CySA+ Is Moving to CS0-004. Sit CS0-003 Now or Wait?
Reports through mid-2026 point to CySA+ V4, exam code CS0-004, arriving as the successor to CS0-003. If you are studying for CySA+ right now, that changes your timeline.
Before anything else: verify the current exam code on CompTIA's own site before you book or buy. Version transitions get reported early and dates move. What follows assumes the transition is happening, which is the safe planning assumption either way.
Why CySA+ changing matters more than most
CySA+ sits at an awkward point in the CompTIA stack. It is the analyst credential between Security+ and the expert tier, and it is heavily used in defence and government hiring where specific exam versions get written into requirements.
It is also the exam most exposed to how fast security operations actually changes. Threat detection practice in 2023 is not threat detection practice in 2026, and a blueprint refresh reflects genuine drift rather than marketing.
Take CS0-003 now if
You are close to ready. The blueprint has been in place since 2023, the material is mature, and a passed CySA+ stays valid on your record regardless of what version succeeds it.
You have a contract or role requirement naming CS0-003 specifically. This happens more than you would expect in government work.
Our CySA+ CS0-003 question set covers the current blueprint, and lifetime updates mean you get the revision when we publish it.
Wait for CS0-004 if
You have not started. There is no sense learning a syllabus that is about to be replaced, particularly when the newer version will better reflect current SOC practice.
Your interest is genuinely in modern detection and response rather than in ticking a box. Newer blueprints in this space consistently add cloud-native detection, automation and AI-assisted triage, all of which are what the job now involves.
The retake trap
Worth repeating because it catches people on every version transition. If you fail an exam close to its retirement date, your retake lands on the new version, with material you have not studied.
CompTIA has no waiting period between a first and second attempt, which helps, but you still need the retirement date confirmed before you plan around it.
If you already hold CySA+
Nothing changes. Your certification is valid for three years from your pass date and renews through continuing education, not by retaking. See our CompTIA renewal guide for the options.
The broader point
Between SecAI+, AutoOps+, the Security+ objectives refresh, Data+ moving to DA0-002 and Linux+ moving to XK0-006, CompTIA has changed more of its catalogue in 2026 than in any recent year.
The habit that protects you costs two minutes: open CompTIA's exam page, read the code and version date, compare it against your study material. Do it before you spend money, not after.
Not sure which version to prepare for? Reply and tell us your target date, and we will tell you straight which code to study. Browse all CompTIA sets.