The cloud isn’t going anywhere. The adoption of cloud technologies has grown faster than ever as companies pivot to a more permanent remote workforce. That shift has created yet another new cybersecurity role: cloud penetration tester. If you have a background in security intelligence and understand the cloud, a specialization as a cloud penetration tester may be a good next step for you.
What is a cloud penetration tester?
A cloud penetration tester is tasked with securing an organization’s cloud environment through penetration testing and their understanding of cloud security issues in the following ways:
- Identifies risks, vulnerabilities, and gaps in the cloud system
- Defines the impact of exploitable vulnerabilities and prioritizes them accordingly
- Determines how to leverage access obtained via exploitation
- Delivers clear and actionable remediation
- Provides best practices in maintaining visibility
A cloud penetration tester focuses on the security of cloud-specific configurations, cloud system passwords, cloud applications, encryption, application programming interfaces (API), databases, storage access, and other challenges. Companies hire a qualified cloud penetration tester to improve their overall cloud security, avoid breaches, and achieve compliance.
How to become a cloud penetration tester
In general, the role of penetration tester is not an entry-level job – you must gain IT and cybersecurity experience first. This is especially true for a cloud penetration tester, as it is a very specialized role.
Employers will expect candidates to have an advanced understanding of the cloud, be able to leverage this knowledge to ethically hack into systems, and stay up-to-date with security trends and best practices. Many penetration tester roles also require knowledge of specific programming languages or operating systems.
To gain that experience, you might start on an IT infrastructure pathway and then transition to cybersecurity. You could work as a cloud specialist or cloud engineer to learn how to maintain and optimize cloud infrastructure services.
You could also start in cybersecurity as a cybersecurity analyst or a cloud security specialist and work your way up to cloud penetration tester.
But what really matters in this role is being able to think like a hacker and apply those strategies hands-on. Certifications like CompTIA Cloud+, CompTIA Security+, and CompTIA PenTest+ can help you validate the skills and experience you need as you work toward a cloud penetration testing role.
CompTIA Cloud+ validates the skills needed to deploy and automate secure cloud environments that support the high availability of business systems and data. This certification is an excellent source of knowledge for those with little experience working in the cloud.
CompTIA Security+ validates the baseline skills necessary to perform core security functions and pursue an IT security career. This certification is a great place to start if you lack cybersecurity training or experience.
CompTIA PenTest+ is intended to follow CompTIA Security+ or equivalent experience and has a technical, hands-on focus. This certification is for IT pros tasked with penetration testing and vulnerability management. It requires candidates to demonstrate the hands-on ability to test devices in new environments, such as the cloud and mobile, in addition to traditional desktops and servers.
The new CompTIA PenTest+ (PT0-002) launched last month and certifies that successful candidates have the knowledge and skills required to:
- Plan and scope a penetration testing engagement, including vulnerability scanning
- Understand legal and compliance requirements
- Analyze results
- Produce a written report with remediation techniques
In addition to the certification, CompTIA will soon offer a full suite of training products to help you learn and practice penetration testing and vulnerability management skills and prepare for your certification exam.
- CertMaster Learn: Learn at your pace with interactive lessons and videos
- CertMaster Labs: Get hands-on practice using real software applications
- CertMaster Practice: Test your knowledge and find out if you’re ready for the exam
- The Official CompTIA Study Guide: Learn and review exam objectives with our comprehensive textbook
The details
Cloud penetration tester salary range
The average salary for cloud penetration testers is $124,424 annually as of April 2023 (Cyberseek.org).
Cloud penetration tester job outlook
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects an increase of 32% for penetration testing positions from 2022 to 2032, with 53,200 net new jobs expected during that 10-year period.
Job titles related to cloud penetration tester
- Penetration tester
- Cloud security specialist
- Cybersecurity analyst
- Vulnerability analyst
- Threat intelligence analyst
+ Means more
At CompTIA, + means IT careers. You can consider us your partner on your journey to becoming certified, finding, interviewing for, and winning that new job role.
- We help you save money. Getting a CompTIA certification is an investment in your career, but a discount can help. There are several ways you can save money on your CompTIA purchases.
- We help you decide how to take your exam. Scheduling your exam is the easy part. CompTIA exams are offered at testing centers worldwide and through online testing, which is available 24/7, so you can test in person or at home. Learn more about your testing options.
- We help you land your next job. CompTIA certifications hold tremendous value in the IT industry and are highly sought-after by recruiters. They signify a proven competence and expertise in various tech disciplines, making individuals who earn these certifications stand out in the job market.
Will your next move be cloud penetration tester?