Tackle Security+ Practice Questions: Exam-Style Drills With Answers

Do you ever finish a long study session for Security+ and still wonder if you’re ready for the real test? Many put in hours reading guides and notes, yet that doesn’t always prepare you for the pace or the question styles you’ll face on exam day.

Using Security Plus practice questions makes preparation more practical. They show you how CompTIA frames its exams, point out weak areas, and help you apply concepts instead of memorizing. Every answer you review gives feedback you can use to adjust your study plan.

In the sections below, you’ll find out how to use practice questions effectively, where to get them, and which features are worth paying for so your study time leads to steady progress.

Security+ SY0-701 Exam Structure: Format, Domains, And PBQs

The Security+ exam keeps a tight structure. Knowing what to expect makes study time more focused and practice sessions more effective.

Map Your Study To The Objectives

The SY0-701 exam covers five domains, each weighted differently. Building your plan around these domains prevents wasted effort:

• Download the objectives – keep them open while reviewing.
• Create a tracker – log every missed question to its exact objective ID.
• Focus on heavy domains – Security Operations and Threats/Vulnerabilities carry the most weight, so include threat modeling methodologies in this block.
• Restudy and retest – close gaps by drilling missed objectives until they stick.
• Match explanations back – reword practice answers in objective language to confirm alignment.

This turns every mistake into progress on a specific skill instead of broad guessing.

Master Multiple-Choice And Performance-Based Questions

Security+ mixes multiple-choice questions (MCQs) with performance-based questions (PBQs). Training for both is critical.

• MCQs – read the stem first, predict the answer, then rule out distractors.
• PBQs – practice simulations like firewall rules, log triage, or authentication tasks.
• Mix styles – rehearse with sets that combine MCQs and PBQs to manage time and context switching.
• Decision log – jot down why an answer was correct to reinforce recall.

Practicing under these conditions builds exam-day readiness. Mixing in Security Plus practice questions helps train memory, problem-solving, and time control all at once.

Best Free Security+ Practice Questions (SY0-701)

Free resources can give you a strong start without risking outdated or unreliable content. The right mix helps you cover objectives while keeping practice realistic.

Start With Official CompTIA Sample Questions

The best place to begin is with CompTIA’s official sample questions. These mirror the phrasing, structure, and coverage you’ll see on test day, so they help calibrate expectations early. Every missed item should point back to its objective ID, giving you a clear idea of where your gaps are. 

Use Free Practice Sets To Build Recall

Free practice sets with explanations can then push you further. Rotating domains across sessions keeps coverage balanced. Add short cases that apply risk assessment methods to reinforce prioritization.

Apply Community Insights Without Copying Answers

Community platforms offer another layer of support, though they should be used carefully. Posts often share helpful insights about scheduling, proctoring rules, or test-day experiences. What you must avoid are brain dumps or shared exam content, which CompTIA strictly prohibits.

Paid Security+ Practice Exams: What’s Worth Paying For

Free practice can take you far, but paid exams add features that help you train under real test conditions. 

Choose Features That Improve Recall And Reasoning

When investing in practice exams, look for features that support durable learning rather than quick guessing, such as the following:

• Detailed rationales explain why each option is right or wrong.
• Objective-level analytics land better when you frame misses inside established risk management frameworks.
• PBQ-style tasks simulate real-world scenarios you’ll see on test day.
• Spaced review modes help fight forgetting and reinforce memory.
• Timed exam simulations match 90 questions in 90 minutes, training you for pacing.
• Flag-and-review options build triage skills under time pressure.

At Destination Certification, we make practice part of every step in our MasterClass and Bootcamp. Every drill follows the SY0-701 objectives, which keeps our study time focused on what CompTIA actually tests. We back this up with weekly mentoring, an active Discord community, and a workbook that helps us review between sessions. 

Security+ Practice Strategy: Get More From Every Set

To adapt a solid strategy, use short, focused sessions, then review while the memory is fresh.

Build A Weekly Study Schedule

Set a rhythm that blends new learning, review, and mixed practice, keeping security and risk management fundamentals in rotation:

• Use 45–60 minute blocks across the week.
• Start with a mini diagnostic across all domains.
• Give extra time to heavier-weighted domains.
• Run mid-week mixed sets to force retrieval.
• End with a 90-minute exam-mode set.
• Do “error-only” reviews after 24–72 hours.

Analyze Results And Target Weak Objectives

Let data steer your next reps:

• Tag every miss to its objective ID.
• Write a one-line “why” note for each error.
• Restudy with the objectives open beside you.
• Track streaks by domain.
• Retest until you log three clean passes.

Run Timed Sessions Under Real Exam Rules

CompTIA caps the test at 90 questions in 90 minutes. The exact count of PBQs is not disclosed, so plan for variety. Research shows that spreading study sessions out over time helps you remember more than cramming all at once. How many performance based questions are on the Security Plus exam will vary by form; treat PBQs as a given.

Security+ Domain Practice: Target Your Weak Points 

Working through CompTIA Security SY0 701 exam questions and answers tied to each domain helps you close gaps faster and train the way CompTIA scores. Here are some practice items with explanations so you can learn by doing, and not just reviewing notes.

Domain 1: General Security Concepts

1. Which option best meets phishing-resistant MFA at higher assurance?

A. Email OTP only
B. SMS OTP plus password
C. FIDO2 hardware key with PIN
D. App-based TOTP only

Answer: C. FIDO2 with a device-bound key and local PIN supports phishing resistance and higher Authenticator Assurance Levels in the updated NIST Digital Identity suite.

