Course Name: CompTIA Cybersecurity Analyst (CySA+) – CS0-003
Description:
The CompTIA CySA+ (Cybersecurity Analyst) certification is an intermediate-level cybersecurity credential that focuses on threat detection, incident response, and continuous security monitoring. It bridges the gap between entry-level security skills and advanced cybersecurity analysis, helping professionals move toward roles in a Security Operations Center (SOC) or cybersecurity analyst positions.
Why We Need It:
As organizations face an ever-growing number of cyber threats, skilled professionals are required to proactively defend networks, analyze data, and respond to security incidents. CySA+ validates the ability to use behavioral analytics and threat intelligence to identify and combat malware, insider threats, and advanced persistent threats (APTs).
How It Is Useful:
CySA+ equips learners with practical, hands-on knowledge in areas such as:
- Security operations and monitoring
- Threat and vulnerability management
- Incident response and recovery
- Compliance and security frameworks
- Use of threat detection tools and SIEM systems
This certification prepares individuals to work with real-world cybersecurity tools and methodologies used by security analysts in modern enterprises.
How It Can Help You:
- Strengthens your ability to analyze and protect organizational systems.
- Qualifies you for in-demand roles such as Security Analyst, SOC Analyst, Threat Hunter, or Incident Responder.
- Enhances your credibility and earning potential in the cybersecurity field.
- Acts as a stepping stone toward more advanced certifications like CompTIA CASP+, CISSP, or Cisco CyberOps Professional.
Exam Details:
- Exam Code: CS0-003
- Exam Duration: 165 minutes
- Questions: Up to 85 (multiple-choice & performance-based)
- Passing Score: 750 (on a scale of 100–900)
Expiry Date / Renewal:
The CompTIA CySA+ certification is valid for three (3) years from the date of certification. It can be renewed through CompTIA’s Continuing Education (CE) program, which involves earning continuing education units (CEUs) through approved training, higher certifications, or professional activities.
Recommended Experience:
- CompTIA Network+ and Security+ or equivalent knowledge
- 3–4 years of hands-on experience in information security or related fields
Exam Objectives
DOMAIN WEIGHTS
| Domain | % of Exam |
|---|---|
| 1.0 Security Operations | 33% |
| 2.0 Vulnerability Management | 30% |
| 3.0 Incident Response and Management | 20% |
| 4.0 Reporting and Communication | 17% |
| Total | 100% |
1.0 Security Operations (33%)
1.1 Explain the importance of system and network architecture concepts in security operations
- Log ingestion
- Time synchronization
- Logging levels
- Operating system (OS) concepts
- Windows Registry
- System hardening
- File structure (configuration file locations)
- System processes
- Hardware architecture
- Infrastructure concepts
- Serverless
- Virtualization
- Containerization
- Network architecture
- On-premises, cloud, hybrid
- Network segmentation
- Zero trust
- Secure access service edge (SASE)
- Software-defined networking (SDN)
- Identity and access management
- Multifactor authentication (MFA)
- Single sign-on (SSO)
- Federation
- Privileged access management (PAM)
- Passwordless
- Cloud access security broker (CASB)
- Encryption
- Public key infrastructure (PKI)
- SSL inspection
- Sensitive data protection
- Data loss prevention (DLP)
- Personally identifiable information (PII)
- Cardholder data (CHD)
1.2 Given a scenario, analyze indicators of potentially malicious activity
- Network-related: bandwidth consumption, beaconing, irregular P2P, rogue devices, scans/sweeps, unusual spikes, unexpected ports
- Host-related: CPU/memory/disk usage, unauthorized software, malicious processes, unauthorized changes, privilege escalation, data exfiltration, abnormal OS processes, file system/registry changes, scheduled tasks
- Application-related: anomalous activity, new accounts, unexpected output/outbound communication, service interruption, application logs
- Other: social engineering attacks, obfuscated links
1.3 Given a scenario, use appropriate tools or techniques to determine malicious activity
- Tools:
- Packet capture: Wireshark, tcpdump
- Log analysis/SIEM, SOAR
- Endpoint security: EDR
- DNS/IP reputation: WHOIS, AbuseIPDB
- File analysis: strings, VirusTotal
- Sandboxing: Joe Sandbox, Cuckoo Sandbox
- Techniques:
- Pattern recognition, command and control interpretation
- Email analysis: headers, impersonation, DKIM, DMARC, SPF, embedded links
- File analysis: hashing
- User behavior analysis: abnormal accounts, impossible travel
- Programming/scripting: JSON, XML, Python, PowerShell, Shell script, regular expressions
