For today's candidates, the lesson is clear: find resources that match your learning style, verify that they're up-to-date for SY0-701, and build a study plan that includes video training, detailed reading, and realistic practice tests. The certification journey may have evolved, but the destination—a solid foundation in cybersecurity—is more valuable than ever.
: While video courses are great for initial learning, you'll need to read, take notes, and test yourself to truly master the material.
In the rapidly evolving world of cybersecurity, foundational knowledge remains key. Years ago, the certification set the standard for IT professionals looking to establish themselves in the security domain. CBT Nuggets , a leader in IT training, produced a comprehensive training course for this exam, featuring expert instruction from Keith Barker. This article explores the legacy of the CBT Nuggets CompTIA Security+ SY0-401 training and its role in building foundational cybersecurity skills . What Was the CompTIA Security+ SY0-401 Exam? CBT Nuggets - CompTIA Security SY0-401
Note: As of 2024/2025, the SY0-401 exam is retired. However, this article remains useful for understanding the classic structure of Security+ training, foundational concepts that still apply today, and how CBT Nuggets approaches certification training.
The shift away from SY0-401 was driven by several massive changes in the tech landscape: For today's candidates, the lesson is clear: find
The training goes beyond the exam objectives to explain why a certain configuration matters in a real corporate environment.
: Successful test-takers often paired these videos with a dedicated study guide (like Darril Gibson’s GCGA ) and practice exams. In the rapidly evolving world of cybersecurity, foundational
The SY0-401 exam was designed to ensure that network administrators, systems administrators, and junior security analysts could identify security threats, implement mitigation strategies, and maintain infrastructure confidentiality, integrity, and availability (the CIA triad).
| Video # | Title | Approx. Length | |---|---|---| | 1 | Welcome and Overview | 7 min | | 2 | Network Security Devices | 34 min | | 3 | Security Admin Principles | 29 min | | 4 | Network Design Security | 36 min | | 5 | Protocols and Ports | 37 min | | 6 | Wireless Security | 28 min | | 7 | Control Types | 25 min | | 8 | Risk Calculations | 30 min | | 9 | 3rd Party Integration Risk | 11 min | | 10 | Strategies to Reduce Risk | 28 min | | 11 | Forensics | — | | 12 | Incident Response | — | | 13 | Security Awareness | — | | 14 | Physical and Environmental Security | — | | 15 | Risk Management | — | | 16 | The Correct Controls for CIA | — | | 17 | Malware | — | | 18 | Attack Types | — | | 19 | Social Engineering | — | | 20 | Wireless Attacks | — | | 21 | Application Attacks | — | | 22 | Mitigation and Deterrent Techniques | — | | 23 | Discovery Tools | — | | 24 | Penetration Testing | — | | 25 | App. Security Controls and Techniques | — | | 26 | Security for Mobile | — | | 27 | Host Security | — | | 28 | Data Security | — | | 29 | Static Environment Security | — | | 30 | Authentication Services and Protocols | — | | 31 | Authentication Methods | — | | 32 | Authorization Models | — | | 33 | Account Management | — | | 34 | Crypto Concepts | — | | 35 | Crypto Protocols | — | | 36 | PKI | — |
The exam had 33 sub-domains in total. Compared to its predecessor SY0-301, four sub-domains were completely new, focusing on third-party integration risk, mobile security concepts, and security controls. Overall, 22 out of the 33 sub-domains saw content additions, representing a roughly 66% change in material.