As organizations move to cloud environments, the need for skilled cloud security professionals is rising. The global cloud security market, valued at $35.84 billion in 2024, is expected to grow to $75.26 billion by 2030, with a compound annual growth rate of 13.3% [Grand View Research].
The urgency is further emphasized by the alarming statistic that cybercrime is now estimated to cost the global economy over $10 trillion annually, making it the third-largest economy if measured by GDP [BusinessStandard]
These statistics show the growing importance of cloud security and the rising value of certifications in this area. Professionals with recognized credentials are better prepared to handle the tough security needs of today’s cloud environments.
Here are 10 top cloud security certifications that can help boost your career in this rapidly growing field.
1. ISC2 Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP)
The CCSP is a globally recognized vendor-neutral certification that validates expertise in cloud security, including architecture, operations, data protection, and compliance. It ensures professionals can design, implement, and manage secure cloud environments. The exam covers six domains: Cloud Concepts, Architecture & Design; Cloud Data Security; Cloud Platform & Infrastructure Security; Cloud Application Security; Cloud Security Operations; Legal, Risk & Compliance.
Requirements:
Candidates need 5 years of cumulative IT experience, including 3 years in cybersecurity and 1 year in cloud security domains. A CCSK certificate or active CISSP can substitute part or all of the experience requirement.
Exam Details:
- 3-hour exam with 100–150 multiple-choice and advanced questions (Computerized Adaptive Testing)
- Passing score 700/1000
- Offered in English, Chinese, Japanese, German, at Pearson VUE centers.
- Exam fees: Americas, Asia Pacific, Middle East, Africa: $599 USD; EMEA: €575.04; UK: £485.19.
More info: CCSP Official Website
2. CSA Certificate of Cloud Security Knowledge (CCSK)
The CCSK is a widely recognized, vendor-neutral certification from the Cloud Security Alliance (CSA) that validates foundational knowledge in cloud security. The latest version, v5 (launched July 2024), tests skills in zero trust, DevSecOps, cloud telemetry, security analytics, and AI, while ensuring competence in building a security program that aligns with international standards. The exam covers 12 domains: Cloud Computing Concepts & Architecture; Cloud Governance; Risk, Audit & Compliance; Organization Management; Identity & Access Management; Security Monitoring; Infrastructure & Networking; Cloud Workload Security; Data Security; Application Security; Incident Response & Resilience; and Related Technologies & Strategies.
Requirements:
No prior work experience or qualifications are required. CCSK is suitable for entry- and mid-level cloud security professionals and serves as a stepping stone to advanced CSA certifications, such as CCM and STAR.
Exam Details:
- 120-minute open-book online exam, 60 multiple-choice questions
- Passing score: 80%
- Exam fee: $445 (includes two attempts)
- Optional self-paced or instructor-led training bundles available ($795–$1,695)
More info: CSA CCSK Official Website
3. Google Professional Cloud Security Engineer
The Google Professional Cloud Security Engineer certification validates the ability to design, implement, and manage secure workloads and infrastructure on Google Cloud. It ensures professionals can configure access, protect data, establish network defenses, monitor for threats, enforce regulatory controls, secure AI workloads, and manage security operations using Google Cloud technologies.
Requirements:
No formal prerequisites, though 3+ years of industry experience, including 1+ year designing and managing solutions on Google Cloud, is recommended.
Exam Details:
- Length: 2 hours
- Format: 50–60 multiple-choice and multiple-select questions
- Delivery: Online proctored or onsite at a testing center
- Languages: English, Japanese
- Registration fee: $200 (plus applicable taxes)
More info: Google Professional Cloud Security Engineer Official Website
4. Microsoft Certified: Azure Security Engineer Associate
The Azure Security Engineer certification validates skills in implementing, managing, and monitoring security for Azure and hybrid environments. Professionals ensure secure infrastructure using Microsoft security tools, enforce compliance controls, manage identity and access, protect networks, compute, storage, and data, implement threat protection, remediate vulnerabilities, and respond to security incidents.
Requirements:
No formal prerequisites, but recommended experience includes practical administration of Azure and hybrid environments, familiarity with Microsoft Entra ID, and understanding of Azure compute, network, and storage services.
Exam Details:
- Exam length: varies; typically multiple-choice and scenario-based questions
- Exam languages: English (additional language support may vary)
- Exam delivery: online-proctored or at a test center
- Renewal: every 12 months
- Exam fee: check the official Microsoft certification page for updated fees and registration
5. AWS Certified Security – Specialty
The AWS Certified Security – Specialty certification validates expertise in designing and implementing secure solutions in the AWS Cloud. It covers specialized data classifications, AWS data protection mechanisms, encryption methods, secure internet protocols, and AWS-specific implementations to protect cloud workloads.
Requirements:
Recommended for professionals with hands-on experience in AWS security, including knowledge of data protection, incident response, logging, monitoring, and encryption in AWS environments.
