SY0-801 vs SY0-701: which Security+ to take
SY0-801 is the next version of SY0-701, not a different certification. Both are CompTIA Security+, with the same format (up to 90 questions, 90 minutes, 750 on a 100-900 scale) and five domains. The differences are in the objectives: V8 adds a dedicated AI objective, shifts the domain weights, and updates the topic lists. The rule of thumb is simple. If you are ready before SY0-801 is available, or well into SY0-701 material, sit SY0-701. If you are starting from zero now, study for SY0-801.
Dates
| SY0-701 (V7) | SY0-801 (V8) | |
|---|---|---|
| Launch | November 7, 2023 | Expected on or around November 17, 2026 |
| Retirement | English: June 11, 2027. Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish, Thai: August 13, 2027 | Not announced on the pages checked |
| Languages | English, Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish, Thai | English listed |
Both dates come from CompTIA’s own Security+ pages. The V8 date is described as expected, so treat it as likely rather than guaranteed. The V7 retirement dates are listed on the V7 page. Today is October 9, 2026, so SY0-801 cannot be booked yet. Between the V8 launch and the V7 retirement, roughly the first half of 2027, both will be available.
Same format
| SY0-701 | SY0-801 | |
|---|---|---|
| Questions | Maximum 90 | Maximum 90 |
| Types | Multiple choice and performance-based | Multiple choice and performance-based |
| Duration | 90 minutes | 90 minutes |
| Passing score | 750 (100-900) | 750 (100-900) |
| Recommended experience | Network+ and two years as a security or systems administrator | Security administrator with two years of hands-on experience |
The V8 objectives document names the two years of hands-on experience and does not mention Network+. The V7 page does. That is a change in wording, not a ban: networking knowledge is still tested in both, and Network+ N10-009 remains the natural stepping stone if your networking is weak.
Domains compared
| Domain | V7 weight | V8 weight |
|---|---|---|
| General Security Concepts | 12% | 16% |
| Threats, Vulnerabilities, and Mitigations (V7) / Threats, Vulnerabilities, and Attacks (V8) | 22% | 24% |
| Security Architecture | 18% | 19% |
| Security Operations | 28% | 27% |
| Security Program Management and Oversight | 20% | 14% |
The shape is similar. Operations is still the largest. The clear moves are General Security Concepts up four points and Program Management down six. If you studied governance material heavily for V7, expect it to count for less. If you skipped the fundamentals, they now count for more.
What is new or emphasised in V8
- A dedicated AI objective (2.6). It covers model manipulation, poisoning, prompt injection, data loss, bias, explainability, hallucinations, jailbreaking, evasion, privacy, ethical considerations, session hijacking and code execution.
- AI elsewhere. Large language models appear in the attack-surface list, and the automation objective (4.6) covers AI capabilities such as agentic systems, chatbots, predictive analysis and AI-augmented baselines.
- Modern attack names. Quishing (QR code phishing), RCS messaging, deepfakes and living-off-the-land tools are in the lists.
- Architecture and identity terms. Security Service Edge (SSE), group managed service accounts, passkeys, passwordless sign-in and compromised credential monitoring appear, along with CSPM and secrets scanning.
- Email authentication. SPF, DKIM and DMARC are joined by BIMI.
This is a reading of the V8 objectives, not a line-by-line diff against V7, so check anything borderline against both documents. The exam changes page tracks version updates across the site.
Who should take which
| Your situation | Take |
|---|---|
| You have studied from SY0-701 material and can book before June 2027 | SY0-701 |
| You are starting now, with no deadline | SY0-801, the one that will stay current longest |
| A job or contract requires Security+ by a date before the V8 launch | SY0-701 |
| You bought a voucher | Check the version it covers before you book; vouchers are tied to an exam code |
| You want AI coverage in your first exam | SY0-801 |
The content overlap is large, so a V7 course is not wasted if you switch. You would need to add the AI objective, the updated topic lists and the new weights. Using V7 material for V8 and relying on it to be identical is the mistake to avoid.
What comes after
Security+ is the foundation. For AI security as a specialism, CompTIA’s SecAI+ CY0-001 builds on it. See CY0-001 vs Security+ for how the two relate.
Start with the SY0-801 exam format and the study plan.