CompTIA Cybersecurity Career Pathway: Employable skills found here

CompTIA helps IT pros achieve cyber security mastery. (Image source: 123RF)

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Data breaches have become an unfortunate reality, occurring with alarming frequency due to various factors. As cyber crime continues to escalate and vulnerabilities are persistently uncovered, organisations must take proactive measures to safeguard their assets and employ skilled cyber security professionals.

CompTIA's State of Cybersecurity 2025 report highlights the continued demand for cyber security talent, with CyberSeek reporting more than 514 000 US cyber security-related job postings between May 2024 and April 2025, up from nearly 470 000 the year before. The increase reflects cyber security’s enduring role as a critical and fast-growing area of the tech workforce.

From government agencies to Fortune 500 companies, employers recognise CompTIA as a leading authority in cyber security certifications, underscoring the critical role of certified professionals in defending against evolving cyber threats.

The CompTIA Cybersecurity Career Pathway helps IT pros achieve cyber security mastery from beginning to end. When you earn cyber security certifications, you're proving to employers that you are the best candidate for the job and have the skills needed to protect the organisation from cyber attacks and threats. As cyber security evolves, that pathway can also expand to include focused expertise in emerging areas like AI security.

CompTIA Security+ equips you with the core security skills necessary to safeguard networks, detect threats and secure data – helping you open the door to your cyber security career. Performance-based questions emphasise the hands-on practical skills used by security specialists, security administrators and systems administrators.

Here are just a few of the skills that CompTIA Security+ validates:

• Assess the security posture of an enterprise environment and recommend and implement appropriate security solutions.
• Monitor and secure hybrid environments, including cloud, mobile, internet of things (IOT), and operational technology (OT)
• Operate with an awareness of applicable regulations and policies, including principles of governance, risk and compliance.
• Identify, analyse and respond to security events and incidents.

After earning CompTIA Security+, cyber security professionals can take the next step by pursuing CompTIA Cybersecurity Analyst (CySA+), CompTIA PenTest+ or CompTIA SecAI+.

The CompTIA Cybersecurity Analyst (CySA+) certification is for cyber professionals tasked with incident detection, prevention and response through continuous security monitoring. The certification covers tools such as security information and event management (SIEM) systems, endpoint detection and response (EDR) and extended detection and response (XDR).

As new methods in threat intelligence emerge, the security analyst job role has gained more importance, making these skills essential for most organisations.

CompTIA CySA+ covers the skills needed by cyber security analysts, threat intelligence analysts, security operations centre (SOC) analysts and more, including:

• Detect and analyse indicators of malicious activity.
• Understand threat hunting and threat intelligence concepts.
• Use appropriate tools and methods to manage, prioritise and respond to attacks and vulnerabilities.
• Perform incident response processes.
• Understand reporting and communication concepts related to vulnerability management and incident response activities.

While CompTIA CySA+ focuses on defence through incident detection and response, CompTIA PenTest+ focuses on offence through penetration testing and vulnerability assessment. It involves launching ethical, pre-approved attacks on systems, discovering the vulnerabilities and managing them.

CompTIA PenTest+ is intended for cyber security professionals such as penetration testers and vulnerability assessment analysts who are tasked with scanning, identifying, exploiting, reporting and managing vulnerabilities on a network.

Here are just a few of the skills that CompTIA PenTest+ validates:

• Plan and scope a penetration testing engagement.
• Understand legal and compliance requirements.
• Perform vulnerability scanning and penetration testing using appropriate tools and techniques and then analyse the results.
• Produce a written report containing proposed remediation techniques, effectively communicate results to the management team, and provide practical recommendations.

In the context of red team/blue team testing, security analysts primarily function as members of the blue team. They are responsible for monitoring and analysing an organisation's security infrastructure, detecting potential threats and responding to incidents. Penetration testers, also known as ethical hackers, typically form the core of the red team. Their primary objective is to identify and exploit vulnerabilities in an organisation's systems, networks and applications, simulating the tactics and techniques used by real-world cyber attackers.

