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A complete course for the CompTIA Security+ (SY0-701) exam. It teaches the five official exam domains in an order where each unit builds on the last: security concepts and cryptography first, then networking fundamentals, threat actors and attack surfaces, vulnerabilities and mitigations, security architecture, and finally security operations and program management, where most of the exam sits. The cards are weighted to match the domains' official percentages, not spread evenly, so the units that carry the most exam weight (security operations, and governance/risk/compliance) also carry the most cards. CompTIA has said a newer version of Security+ is expected around November 17, 2026; this course is built to SY0-701, which has runway to retire June 11, 2027, so check the objectives for the version you are booked to sit.
| Exam code | SY0-701 |
|---|---|
| Questions | Up to 90, multiple choice and performance-based |
| Time | 90 minutes |
| Passing score | 750 on a scale of 100 to 900 |
| General Security Concepts | 12% |
| Threats, Vulnerabilities and Mitigations | 22% |
| Security Architecture | 18% |
| Security Operations | 28% |
| Security Program Management and Oversight | 20% |
| Retirement | CompTIA lists SY0-701 retiring June 11, 2027 (English) and August 13, 2027 (other languages) |
Source: CompTIA, Security+ (V7) certification page and "Security+ 601 vs. 701" article (comptia.org), read September 25, 2026.
Copied straight from the course. In the app, each wrong option also gets its own explanation.
Card 1Two users pick the identical password. Without salting, their stored password hashes would be identical, letting an attacker crack both at once with a precomputed table. What does adding a unique salt to each password before hashing accomplish?
It makes each user's hash unique even for identical passwords, defeating precomputed (rainbow table) attacks. A salt is a non-secret value added so identical inputs no longer produce identical hashes, which is exactly what defeats rainbow table style attacks.
Card 2Which deployment method sends a copy of traffic to a sensor via a switch port mirror (SPAN) or network tap, leaving the original traffic uninterrupted?
Passive monitoring. Passive monitoring uses a SPAN port or network tap to send a copy of traffic to the sensor, so the original traffic reaches its destination uninterrupted.
Card 3A recurring cooling fault gives ALE = $25,000/year (SLE $12,500, ARO 2). A new cooling control costs $8,000/year and is expected to cut the ARO in half, to 1, with SLE unchanged at $12,500. What is the net benefit of buying the control?
$4,500 per year net benefit, so the control is worth buying. New ALE = 12,500 x 1 = $12,500; savings = 25,000 - 12,500 = $12,500; net benefit = 12,500 - 8,000 = $4,500 per year.
Encodr is a friendly, game-like flashcard app. Spaced repetition schedules every review for you, and the rest keeps you coming back.
Study a little each day to build a streak. A streak freeze forgives a missed day.
Small goals each day, like finishing a set, with a little celebration when you clear one.
Sessions come in bite-size sets of 15 to 25 answers, so there is always a natural place to stop.
Earn XP and level up, then see friends on a daily leaderboard and send them a nudge.
Yes. Create a free Encodr account and all 16 units and 1,308 cards are yours to study, with spaced repetition scheduling your reviews. The exam itself has a fee paid to Pearson VUE/CompTIA.
The five official SY0-701 domains: General Security Concepts (12%), Threats/Vulnerabilities/Mitigations (22%), Security Architecture (18%), Security Operations (28%) and Security Program Management and Oversight (20%). The cards are weighted to match those percentages, so the operations and governance units carry the most cards.
The course is built against the SY0-701 objectives, which CompTIA lists as retiring June 11, 2027 (English). A newer version is expected around November 17, 2026 with objectives not yet finalized; check which version your exam date books you into.