Amazon Web Services
SCS-C02AWS Certified Security – Specialty
Specialty-level exam on securing AWS workloads: identity, detection, incident response, infrastructure and data protection.
Credentials
Certifications
Every one of these I sat and passed myself. Each links to the study guide I wrote from the notes I used to prepare — the material I wish had existed when I started.
Cloud
Securing workloads that run on someone else’s hardware.
Defensive
Detection, analysis and incident response.
GIAC
GCIHGIAC Certified Incident Handler
Hands-on incident handling: detection, containment, eradication and recovery, plus the attacker techniques behind each.
CompTIA
CS0-003CompTIA Cybersecurity Analyst (CySA+)
Behavioural analytics, threat detection, vulnerability management and incident response from the SOC analyst’s seat.
Leadership
Strategy, policy and running a security programme.
GIAC
GSTRTGIAC Strategic Planning, Policy, and Leadership
Building a security strategy that survives contact with the business: strategic planning, writing policy people actually follow, and leading the team that delivers it.
Earned 2026/07Read the study guide →
Foundational
The groundwork everything else is built on.
Amazon Web Services
CLF-C02AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner
Foundational AWS exam covering cloud concepts, core services, the shared responsibility model, billing and support.
CompTIA
SY0-701CompTIA Security+
The baseline security certification: threats, architecture, operations, and governance, risk and compliance.