Security+ SY0-801: what's changing, what's staying, and when to switch
The next Security+ exam version is coming, draft objectives are already circulating, and the biggest addition is AI. Here is everything that is actually known, clearly separated from what is still rumor, plus an honest answer to the question everyone is asking: take SY0-701 now, or wait?
Expected timeline
Late 2025
HappeningDraft SY0-801 objectives begin circulating
A draft "CompTIA Security+ SY0-801 V8 Exam Objectives, Version 1.0" document marked under development has circulated publicly. It exists, but its contents can still change.
Summer 2026
ExpectedBeta exam window (expected)
Third-party trackers expect beta registration based on CompTIA's historical release pattern. As of our last check, no beta announcement has been published.
~October 2026
ExpectedSY0-801 preview launch (expected)
An October 20, 2026 preview date circulates from CompTIA Instructors Network discussions. CompTIA has not publicly confirmed it, and CompTIA has historically slipped exam dates by months.
Late 2026 / early 2027
ExpectedSY0-801 general availability (expected)
General availability is expected within weeks of the preview, with November 17, 2026 circulating as a candidate date. Treat it as tentative until CompTIA says so.
~Mid-2027
ExpectedSY0-701 retirement (expected)
CompTIA typically runs the outgoing exam version for roughly six months after the new version launches. If SY0-801 ships in late 2026, SY0-701 likely retires around mid-2027.
SY0-701 vs SY0-801: the draft domain weights
SY0-701 weights are official. SY0-801 weights come from the circulating draft objectives and can change before release.
| Domain | SY0-701 (official) | SY0-801 (draft) |
|---|---|---|
General Security Concepts | 12% | 16% |
Threats, Vulnerabilities, and Mitigations Draft renames this domain to "Threats, Vulnerabilities, and Attacks" and adds the AI/LLM objectives. | 22% | 24% |
Security Architecture | 18% | 19% |
Security Operations | 28% | 27% |
Security Program Management and Oversight The largest drop in the draft: governance and oversight loses weight to hands-on domains. | 20% | 14% |
What's new
- • AI arrives on the exam: large language models as a vulnerability surface and AI's role in modern attacks appear as draft objective areas.
- • Threats and hands-on security concepts gain weight.
- • Governance/oversight drops from 20% to a draft 14%.
What's staying
- • An estimated 70 to 80 percent of SY0-701 content carries over into the draft.
- • The five-domain structure and the core exam format.
- • Your certification's value: a pass on either version is valid for three years.
Take SY0-701 now, or wait for SY0-801?
If you can test before late 2026: take SY0-701 now. The study ecosystem is mature, the exam is well understood, and your certification stays valid for three full years regardless of the version change. There is no expiration penalty for certifying on the outgoing version.
Consider waiting only if you cannot realistically test until 2027 anyway (in which case SY0-801 materials will be current by the time you are ready), or your role specifically values AI-security coverage on the newest exam version.
Whichever you choose, the overlap works in your favor: most of what you learn for SY0-701 carries directly into SY0-801, and a spaced-repetition study system keeps that knowledge current through the transition instead of letting it decay between versions.
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SY0-801 FAQ
Is SY0-801 official yet?
Not fully. A draft objectives document exists and is circulating, but as of July 2026 CompTIA has not publicly confirmed the exam code, release date, or beta window. Everything on this page marked expected comes from instructor-network discussions and historical release patterns, not a CompTIA announcement.
When will SY0-801 be released?
The circulating expectation is a preview around October 2026 with general availability in late 2026 or early 2027. CompTIA has historically slipped exam dates by three to six months, so treat these as estimates. We update this page when CompTIA confirms anything.
Should I take SY0-701 now or wait for SY0-801?
If you can sit the exam before late 2026, take SY0-701 now: study materials are mature, the exam is well understood, and your certification stays valid for a full three years regardless of the version change. Waiting mainly makes sense if you cannot test until 2027 anyway, or if having AI-specific coverage on your transcript matters for your role.
Will my SY0-701 certification still be valid after SY0-801 launches?
Yes. A Security+ certification is valid for three years from the date you pass, regardless of which exam version you took. An SY0-701 pass in 2026 stays valid into 2029 with continuing education, exactly as it would have without a new version.
What is actually new in SY0-801?
The headline change in the draft objectives is AI: large language models as an attack surface and AI's role in modern threats appear as new objective areas, and the draft shifts weight from Security Program Management (20% to 14%) toward General Security Concepts and Threats. Roughly 70 to 80 percent of the content is expected to carry over from SY0-701.
Will TierOne Defense Academy cover SY0-801?
Yes. Our Security+ question bank tracks the current official objectives, and we will ship SY0-801-aligned questions and flashcards when CompTIA publishes the final objectives. Because our study system is built on spaced repetition rather than recorded video, updating for a new exam version is fast, and everything you drill on SY0-701 that carries over keeps working for you.
Studying for Security+ right now?
Drill 50 real SY0-701 questions free, with cited sources and spaced repetition that keeps what you learn through the version change. No credit card.
Sources & disclaimer
- • CompTIA Security+ official page (SY0-701 is the current version): comptia.org (accessed July 2026)
- • SY0-801 timeline and draft-objective reporting (unofficial third-party trackers): Training Camp and ExamsDigest (accessed July 2026)
Not affiliated with or endorsed by CompTIA. CompTIA and Security+ are trademarks of CompTIA, Inc. Draft objectives and all dates are subject to change by CompTIA; this page reports them with their uncertainty labeled and is updated as official information is published.