What Is CCSK? A 2025 Guide for Cloud Security Professionals

As more businesses move online, cloud security becomes 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, its importance, and what you can expect from the exam.

What is CCSK?

CCSK is a widely recognised 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. 

Do I need a CCSK to work in cloud security?

A CCSK is not legally required. However, many employers seek 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 background knowledge in this area. Screening candidates for a CCSK can make assessing the skill level of potential hires easier. 

Is CCSK worth it?

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. 

You can demonstrate your proficiency in specialised skills.

When you take the CCSK, you are testing your strategic and tactical knowledge of cloud security. This certificate's deep focus on cloud security 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.

You will meet the prerequisites for more advanced cloud security certifications.

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.

What is covered in CCSK?

The 120-minute CCSK exam covers over 10 key cloud computing and security topics. 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

Reference material for the CCSK exam

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 preparing for this exam, you'll want to ensure you review these materials and are comfortable with the knowledge inside. Take the time to go through review materials and practice tests.

How hard is the CCSK exam?

The CCSK exam is challenging. It has a 62 percent passing rate [2]. To pass the CCSK v5 exam, you need a minimum score of 80 percent [3]. That said, you can use many online resources to successfully prepare for the exam. 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. 

How long does it take to study for a CCSK?

The 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.

Tips for managing your study time

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 enrolling in a course can help you stay on track.

How much does the CCSK exam cost?

As of July 2024, the CCSK v5 exam costs 445 USD, which covers two exam attempts [3]. You may also buy the CCSK Training & Exam Self-Paced bundle at 795 USD [3]. The CCSK Training & Exam Instructor-led bundle has 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 fits your lifestyle and preferences can help you stick to your study routine and maximise your efforts. The sections below outline three ways to prepare yourself to pass the CCSK exam.

1. Independent study

If you're an independent learner, your best option is to study independently. 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 to outline the exam content and practice questions.

2. Guided study

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 to 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 while earning a certificate for your resume.

• Cloud Computing Security by the University of Colorado: This course will familiarise you 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.

3. CCSK training

If you learn best in a guided environment, enrolling in CCSK training may be the right choice. Guided training often combines lectures and labs where you learn concepts and then apply them to practice 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.

What's next? Advancing to the CCSP

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, while the CCSP is a certification covering a broad information security range. 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. 

Gain more cloud security expertise with Coursera.

Cloud security courses can help you build the foundational knowledge you'll need to pass the CCSK exam eventually. 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.