CompTIA® Security+® SY0-701 Certification Guide: Master cybersecurity fundamentals and pass the SY0-701 exam on your first attempt

Ian Neil’s “CompTIA Security+ Study Guide” (701) is an excellent resource for anyone preparing for the Security+ exam. The book is well-structured, covering essential security concepts. Neil’s writing style is clear and engaging, breaking down complex topics into digestible sections. Each chapter includes review questions and practical examples that reinforce the material, which is particularly helpful for exam preparation. Additionally, the inclusion of real-world scenarios adds depth and context, enhancing understanding. While the book is comprehensive, some readers may find it could benefit from more visuals or diagrams to illustrate certain concepts. However, the overall clarity and thoroughness make it a valuable study aid. Ian Neil’s “701 Security+” is a strong choice for anyone looking to gain a solid foundation in security principles and effectively prepare for the exam.

I found this Security+ book an excellent resource. It cuts out a lot of the noise and fluff that other instructors like to include and was straight to the point which I was a big fan of. Very easy to understand, a great book for beginners and experienced professionals alike. Highly recommend. If I choose to sit Network+ I will be getting Ian's book for certain.

What an improvement on any Security+ book, especially 701. The author has taken the time to write 28 Managable Chapters - 1 for each exam objective. As you go through the book you can highlight the exam objective. It is great as a study or reference guide and it is written in a very easy to read and understand format. This is the BEST book Ian Neil has ever written. It fits well from beginner to the professional. The end of chapter question are multiple choice designed to confirm the information in each chapter and the mock exam is online - I will get to that in 2 weeks time. I amnvery positive about getting 701 certified. It even has a $45 exam discount voucher - it pays for itself.

I've previously owned the 501 and 601 versions of Ians Security+ books. Ian has changed his approach for this book and in my opinion, it's for the better. As with previous books there are links to additional material which if you choose to read them will help deepen your knowledge. The 701 book is divided into Domains, which follows the CompTIA domains set in this exams objectives. Each domains chapters are dedicated to the subdomain exam topics in order (4.1,4.2,4.3,...). The end of each chapter has a summary of the topics and practice questions. The practice questions are multiple choice, so are closer to the exam format than the previous books from Ian. You also get access to online practice tests via an access code included in the book. If you want to pass the 701 exam studing from this book is a must!

This is a must have read for anyone who is interested in obtaining the Security + certification. The book is written in 28 small sections. Each section is written in such a way that topics are clearly explained which makes it an ideal purchase for newbies who are interested in a pathway to cyber security, and people who work in cyber security and wish to take the 701 exam. In my role as Senior CyberSecurity Instructor for a global training provider I have been looking for a book for SY0-701 to help my students successfully pass the 701 exam, without doubt this is the book we will be using

Today, I passed the exam, and I want to thank this book for making my revision easier than using online resources or YouTube. It contains 24 chapters with quizzes and is written in simple language, making it easy for anyone with basic knowledge of IT and cybersecurity to understand.

The book is written in a clean easy to follow format, with excellent review material at the end of the chapters. It really was key to earning my security plus certification. I highly recommend using this book.

DO NOT TRUST THIS BOOK OR ONLINE CONTENT FOR EXAM PREP. I used this guide for targeted review of specific domains in the week before my exam and found numerous unforgivable errors throughout. The content is about an inch deep on any specific area and not adequate to match the exam content / level of detail required to master the material. That's not to say that most content isn't accurate... it is, but if you use this as the main bulk of your study materials you are going to have a shockingly bad time on exam day. The exam questions are not overly complex but they are ambiguous and I expect that within about 20 questions you'll realise how out of your depth you are if this is how you try to learn it. Inside the book is a link to online flash cards and test exams. These are the most egregious part of the experience. Absolutely flat-out not suitable for the test itself. There are errors which are not even matters of opinion, just plainly wrong and if you blindly trust the content without cross-checking other study sources I'm certain you will fail. Before you think this review is just sour grapes, know that I did pass the exam first try but only because I was fortunate enough to know that something was wrong when reading this book and adjust accordingly. I would strongly suggest you choose official course material, reputable online video series, or use a well-prompted LLM to help you dive in and learn things inside-and-out. This book may serve as a skimmable overview type resource but absolutely should not be your main source.

I'm delighted to share that I passed the SY0-701 exam on the first attempt, thanks entirely to this outstanding resource—despite having absolutely no background in security! It offered detailed, well-structured, and easily to follow content that was directly aligned with the exam objectives. I found it to be an invaluable tool for preparation, providing clarity and confidence throughout my study process. I highly recommend it to anyone aiming to excel in their exams right from the start!

