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Kachi
Kachi

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5 Things I Wish I Knew Before Studying for CompTIA Security+

The CompTIA Security+ (SY0-701) is often the first “serious” certification many people take on their cybersecurity journey. It’s respected, widely recognized, and a great foundation for anyone aiming to enter security or cloud engineering.

But when I started studying for Security+, I made mistakes, wasted time, and misunderstood what really mattered.
Looking back, here are 5 things I wish I knew before diving into it.


1. It’s About Concepts, Not Memorization

When I first cracked open Security+ material, I thought I needed to memorize every port number, encryption algorithm, and acronym.

Reality check: CompTIA tests whether you understand security concepts and can apply them.

  • Example: Instead of asking “What port does HTTPS use?”, you might see:

“A system admin wants to secure traffic between a web server and client. Which port should be opened on the firewall?”

  • It’s about understanding scenarios, not reciting trivia.

Lesson: Focus on the “why” behind protocols and tools, not just the raw facts.


2. Don’t Underestimate the Domains

Security+ is broad. It covers:

  1. General Security Concepts (21%)
  2. Threats, Vulnerabilities, and Mitigations (22%)
  3. Security Architecture (18%)
  4. Security Operations (28%)
  5. Security Program Management & Oversight (11%)

When I studied, I spent too much time on topics I liked (cloud, IAM) and ignored others (risk management, governance). But the exam is balanced — you can’t skip domains.

Lesson: Study strategically across all domains, even the “boring” ones.


3. Hands-On Practice Matters More Than You Think

The exam includes performance-based questions (PBQs) where you configure firewalls, analyze logs, or troubleshoot scenarios.

If you only study theory, you’ll panic. But if you’ve actually:

  • Spun up a VM and configured basic firewall rules
  • Played with Wireshark or Nmap
  • Used a SIEM demo (Splunk, Wazuh, ELK)

…you’ll feel confident.

Lesson: Lab practice cements theory. Even basic hands-on experience makes PBQs much easier.


4. Use Multiple Study Resources (But Don’t Overwhelm Yourself)

At first, I tried to use everything — books, YouTube, Udemy, practice tests, Discord groups. It backfired. I got overwhelmed and stuck in resource-hopping instead of focused learning.

What actually worked:

  • Professor Messer’s Security+ videos (great free resource).
  • Dion Training practice tests (excellent exam prep).
  • A study plan with specific milestones.

Lesson: Pick 2–3 high-quality resources and stick with them. Depth > distraction.


5. Think Like a Security Analyst, Not a Student

The biggest shift came when I stopped asking, “What will CompTIA test me on?” and started asking, “How would I solve this in real life?”

For example:

  • Instead of memorizing IDS vs IPS, I imagined defending a network against attacks.
  • Instead of memorizing risk frameworks, I thought about how a security team would present risk to executives.

This mindset not only helped me pass, it prepared me for real security work.

Lesson: Treat Security+ as job prep, not just exam prep.


If you’re studying for CompTIA Security+:

  • Don’t just memorize — understand.
  • Respect every domain, even if it’s not your favorite.
  • Do hands-on labs (yes, even simple ones).
  • Stick to a few strong study resources.
  • Think like a security analyst, not a test-taker.

Passing Security+ is great. But truly learning security fundamentals is even better because those lessons stay with you far beyond the exam.

For anyone preparing, here’s the repo with the materials that helped me: GitHub

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