In 2024, data breaches involving public cloud environments topped the charts for cost, averaging $5.17 million per incident. At the same time, 38.9% of companies reported a shortage of skilled cloud security professionals, making it one of the most in-demand specialties in cybersecurity.
If you’re in IT or security, this isn’t just another trend. It’s a turning point. The cloud has become mission-critical infrastructure, and organizations are under pressure to secure it fast.
In this guide, you will discover the 10 cloud security skills that companies are hiring for right now. You will also get a no-fluff roadmap for mastering each one. So you can stop watching job boards and start owning your role.
Let’s start with the foundation: Identity and Access Management.
Skill #1. Identity and Access Management (IAM)
Misconfigured permissions and excessive access are among the top causes of cloud incidents. Yet, most IAM failures are not due to missing tools. They happen because of weak policy design, lack of access audits, or permission creep that goes unnoticed until it is too late.
IAM is about defining exactly who can access what, under which conditions, and with what level of privilege. It is more than enabling single sign-on or multi-factor authentication. What hiring managers value most is the ability to build access models that scale securely and balance usability with control.
In high-stakes cloud environments, IAM is often the first layer that attackers attempt to exploit. It is also the first layer that teams regret misconfiguring. If you want to lead security from the ground up, IAM is where it starts.
Datacipher Recommended Courses:
Fortinet Certified Professional Public Cloud Security: This certification validates your ability to secure cloud applications by deploying, managing, and monitoring Fortinet public cloud products, covering day-to-day tasks related to Fortinet public cloud devices and VMs.
Prisma Certified Cloud Security Engineer (PCCSE): Offered by Datacipher, this certification trains professionals to manage IAM policies, enforce identity controls, and monitor access activity across cloud-native applications. Learn more about the certification here.
Skill #2. Cloud Network Security and Segmentation
Effective network security and segmentation are essential in cloud environments to prevent unauthorized access and contain potential breaches. But, the most common pitfall is treating the cloud like a traditional network. Flat architectures, open ports, and overly broad security groups still show up in breach reports every year.
Network segmentation in the cloud is not just about VLANs and firewalls. It is about isolating workloads using micro-segmentation, designing for zero trust, and controlling east-west traffic with precision. Hiring managers are looking for professionals who understand the shared responsibility model and can build secure cloud network topologies that scale without exposing critical assets.
If you can design cloud-native networks with security baked in — not bolted on — you bring serious value to any security team.
Datacipher Recommended Courses:
FortiGate Infrastructure 7.2 Course: This course provides hands-on expertise in optimizing traffic flow, enhancing network segmentation, and preventing misconfigurations. It covers advanced diagnostic and troubleshooting techniques, enabling professionals to resolve issues swiftly and maintain smooth network operations. Learn more about the course here.
Aruba Network Security Fundamentals: This course offers foundational skills in network access control using the Aruba ClearPass product portfolio. Participants learn to configure ClearPass as an AAA server and integrate features like Policy Manager, Guest, OnGuard, and Onboard, providing insights into authenticating both wired and wireless networks. Learn more about the course here.
Skill #3. DevSecOps and CI/CD Security
DevSecOps is not a buzzword. It is the shift security leaders have been waiting for, i.e., bringing continuous security into the heart of modern software delivery. But here is the catch: most teams still treat security as a final stage task rather than embedding it into every code commit.
This skill is about more than running scans or adding a few scripts to your pipeline. It is about creating secure-by-design workflows. Hiring managers want professionals who can integrate security into continuous integration and continuous deployment processes without slowing down development. If you can automate policy enforcement, run container scans, and ensure compliance gates are built into pipelines, you will not just secure apps. But you will empower DevOps teams to move faster with confidence.
