Security+ V8 is coming: what changes for CompTIA candidates

CompTIA's Security+ is the most common entry-level security certification, listed in about one in six Canadian security job postings this spring. A new version, Security+ V8 (exam SY0-801), is expected to launch on or around Nov. 17, according to CompTIA's certification page. Here is what candidates need to know.

What is changing

The exam keeps five domains, but the weights shift. CompTIA lists them as:

• General security concepts: 16 per cent
• Threats, vulnerabilities and attacks: 24 per cent
• Security architecture: 19 per cent
• Security operations: 27 per cent
• Security program management and oversight: 14 per cent

The biggest drop is in program management and oversight, which training providers report falls from 20 per cent of SY0-701. The general concepts and threats domains grow.

CompTIA says the new version puts more emphasis on AI-related risks, including threats from AI systems and models and AI-assisted security workflows, as well as zero trust, cryptography, cloud, hybrid and operational technology environments, automation and third-party risk management.

Training provider Training Camp, working from CompTIA's draft objectives, reports that one objective covers large language models, including prompt injection and data leakage, and another covers AI's use in attacks, such as AI-generated phishing and deepfake social engineering. Those objectives were marked as drafts, so details may change.

When SY0-701 retires

The current exam does not disappear on launch day. Training Camp reports that CompTIA has set June 11, 2027, as the retirement date for the English SY0-701, and Aug. 13, 2027, for the Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish and Thai versions. That gives candidates several months in which both versions are available.

A Security+ certification is valid for three years from the date it is earned, whichever exam version was taken. Passing SY0-701 next spring is no less valid than passing SY0-801.

Should you wait

For most candidates, the deciding factor is study material. SY0-701 has a mature library of books, courses and practice exams. SY0-801 material will take time to appear and settle. Candidates who are already studying should generally finish on SY0-701. Those starting from scratch in late 2026 may want to plan for SY0-801, especially if they want the AI content on their resume.

Training Camp also notes that CompTIA launch dates have slipped in the past, so the Nov. 17 date should be confirmed before booking. Question count, exam length and price for SY0-801 had not been finalized in the material it reviewed.

Employers and governments that require Security+ for certain roles generally accept any current version. Candidates whose employer pays for the exam should check whether the organization's training budget or voucher program has a preference before booking.

CySA+ V4 is already out

CompTIA released CySA+ V4 in June. The analyst-level exam now emphasizes real security operations centre tasks, AI in security operations, including risks such as hallucinations and data exposure, identity-focused attacks, cloud activity and vulnerability prioritization with tools such as EPSS. It also adds reporting and metrics that link technical findings to business impact.

And SecAI+

For those who already hold Security+, CompTIA's new SecAI+ certification, launched in February, focuses entirely on securing AI systems and using AI in security work. CompTIA recommends Security+, CySA+ or PenTest+ level knowledge before attempting it.

What to do

• Check the CompTIA site for the confirmed launch date and Canadian pricing before booking.
• If you are mid-study on SY0-701, book your exam before June 11, 2027.
• Keep track of your certification date; renewal falls three years later regardless of version.

This story was prepared with AI assistance from the sources listed with it, then checked and edited by our editors. See how we use AI.