A Certificate of Cloud Security Knowledge (CCSK) is a great way to build your knowledge of cloud security, showcase your skills, and expand your career options.
As more businesses move their operations online, cloud security is becoming integral to business security and safety. As a result, professionals with the knowledge and ability to help businesses secure their platforms are in high demand. Obtaining a Certificate of Cloud Security Knowledge (CCSK) can help you showcase this skill set to employers.
Discover more about this certificate, why it is important, and what you can expect from the exam.
course
This course helps learners prepare for the Professional Cloud Security Engineer (PCSE) Certification exam. Learners will be exposed to and engage with exam ...
4.7
(139 ratings)
13,789 already enrolled
Beginner level
Average time: 5 hour(s)
Learn at your own pace
CCSK is a widely recognized certificate administered by the Cloud Security Alliance (CSA). It represents the standard of knowledge required to work in cloud security. CCSK’s latest version, v5, launched in July 2024, tests your skills in zero trust, DevSecOps, cloud telemetry, security analytics, and artificial intelligence, among other technologies [1]. CCSK also arms you with the expertise to build a security programme that conforms to international standards. Because different companies vary in their technologies and specific security needs, you may need to complement the CCSK knowledge base with additional, job-specific training. However, the goal of the CCSK certificate is to represent the understanding required to work in cloud security for any company or platform.
A CCSK is not legally required. However, many employers look for this certificate to verify a potential candidate's ability to perform essential cloud security tasks. Cloud security is a new and emerging field. Many employers and company executives still need to gain background knowledge in this area themselves. Screening candidates for a CCSK can make assessing the skill level of potential hires easier.
The CCSK covers the basics of strategic and tactical cloud security skills. The material for this certificate is vendor-neutral, meaning the skills should apply to any career path within cloud security. This is highly beneficial when entering the information security industry because you can work for most companies, regardless of their specific platforms and technologies. This expands your job opportunities and can make shifting between fields and companies much easier than if the certificate was vendor-specific.
Note: No specific qualifications or work experience are needed to be eligible for the CCSK exam.
When you take the CCSK, you are testing your strategic and tactical knowledge of cloud security. The deep focus on cloud security for this certificate will represent your in-depth knowledge of cloud architecture and information security, specifically in this domain. This can help you showcase to employers why you are the best candidate for the position and what extensive skills you have to offer the company.
Another benefit of earning the CCSK is that it provides a stepping stone for CSA’s more advanced certificates, such as the Cloud Controls Matrix (CCM) and Security, Trust, Assurance, and Risk (STAR). This allows you room to grow within your career and level your knowledge to increase benefits, take on more responsibility, and progress within your company.
The 120-minute CCSK exam covers over 10 key topic areas in cloud computing and security. Administered online, the open-book exam features 60 multiple-choice questions. The latest exam structure breaks down into the following topics:
Cloud computing concepts and architectures
Cloud governance
Risk, audit, and compliance
Organisation management
Identity and access management
Security monitoring
Infrastructure and networking
Cloud workload security
Data security
Application security
Incident response and resilience
Related technologies and strategies
Much of the material from this exam comes from the CSA Security Guidance v.4, with additional material coming from ENISA Recommendations and the CSA Cloud Controls Matrix. When you're preparing for this exam, you'll want to make sure you review these materials and are comfortable with the knowledge inside. Take the time to go through review materials and practice tests.
The CCSK exam is challenging. It has a 62 per cent passing rate [2]. To pass the CCSK v5 exam, you need a minimum score of 80 per cent [3]. That said, you can make use of many online resources to prepare yourself for the exam successfully. Reading through explanatory materials on the different concepts, completing practice questions, and taking timed practice exams can help you master the material and gauge your preparedness level.
The amount of time it takes to study for a CCSK depends on your current level of knowledge and how quickly you can pick up the material. If you have a strong technical background and find cloud security materials come intuitively to you, it may only take you a few weeks. If all the materials are new to you or you find it takes more time to learn them, allotting a few months of continual study may be necessary.
Dedicate a certain number of hours per day or week and monitor your progression on the concepts. After a few weeks, you will start to understand how quickly you are going through the material and plan for future exams. If you have trouble self-studying, engaging with an online tutor or enroling in a course can help you stay on track.
As of July 2024, the CCSK v5 exam costs 445 USD, which covers two exam attempts [3]. You may also choose to buy the CCSK Training & Exam Self-Paced bundle at 795 USD [3]. The CCSK Training & Exam Instructor-led bundle comes with two course options, CCSK Foundation and CCSK Plus, available at 995 USD and 1695 USD, respectively [3].
