How to Prepare for AWS Certified Security — Specialty: A Complete Guide

In the ever-evolving world of cloud computing, security is paramount. The AWS Certified Security — Specialty certification validates your expertise in securing AWS environments, and obtaining this certification can set you apart in the industry. In this guide, I’ll walk you through the steps to prepare effectively for the AWS Certified Security — Specialty exam, including insights from my own experience.

AWS Security Services: The Foundation of AWS Security

Before diving into the exam domains, it’s crucial to understand the AWS security services that are the backbone of AWS environments. AWS offers a variety of security services that help in threat detection, data protection, identity management, and governance. Based on my experience, these are the AWS services you should prioritize in your preparation:

• AWS Security Hub
• AWS Config
• Amazon Cognito
• Amazon GuardDuty
• AWS Shield
• AWS Resource Access Manager (RAM)
• AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM)
• Cloud Watch Logs
• KMS & ACM
• AWS Inspector
• Systems Manager
• Service Control Policies (SCP)
• Amazon Macie
• Amazon Detective
• NACL & Security Groups

Domain Breakdown and Preparation Strategies

The AWS Certified Security — Specialty exam is divided into six domains, each covering different aspects of AWS security. Here’s a detailed look at each domain and how to prepare for them:

Domain 1: Threat Detection and Incident Response

This domain focuses on your ability to detect security threats and manage incident responses using AWS services. You need to understand how to configure and manage AWS services like GuardDuty, AWS Security Hub, and Amazon Detective.

Preparation Tips:

• Get hands-on experience with GuardDuty and AWS Security Hub.
• Learn how to set up alerts, analyze findings, and respond to incidents effectively.
• Practice using AWS Config rules and automate remediation using AWS Lambda.

Domain 2: Security Logging and Monitoring

Logging and monitoring are crucial for maintaining security in the cloud. This domain tests your knowledge of monitoring strategies, log analysis, and troubleshooting.

Preparation Tips:

• Master AWS CloudTrail for logging API calls and AWS CloudWatch for monitoring AWS environments.
• Understand how to analyze logs from AWS services and integrate third-party logging tools.
• Familiarize yourself with VPC Flow Logs, AWS Config, and Security Hub for monitoring.

Domain 3: Infrastructure Security

This domain covers network security, including securing Amazon VPCs, using firewalls, and protecting workloads. Key AWS services include AWS WAF, AWS Shield, and Security Groups.

Preparation Tips:

• Learn how to design secure VPC architectures with subnets, NAT Gateways, and Security Groups.
• Understand the use of AWS WAF and AWS Shield for application security.
• Practice configuring VPC flow logs and security group rules for network security.

Domain 4: Identity and Access Management

IAM is a critical part of AWS security. This domain tests your ability to implement and manage AWS authentication and authorization mechanisms.

Preparation Tips:

• Dive deep into AWS IAM policies, roles, and permissions.
• Understand the use of AWS Single Sign-On (SSO) and AWS Organizations for managing access across multiple accounts.
• Get comfortable with multi-factor authentication (MFA) and best practices for securing IAM credentials.

Domain 5: Data Protection

This domain focuses on protecting data in transit and at rest using encryption, key management, and data integrity verification.

Preparation Tips:

• Learn how to use AWS Key Management Service (KMS) for encryption.
• Practice setting up S3 bucket policies, using encryption in Amazon RDS, and securing data using AWS Secrets Manager.
• Understand how Amazon Macie helps in discovering and protecting sensitive data.

Domain 6: Management and Security Governance

This domain deals with governance, compliance, and managing security in an AWS environment.

Preparation Tips:

• Familiarize yourself with AWS Config for compliance and security monitoring.
• Understand the role of AWS Organizations and Service Control Policies (SCPs) in managing governance.
• Learn to implement security baselines using AWS Systems Manager.

Here are some of the courses and resources I found particularly helpful during my preparation:

1. Ultimate AWS Certified Security Specialty — Udemy: A comprehensive course covering all exam domains with hands-on labs and quizzes.
2. Whizlabs AWS Certified Security Specialty: Excellent practice tests and detailed explanations to test your knowledge before the exam.

How I Passed the Exam: My Preparation Journey

Preparing for the AWS Certified Security — Specialty exam was a challenging yet rewarding experience. Here’s a brief look at how I structured my preparation:

1. Started with the Basics: I began by brushing up on core AWS security services, focusing on those I wasn’t familiar with, such as AWS Macie and AWS RAM.
2. Hands-On Labs: I spent a lot of time doing hands-on labs on AWS, which helped reinforce theoretical knowledge with practical application. Services like GuardDuty, IAM, and AWS Config were at the core of my practice.
3. Practice Tests: I regularly took practice tests from Whizlabs and Udemy to assess my understanding and identify areas needing improvement.
4. Deep Dive into Key Services: Based on the feedback from practice tests, I focused on services that were heavily tested, such as AWS Security Hub, AWS Config, Cognito, and GuardDuty.
5. Revised Key Concepts: Before the exam, I spent a week revising key concepts, reviewing AWS whitepapers, and practicing incident response scenarios.

The AWS Certified Security — Specialty exam is not just about memorizing services but understanding how to secure AWS environments effectively. Focus on hands-on practice, take advantage of the recommended courses, and immerse yourself in AWS security best practices.

If you have any questions or need further guidance, feel free to reach out to me at piyush.jalan93@gmail.com.

Good luck on your journey to becoming AWS Certified Security — Specialty!

Thank You!