Datacipher Recommended Courses:
Fortinet NSE 7 Public Cloud Security: This course focuses on advanced skills in deploying, managing, and troubleshooting Fortinet security solutions in public cloud environments. It covers integration with CI/CD pipelines, ensuring that security measures are automated and consistent across development stages. Participants gain hands-on experience with cloud-native tools and Fortinet products, enhancing their ability to implement DevSecOps practices effectively.
Palo Alto Networks Prisma Cloud: Cloud Security Engineer (PCCSE): This certification validates the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to onboard, deploy, and administer all aspects of Prisma Cloud. It emphasizes securing applications across the development lifecycle, integrating security into CI/CD workflows, and automating compliance checks. Participants learn to protect cloud-native applications using Prisma Cloud’s comprehensive security and compliance capabilities. Learn more about the certification here.
Skill #4. Compliance and Governance
Navigating cloud compliance is more than understanding regulations. It is about building systems that stand up to scrutiny. From the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) to HIPAA and SOC 2, cloud environments must be configured to meet strict, evolving standards. The challenge is not just interpreting these rules, but applying them at scale across multi-cloud and hybrid environments.
Where most professionals fall short is treating compliance as a checklist. But hiring managers want people who can think like auditors and build like engineers. The ability to document security controls, lead compliance reviews, and map configurations to frameworks is what sets candidates apart in this space.
Datacipher Recommended Courses:
Palo Alto Networks Training: Datacipher offers a comprehensive training portfolio that includes cloud security and threat detection, which are integral to maintaining compliance with standards like GDPR and HIPAA. These courses provide hands-on experience through practical labs and real-world scenarios, bolstering your confidence to tackle compliance challenges head-on.
Check Point Training: Specializing in firewall and VPN technologies, Datacipher’s Check Point training courses provide an extensive understanding of security solutions. You’ll gain practical knowledge in configuring and managing Check Point firewalls, understanding security policies, and implementing VPNs, all of which are essential for ensuring compliance with various regulatory standards
Skill #5. Cloud Incident Response and Forensics
When cloud security fails, speed matters. Responding to incidents in cloud environments requires skills different from those in traditional IT. Logs are decentralized, response protocols vary by provider, and evidence disappears fast if you do not know where to look.
The biggest gap in this space is readiness. Many professionals know how to detect alerts, but few understand how to trace activity, preserve evidence, and isolate compromised systems without triggering further damage. What hiring managers want is someone who can lead in the moment, not just report the aftermath.
Recommended Certifications and Courses:
SANS FOR509: Enterprise Cloud Forensics and Incident Response: This course focuses on log analysis to help examiners quickly adapt to cloud-based investigation techniques. Participants learn which logs are available in the cloud, their retention policies, default settings, and how to interpret the events they contain.
Cloud Incident Response and Forensics: Introductory Lab by QA: This lab is the first in a series where you perform forensic analysis in a cloud environment that has been compromised. It offers hands-on experience in identifying and mitigating security incidents within cloud infrastructures.
Digital Forensics and Incident Response Bootcamp – Google Cloud: This intensive, two-week bootcamp is designed to teach fundamental investigative techniques needed to respond to today’s landscape of threat actors and security incidents in cloud environments.
Skill #6. Zero Trust Architecture
Zero Trust is no longer a buzzword. It is the foundation of any modern cloud security strategy. But adopting it is not as simple as buying a new tool. It is a mindset shift. Every user, every device, and every workload must be continuously verified, regardless of network location.
Where most organizations struggle is in implementation. Overengineering access policies or failing to map business logic to identity systems often leads to burnout and backdoors. The professionals who stand out are those who can architect Zero Trust frameworks that improve security and user experience, not one at the cost of the other.
Recommended Certifications and Courses:
SANS SEC530: Defensible Security Architecture and Engineering: This course provides in-depth knowledge on implementing Zero Trust principles within enterprise environments, focusing on designing secure architectures that can withstand advanced threats.
Certificate of Competence in Zero Trust (CCZT) by CSA: This certification offers comprehensive training on Zero Trust concepts, strategies, and implementation, equipping professionals with the skills to transition from traditional security models to a Zero Trust framework.