2. A web service must harden transport security. Which protocol choice is most appropriate?

A. TLS 1.0 with modern ciphers
B. TLS 1.2 with RC4
C. TLS 1.3 with AEAD suites
D. SSL 3.0 with 3DES

Answer: C. TLS 1.3 removes legacy options and mandates modern AEAD ciphers, improving confidentiality and handshake privacy.

3. You must secure administrative access to a new Linux bastion. Choose two required settings:

A. Enforce FIDO2 login for admins.
B. Allow password auth for ease of use.
C. Disable SSH root login.
D. Permit Telnet for legacy tasks.

Answer: Enforce FIDO2 login and disable SSH root login. These reduce credential phishing and limit privileged access paths. 

Domain 2: Threats, Vulnerabilities, And Mitigations

1. An appliance exposed to the internet appears in CISA’s Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog. What should be prioritized?

A. Quarterly review
B. Patch according to vendor’s next major release
C. Immediate remediation by vendor guidance
D. Monitor only

Answer: C. CISA’s KEV includes items with clear remediation and requires rapid action due to active exploitation.

2. A CVE appears in the joint advisory for top routinely exploited vulnerabilities. What is the fastest risk reduction?

A. Replace SIEM
B. Apply vendor fix or mitigation and validate exposure of edge services
C. Wait for threat intel feeds to quiet down
D. Add password rotation for all users

Answer: B. The joint advisory urges prompt remediation for listed CVEs that attackers target at scale, often on edge services.

3. Your org runs vulnerable edge VPN firmware on 40 sites. Outline a two-step triage.

Answer:
Step 1: Identify versions and external exposure, then patch or apply vendor mitigations for all internet-facing nodes first.
Step 2: Validate fixes and review authentication telemetry for signs of compromise. DBIR 2025 emphasizes rapid patching of edge devices and reports slow full remediation timelines, so front-loading exposed assets is critical. 

Domain 3: Security Architecture

1. A design adopts “never trust, always verify.” Which framework best describes this approach?

A. Perimeter trust
B. Zero Trust Architecture
C. Ring-based network zones only
D. Ad hoc microsegmentation

Answer: B. NIST SP 800-207 defines zero trust principles and outlines ZTA components that shift away from static perimeters.

2. A migration to ZTA needs maturity guidance across identity, devices, networks, applications, and data. Which reference helps stage capabilities?

A. OWASP Top 10
B. CISA Zero Trust Maturity Model v2.0
C. NVD CVSS calculator
D. MITRE ATT&CK only

Answer: B. CISA’s ZTMM v2.0 provides staged maturity across pillars and cross-cutting capabilities.

3. You must place an API that reads sensitive data. Choose two design choices.

• Mutual TLS between services
• Any-to-any east-west by default
• Policy engine evaluates user, device, and request context
• Trust all traffic inside the VPC

Answer: Mutual TLS and a context-aware policy engine. These align with ZTA guidance and CISA’s maturity model pillars. 

Domain 4: Security Operations

1. Which reference now supersedes SP 800-61r2 for incident response guidance aligned to CSF 2.0?

A. SP 800-61r1
B. SP 800-61r3
C. SP 800-82
D. SP 800-171

Answer: B. NIST released SP 800-61 Revision 3 in April 2025, aligning IR considerations with CSF 2.0.

2. Which IR phase pairing is correct?

A. Eradication before containment
B. Recovery before detection
C. Containment before eradication
D. Lessons learned before identification

Answer: C. Operations typically contain first to stop spread, then eradicate root cause, consistent with NIST IR guidance.

3. You lead triage for a suspected VPN breach. List the first two actions.

Answer: Isolate affected edge devices or revoke sessions to contain access, then collect volatile artifacts and authentication logs for scoping. This follows containment-then-eradication flow and reflects DBIR’s emphasis on edge exposure.

Domain 5: Security Program Management And Oversight

1. Which framework version should a program office use for current policy language and outcomes?

A. CSF 1.1 only
B. CSF 2.0
C. COBIT only
D. ITIL

Answer: B. NIST CSF 2.0 is the current version with updated Functions and governance focus.

2. Which statement pairs program policy with ZTA correctly?

A. Policies ignore identity and focus on VLANs
B. Policies prioritize continuous verification and least privilege across people and workloads
C. Policies require single factor for admins
D. Policies allow implicit trust on internal networks

Answer: B. Governance should reflect ZTA principles while aligning to CSF 2.0 outcomes.

3. You must show auditors how vulnerabilities on internet-facing devices are prioritized. Name two artifacts to present.

Answer: A KEV-driven remediation register for exposed assets and CSF-mapped policy that sets response targets. KEV entries require clear and prompt remediation, and CSF 2.0 ties these actions to program outcomes. 

Make Every Study Hour Count

You can cover the objectives, yet the real test is applying them under timed conditions. Every practice set becomes an opportunity to spot mistakes, strengthen weak areas, and reduce surprises on test day.

With Destination Certification, you don’t prepare alone. Our Online BootCamp delivers guided instruction and exam-style drills that build real test readiness, while our Study Guide gives you a clear plan to review at your own pace. Together, they turn scattered study into focused preparation.

Choose Destination Certification and walk into your Security+ exam knowing you’ve trained with the same structure and support that thousands of successful candidates relied on.