Let's be honest: Performance-Based Questions (PBQs) are the part of the Security+ exam that most candidates dread. They appear first, take longer than multiple-choice, and there's no simple formula to memorize. Yet they're worth a significant chunk of your final score, and skipping past them without a solid attempt is a risk you don't want to take.
The good news is that PBQs are very learnable once you understand what CompTIA is actually testing — and once you've practiced the format enough times that it no longer feels unfamiliar.
What Are PBQs on the Security+ SY0-701 Exam?
Performance-Based Questions are interactive exam items that test whether you can actually do something, not just recall a definition. Instead of four answer choices, you'll be presented with a simulated environment — a firewall configuration screen, a network diagram, a command terminal, or a drag-and-drop scenario — and asked to solve a real problem.
On the Security+ SY0-701, you can expect between three and six PBQs, and they appear at the very start of the exam before the multiple choice questions. This trips up a lot of candidates who spend too long on the first PBQ and run short of time later.
The types you'll encounter are:
- Simulation PBQs — a simplified approximation of a tool or interface. You can skip these and return to them later. There is a reset button if you want to start fresh.
- Virtual PBQs — a fully functioning virtual machine running real software. You cannot skip these and return. When you see one, complete it before moving on.
- Interactive PBQs — an image to review or device output, and then a question in the form of drag-and-drop or fill-in-the-blanks
What Topics Do Security+ PBQs Cover?
PBQs on SY0-701 can come from any domain, but the most commonly tested areas in interactive format are:
- Configuring firewall rules and access control lists
- Analyzing network traffic and identifying threats
- Implementing secure network designs using network diagrams
- Identifying vulnerabilities from scan output
- Applying incident response procedures
- Configuring identity and access management settings
- Matching cryptographic concepts to real-world scenarios
The key thing to understand is that CompTIA is not trying to trick you. PBQs are designed to confirm that you can apply what you know in a practical context. If you've studied the objectives properly, the scenario will feel familiar even if the specific interface looks unfamiliar.
How to Approach PBQs in the Exam
Most candidates make the same mistake: they treat PBQs like hard multiple-choice questions and try to work them out from scratch under pressure. Here's a better approach.
Read the instructions fully before touching anything. The scenario description tells you exactly what outcome you need to achieve. Rushing straight to clicking is how you end up resetting and losing time.
On simulation PBQs — if you're stuck, flag it and move on. You can return to simulation PBQs later. Getting three or four multiple-choice questions answered in the time you'd spend stuck on one PBQ is a better use of your exam time.
On virtual PBQs — do your best and keep moving. You cannot return to these. Partial credit is available, so attempting something is always better than leaving it blank.
Use the process of elimination. Even in a simulated environment, you can often rule out the obviously wrong configurations before narrowing in on the correct one.
Practice the Format Before Exam Day
The single biggest thing that helps with PBQs is simply seeing the format before you walk into the exam. Candidates who have never attempted an interactive question before test day almost always say the format felt more stressful than the question itself.
Below is a free, interactive-style Security+ PBQ practice assessment built to the SY0-701 exam objectives. It uses the same drag-and-drop and fill-in-the-blank formats you'll encounter in the real exam. Take it in full-screen mode for the most realistic experience. Our full course has the labs which cover the hands-on PBQs you will encounter but you need access to tools such as Kali Linux for that.
How did you get on? If any of the topics in that assessment felt uncertain, that's your study signal — go back to that objective in your study guide before sitting the real exam.
What to Study for Security+ PBQs
You can't predict exactly which PBQs will appear on your exam, but you can make sure the likely topics feel second nature. The areas most candidates struggle with in an interactive format are network diagram questions — identifying where a firewall, IDS, or DMZ should be placed — and anything involving reading tool output, such as Nmap scans or Wireshark captures.
If those topics feel uncertain, spend time with the actual tools rather than just reading about them. Setting up a basic home lab with Wireshark or running a free Nmap scan against a test machine makes the output immediately recognizable when you see it in a PBQ scenario.
Free Security+ Study Resources
If you want to go deeper on Security+ exam preparation, we have a complete Security+ course covering all SY0-701 domains, plus additional labs and practice exams. Members also get access to our full video course, interactive labs, and the live Cisco rack — everything in one place.