Great book must read rather then online classes on youtube Clear everything and multiple question with answer

✅ Punti di forza Copertura completa degli obiettivi d’esame Il libro dichiara di coprire al 100 % gli obiettivi ufficiali dell’esame SY0-701. Questo è un grande vantaggio se vuoi uno studio “all-in” senza dover cercare troppo materiale aggiuntivo. Autore con esperienza e risorse aggiuntive Ian Neil è un formator professionista in ambito sicurezza IT, e il libro include accesso a strumenti online: mock exam, flashcard, elenco di acronimi, voucher per l’esame. Questi elementi pratici sono utili per consolidare la preparazione. Struttura chiara e adatta sia ai principianti che a chi ha esperienza base La descrizione evidenzia che il testo parte dai “fondamenti di cybersecurity” e poi affronta architetture, controlli, vulnerabilità, ecc. Quindi può essere utile anche a chi non ha un background approfondito in sicurezza. Formato aggiornato (Jan 2024), quindi abbastanza recente per il SY0-701 La data di pubblicazione e l’edizione migliorata suggeriscono che il contenuto è allineato all’esame corrente. 🎯 A chi lo consiglio A chi vuole prepararsi in modo serio per l’esame SY0-701 e cerca un testo principale che copra tutti gli obiettivi. A chi ha una base IT o vuole acquisirla: dato che il libro parte dai fondamentali, è adatto anche a chi non sia un esperto security. A chi preferisce un approccio “libro + risorse online” integrato. 🚫 A chi potrebbe non bastare A chi vuole un approfondimento molto tecnico o specifico oltre l’esame (es. pen-testing avanzato, architetture 0-trust avanzate). A chi cerca esclusivamente risorse in italiano (se non è disponibile traduzione).

This study guide is amazing and definitely a game changer (MAKING THIS PURCHASE WAS DEFINITELY WORTH IT) as I prepared for my exam. I read the book from front to back several times - reading it the first time then taking notes the second time - then the third time reviewing the notes on the topics I found I had issues with which assisted me grasping the concepts. This book has been an outstanding resource in my Security+ prep journey. What really sets it apart is how approachable and easy to understand the material is — even complex topics are broken down in a way that’s practical and memorable. The writing feels more like a conversation than a lecture, which helps the content stick and makes studying far less intimidating. One of the best things about this guide is how it encourages critical thinking. Rather than just handing you textbook definitions, the author focuses on how concepts apply in real-world scenarios. That approach helped me actually understand the “why” behind the “what,” which is crucial not just for the test, but for real-life application in the cybersecurity field. The chapter reviews and quizzes are also helpful in reinforcing key ideas. They're challenging in a good way and made me reflect more deeply on the material, not just memorize answers. It’s clear that the author put a lot of thought into crafting a learning experience that’s both informative and engaging. This isn’t just another dry exam cram — it’s a well-written, thoughtfully designed tool that builds real comprehension. I’d absolutely recommend it to anyone studying for the Security+ exam or wanting a strong cybersecurity foundation. A must-have on your study shelf! Pros: - This is the only Security+ book where each chapter is an exam objective, making it easy to prepare for the exam, they have multiple choice end of chapter questions to ensure you have understood the chapter. Ian has produced three online mock exams of 75 questions so you can measure if you are ready, giving you the look and feel of the real exam, making sure you are ready to spend $404 on booking an exam - The material is written well and very engaging. - All material covered in the book fills the knowledge and/or extend further for the scope of the Security+ 701 certification exam. - The wording is easy to understand. - When reading the material, it is straight and to the point with no fluff. - Read, study, take quizzes, then review why you answered incorrectly - do this and understand the basic concept then expect to leave the testing center certified. - The formatting is understandable and makes sense with the sequence it is in. Cons (none - I am very satisfied with the material the author presents in this "GEM" of a book).

I recently passed my CompTIA Security+ SY0-701 exam, and I can confidently say that Ian Neil’s Security+ 701 book played a huge role in my success. The book is incredibly well-structured, easy to follow, and breaks down complex concepts in a way that actually sticks. Ian’s explanations are clear, practical, and focused on what you really need to know for the exam. What I appreciated most was how the book balanced depth with clarity—nothing felt overwhelming, but everything felt thorough. The examples, practice questions, and real-world scenarios helped reinforce the material and made studying so much more effective. If you’re preparing for the Security+ 701, this book is absolutely worth it. It was an amazing resource, and I wouldn’t have passed without it. Highly recommended, I can from no IT background or experience. Just being a grunt coming into this really helps.