OverviewCompTIA Security+ Weak Areas: The Topics Most Candidates Struggle With
Review difficult Security+ distinctions in cryptography, identity, and scenario reasoning, then use missed questions to choose targeted practice.
Updated October 2, 2026·6 min read
A weak topic is often a distinction you have not yet made clear. When two answers seem interchangeable, explain what each control does and which detail in the scenario separates them.
The topics that trip up most candidates
Cryptography terminology causes the most confusion. Candidates mix up encryption with hashing, certificates with keys, and signatures with confidentiality. Security+ tests function, not just vocabulary — so you need to know which primitive solves which problem.
Incident response ordering is another common weak area. The phases are Preparation, Identification, Containment, Eradication, Recovery, and Lessons Learned. Exam questions often test whether you know the next step, not just the list. Containment comes before Eradication.
Subnetting math trips up candidates who never practiced it under time pressure. A /24 gives 254 usable hosts. A /26 gives 62. Know these cold before exam day.
Social engineering terminology is deceptively similar. Phishing, vishing, smishing, whaling, pretexting, and tailgating are distinct. The exam will exploit fuzzy knowledge of these distinctions.
How to address these weak areas
Take one topic at a time and convert it into a scenario. For cryptography, do not stop at definitions — attach each term to its use case. For incident response, practice the sequence as a workflow. For subnetting, do math problems until the patterns become intuitive.
Our CompTIA Security+ study guide covers all five SY0-701 domains. Available at securitypluscertprep.com/guide.
SimpuTech's Security+ AI tutor can build a personalized study plan around your weak domains. Try it at SimpuTech.com.