Exam Details:
- Exam length: 170 minutes
- Exam format: 65 multiple-choice or multiple-response questions
- Languages: English, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese (Brazil), Simplified Chinese, Spanish (Latin America)
- Delivery: Pearson VUE testing centers or online proctored
- Exam fee: $300 USD
More info: AWS Security Specialty Official Page
6. GIAC Cloud Security Automation (GCSA)
The GCLD certification validates a professional’s ability to implement preventive, detective, and reactive techniques to secure cloud-based workloads. It ensures expertise in multi-cloud environments, cloud automation, network and application security, data protection, and incident response.
Skills Covered:
The GCLD certification validates a professional’s ability to secure cloud-based workloads by implementing preventive, detective, and reactive techniques. It ensures expertise across multi-cloud environments, covering cloud service evaluation, planning, deployment, and hardening; account and identity management; cloud automation and Infrastructure as Code (IaC); logging, monitoring, and network security; container and cloud storage security; data protection; and risk management, compliance, and SOC operations.
Who Should Attempt:
Security engineers, analysts, administrators, risk managers, auditors, and anyone responsible for cloud security.
Exam Details:
- Format: Proctored, multiple-choice and drag-and-drop
- Questions: 75
- Duration: 2 hours
- Passing Score: 61%
- Delivery: Remote via ProctorU or onsite via Pearson VUE
- Price: $999 (varies by package/exam attempt)
More Info: GIAC GCLD Official Page
7. GIAC Cloud Security Essentials (GCLD)
The GCLD certification validates your ability to secure cloud-based workloads using preventive, detective, and reactive techniques. It covers cloud service evaluation, workload deployment and hardening, access control, automation, logging, networking, containerization, data protection, compliance, and threat-informed defense. Professionals gain hands-on skills in managing multi-cloud environments, cloud identity and access management, secure compute deployment, and network monitoring.
Who Should Attempt:
- Security engineers, analysts, system administrators, risk managers, security managers, and auditors responsible for cloud security.
Exam Details:
- Format: 1 proctored exam, 75 multiple-choice questions
- Duration: 2 hours | Passing score: 61%
- Delivery: Online proctored (ProctorU) or onsite (Pearson VUE)
- Languages: English
- Registration: Exam attempt activated after application approval; 120 days to complete once activated
- Price: $999 (varies by package/exam attempt)
More Info: GIAC GCLD Official Website
8. CompTIA Cloud+
CompTIA Cloud+ validates the ability to design, deploy, manage, and secure multi-cloud environments, covering cloud architecture, workload migrations, operations, security, compliance, DevOps practices, and troubleshooting. It equips professionals to optimize cloud resources, implement IAM and vulnerability management, build CI/CD pipelines, and resolve operational or security issues effectively.
Requirements:
- Recommended 2–3 years’ hands-on experience as a systems administrator or cloud engineer.
Exam Details:
- Version: V4
- 90 minutes
- Up to 90 multiple-choice & performance-based questions
- Passing score: 750/900
- Languages: English, Japanese
- Delivery: Pearson VUE test centers or online proctored
More info: CompTIA Cloud+ Official Website
9. Fortinet Certified Solution Specialist –Cloud Security
The FCSS in Cloud Security certification validates your expertise in securing public and private cloud applications using advanced Fortinet solutions. It ensures professionals can design, administer, monitor, and troubleshoot Fortinet cloud security infrastructures for enterprise environments.
Requirements:
Candidates should be cybersecurity professionals seeking expertise in Fortinet cloud security solutions. To earn this certification, you must pass:
- NSE 6 Exam: FortiMail Administrator
- NSE 7 Exam: Public Cloud Security Architect
Both exams must be completed within two years.
Exam Details:
- Available worldwide at Pearson VUE test centers and OnVUE (online proctored).
- Question types: multiple choice and drag-and-drop.
- Scoring: 100% correct answers required for credit; no partial credit or deductions for wrong answers.
- Retake policy: 15-day wait between attempts; cannot reuse a passed exam for the same certification.
- Digital badges issued within five business days of passing.
Recertification:
- Pass one NSE 6 and NSE 7 exam within two years to renew.
- While active, the expiration can be extended by two years via exams or three years if FCX in Cybersecurity is achieved.
More info: Fortinet Training Institute
10. Palo Alto Networks Certified Cloud Security Professional (PCSCP)
The PCSCP certification validates skills in securing cloud environments using Palo Alto Networks’ Cortex Cloud platform. It covers key areas like cloud posture, runtime, and application security, as well as SOC operations, ensuring professionals can manage, detect, and respond to threats in multi-cloud setups.
Requirements:
Designed for cloud security administrators and SOC analysts with basic knowledge of cloud deployments, networking, and security concepts such as CSPM, CWP, CDR, CIEM, DSPM, and ASPM.
Exam Details:
- Duration: 90 minutes
- Format: Multiple-choice
- Language: English (+30 min ESL extension for non-English regions)
- Delivery: Pearson VUE centers
- Fee: $200 USD (varies by country)
- Domains: SOC Fundamentals, Cortex Fundamentals, Cloud Posture Security, Cloud Runtime Security, and Application Security
More info: Palo Alto Networks Cloud Security Professional Official Website
