CompTIA CySA+ Study Guide Overview
The CompTIA Cybersecurity Analyst (CySA+) certification validates your ability to detect and respond to cybersecurity threats using behavioral analytics, proactive defense strategies, and structured security operations. It’s ideal for analysts working in SOC environments, incident response teams, or vulnerability management roles.
Recommended Prerequisites
It is recommended that candidates have CompTIA Network+ and Security+ certifications or equivalent knowledge. Hands-on experience in IT security, system administration, or related fields will also provide a strong foundation for success on the exam.
Exam Format and Structure
The current version of the CySA+ exam (CS0-003) includes up to 85 multiple-choice and performance-based questions. The exam duration is 165 minutes, and a passing score is 750 out of 900.
The exam is divided into the following domains:
| Domain | Weight |
|---|---|
| Security Operations | 33% |
| Vulnerability Management | 30% |
| Incident Response Management | 20% |
| Reporting and Communication | 17% |
Threats and Vulnerabilities in CySA+ Exam
This domain focuses on identifying different types of threats such as phishing, ransomware, insider threats, and supply chain attacks. Candidates must understand the characteristics of various threat actors (nation-states, hacktivists, script kiddies) and common vulnerabilities (e.g., outdated software, misconfigurations, unpatched systems).
You'll need to know how to analyze threat intelligence sources (STIX, TAXII, OpenIOC), categorize indicators of compromise (IOCs), and prioritize risks using threat modeling techniques.
Security Operations and Monitoring for CySA+
Security operations centers (SOCs) are the backbone of cybersecurity defense. This domain tests your knowledge of security information and event management (SIEM) systems, endpoint detection and response (EDR), and behavioral analytics tools.
Key skills include tuning alerts, filtering logs, identifying anomalies in system behavior, and analyzing traffic using NetFlow, packet captures, and DNS query logs. Understanding how to validate alerts and escalate incidents is also critical.
3. Tools and Technologies
This domain evaluates your ability to use various tools and interpret their output. Candidates should be comfortable with Nmap (port scanning), Wireshark (packet analysis), Metasploit (exploitation framework), Nessus (vulnerability scanning), and SOAR platforms for automated incident response.
You’ll also need to understand how tools like file integrity checkers, sandboxing, and honeypots can be used to detect threats and analyze malware behavior.
4. Incident Response
Incident response is about structure and speed. This domain covers the six key phases of the IR lifecycle: Preparation, Identification, Containment, Eradication, Recovery, and Lessons Learned.
You must understand how to handle and investigate incidents involving unauthorized access, malware infections, and data breaches. Developing and executing playbooks, coordinating response teams, and collecting forensic evidence are also key competencies.
5. Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC)
GRC ensures organizations follow best practices, comply with regulations, and manage cyber risk. This domain covers the use of risk management frameworks (like NIST RMF and ISO/IEC 27001), security policies, audits, and regulatory requirements such as PCI-DSS, HIPAA, and GDPR.
Understanding how to perform risk assessments, assign risk levels using CVSS scores, implement policies, and enforce user training are all part of mastering this domain.
🎯 Common Job Roles with Cysa+ Exam
- Security Operations Center (SOC) Analyst
- Threat Hunter
- Incident Responder
- Cybersecurity Specialist
- Blue Team Analyst
📚 Additional Resources
- r/CompTIA subreddit – Community tips and stories
- Professor Messer’s CySA+ Videos
- Quizlet Flashcards for CySA+
Start Practicing
Use our CySA+ quiz engine to test yourself by domain, get instant feedback with explanations, and prepare effectively for your exam.