ISC2, a leading nonprofit organisation for cybersecurity professionals, has unveiled its latest educational offering, the Cloud Security Architecture Strategy Certificate. This initiative is designed to equip professionals with the skills necessary for designing, implementing, and managing secure cloud environments, addressing the growing demand in the industry.
The significance of cloud security has been underscored by recent findings from ISC2 research. Studies across 2023 and 2024 positioned cloud security as the most sought-after technical skill. Despite the rise of AI, cloud security remains essential, with 36% of respondents highlighting it as a crucial skill for building robust cybersecurity teams. Only AI surpassed it in the 2025 ISC2 Cybersecurity Workforce Study.
Among those who manage cybersecurity teams, 29% identified cloud security as the primary skill sought in new hires, followed closely by AI and security engineering, at 27% and 24%, respectively. The results emphasise the advantage of refining cloud security expertise for career advancement.
Casey Marks, ISC2's Chief Operating Officer, highlights ISC2's commitment to meeting member and community needs: "Pursuing ISC2’s new cloud certificate provides mid-career and advanced professionals, including both practitioners and leaders, breadth across technical, governance and leadership viewpoints."
The certificate focuses on trending topics through four vendor-neutral courses:
- Multicloud Security Strategies: 3 CPE credits; intermediate proficiency
- Cloud Governance, Risk Management and Compliance: 3 CPE credits; intermediate proficiency
- Cloud Security for Business Leaders: 2 CPE credits; intermediate proficiency
- Zero Trust Architecture in Cloud Environments: 3 CPE credits; advanced proficiency
Learners complete approximately 11 hours of on-demand courses and assessments to earn the digital badge on Credly. The flexibility allows courses to be taken individually or as a bundle, with ISC2 members enjoying possible discounts.
Designed for seasoned professionals, this certificate complements ISC2’s Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP) certification, which demands extensive cloud security domain knowledge and a rigorous exam. While the CCSP requires five years of experience, the new certificate caters to those seeking to deepen their strategic and practical cloud expertise.
