Cloud computing is being aggressively adopted on a global basis as businesses seek to reduce costs and improve their agility. And one of the critical needs of the industry is to provide training and certification of professionals to assure that cloud computing is implemented responsibly, and with the appropriate security controls.
The Cloud Security Alliance (CSA) has developed a widely adopted catalogue of security best practices, the Security Guidance for Critical Areas of Focus in Cloud Computing. In addition, the CSA Cloud Controls Matrix (CCM) and the European Network and Information Security Agency (ENISA) whitepaper Cloud Computing: Benefits, Risks and Recommendations for Information Security are an important contribution to the cloud security body of knowledge.
The Certificate of Cloud Security Knowledge (CCSK) provides evidence that an individual has successfully completed an examination covering the key concepts of the CSA Guidance, the CSA CCM, and the ENISA whitepaper.
CSA highly recommends CCSK training. As with any IT certification, formal training is an excellent way to improve your chance of successfully passing the exam. Sharing real-world experiences with your peers and getting hands-on access to cloud systems to apply the best practices will also be extremely helpful learning tools.
CSA recommends that you download and review all the materials in the CCSK preparation kit, prior to taking the examination.
The CCSK examination costs $395 USD. This entitles you to attempt the test up to two times with your first purchase. If necessary, additional test attempts can be purchased for $395 USD each. Each additional purchase will grant you a single attempt.
If you have any questions about the CCSK examination process, please take a look at these Frequently Asked Questions