1.4 Compare and contrast threat intelligence and threat hunting concepts
- Threat actors: APT, hacktivists, organized crime, nation-state, script kiddies, insiders (intentional/unintentional), supply chain
- TTPs (tactics, techniques, procedures)
- Confidence levels: timeliness, relevancy, accuracy
- Collection sources: open source (social media, blogs/forums, government bulletins, CERT/CSIRT, deep/dark web), closed source (paid feeds, info sharing, internal sources)
- Threat intelligence sharing: incident response, vulnerability management, risk management, security engineering, detection/monitoring
- Threat hunting: IoC collection/analysis/application, focus on configurations/misconfigurations, isolated networks, business-critical assets, active defense, honeypots
1.5 Explain the importance of efficiency and process improvement in security operations
- Standardize processes: identify automation-suitable tasks, team coordination
- Streamline operations: automation & orchestration, threat intel data enrichment, minimize human engagement
- Technology and tool integration: APIs, webhooks, plugins
- Single pane of glass
2.0 Vulnerability Management (30%)
2.1 Implement vulnerability scanning methods and concepts
- Asset discovery: map scans, device fingerprinting
- Special considerations: scheduling, operations, performance, sensitivity, segmentation, regulatory requirements
- Internal vs. external scanning, agent vs. agentless, credentialed vs. non-credentialed, passive vs. active, static vs. dynamic
- Critical infrastructure: OT, ICS, SCADA
- Security baseline scanning, industry frameworks: PCI DSS, CIS, OWASP, ISO 27000 series
2.2 Analyze data to prioritize vulnerabilities
- CVSS interpretation: attack vectors, complexity, privileges, user interaction, scope, impact (CIA)
- Validation: true/false positives, true/false negatives
- Context awareness: internal, external, isolated
- Exploitability, asset value, zero-day
2.3 Recommend controls to mitigate attacks and software vulnerabilities
- Vulnerability types: XSS, buffer/integer/heap/stack overflow, data poisoning, broken access control, crypto failures, injection, CSRF, directory traversal, insecure design, misconfiguration, outdated components, auth failures, SSRF, RCE, privilege escalation, LFI/RFI
2.4 Concepts related to vulnerability response, handling, and management
- Compensating controls, control types (managerial, operational, technical; preventive, detective, corrective, responsive)
- Patching/configuration management: testing, implementation, rollback, validation
- Maintenance windows, exceptions
- Risk management principles: accept, transfer, avoid, mitigate
- Policies, governance, SLOs
- Prioritization/escalation
- Attack surface management: edge discovery, passive discovery, security controls testing, penetration testing, adversary emulation, bug bounty, attack surface reduction
- Secure coding best practices: input validation, output encoding, session management, authentication, data protection, parameterized queries
- SDLC and threat modeling
2.5 Explain attack methodology frameworks
- Cyber kill chain, Diamond Model of Intrusion Analysis, MITRE ATT&CK, OSSTMM, OWASP Testing Guide
3.0 Incident Response and Management (20%)
3.1 Perform incident response activities
- Detection & analysis: IoC, evidence acquisition (chain of custody, data integrity validation, preservation, legal hold), data/log analysis
- Containment, eradication, recovery: scope, impact, isolation, remediation, re-imaging, compensating controls
3.2 Explain preparation and post-incident activity phases
- Preparation: incident response plan, tools, playbooks, tabletop exercises, training, BC/DR
- Post-incident: forensic analysis, root cause analysis, lessons learned
4.0 Reporting and Communication (17%)
4.1 Vulnerability management reporting and communication
- Reporting: vulnerabilities, affected hosts, risk score, mitigation, recurrence, prioritization
- Compliance reports
- Action plans: config management, patching, compensating controls, awareness/training, business requirement changes
- Inhibitors to remediation: MOU, SLA, governance, business process interruption, legacy/proprietary systems
- Metrics/KPIs: trends, top 10, critical vulnerabilities/zero-days, SLOs
- Stakeholder identification and communication
4.2 Incident response reporting and communication
- Stakeholder identification/communication
- Incident declaration/escalation
- Reporting: executive summary, who/what/when/where/why, recommendations, timeline, impact, scope, evidence
- Communications: legal, PR (customer/media), regulatory, law enforcement
- Root cause analysis, lessons learned
- Metrics/KPIs: MTTR, MTTD, MTTRd, alert volume