Introduction to Zero Trust (LFS183) by The Linux Foundation: This course discusses the features and characteristics of a Zero Trust Architecture, the different models of trust and use cases, and provides opportunities for hands-on practice with open source tools such as SPIFFE/SPIRE, Open Policy Agent, and Istio service mesh.
Skill #7. Security Automation and Infrastructure as Code
Security automation and Infrastructure as Code (IaC) are no longer optional. Manual configurations introduce risk, delay deployments, and often fail to meet compliance. By contrast, teams that automate security controls and provision infrastructure through code can move faster without compromising integrity.
The common trap? Focusing on IaC templates without securing them. Or automating tasks without building proper approval flows. Hiring managers now expect professionals to think beyond pipelines. They want engineers who can embed security directly into DevOps workflows and make it repeatable, auditable, and reliable.
Recommended Certifications and Courses:
SANS SEC540: Cloud Security and DevSecOps Automation: This course provides development, operations, and security professionals with a deep understanding of and hands-on experience with the DevOps methodology used to build and deliver cloud-native infrastructure and software. It emphasizes integrating security into DevOps practices, automating security controls, and leveraging IaC for consistent and secure deployments.
AZ-400: Manage Infrastructure as Code using Azure and DSC: This learning path explores the IaC concept and how to manage your operations environment the same way you do applications or other code for general release. It covers using Azure Resource Manager templates and Desired State Configuration (DSC) to automate infrastructure deployment and management, ensuring security and compliance.
Infrastructure as Code (IaC) Training Roadmap by KodeKloud: This training roadmap is designed to provide individuals with a comprehensive understanding of managing infrastructure through code. Participants will acquire the necessary skills to manage infrastructure through code efficiently, empowering them to streamline and automate deployment processes effectively.
These courses are designed to equip you with the necessary skills to implement security automation and manage infrastructure as code, thereby enhancing your organization’s security posture in cloud environments.
Skill #8. Cloud Security Posture Management
Misconfigurations remain one of the top causes of cloud breaches. Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM) tools exist to solve that. But owning the tool is not the same as knowing how to use it.
What organizations need are professionals who can operationalize CSPM. That means writing security baselines, enforcing continuous monitoring, and automating remediation without creating alert fatigue. The real challenge is knowing what to prioritize, and how to build policy frameworks that scale across accounts, providers, and teams.
Recommended Certifications and Courses:
Microsoft Learn: Manage your cloud security posture management: This module teaches how Microsoft Defender for Cloud provides security posture management, offering visibility into vulnerable resources and guidance on hardening your security posture.
Panoptica Academy: Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM): This comprehensive course covers the fundamentals of CSPM, configuring security baselines, monitoring compliance rules, and assessing vulnerabilities, equipping you to safeguard your cloud environment effectively.
SANS SEC510: Cloud Security Controls and Mitigations: This course delves into cloud-native CSPM services, teaching how to automate security checks and apply CIS Benchmarks at scale, enhancing your organization’s cloud security posture.
These courses are designed to equip you with the necessary skills to implement and manage CSPM effectively, thereby enhancing your organization’s security posture in cloud environments.
Skill #9. Cloud Platform Expertise
Cloud security is only as good as your understanding of the platform it runs on. Every provider, be it Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, or Google Cloud Platform (GCP), has its own architecture, access controls, logging systems, and pitfalls.
Professionals who stand out know how to speak the language of each platform. Hiring managers are not looking for generalists anymore. They want people who can harden IAM policies in AWS, troubleshoot diagnostics in Azure, and secure containers in GCP without a learning curve.
Recommended Certifications and Courses:
AWS Training and Certification: AWS offers a comprehensive suite of training courses and certifications to build practical skills and cloud expertise. These resources are designed to help professionals effectively utilize AWS services and implement security best practices.
