Cloud security

Cloud Pentesting Certification Boot Camp: The ultimate guide

Howard Poston
September 16, 2020 by
Howard Poston

What is a Certified Cloud Penetration Tester (CCPT) certification?

The CCPT certification is offered by the Infosec Institute to validate an applicant’s skills in cloud hacking and penetration testing. The certification is designed to demonstrate that an applicant has expert-level knowledge regarding Azure and AWS penetration testing and experience in using cloud-based pentesting tools.

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Get hands-on experience with cloud service provider security, cloud penetration testing, cloud security architecture and management, and more.

What do I need to know to earn a Certified Cloud Penetration Tester (CCPT) certification?

The Infosec Institute defines five areas of knowledge that will be tested in the CCPT certification exam:

  • Common vulnerabilities in cloud environments
  • Security features of popular cloud platforms
  • Cloud pentesting process and requirements
  • Cloud pentesting tools
  • Reporting cloud pentest findings and providing recommendations

The Cloud Pentesting Certification Boot Camp ensures that a student will leave with in-depth knowledge and the required skills in each of these areas. The boot camp includes a mixture of lecture — covering theory and important concepts — and hands-on exercises to ensure that a student has the knowledge and experience necessary to pass both the certification exam and succeed as a cloud penetration tester.

Is there a demand for cloud penetration testing skills?

Organizations are increasingly moving critical data processing and storage to cloud environments. In fact, 93% of enterprises are using multiple cloud environments.

With this increased reliance on the cloud comes a growing need for cloud security professionals. Since many cybersecurity professionals lack an understanding of fundamental cloud security concepts, organizations are looking for cloud security specialists. In fact, cloud security is the top cloud skill that companies are looking for in 2020.

With the need for cloud security comes a need to test that an organization’s cloud-focused cybersecurity defenses are effective. As a result, cloud penetration testing skills are definitely in demand.

How do I earn the Certified Cloud Penetration Tester (CCPT) certification?

The CCPT certification can be earned by passing a fifty-question multiple-choice exam administered by the Infosec Institute. The Infosec Institute has multiple different training locations or can provide on-site training for groups of ten or more students. If you are an employee of one of the Infosec Institute’s member organizations, then it may be possible to take the exam over the internet.

Registration for the CCPT exam requires the purchase of an exam voucher. A free exam voucher is included with the CCPT Certification Boot Camp.

What experience or knowledge is required?

There are no prerequisites to sit for the CCPT exam. However, some fundamental knowledge and skills are recommended before enrolling in the CCPT bootcamp, including:

  • Familiarity with cloud environments
  • Basic knowledge of pentesting concepts
  • One year in an information security job role or equivalent knowledge and experience

While none of these are required to register for the bootcamp, they enable a student to get the most benefit out of the experience. Without the right foundation, a student may have difficulty grasping core concepts that are necessary for passing the CCPT exam and for acting as an effective cloud penetration tester.

Learn Cloud Security

Learn Cloud Security

Get hands-on experience with cloud service provider security, cloud penetration testing, cloud security architecture and management, and more.

Conclusion 

The CCPT certification verifies that the certificate holder has expert-level knowledge and skills in penetration testing cloud environments. The Infosec Cloud Pentesting Certification Boot Camp fully prepares the student to pass the CCPT exam and to operate as a certified penetration tester for cloud environments.

Howard Poston
Howard Poston

Howard Poston is a copywriter, author, and course developer with experience in cybersecurity and blockchain security, cryptography, and malware analysis. He has an MS in Cyber Operations, a decade of experience in cybersecurity, and over five years of experience as a freelance consultant providing training and content creation for cyber and blockchain security. He is also the creator of over a dozen cybersecurity courses, has authored two books, and has spoken at numerous cybersecurity conferences. He can be reached by email at howard@howardposton.com or via his website at https://www.howardposton.com.