The progression from CompTIA Security+ to CompTIA CySA+ and/or CompTIA PenTest+ is logical because CompTIA Security+ assesses the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) an IT professional demonstrates after two years of cyber security field work, and CompTIA CySA+ and CompTIA PenTest+ assess three to four years of cyber security field work.

The latest version of CompTIA PenTest+ V3 introduces updated penetration testing techniques for modern attack surfaces, including the cloud, web applications, APIs, IOT and hybrid environments. It also expands coverage of ethical hacking concepts, vulnerability management, artificial intelligence (AI)-based attacks and scripting for automation.

For cyber security professionals who want to expand their skills as AI reshapes the threat landscape, CompTIA SecAI+ adds a focused layer of AI security expertise. SecAI+ is part of the cyber security pathway and is designed as an expansion certification, meaning it complements existing cyber security certifications with specialised skills related to AI and automation rather than replacing a full job role certification.

SecAI+ is recommended for professionals with approximately three to four years of overall IT experience, including two years of hands-on cyber security experience, along with knowledge and practical experience with AI and AI-enabled cyber security tools.

It is especially relevant for professionals who already hold certifications such as Security+, CySA+ or PenTest+ and want to expand their skill set for evolving job roles in the context of AI technologies.

CompTIA SecAI+ covers the knowledge and skills needed to:

• Understand key AI concepts.
• Secure AI systems using technical controls.
• Leverage AI to strengthen corporate security posture.
• Automate security tasks.
• Understand how governance, risk and compliance affect AI technologies on a global scale.

In practice, that includes skills such as AI threat modelling, securing AI data and systems, applying access controls, monitoring and auditing AI systems, analysing AI-related attack vectors, using AI-enabled tools for security tasks and supporting responsible AI adoption across the business.

As malicious actors increasingly use AI to create more sophisticated attacks, organisations need professionals who can both defend AI systems and use AI to support automated, scalable security operations. That makes SecAI+ a strong fit for cyber security professionals looking to deepen their expertise in the security of AI systems and the secure application of AI in cyber security.

CompTIA SecurityX (formerly CASP+) is an expert-level certification for security architects and senior security engineers tasked with leading and enhancing an enterprise's cyber security readiness.

SecurityX is designed for IT professionals with 10 years of IT experience and five years of security experience who wish to remain immersed in hands-on enterprise security, incident response and architecture. It validates the ability to:

• Architect, engineer, integrate and implement secure solutions across complex environments.
• Use monitoring, detection, incident response and automation to support ongoing security operations.
• Apply security practices to cloud, on-premises, endpoint and mobile infrastructure, considering cryptographic technologies.
• Consider governance, risk and compliance requirements throughout the enterprise.

SecurityX stands out as the only hands-on, performance-based certification for advanced practitioners, focusing on how to implement solutions within cyber security policies and frameworks. It uniquely covers both security architecture and engineering, qualifying technical leaders to assess cyber readiness and design appropriate solutions.

Get started with CompTIA Security+! Your first step is to view the exam objectives so you know what topics the exam covers. Next, start studying.

• Security+ CertMaster Learn + Labs: Prepare for Security+ (V7) with a combination of guided instruction and hands-on practice. CertMaster Learn + Labs helps you build cyber security knowledge, apply it in realistic scenarios and track your progress as you study.
• Security+ CertMaster Learn: CertMaster Learn is an interactive, self-paced course that covers Security+ exam objectives through lessons, videos, assessments and performance-based questions. It is designed to help you build a strong foundation in cyber security and study with confidence.
• Security+ CertMaster Labs: CertMaster Labs gives you hands-on practice in browser-based virtual lab environments aligned to Security+ exam objectives. Complete real-world tasks, build practical skills and gain confidence through guided exercises.
• Security+ CertMaster Practice: CertMaster Practice helps you strengthen weak areas and reinforce what you know with adaptive learning and targeted feedback. Full-length practice tests and exam-aligned questions help you prepare with confidence.
• Security+ CertMaster Study: CertMaster Study provides complete coverage of Security+ exam objectives through lessons, videos, searchable content and downloadable PDFs. It is a flexible study resource designed to help you review key concepts at your own pace.

