Preparing for the CompTIA CySA+ exam in 2025? This guide compares CS0‑003 vs CS0‑002 across every domain—explaining the latest blueprint changes, new exam objectives, and why upgrading your study plan is essential. From SOAR playbooks to MITRE ATT&CK mapping and Zero-Trust containment, you’ll find all the differences that matter for your cybersecurity career.
Use this comparison as a fast-track CS0‑003 study guide to help you identify new objectives and build a more relevant lab-based learning plan.
What’s Changed?
Hands-on security operations now outrank checklist compliance. SOC analysts are expected to automate, contextualize, and communicate risk faster than ever.
Exam Weight Changes at a Glance
| CS0‑002 | Weight | CS0‑003 | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Threat & Vulnerability Mgmt | 22% | Security Operations | 25% |
| Software & Systems Security | 18% | Vulnerability Management | 18% |
| Security Ops & Monitoring | 25% | Incident Response & Mgmt | 22% |
| Incident Response | 22% | Reporting & Communication | 13% |
| Compliance & Assessment | 13% | Architecture & Tool Sets | 22% |
Domain 1 – Security Operations (25%)
Today’s SOC analysts need more than monitoring skills—they must respond proactively using SOAR automation and real-time threat intelligence mapped to the MITRE ATT&CK framework.
The new blueprint expands traditional log analysis with:
- 🧠 MITRE ATT&CK mapping – classify detections by technique and tactic.
- ⚙️ SOAR playbooks – automate response workflows that trigger containment.
- ☁️ Cloud telemetry – ingest logs from AWS, Azure, and GCP.
Domain 2 – Vulnerability Management (18%)
CS0-003 expands life-cycle management with:
- 🔍 SBOM analysis – identify supply chain exposure risks.
- 📦 IaC scanning – find misconfigs in Terraform & CloudFormation.
- 📊 CVSS 4.0 – calculate environmental scores and justify remediation.
Domain 3 – Incident Response & Management (22%)
The new exam includes PBQs (Performance-Based Questions) that test your ability to triage incidents, build firewall rules, and apply threat-hunting logic under pressure.
New areas covered:
- 📧 BEC triage – analyze headers & DMARC records.
- 🔎 Cloud forensics – preserve S3 versions and audit logs.
- 🔐 Zero-Trust containment – micro-segmentation and step-up auth.
Domain 4 – Reporting & Communication (13%)
Soft-skills now matter more than ever:
- 📊 Create executive dashboards from SIEM data.
- 💼 Explain risk using ROSI — business language counts.
- 🌐 Share intel with STIX/TAXII and ISACs.
Domain 5 – Architecture & Tool Sets (22%)
New toolset focus:
- 🔐 IaC security – Checkov, tfsec.
- 🐳 Container runtime protection – Falco, AppArmor.
- 💻 Python & PowerShell – automation with loops & APIs.
Whether you're a junior analyst or career switcher, understanding these changes will help you pass your cybersecurity certification on the first attempt and stay job-ready.
🔑 Key Takeaways
- Update resources. CS0‑002 books miss objectives like SOAR, MITRE and cloud forensics.
- Prioritise labs. PBQs now involve automation, ATT&CK mapping and cloud evidence.
- Practice exec summaries. Domain 4 rewards clarity over jargon.