What Is CompTIA CySA+ Certification?

CompTIA Cybersecurity Analyst (CySA+) is an IT workforce certification that applies behavioral analytics to networks and devices to prevent, detect and combat cybersecurity threats.

CompTIA CySA+ is the only intermediate high-stakes cybersecurity analyst certification with performance-based questions covering the following topics:

  • Security analytics
  • Intrusion detection
  • Response

CompTIA CySA+ is the most up-to-date security analyst certification that covers advanced persistent threats in a post-2014 cybersecurity environment.

What Job Roles Should Take the Exam?

CompTIA CySA+ is for IT cybersecurity professionals with three-to-four years of hands-on information security or related experience, or equivalent training, looking to start or advance a career in cybersecurity analytics. CompTIA CySA+ prepares candidates for the following job roles:

  • IT security analyst
  • Security operations center (SOC) analyst
  • Vulnerability analyst
  • Cybersecurity specialist
  • Threat intelligence analyst
  • Security engineer
  • Cybersecurity analyst

How Much Can I Make with CompTIA CySA+ Certification?

To get an idea about average CompTIA CySA+ jobs and their salaries, take a look at these job titles and their salaries:

  • Security analyst: $95,510
  • Security operations center (SOC) analyst: $91,015
  • Cybersecurity specialist: $107,090

What Is on the Exam?

CompTIA CySA+ is the only intermediate cybersecurity analyst certification with performance-based questions covering security analytics, intrusion detection and response. Successful candidates will have the following skills:

  • Identify tools and techniques to use to perform an environmental reconnaissance of a target network or security system
  • Collect, analyze, and interpret security data from multiple log and monitoring sources
  • Use network host and web application vulnerability assessment tools and interpret the results to provide effective mitigation
  • Understand and remediate identity management, authentication and access control issues
  • Participate in a senior role within an incident response team and use forensic tools to identify the source of an attack
  • Understand the use of frameworks, policies and procedures, and report on security architecture with recommendations for effective compensating controls

The CompTIA CySA+ exam covers the following domains and topics:

  • Threat Management: Implement or recommend the appropriate response and countermeasure to a network-based threat
  • Vulnerability Management: Compare and contrast common vulnerabilities found in an organization
  • Cyber-Incident Response: Summarize the incident recovery and post-incident response process
  • Security Architecture and Tool Sets: Review security architecture and make recommendations to implement compensating controls

Click here to review the detailed exam objectives.

Who Is CompTIA?

CompTIA (The Computing Technology Industry Association) is the leading provider of vendor-neutral IT certifications in the world. With more than 2 million IT certifications issued worldwide, CompTIA is dedicated to helping IT professionals lead the charge in our digitally connected world.

For more than 20 years, CompTIA has developed training and certification exams for computing support, networking, security, open-source (Linux) development, cloud and mobility. Our regular review and updates of exams ensure that CompTIA certifications continue to address the needs of today’s technology challenges.

Ready to Advance Your Skill Level in Cybersecurity?

CompTIA now offers a number of exam training options for CySA+ to fit your particular learning style and schedule, many of which may be used in combination with each other as you prepare for your exam.

There’s a wealth of information to take you from deciding if CompTIA CySA+ is right for you, all the way to taking your exam. We’re with you every step of the way!