One of the most popular and beneficial IT certifications is CompTIA Security+. This certification received approval by the Department of Defense to meet its requirements. It also complies with all ISO 17024 standards.
So, why should you care about CompTIA Security+ 601?
First, by receiving the CompTIA Security+ 601 certification, you’ll be up-to-date on the latest developments within the IT industry. You’ll also be ready to diagnose and resolve a multitude of cybersecurity threats.
These skills can make you in high demand from potential employers. And there are many employers specifically seeking people with Security+ certifications. As of right now, SimplyHired has over 2,500 job openings requesting candidates who became Security+ certified.
Second, CompTIA Security+ can also help you earn a great salary. ZipRecruiter reports that the average salary for entry-level CompTIA Security+ roles ranges from $41,500 to $69,500 annually. The top earners with this certification can make as much as $84,500 per year.
Before you can get this certification, you’ll need to pass the CompTIA Security+ 601 exam. Here’s more information about CompTIA Security+ 601, how it differs from previous versions, and how to obtain this certification.
What Is CompTIA Security+?
CompTIA Security+ is a type of IT certification that gives those who obtain it a valuable set of baseline skills. The knowledge you’ll obtain through receiving this certification helps you perform core security functions and keep networks safe from outside security threats.
This certification comes from CompTIA, which stands for The Computing Technology Industry Association. Since this association began, it has issued over 2 million certifications around the world. The main purpose of CompTIA is to help IT professionals thrive in a digital world.
Having this certification also shows that you’re able to both identify security threats as well as the knowledge to solve these problems. Obtaining your CompTIA Security+ certification should enable you to:
- Assess the security of an enterprise environment
- Implement appropriate security solutions
- Identify, analyze, and respond to cybersecurity-related incidents
- Monitor and secure hybrid environments (cloud, mobile, and IoT)
- Operate an IT role and following all applicable policies and laws
What Makes Having CompTIA Security+ Certification Beneficial?
Before studying and obtaining your CompTIA Security+ certification, it’s understandable to wonder what makes this document so beneficial. If you’re wanting to further your skills in a personal or professional role, there are many reasons to learn more about the benefits of CompTIA Security+.
For one, certifications look great on your resume. According to CompTIA, 96% of HR managers screen utilize IT certifications as a way to screen job candidates. When recruiters or hiring managers look at your resume, having IT certifications like CompTIA Security+ might help your chances at getting hired!
Also, CompTIA Security+ lets learners develop their skills to ensure they’re able to solve a wide variety of potentially complex IT problems. By understanding that you can solve these problems, you can make yourself an incredibly valuable part of any team. Information from Dice found that, on average, you can increase your salary by $13,000 with a new IT certification.
Obtaining your CompTIA Security+ certification also shows that you’re able to adequately secure software, hardware, and entire systems.
Finally, Security+ focuses on the latest trends and developments regarding risk assessment, incident response, enterprise networks, and much more. With up-to-date knowledge, you can place yourself ahead of job candidates relying on outdated industry knowledge.
501 vs 601: How They Differ From Each Other
The exam objective document for CompTIA Security 601 is longer than the one needed to obtain a 501 certification. However, SYO-601 only has 35 exam objectives, which is two less than SYO-501.
Also, there is an increase of about 25% more examples for each objective in the SYO-601 course when compared to SYO-501. Shortening overall exam objectives while increasing examples can help students gain a clear understanding of each exam objective.
There are a total of 90 questions on the CompTIA Security+ 601 exam. You’ll have a maximum of 90 minutes to complete this test. To officially pass this new Security+ exam, you’ll need to earn a score of at least 750 (based on a grading scale of 100-900 points).
To help you gain a better understanding of how 501 and 601 differ from each other, here’s a closer look at the exam domains for each of these certifications.
Exam Domains for CompTIA Security+ 501:
- Technologies and Tools (22%)
- Threats, Attacks, and Vulnerabilities (21%)
- Identity and Access Management (16%)
- Architecture and Design (15%)
- Risk management (14%)
- Cryptography and PKI (12%)
Exam Domains for CompTIA Security+ 601:
- Implementation (25%)
- Threats, Attacks, and Vulnerabilities (24%)
- Architecture and Design (21%)
- Operations and Incident Response (16%)
- Governance, Risk, and Compliance (14%)
As you can see, the Security+ 601 exam covers similar topics covered in the 501 exam. The Threats, Attacks, and Vulnerabilities exam domain received updates for the 601 certification. You’ll also see the Architecture and Design section return from a few years ago.
The majority of exam domains in the CompTIA Security+ 601 certification are new. These new sections are:
- Implementation
- Operations and Incident Response
- Governance, Risk, and Compliance
Here is more you should know about the Secusity+ exam:
What’s New In CompTIA Security+ 601?
When SYO-501 launched in 2017, the world of information technology looked a bit different than it does now. Unfortunately, over time, new and stronger threats to a company’s cybersecurity have risen. There’s also been an increased dependency on cloud-based technology and the IoT (internet of things).
To keep up with challenges in the IT industry, several things are new with SYO-601. The newer topics you might see mentioned on SYO-601 exams include:
- Securing virtualization platforms
- Enhancing cloud security
- Working with network access control modules
- Protecting an IoT environment
- Keeping online payment systems secure
- Strengthening configuration and administration skills
CompTIA Security+ 601 Certification Cost
CompTIA Security+ 601 Certification costs $370 USD.
Jobs You Can Get After Becoming CompTIA Security+ 601 Certified
Lastly, we wanted to mention the potential cybersecurity jobs you can get by obtaining your CompTIA Security+ 601 certification. This highly sought-after certification can drastically expand the potential roles you can land. Obtaining this certification can help you potentially get a job as a:
- Network Administrator
- Systems Administrator
- Security Administrator
- Security Engineer
- Security Specialist
- Security Consultant
- Junior IT Auditor/IT Auditor
- IT Project Manager
- Help Desk Manager
- Network Engineer
- Cloud Engineer
- DevOps Developer
Conclusion
To help drive IT training forward, CompTIA now offers a newly updated Security+ 601 certification. By getting this certification, you’ll be able to understand how to fully monitor hybrid IT environments. You’ll also gain a deep understanding of how to find and fix a wide range of IT-related issues.
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