Preface
The CompTIA SecurityX CAS-005 certification validates the advanced skills required to design, engineer, and implement secure enterprise-grade solutions across diverse, interconnected environments. This study guide is designed to equip cybersecurity professionals with the knowledge to proactively support resilient operations through automation, real-time monitoring, threat detection, and effective incident response. It addresses the application of security principles in complex infrastructures-whether cloud-based, on-premises, or hybrid-and emphasizes the practical integration of cryptographic methods and emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence. Throughout, the guide reinforces the importance of enterprise-wide governance, regulatory compliance, risk mitigation, and threat modeling as essential components of modern security architecture.
The CompTIA SecurityX exam is an update and rebrand of the CompTIA CASP+ (CAS-004) exam, which was retired in June 2025. The 28 objectives of the CAS-004 exam have been narrowed down to 23, and the domains have been reordered. The new weighting of the exam is shown in the following table:
Domain
Percentage of examination
1.0 Governance, Risk, and Compliance
20%
2.0 Security Architecture
27%
3.0 Security Engineering
31%
4.0 Security Operations
22%
Total
100%
Changes in this updated exam include a greater emphasis on cloud-native security, zero-trust architectures, threats from artificial intelligence, enhanced data protection regulations, and security for operational technology and internet of things (IoT) devices.
To help you best organize your study, this book has been structured to closely follow the CompTIA SecurityX domains, objectives, and concepts. The book is divided into four sections-one for each domain-and each section is split into chapters that align with the objectives as stated in the official exam outline. Each chapter has been designed to closely follow the concepts in each objective, again as stated in the outline.
In addition, there are mock exams that closely match the type of multiple-choice questions you will encounter in the actual exam, review questions to test your knowledge at the end of each chapter, flashcards to help you remember important ideas, and exam tips to support you on the day of the test.
There is also an exam voucher that gives you 12% off the cost of sitting the exam.
Who this book is for
This book is intended for experienced cybersecurity professionals preparing for the CompTIA SecurityX (CAS-005) certification, particularly those working in enterprise environments who are responsible for securing complex, hybrid infrastructures. It is especially valuable for security architects, engineers, senior analysts, and consultants seeking to deepen their knowledge of enterprise-level security operations, governance, risk management, and advanced technical controls. Candidates should already possess foundational cybersecurity knowledge (such as Security+ or equivalent experience) and be familiar with key concepts in network defense, cryptography, compliance, cloud security, and incident response. This guide is also useful for IT professionals transitioning into senior cybersecurity roles and for those involved in designing and implementing enterprise security strategies.
What this book covers
Chapter 1, Given a Set of Organizational Security Requirements, Implement the Appropriate Governance Components, explains the importance of organizational policies, security programs, governance frameworks, change management, and the importance of data governance in enterprise environments.
Chapter 2, Given a Set of Organizational Security Requirements, Perform Risk Management Activities, explores the essential risk management activities required to meet organizational security requirements, including impact analysis, risk assessment, third-party risk management, and strategies for addressing availability, confidentiality, integrity, privacy risks, crisis management, and breach response.
Chapter 3, Explain How Compliance Affects Information Security Strategies, provides a concise understanding of compliance requirements, industry standards, and security frameworks. It helps candidates distinguish between audits, assessments, and certifications, while also addressing privacy laws and cross-border data compliance challenges relevant to modern enterprise environments.
Chapter 4, Given a Scenario, Perform Threat-Modeling Activities, explores the comprehensive processes and methodologies of threat modeling, including understanding actor characteristics, attack patterns, frameworks, and methods, to effectively determine and apply threat models within an organizational environment.
Chapter 5, Summarize the Information Security Challenges Associated with Artificial Intelligence (AI) Adoption, explores the information security challenges associated with adopting artificial intelligence (AI), focusing on legal and privacy implications, threats to AI models, AI-enabled attacks, risks of AI usage, and the security of AI-enabled assistants and digital workers.
Chapter 6, Given a Scenario, Analyze Requirements to Design Resilient Systems, covers the critical process of designing resilient systems, focusing on the strategic placement and configuration of security devices and the essential considerations for ensuring system availability and integrity.
Chapter 7, Given a Scenario, Implement Security in the Early Stages of the Systems Life Cycle and Throughout Subsequent Stages, provides a comprehensive guide on implementing security measures throughout the system life cycle, from the initial stages to the end-of-life phase, ensuring robust protection against evolving threats.
Chapter 8, Given a Scenario, Integrate Appropriate Controls in the Design of a Secure Architecture, explores the integration of appropriate controls in the design of a secure architecture, emphasizing attack surface management, threat detection, data security, DLP, hybrid infrastructures, third-party integrations, and evaluating control effectiveness.
Chapter 9, Given a Scenario, Apply Security Concepts to the Design of Access, Authentication, and Authorization Systems, explores the application of security concepts in designing robust access, authentication, and authorization systems, crucial for protecting organizational resources and ensuring secure user interactions.
Chapter 10, Given a Scenario, Securely Implement Cloud Capabilities in an Enterprise Environment, explores the critical strategies and technologies required to safeguard cloud infrastructures, emphasizing practical approaches to leveraging cloud services while maintaining robust security postures.
Chapter 11, Given a Scenario, Integrate Zero Trust Concepts into System Architecture Design, explains how to apply Zero Trust principles to system architecture, emphasizing continuous authorization, context-based reauthentication, secure network architecture, API integration, asset management, security boundaries, deperimeterization, and defining subject-object relationships.
Chapter 12, Given a Scenario, Troubleshoot Common Issues with Identity and Access Management (IAM) Components in an Enterprise Environment, explains how to set about troubleshooting common issues with identity and access management (IAM) components in an enterprise environment, providing practical insights and solutions for maintaining secure and efficient IAM operations.
Chapter 13, Given a Scenario, Analyze Requirements to Enhance the Security of Endpoints and Servers, delves into strategies and techniques for analyzing and improving the security of endpoints and servers, covering application control, EDR, event logging, privilege management, and more, to ensure robust protection against evolving threats.
Chapter 14, Given a Scenario, Troubleshoot Complex Network Infrastructure Security Issues, covers advanced techniques for identifying and resolving security issues within network infrastructures, covering misconfigurations, IPS/IDS complications, DNS security, and more, equipping professionals with essential troubleshooting skills.
Chapter 15, Given a Scenario, Implement Hardware Security Technologies and Techniques, explains the implementation of hardware...
