CompTIA Security+ (SY0-701) is the most recognised entry-level cybersecurity certification in Australia. Employers list it constantly — from government departments to Big Four consulting firms. I passed it in 2025 after 10 weeks of structured study while working part-time. Here is exactly what I did.
What the Exam Actually Covers
SY0-701 has five domains. Knowing the weighting before you start stops you from over-studying the wrong things:
- General Security Concepts — 12%
- Threats, Vulnerabilities & Mitigations — 22%
- Security Architecture — 18%
- Security Operations — 28%
- Security Program Management & Oversight — 20%
Key insight: Security Operations (28%) and Threats (22%) together make up half the exam. Weight your study time accordingly.
My 10-Week Study Plan
| Weeks | Focus | Primary Resource |
|---|---|---|
| 1–2 | Threats, Attacks & Social Engineering | Professor Messer videos |
| 3–4 | Cryptography & PKI | Darril Gibson book + Anki flashcards |
| 5–6 | Network Security, Firewalls, VPNs | Professor Messer + Jason Dion practice tests |
| 7 | Identity & Access Management | TryHackMe SOC Analyst path |
| 8 | Risk Management & Compliance | Darril Gibson book |
| 9 | Full practice exams (timed) | Jason Dion on Udemy — 6 full exams |
| 10 | Weak area review + exam-day prep | Review flagged questions only |
Resources That Actually Helped
1. Professor Messer (Free)
His SY0-701 video series is free on YouTube and covers every exam objective. I used it as my primary theory source. Watch at 1.5x speed — he is thorough but slow.
2. Jason Dion Practice Tests (Udemy)
Buy these on Udemy sale — they go for around AUD $20. Six full 90-question exams with detailed explanations. I did not take the real exam until I was consistently scoring above 85% on these.
3. Anki Flashcards
I created cards for every acronym, port number, and protocol. Security+ has a lot of vocabulary. Spaced repetition makes it stick faster than re-reading notes.
4. TryHackMe
The SOC Analyst Level 1 learning path on TryHackMe bridges theory to practice. Doing the labs made concepts like SIEM, IDS/IPS, and log analysis concrete rather than abstract.
What Surprised Me About the Exam
- Performance-based questions (PBQs) come first. They are scenario drag-and-drop tasks. Do not panic — flag them, complete the multiple-choice section first, then come back.
- Many questions are scenario-based. You are not just recalling definitions — you are choosing the best action in a given situation.
- Time is not an issue. I finished with 25 minutes to spare on a 90-minute exam.
Australian-Specific Notes
I sat the exam at a Pearson VUE test centre in Melbourne. Booking costs around AUD $370. Pearson VUE regularly runs 10–20% discount promotions — check the CompTIA store before booking at full price. You can also sit it online via OnVUE if you have a quiet room with no second monitors.
After the Cert
Security+ opened doors immediately. Job listings I was previously filtered out of became accessible. It signals to employers that you understand the fundamentals and have the discipline to study independently — both things they care about for entry-level SOC roles.
If you are in Melbourne and studying for Security+, feel free to reach out — happy to answer questions.