(ISC)2 is offering the Certified Cloud Security Professional Certification (CCSP) in collaboration with the Cloud Security Alliance. The CCSP credential is ideal for information security professionals who want to specialize in cloud computing security. It was created by (ISC),2 to ensure that cloud security professionals have all the necessary skills and expertise in cloud security design, implementation and architecture, operations, controls and enforcement of regulatory frameworks. A CCSP is an expert in cloud security architecture, design and operations. They also have the ability to orchestrate services using information security expertise. This professional expertise is compared to a body that is universally accepted.
The CCSP Common Body of Knowledge, (CBK), covers topics that are applicable across all cloud security disciplines. Six domains make up the CCSP exam:
Domain 1: Cloud Concepts, Architecture and Design (17%)
Domain 2: Cloud Data Security (19%)
Domain 3: Cloud Platform & Infrastructure Security (17%)
Domain 4: Cloud Application Security (17%)
Domain 5: Cloud Security Operations (17%)
Domain 6: Legal, Compliance and Risk (13%)
This blog will be about the CCSP Domain 1 Cloud concepts, Cloud architecture, and design. It will also discuss what candidates should expect from this domain when they prepare for this exam.
Cloud Concepts, Architecture and Design
Cloud Concepts, Architecture, and Design are the key to a solid understanding of cloud computing’s fundamentals. These building blocks are based on the ISO/IEC 17788 standard. This domain defines the important roles that individuals and organisations play in a cloud implementation from both the perspective of the cloud service provider as well as the cloud customer. It has 17% weightage and covers:
Cloud Computing Basics
The Cloud Reference Architecture – Explain it
Understanding Cloud Computing Security Concepts
Secure Cloud Computing Design Principles
Evaluate Cloud Service Providers
Cloud Computing Basics
This section provides an overview of cloud computing terminology and definitions. It covers the main characteristics of cloud computing such as self-service on demand, broad network access and multitenancy, rapid elastic and scalability and resource pooling. It also covers the basics of cloud computing such as virtualization and storage, networks, and the infrastructure that hosts and manages them. This domain is designed to assess if the candidate has a basic understanding of cloud computing.
The Cloud Reference Architecture – Explain it
This section covers the Cloud Computing Architecture. It introduces cloud computing operations and cloud service capabilities. Cloud deployment models and cross-cutting aspects that impact all aspects of cloud computing. The ISO/IEC 17789 standard covers cloud computing activities. It includes the main roles of the cloud provider, cloud customer, and partner as well as a wide range of sub-roles. These key cloud service capabilities include application, infrastructure and platform capabilities. They are the backbone of many widely-used and well-understood cloud models and structures. This section discusses the main cloud service categories, including Infrastructure as a Service, Platform as a Service, and Software as a Service. These services can be deployed on a private, hybrid, and community cloud.
The final component is a collection of cross-cutting aspects of cloud computing that can be applied to all cloud environments regardless of their size.