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CompTIA Security+: Exam Briefing

Beginner 1 hours English Course Certificate
SkillsCompTIA Security+Certification planningExam strategyCybersecurity careers

Is this course right for you?

Our take
A short Pluralsight course that Security+ candidates often skip and shouldn't: a clear-eyed look at the exam before you commit to studying for it.

Good for: Orienting yourself before committing to Security+ study.

Skip if: You want the actual exam content or have already started studying.

It lays out what the CompTIA Security+ exam actually demands, where it sits on CompTIA's roadmap, and the career payoff — useful orientation to take before sinking time into full study, and pointless if you want the actual exam content or you've already started. It's on a Pluralsight subscription (Standard about $29/month or $299/year, Premium about $45/month or $499/year, 10-day trial), and the exam itself is a separate CompTIA purchase of roughly $400–440. A smart, low-cost gut-check before you commit (as of 2026).

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About this course

CompTIA Security+: Exam Briefing is exactly what new certification candidates usually skip and shouldn't: a clear-eyed look at what the exam actually requires, how it fits into CompTIA's broader certification roadmap, the career paths it opens, and the practical mechanics of registering and the certification's lifecycle.

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Instructor

PS
Pluralsight Security Team
Pluralsight instructor

Taught by Pluralsight's security certification training team.

Frequently asked questions

The SY0-701 exam voucher is about $425 USD, separate from the Pluralsight subscription for this course. The certification is valid for three years; you renew it by earning continuing-education credits (or passing a higher CompTIA exam) rather than re-sitting it.

It's one of the more respected entry-level security certifications and is explicitly recognised for many US government and defence roles (DoD 8570), so it does open doors. On its own it won't guarantee a job, but paired with fundamentals and some hands-on practice it's a strong résumé line for breaking in.

None are strict prerequisites. If networking is shaky, Network+ first makes Security+ easier; complete newcomers to IT sometimes start with A+. If you already understand networking basics, going straight to Security+ is common and sensible.

Be clear on what it is: a short planning course about the exam, the certification roadmap and how to register — it teaches no security content. It's genuinely useful as a brief orientation before you commit, but don't expect it to help you pass; the actual study happens in the content courses that follow.

Most people spend roughly two to three months part-time, depending on background — faster if you already work in IT, longer from a standing start. This briefing itself is short; it's the content study and practice exams afterwards that take the time.
Paid
Pluralsight subscription
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