Linux Professional Institute (LPI)

Security Essentials

Linux Professional Institute Security Essentials

The entry-level certificate for IT security. It is meant for anyone who has completed a first course in IT security, for employees in organizations that want to work more securely, and for everyone who wants to use technology safely in everyday life.

Matching training How to take the exam
Exam
020-100
Scope
60 min, 40 questions
Validity
Lebenslang
Prerequisite
None
Where
Test center or online

The Essentials certificates

  1. no prerequisite Linux Essentials
  2. no prerequisite Open Source Essentials
  3. you are here Security Essentials
  4. no prerequisite Web Development Essentials

Independent entry points without prerequisites and without a fixed order. If you want to use Linux professionally, continue with LPIC-1.

skills

What you can do with Security Essentials

  • Recognize common threats to computers, networks, connected devices and IT services, on premises and in the cloud
  • Prevent attacks on your own devices and data or limit their impact
  • Encrypt data in transit, on storage media and in the cloud
  • Protect private information and your own identity
  • Use IT services securely and take responsibility for devices, applications, accounts and online profiles
exam

One exam, 5 topics

020020-100

  • Security concepts
  • Encryption
  • Device and storage security
  • Network and service security
  • Identity and privacy

Current version 1.0. Exam language English, at a test center and online.

process

How to get Security Essentials

  1. Review the objectives. They define what the exam covers.
  2. Prepare. With a course at one of our partners or through self-study.
  3. Book the exam. Directly with Pearson VUE. Many training partners also offer the exam at the end of the course, and at schools and universities that are Academic Partners, students take it at reduced rates.
  4. Take the exam. At a test centre or online from home.
trainings

Training for preparation

There is currently no course for Security Essentials.

Ask us: we will check with our training partners what is possible.

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Information according to lpi.org, as of October 2026. Security Essentials is a trademark of Linux Professional Institute.