But how do you get into cyber security with no experience? If you have limited experience in IT and aren't quite ready to start with CompTIA Security+, then you'll want to start earlier on the pathway.

CompTIA A+ validates the skills employers look for in new and aspiring IT support professionals. In addition to covering today's core technologies in operating systems, cloud, data management and more, the CompTIA A+ core series covers baseline security skills at the endpoint device level, including malware detection and removal, privacy concerns, physical security and device hardening.

Read more about why it's great to start your cyber security career at the help desk.

Where CompTIA A+ considers connectivity from the perspective of the user and their device, CompTIA Network+ focuses on the connections from (and between) the core systems to the endpoint devices. It validates the essential knowledge and skills needed to design, configure, manage and troubleshoot wired and wireless networks. To best support and ultimately secure the systems that exchange information on your network, you must first understand how the network functions.

CompTIA A+ and CompTIA Network+ follow a progression consistent with the KSAs an IT professional exhibits as they move from an early career technical support role with nine to 12 months of general IT experience to one with one to two years of general IT experience and with a significant part of that specific to network support and administration.

CompTIA Network+ is also an important and strongly recommended prerequisite to CompTIA Security+. Before you can secure a network, you must understand how it functions. Otherwise, you are learning security skills and applying them to a network you don't understand.

Now that we've covered the IT certifications in the cyber security pathway, let's explore some of the common questions surrounding them.

Where should I start on the CompTIA Cybersecurity Career Pathway?

The pathway is intended to help people get into the field of cyber security. IT pros can enter at any point, depending on their IT experience, existing certifications or course of study.

There are no required prerequisites for these CompTIA certifications. For example, if you have two years of IT security experience or equivalent knowledge, you might start with CompTIA Security+ to prove your knowledge. If you already have CompTIA Security+, you can move ahead to CompTIA CySA+, CompTIA PenTest+, or, if you're looking to build AI-focused security skills, CompTIA SecAI+. SecurityX remains the advanced expert-level certification for seasoned practitioners leading enterprise cyber security efforts.

Do I need to take these certifications in order? Do I need to take all of them?

No. This is a recommended pathway, but it's not a requirement. Your pathway will vary depending on your job needs or interests. In general, the pathway follows a hierarchy of skills needed for IT security; each certification builds on the skills from the previous one. SecAI+ also gives cyber security professionals a way to expand sideways into AI security as their role evolves, rather than only moving upward in a traditional linear path.

Find out which CompTIA certification is best for your job role.

Can I take these exams with no IT or cyber security experience?

Yes, you can. However, we recommend a minimum amount of hands-on experience before taking any of our certifications. (Each one has different recommendations, which can be found in the exam details section of the certification webpage.)

But hands-on experience doesn't have to be on-the-job experience. It could mean any hands-on work, including practical experience gained while taking a class or through self-study, like with official CompTIA training products. CompTIA develops these solutions from the ground up and rigorously evaluates them to ensure in-depth coverage of the exam objectives. Then, take what you've learned to the next level by helping friends, family or local non-profits with their IT and cyber security issues.

CompTIA certifications mirror the current job roles of IT professionals, so it makes sense to earn these certifications to validate the knowledge and hands-on skills currently being used in the workforce, whether you have job experience or not.

Do these certifications replace on-the-job experience?

If you are an IT professional or an employer, you understand the value of on-the-job experience. IT certifications are a great place to start, but they do not replace hands-on experience. If you have CompTIA certifications and on-the-job experience, you have the best of both worlds.

The recommended CompTIA Cybersecurity Career Pathway offers guidance for IT pros, employers, instructors and students. You can start wherever it makes sense, depending on your personal background, job requirements or course of study. The pathway is unique because it offers vendor-neutral skills for IT professionals to achieve cyber security mastery from beginning to end. It also gives professionals room to deepen their expertise in emerging areas, including the security of AI systems and the secure use of AI in cyber security workflows.

Is your next move a CompTIA cyber security certification? View the exam objectives for Security+, CySA+, PenTest+, SecAI+ or SecurityX for free today.