Security+ V8 (SY0-801) Is Coming: What Changes and How Our Course Handles It

CompTIA is replacing Security+ again. The current exam, SY0-701, launched on November 7, 2023. Its replacement, Security+ V8 (exam code SY0-801), is expected to launch on or around November 17, 2026. We have already built our course around it. Starting with the class that begins on November 30, 2026, every thinQtank Security+ class will teach SY0-801.

If you're planning to sit for Security+ in the next year, here's what changed, what didn't, and how to choose the right version for you.

What's actually new in SY0-801

The exam still has the same five domains, but CompTIA has moved the weighting around and added content that matches the work security teams are doing now:

Threats, Vulnerabilities, and Attacks (up from 22%) was renamed from "Threats, Vulnerabilities, and Mitigations." Security Operations is down from 28% to 27%, but it's still the biggest domain.

The largest shift: Security Program Management and Oversight drops from 20% to 14%. Those six points go mostly to General Security Concepts and to Threats, Vulnerabilities, and Attacks, so V8 leans harder on the fundamentals and on recognizing attacks.

The biggest new topic is AI.

I think this is the right call. Your users are already pasting company data into AI tools, and attackers are already using AI against you. An entry-level security certification that left all of that out was falling behind.

What stays the same

• A maximum of 90 questions, mixing multiple-choice and performance-based questions
• 90 minutes on the clock
• A passing score of 750 on a 100–900 scale
• No formal prerequisites. CompTIA recommends about two years of hands-on experience as a security administrator.

Which exam should you take? Your test date decides.

• Nov 7, 2023SY0-701 launched
• Nov 17, 2026SY0-801 expected
  On or around this date
• Jun 11, 2027SY0-701 retires in English

Both versions earn you the same Security+ certification. The only thing that matters is when you sit for the exam:

Keep in mind that the SY0-801 launch date is CompTIA's estimate and could move. If you're testing during the overlap window, here's how I'd decide:

1. Already deep into SY0-701 prep? Finish it and take the test. A Security+ certification is a Security+ certification, and V7 is valid for its full three years.
2. Just starting out? Train on SY0-801. You'll study current material, including the AI content employers are asking about, and you won't be racing a retirement date.
3. Already bought a voucher? Check which version it's for. Exam vouchers are version-specific, and a SY0-701 voucher can't be used for a SY0-801 attempt.

How our Security+ classes handle the changeover

Our classes scheduled before November 30 still teach SY0-701, which is the right choice if you plan to test before the V7 exam retires.

Every class runs live online, and military-funded seats (AF COOL, Army CA and MyCAA) are $1,500, which makes Security+ one of the easiest certifications to get funded. See every date and location on the CompTIA Security+ course page.

If you have questions about which version you should take, ask. That's what we're here for.

— Scott Smith, thinQtank Learning