CompTIA Security+ is the world's most widely recognised entry-to-mid cybersecurity certification. This course suits IT professionals with 1–2 years of general IT experience wanting to specialise in cybersecurity, and career changers who have completed the Google IT Support certificate and want to enter security operations.
Australia faces a critical and worsening cybersecurity skills shortage. Hays 2026 identifies cybersecurity specialists as a priority shortage as organisations respond to escalating threats, expanding regulation and the Essential Eight compliance requirements. The ACSC receives over 76,000 cybercrime reports per year — one every seven minutes. Cybersecurity Analysts earn $90,000–$130,000. Senior roles reach $150,000–$250,000+.
Vendor-neutral (works in any organisation's environment), widely recognised in Australia, positioned at the entry-to-mid level where most career changers begin, and DoD-8570 approved — treated with equivalent respect by Australian government cybersecurity teams. Required or preferred in a significant proportion of Australian bank, telco and professional services job ads.
Domain 1 — General Security Concepts (12%): Controls, authentication, cryptography (symmetric, asymmetric, hashing) and PKI. Domain 2 — Threats, Vulnerabilities and Mitigations (22%): Malware, social engineering (phishing, vishing, spear phishing), application vulnerabilities (SQL injection, XSS, buffer overflow) and mitigation strategies. Domain 3 — Security Architecture (18%): Network security architecture, cloud security, zero trust, network segmentation. Domain 4 — Security Operations (28%): The largest domain. IAM, endpoint security, network monitoring, incident response, SIEM, digital forensics. Domain 5 — Security Program Management and Governance (20%): Risk management, policies, compliance (Privacy Act, Essential Eight, Critical Infrastructure Act), supply chain security.
Our strong recommendation: pursue both together. Google Cybersecurity provides hands-on Linux, Python and SIEM skills. Security+ provides the formal vendor-neutral certification that government and enterprise employers require by name. Together they create a profile that significantly outcompetes either credential alone. Both achievable within 8–9 months from a standing start.
Pros: Globally recognised and vendor-neutral. Required or preferred by major Australian employers. Comprehensive SY0-701 coverage. Excellent value on Udemy sale. Cons: Requires 1–2 years of IT experience as foundation. Exam costs approximately $430–$480 AUD. Additional dedicated practice exam tools (Jason Dion or Mike Chapple simulators) strongly recommended.
Prerequisites? CompTIA recommends Network+ and two years of IT experience. In practice, Google IT Support certificate plus 1–2 years of helpdesk work is sufficient foundation.
Exam cost in Australia? Approximately $430–$480 AUD at Pearson VUE. Online proctored testing also available.
Is Security+ enough for a cybersecurity job? Security+ plus Google Cybersecurity certificate plus 1–2 years of IT experience is typically sufficient for entry-level SOC Analyst, Junior Security Analyst and IT Security Coordinator roles.
Affiliate link — we may earn a commission
Compare with OthersIBM's eight-course cybersecurity analyst program — covering threat intelligence, network security, SIEM tools, and penetration testing fundamentals. An alternative to the Google Cybersecurity certificate for learners who want IBM's enterprise security perspective.
Become job-ready for cybersecurity in 6 months. Hands-on labs in Linux, Python and SIEM tools — built by Google for Australia's most critically understaffed profession.
The intermediate cybersecurity certification for SOC analysts, threat hunters, and incident responders. CySA+ is the next step after Security+ and the credential that unlocks mid-level cybersecurity roles paying $100,000–$140,000 AUD in Australia.