CompTIA Security+ (SY0-701) Practice Quiz — 20 Free Sample Questions
CompTIA Security+ (SY0-701) is the most widely recognized entry-level cybersecurity certification and a DoD 8570 baseline requirement for many federal IT roles. The SY0-701 exam has up to 90 questions in 90 minutes, with a passing score of 750 out of 900. What trips up most candidates isn't the definitions — it's the scenario questions that require you to choose between controls, identify attack types from symptoms, or pick the correct incident response action given a specific situation. This Security+ practice quiz covers 20 questions drawn from the five SY0-701 domains: General Security Concepts, Threats, Vulnerabilities and Mitigations, Security Architecture, Security Operations, and Security Program Management. Use it to identify whether your knowledge gaps are in cryptography, access control, threat actors, network security, or compliance.
An attacker sends a deceptive email to a company's finance department appearing to be from the CEO, requesting an urgent wire transfer. This attack is best classified as:
About the CompTIA Security+ (SY0-701)
CompTIA Security+ SY0-701 is the current version of the certification, launched in November 2023. It covers five domains with the following approximate weightings: General Security Concepts (12%), Threats, Vulnerabilities, and Mitigations (22%), Security Architecture (18%), Security Operations (28%), and Security Program Management and Oversight (20%). The exam has up to 90 questions — multiple choice and performance-based — with a 90-minute time limit and a passing score of 750 on a 100-900 scale. Performance-based questions (PBQs) simulate real environments and typically appear at the start of the exam. Security+ is recognized by the U.S. Department of Defense under Directive 8570 as a baseline certification for IAT Level II and IAM Level I positions. Key topic clusters include symmetric vs asymmetric cryptography, PKI and certificate management, network segmentation and zero trust architecture, identity and access management (MFA, SSO, PAM), threat intelligence (TTPs, IOCs, threat actors), vulnerability management lifecycle, SIEM and SOAR, incident response phases, business continuity and disaster recovery (BCP/DRP), and governance frameworks (NIST, ISO 27001, SOC 2). CompTIA recommends two years of IT experience with a security focus before attempting the exam.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the passing score for Security+ SY0-701?
750 on a scaled score of 100-900. The exam has up to 90 questions (multiple choice and performance-based) with a 90-minute time limit. Performance-based questions appear early in the exam and test practical skills in simulated environments.
Is Security+ required for federal government IT jobs?
Yes. CompTIA Security+ satisfies the DoD 8570 baseline requirement for Information Assurance Technical (IAT) Level II and Information Assurance Management (IAM) Level I positions. Many federal contractors also require it for cleared IT roles.
What is the difference between SY0-601 and SY0-701?
SY0-701 (released November 2023) updated the domain structure from six domains to five and increased emphasis on cloud security, zero trust architecture, automation/orchestration (SOAR), and current threat actor TTPs. SY0-601 retired in July 2024. Candidates should study SY0-701 materials exclusively.