Certificate of Cloud Security Knowledge (CCSK) – Cloud Security Alliance

Additional Info

CompanyCloud Security Alliance
Websitehttps://cloudsecurityalliance.org/
Company size (employees)10 to 49
Headquarters RegionNorth America

Overview

As enterprises and consumers move greater amounts of sensitive information to the cloud, employers are struggling to find information security leaders with the necessary breadth and depth of knowledge to establish cloud security programs that protect sensitive information. In response, CSA developed the Certificate of Cloud Security Knowledge (CCSK)—the first credential dedicated to cloud security. Called the “mother of all cloud computing certifications,” the vendor-neutral CCSK tests for a broad range of cloud security knowledge and serves as the foundation for those seeking to demonstrate a deep-seated knowledge and competency with cyber, information, software, and cloud computing infrastructure security. The CCSK certificate is highly regarded as the benchmark for cloud security expertise and provides a comprehensive, unbiased understanding of how to effectively secure data in the cloud.

The recently updated CCSK v5 was built from the ground up. Instead of adapting previous material, every module was written from scratch and the entire training structure reorganized to better fit how cloud security is currently practiced. CCSK v5 was influenced by a decade’s worth of experience regarding the skills needed to be successful in today’s far more complex environments.

CCSK v5 is the mark of the modern cybersecurity professional and stands at the forefront of cloud security education, balancing foundational knowledge with in-depth exploration of specialized topics, emphasizing the practical application of security principles in real-world scenarios.

CCSK is covered under the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs GI Bill®, meaning eligible U.S. Veterans and qualifying family members are reimbursed for the exam’s full cost, and it’s a covered credential and certification under the Ohio TechCred program. Since its launch in 2010, 20,000-plus IT and security professionals have upgraded their skillsets and enhanced their careers through CCSK certification.

Key Capabilities / Features

CCSK is the fundamental foundation to gain the necessary knowledge to be able to work with cloud computing and to eventually extend one's expertise to vendor-specific training. Earning the CCSK certificate is the first step in preparing for other cloud certifications.


Incorporating the latest advancements in organizational management, cloud-native security, workload, network security, security monitoring, data security, and the latest strategic drivers such as AI and Zero Trust, this comprehensive curriculum equips professionals with actionable skills, enabling them to effectively address modern challenges in complex cloud environments and set new industry standards.


With an increased and refined focus area, CCSK v5 offers increased coverage on cloud workloads and emphasizes serverless/FaaS and expanded material on application security, CI/CD, DevSecOps and automation. It also features extended content across governance, auditing, compliance, organizational security, IAM, and incident response.


The exam is open-book and asks 60 multiple-choice questions selected randomly from the CCSK question pool. It must be completed online in 120 minutes with a minimum passing score of 80%.


Students can select from a variety of ways to study for the exam based on their preferred learning style and needs: independently, using the free CCSK Prep-Kit which includes the v5 Study Guide; self-paced online training; or instructor-led training (available online and in-person).


How we are different

1) CCSK v5 is the one program that provides a survey of the important topics cybersecurity professionals will face day in and day out and is complementary to virtually any other education available. It isn't a substitute for other certifications in information security, audit and governance — many of which help personal development within specific professional roles and job duties, and also provide vetting of individuals. Instead, the CCSK sets its own standard and augments other credentialing programs by encouraging a competency in cloud computing security best practices, which helps individuals better cope with the increasingly pervasive cloud computing issues they are now facing.


2) Professionals earning the CCSK v5 not only demonstrate a mastery of essential and up-to-date cloud security knowledge but also retain permanent access to the first of its kind CCSK Chatbot—CCSK Orb. Based on the Security Guidance and CCSK v5 Study Guide (both accessible in the CCSK v5 Prep-Kit), CCSK Orb is a unique tool to help professionals learn the body of knowledge, as well as providing ongoing assistance in daily challenges with its unique interactive capabilities.


3) The CCSK is designed for any IT professional working in cloud computing. As the recognized gold standard of expertise for cloud security best practices and education, the CCSK is an essential credential for all security professionals to show proof of skills to current and future employers. Because the CCSK is designed to deliver a well-rounded view of cloud security, professionals with less experience or non-security backgrounds also find significant value in the training and certificate, particularly developers, IT operations, and audit, governance, risk management, and compliance.


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