Microsoft Azure Certifications: Microsoft provides a range of certification programs to validate skills in Azure. These certifications cover various aspects of Azure services, including security, and are designed to enhance professionals’ abilities to manage and secure Azure environments.
Google Cloud Training: Google Cloud offers a comprehensive curriculum on Google Cloud Skills Boost, providing online learning, skills development, and certifications. These resources are tailored to help professionals effectively utilize Google Cloud services and implement security measures.
These training programs are designed to equip you with the necessary skills to effectively manage and secure cloud infrastructures across AWS, Azure, and GCP, thereby enhancing your organization’s security posture in cloud environments.
Skill #10. Threat Intelligence and Vulnerability Management
Threat intelligence and vulnerability management are not isolated functions anymore. They are embedded into every mature security operation. The key is knowing how to collect relevant data, turn it into actionable insights, and act on it before an attacker does.
Too often, teams focus on scanning tools and miss the bigger picture: prioritizing the right vulnerabilities, contextualizing threat data, and feeding it back into controls. Professionals who can bridge this gap are in high demand. Especially those who understand how to align vulnerability management with threat detection, not treat them as separate domains.
Recommended Certifications and Courses:
SANS FOR578: Cyber Threat Intelligence: This course provides an understanding of the role of threat intelligence in security operations and how it can be leveraged as a resource to combat sophisticated adversaries.
EC-Council Certified Threat Intelligence Analyst (CTIA): This program teaches a structured approach for building effective threat intelligence, focusing on refining data into actionable insights to prevent, detect, and monitor cyberattacks.
LinkedIn Learning: Vulnerability Management Courses: These courses cover identifying, assessing, and mitigating security vulnerabilities, including vulnerability scanning, risk assessment, and remediation techniques.
These resources are designed to equip you with the necessary skills to implement effective threat intelligence and vulnerability management strategies, thereby enhancing your organization’s security posture in cloud environments.
Your Next Career Move Starts with Cloud Security Skills
Each of the ten skills we’ve covered, ranging from IAM and Zero Trust to CSPM and DevSecOps, isn’t just a technical checkbox. Together, they form the foundation of a secure, scalable, and cloud-resilient organization.
If you’re already working in security or IT, mastering these skills isn’t just about staying relevant. It’s about becoming the kind of professional that forward-thinking companies rely on to lead in complex cloud environments.
At Datacipher Education Services, we train cloud security teams across industries using real-world scenarios, lab-driven learning, and expert-led guidance. As one of our clients from Accenture noted,
“The complete session was brainstorming and well planned. Learned a lot; Hope to imply the wonderful training insights to working. The course was diverse yet meaningful in every aspect.”
If you’re ready to level up, now’s the time. Explore our cloud security training programs to take the next step in your cybersecurity career.
Read Next: Skip the Noise: These Are the Eight Top Cloud Security Certifications Worth Pursuing in 2025.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How long does it take to become a cloud security expert?
It typically takes 6 to 18 months, depending on your background. If you already work in IT or security, you can move faster by focusing on certifications and hands-on labs.
2. Do I need to know coding for cloud security roles?
Basic scripting (Python, Bash) is helpful but not mandatory for all roles. Automation, IaC, and DevSecOps roles benefit greatly from coding knowledge.
3. Can I transition into cloud security from a non-technical background?
Yes, but you’ll need to build a strong foundation in networking, cloud fundamentals, and security concepts. Start with beginner-friendly certs like CompTIA Security+ or AWS Cloud Practitioner.
4. How much do cloud security professionals earn on average?
Cloud security roles often pay between $100,000 and $160,000 annually, depending on location, experience, and specialization. Senior roles can go much higher.
5. Are there any free resources to learn cloud security skills?
Yes. Microsoft Learn, AWS Training, and Google Cloud Skills Boost offer free beginner courses. YouTube and GitHub also have excellent community-driven tutorials and labs.
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