisite, PenTest+ is intended to follow CompTIA Security+ or equivalent experience and has a technical, hands-on focus.