The skills certification body for the IT workforce, the Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) has updated its CompTIA Security+ certification exam for cybersecurity.
The new version of CompTIA Security+ (SY0-501) released places a greater emphasis on practical ability to identify and address security threats, attacks and vulnerabilities.
Dr James Stanger, chief technology evangelist for CompTIA said: “Cybersecurity jobs continue to ‘morph’, with new skills in areas such as risk management, risk mitigation, threat management and intrusion detection taking on more prominence. The new exam addresses the increased diversity of knowledge, skills and abilities required of today’s cybersecurity professionals, who are expected to know more and do more than ever before.”
CompTIA describes its Security+ certification as internationally recognised and used by private and public employers, government agencies and others to validate foundation- and intermediate-level cybersecurity skills. Now in its fifth iteration, CompTIA Security+ was introduced in 2002. Since then, more 430,000 individuals have earned it.
On average, a test taker can expect to spend up to one-third of the 90-minute exam completing performance-based items. Stanger said: “These items include simulations of technology solutions and story-based items that require advanced cognitive thinking on the part of the test taker. Cybersecurity professionals who pass the CompTIA Security+ have demonstrated that not only can they identify cyber threats, but they know how to respond to stop them quickly, efficiently and effectively.”
While there is no required prerequisite to take the exam, candidates should be CompTIA Network+ certified or have equivalent experience; a minimum of two years in IT administration with a focus on security and day-to-day security experience.
