Clarke Moyer CompTIA Security+ Certification Passing Guide
🎓 WGU Degree Program Context
Clarke obtained this certification as part of completing his BS-IT (Bachelor of Science in Information Technology) at Western Governors University (WGU). WGU's IT degree program integrates industry certification preparation directly into the curriculum — students can earn both the degree and the certifications simultaneously. This is why Clarke holds multiple foundational certifications from the same 2008–2009 period. If you're considering WGU, the built-in cert prep is a significant part of the value.
⚠️ A Note From Clarke: I no longer recommend pursuing CompTIA certifications as a primary certification track. If your goal is DoD 8570/NICE compliance or a career in cybersecurity, go directly to the CISSP track — it carries significantly more weight and longevity. CompTIA certs are accepted as DoD 8570 baseline qualifiers but the CISSP supersedes them. See the CISSP Passing Guide to start there instead. This guide remains here for those already committed to the CompTIA path.
📋 Active CE Renewal
Clarke actively maintains this certification through CompTIA's Continuing Education (CE) program — which is why you'll see the "ce" suffix (e.g., Security+ce) in his credentials. While Clarke no longer recommends this as a starting path, he keeps it current as part of his professional maintenance discipline. An active CE certification requires ongoing education and renewal — it's not a one-time achievement left to expire.
BLUF: To pass the Security+, do 4 things
- Create a public contest with another person — compete to finish before they do. The accountability accelerates everything.
- Go audio-first: get the audiobook version and study while walking, driving, or doing household tasks. Passive absorption adds up.
- Practice tests are the core. Buy the book primarily for access to the digital test bank — that’s the real product.
- Don’t over-study. Run all questions once, rerun wrong ones until zero, then restart with a real-test mix until you hit 90%+. Test at 80% — the re-take voucher is your safety net.
I passed the CompTIA Security+ in November 2008, early in my IT career. At the time it was a solid foundational security credential — and it served me well as a DoD 8570 baseline qualifier. The method below reflects how I studied for most of my early CompTIA certifications.
Obtained: November 19, 2008 | License: COMP001007606759
Study Method
1. Create Competition
Find someone — a colleague, study buddy, anyone — and make it a race. Announce it publicly if possible. The social pressure of a competition is more powerful than any study schedule. Even if you lose the race, you both pass. That happened to me with the CISSP and it still worked.
2. Audio First
Don’t sit down and read when you can be absorbing material while doing something else. Security+ is dense with vocabulary and concepts that benefit from repeated passive exposure. Audiobooks, commutes, walks — this is where the time comes from when you have a full-time job.
3. Practice Tests Are the Core
Buy the study guide primarily for the digital test prep access that comes with it. The book itself is secondary — the online test bank is what you’re really purchasing. Spend your hours there.
4. Don’t Over-Study
Run all questions once. Rerun the ones you got wrong until you score zero wrong. Then switch to a real-test mix (random questions, timed) and keep going until you consistently hit 90%+. Schedule your test when you hit 80% — not when you feel “ready.” You have a re-take if needed. Over-studying wastes time and increases anxiety.
Books / Materials
CompTIA Security+ Get Certified Get Ahead: SY0-701 Study Guide ← Must Buy
Darril Gibson’s series is the go-to for Security+. Updated for SY0-701. Buy it for the online practice test access — that’s the real value.
CompTIA Security+ Get Certified Get Ahead SY0-701 ↗
Mike Meyers CompTIA Security+ Guide
Mike Meyers is one of the most recognized names in CompTIA prep. Good alternative if you prefer his teaching style. Also includes online test access.
Mike Meyers CompTIA Security+ Guide ↗
CompTIA Security+ Audiobook / Audio Study Guide
For the audio-first method. Use during commutes, workouts, or any time you’re not sitting at a desk. Security+ vocabulary especially benefits from repeated audio exposure.
CompTIA Security+ Audiobook Study Guide ↗
Test Strategy
The Security+ SY0-701 exam is 90 questions, maximum 90 minutes, passing score of 750 (on a 100–900 scale). It includes multiple choice and performance-based questions (PBQs). PBQs appear first — don’t get stuck on them. Flag them and move on, come back at the end.
If you’re targeting DoD 8570 compliance, Security+ (CE) satisfies IAT Level II and IAM Level I. But if you’re planning to pursue CISSP eventually, know that CISSP supersedes Security+ for all those same categories and more.
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