Cybersecurity threats are becoming more sophisticated and frequent. Organizations must be proactive in their defense strategies to protect their assets and data. CompTIA SecurityX (formerly CASP+), the latest addition to the Xpert Series, is designed to equip security architects and senior security engineers with the expertise needed to lead and enhance an enterprise's cybersecurity readiness.

SecurityX is an expert-level certification that is tailored for professionals who are responsible for implementing robust cybersecurity measures and ensuring their organization is prepared for the next wave of cyber threats.

The latest addition to the Xpert Series, CompTIA SecurityX, is an expert-level cybersecurity certification for security architects and senior security engineers charged with leading and improving an enterprise's cybersecurity readiness. It offers advanced knowledge and skills to help learners progress their tech career to the highest level.

CompTIA SecurityX CAS-005 will be released in December 2024 and is recommended for test takers looking to prove their mastery of cybersecurity skills required at the 5- to 10-year experience level.

Understanding the transition from CASP+ to SecurityX

CompTIA Advanced Security Practitioner (CASP+) will be re-branded to SecurityX with the next exam version CAS-005. The name change from CASP+ to SecurityX will not affect the certification status of current CASP+ certification holders or the continuing education (CE) program. Those with an active CASP+ certification will automatically receive the rebranded SecurityX badge and can download a new certificate and transcript in CertMetrics. Unexpired CASP+ exam vouchers will work for the SecurityX exam.

The certification will continue to:

• Validate job tasks performed by a security professional with 10 years of IT experience and 5 years of security experience

• Be designed around the tasks performed by senior security engineer and security architect roles

• Be a natural progression from the job roles aligned to Security+

Job roles aligned with SecurityX

CompTIA SecurityX (formerly CASP+) will continue to be approved for the same U.S. DoD Directive 8140.03M work roles as CASP+. To view approved work roles, click here. For more information on 8140, click here.

Key updates in SecurityX CAS-005

There are several highlights between the previous CASP+ CAS-004 vs. SecurityX CAS-005 exam objectives that reflect the industry changes:

1. Similar skill level: exam continues to identify advanced career cybersecurity skills at the five-year and higher level

1. CAS-005 has the same number of exam domains (4) but fewer objectives (23 vs. 28) due to a more focused job role in a maturing industry

1. Related job roles remain the same as the key knowledge and skills of a security architect and senior security engineer continue to span across multiple job roles and work functions

Exam domains and objective adjustments

Knowledge and skills gained with SecurityX CAS-005

The CompTIA SecurityX certification exam will certify the successful candidate has the knowledge and skills required to:

• Architect, engineer, integrate, and implement secure solutions across complex environments to support a resilient enterprise

• Use automation, monitoring, detection, and incident response to proactively support ongoing security operations in an enterprise environment

• Apply security practices to cloud, on-premises, and hybrid environments

• Consider cryptographic technologies and techniques, as well as the impact of emerging trends (e.g., artificial intelligence) on information security

• Use the appropriate governance, compliance, risk management, and threat modeling strategies throughout the enterprise

How CompTIA SecurityX evolves with industry needs

• It is the only hands-on, performance-based certification designed for advanced practitioners-not managers-at the advanced cybersecurity skill level. While cybersecurity managers identify potential cybersecurity policies and frameworks, SecurityX-certified professionals determine how to implement solutions within those parameters.

• Unlike other certifications, SecurityX encompasses both security architecture and engineering. It stands alone in the market as the only certification that qualifies technical leaders to assess an enterprise's cyber readiness and design and implement appropriate solutions to prepare for future attacks.

• SecurityX is the most up-to-date advanced-level cybersecurity certification available. It covers technical skills in on-premises, cloud-native, and hybrid environments, as well as artificial intelligence, governance, risk, and compliance skills. Additionally, it equips professionals to assess an enterprise's cybersecurity readiness and lead technical teams in implementing enterprise-wide cybersecurity solutions.

Training solutions for CompTIA SecurityX

Products available:

• CertMaster Perform

• CertMaster Labs

• CertMaster Practice

• Instructor and Student eBooks

CertMaster Perform for SecurityX bring together narrative instructional content, videos, performance-based questions (PBQs), skills assessments, live labs and more to offer a comprehensive learning experience to prepare candidates for their CompTIA SecurityX certification exam.

• Validates expertise in security architecture and senior security engineering. The course recognizes it's not necessary to start from the beginning. Instead, it's designed to identify knowledge gaps and provide learning content to get candidates up to speed on expert-level topics.

• The course starts with a pre-assessment to help the learner identify areas of strengths and weaknesses. This learning methodology uses a series of steps to contextualize the material, elaborate on areas where additional instruction is needed, and provide relevance through practice and customized feedback.

• The course is broken into modules, lessons, and different activities to provide hands-on skills practice and personalized instruction. Videos and a variety of assessments are included throughout the course, including pre-assessments, module quizzes, and a certification practice test.

• To ensure real-world tasks are completed, CertMaster Perform for SecurityX includes lab activities in live virtual environments for hands-on practice using real networks with tools, such as firewalls, IPS, and SIEM solutions.

Preparing for the next attack with CompTIA SecurityX

SecurityX is also the capstone of CompTIA Cybersecurity Career Pathway. Cybersecurity pros can pursue SecurityX to prove their mastery of cybersecurity skills required at the 5- to 10-year experience level, after rounding out their cybersecurity skills with CompTIA Security+, CySA+, and PenTest+.

Learn more about CompTIA SecurityX CAS-005

If you're interested in learning more about the new CompTIA SecurityX CAS-005, reach out to your CompTIA Account Representative and Customer Success Manager.