AWS Certified Security - Specialty
Learn more about this certification and AWS resources that can help you prepare
This credential helps organizations identify and develop talent with critical skills for implementing cloud initiatives. Earning AWS Certified Security – Specialty validates expertise in securing data and workloads in the AWS Cloud.
Who should take this exam?
AWS Certified Security – Specialty is intended for individuals who perform a security role and have at least two years of hands-on experience securing AWS workloads. Before you take this exam, we recommend you have:
- Five years of IT security experience in designing and implementing security solutions and at least two years of hands-on experience in securing AWS workloads
- Working knowledge of AWS security services and features of services to provide a secure production environment and an understanding of security operations and risks
- Knowledge of the AWS shared responsibility model and its application; security controls for workloads on AWS; logging and monitoring strategies; cloud security threat models; patch management and security automation; ways to enhance AWS security services with third-party tools and services; and disaster recovery controls, including BCP and backups, encryption, access control, and data retention
- Understanding of specialized data classifications and AWS data protection mechanisms, data-encryption methods and AWS mechanisms to implement them, and secure internet protocols and AWS mechanisms to implement them
- Ability to make tradeoff decisions with regard to cost, security, and deployment complexity to meet a set of application requirements
What does it take to earn this certification?
To earn this certification, you’ll need to take and pass the AWS Certified Security – Specialty exam (SCS-C01). The exam features a combination of two question formats: multiple choice and multiple response. Additional information, such as the exam content outline and passing score, is in the exam guide.
Review sample questions that demonstrate the format of the questions used on this exam and include rationales for the correct answers.
Exam overview
Level: Specialty
Length: 170 minutes to complete the exam
Cost: 300 USD
Visit Exam pricing for additional cost information.
Format: 65 questions; either multiple choice or multiple response.
Delivery method: Pearson VUE testing center or online proctored exam.
Languages offered
This exam is offered in the following languages: English, French (France), German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese (Brazil), Simplified Chinese, and Spanish (Latin America).
Prepare for your exam
You’ve set your goal. Now it’s time to build knowledge and skills to propel your career. Check out these resources from AWS Training and Certification that are relevant to AWS Certified Security - Specialty. We don’t require that you take any specific training before you take an exam. These recommended resources are opportunities to learn from the experts at AWS.
Additional resources – including AWS Builder Labs and game-based learning to complement your prep – are available with a subscription on AWS Skill Builder.
Select a resource type from the section below to learn more.
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Exam review
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Exam prep with AWS Skill Builder
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AWS Training for security professionals
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AWS whitepapers
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FAQs
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Exam review
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Exam prep with AWS Skill Builder
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Subscribe to AWS Skill Builder for access to practice materials and full-length Official Practice Exams. Get an overview of what is available for certification exam prep or go to AWS Skill Builder for the latest training and prep resources available.
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AWS Training for security professionals
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Build your technical skills with these recommended courses. Select a course title to learn more.
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AWS whitepapers
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Get to know AWS services and best practices by exploring AWS whitepapers relevant to your exam.
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FAQs
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Get to know AWS services and best practices by exploring AWS FAQs relevant to your exam.
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