How to prepare for the CCSK exam
When preparing for the CCSK exam, you have a few options. Finding the study method that best fits your lifestyle and preferences can help you stick to your study routine and maximise your efforts. The sections below outline three ways you can prepare yourself to pass the CCSK exam.
If you're an independent learner, your best option might be to study on your own. This method requires a high level of self-motivation and continual monitoring of your own progress. Many online resources can help you understand the material and test yourself with questions. For example, you can download the free CCSK v5 Prep-Kit for an outline of the content of the exam and practice questions.
If you're not confident in your background knowledge of cloud security concepts yet, consider taking some online classes to fill the gaps in your knowledge. Here are a few options to get you started with key concepts in the CCSK exam:
General cloud security concepts:
IT Security: Defense against the digital dark arts by Google: You can use this course to learn about encryption algorithms and how you can use them to safeguard data. You'll earn a Professional Certificate from Google upon completion of this course.
System Issues in Cloud Computing Specialisation by the Georgia Institute of Technology: Gain hands-on project-intensive experience in developing different layers of a cloud computing infrastructure with this course. You will earn a shareable certificate upon completion.
Vendor-specific cloud security concepts:
Security in Google Cloud Specialisation: This vendor-specific course covers mitigation methods for attacks at various points in a Google Cloud-based infrastructure. Learn about phishing attacks, Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attacks, and more whilst also earning a certificate for your resume.
Cloud Computing Security by the University of Colorado: Use this course to familiarise yourself with popular cloud security tools and systems. You'll learn how to create an Amazon Web Services (AWS) account, plan resources for your cloud systems, create and access AWS EC2 instances, and configure LAMP web services with MySQL database. You will earn a shareable certificate upon completion.
If you learn best in a guided environment, enroling in CCSK training may be the right choice. Guided training is often a combination of lectures and labs where you learn concepts and then apply them to practise questions. Depending on the training, you may even have additional extensive exercises, such as securely bringing a practice organisation into the cloud or encrypting data sets. A benefit of guided practices like CCSK training or online courses is that you will become part of a community of fellow students. This can provide a platform to ask questions, learn from one another, and build your professional network.
Once you complete your CCSK certificate and spend a few years working in cloud security, you might be ready to earn your CCSP certification. A key difference between these credentials is that the CCSK is a certificate focusing on cloud security, whilst the CCSP is a certification that covers a broad range of information security. It represents a senior level of experience.
The CCSP certificate, offered by the ISC2, is an excellent option should you want to further your qualifications and open new job opportunities. It requires five years of experience in information security and information technology (IT). The CCSP certification is a requirement for some advanced professions, such as cloud administrators, cloud architects, cloud engineers, security architects, and related careers.
Cloud security courses can help you build the foundational knowledge you'll need to eventually pass the CCSK exam. Passing your CCSK exam can help you advance in your cloud security career. If you're new to the field, consider taking a beginner-friendly course from an industry leader like Preparing for Your Professional Cloud Security Engineer Journey by Google Cloud.
course
This course helps learners prepare for the Professional Cloud Security Engineer (PCSE) Certification exam. Learners will be exposed to and engage with exam ...
4.7
(139 ratings)
13,789 already enrolled
Beginner level
Average time: 5 hour(s)
Learn at your own pace
Cloud Security Alliance. “CCSK v5: Updated Cloud Security Knowledge with a Unique Pedigree, https://cloudsecurityalliance.org/blog/2024/07/16/ccsk-v5-updated-cloud-security-knowledge-with-a-unique-pedigree.” Accessed 26 July 2024.
Cloud Security Alliance. "Roadmap to Earning Your Certificate in Cloud Security Knowledge (CCSK), https://cloudsecurityalliance.org/blog/2020/11/24/roadmap-to-earning-your-certificate-in-cloud-security-knowledge-ccsk/." Accessed 26 July 2024.
Cloud Security Alliance. “Certificate of Cloud Security Knowledge (CCSK), https://cloudsecurityalliance.org/education/ccsk.” Accessed 26 July 2024.
Editorial Team
Coursera’s editorial team is comprised of highly experienced professional editors, writers, and fact...
This content has been made available for informational purposes only. Learners are advised to conduct additional research to ensure that courses and other credentials pursued meet their personal, professional, and financial goals.
Whether you're starting your career or trying to advance to the next level, experts at Google are here to help.
Build job-ready skills with access to 10,000+ courses from top universities and companies.