About the GCP Professional Cloud Security Engineer Exam

The rate of migration to the cloud is growing exponentially. The cloud is something of a Masai Mara right now, and we don’t expect that this will slow down. New projects are often now born in the cloud and end up staying there.

Note

The Masai Mara is an iconic African savanna landscape characterized by an annual wildebeest and zebra migration of over 1.5 million animals.

This growing trend has created new opportunities, specifically for cloud security. There is now soaring demand for cloud security professionals. It is not news to those in the field of cybersecurity that cloud security skills are not only in demand but scarce. Cybersecurity professionals with cloud security skills are now very sought after. Security used to be the number one obstacle to organizations moving to the cloud. Now, security is the top reason that organizations want to move to the cloud. This only increases the demand for cloud security professionals.

Note

For more details see 13 Cloud Computing Risks & Challenges Businesses Are Facing In These Days by Bernardita Calzon, published on June 6, 2022 on the datapine website (https://packt.link/xlnX6).

The aim of this book is to help cloud security professionals to pass the Google Cloud Platform (GCP) Professional Cloud Security Engineer exam. The topics covered in this book not only include exam-specific content but also extend to some optional GCP cloud security topics.

This chapter covers why you should take this exam, how to register, and what to expect in the exam.

In this chapter, we will cover the following topics:

• The benefits of being a certified cloud security engineer
• How to register for the exam
• What to expect and some helpful tips

As per Burning Glass, a leading labor market analytics firm, there is 115% projected growth for cloud security in the next five years. Not only are cloud security skills in demand, but it’s also a very lucrative field. For Google Cloud security skills more specifically, there is 113% growth expected. This makes having GCP cloud security knowledge a must for cybersecurity professionals. What’s more, earning the Professional Cloud Security Engineer certification will be a resounding endorsement of their skills.

Gaining a new skill or certification always helps boost your profile and increase your chances of being hired. The Google Cloud Professional Security Engineer certification validates a person’s proficiency in designing, developing, and managing a secure infrastructure that leverages Google Cloud Platform technologies. This globally recognized certification can offer various benefits, including the following:

• Increased employability: This certification is recognized by many employers globally. It proves your skill set and makes you a desirable candidate for roles that involve Google Cloud security.
• Higher earning potential: On average, certified Google Cloud professionals have a higher salary compared to non-certified professionals in similar roles.
• Skill validation: The certification validates your knowledge and skills in Google Cloud Platform security. This can boost your confidence and credibility when dealing with projects or discussing solutions with clients or colleagues.
• Professional development: The preparation process for the certification exam can significantly enhance your current understanding of Google Cloud Platform security features and best practices. This knowledge is critical for those who want to excel in the cloud security domain.
• Keep up-to-date: The field of cloud technology is constantly evolving. The process of getting certified requires you to study and understand the latest Google Cloud security services, tools, and best practices.
• Expand your professional network: When you become certified, you can join groups and communities of other certified professionals. This provides opportunities to network, learn, and share experiences.
• Company benefits: If you’re a part of a company that’s a Google Cloud partner, your certification can contribute to your company’s partner level, which can offer additional benefits, resources, and recognition for the company.

Overall, being a certified Google Cloud Professional Security Engineer is a valuable credential that can open significant career opportunities and benefits in the rapidly growing field of cloud computing. Whether you’re looking to get certified or just acquire new skills, the aim of this book is to help you understand GCP’s cloud security capabilities.

The GCP Professional Cloud Security Engineer exam is two hours long and consists of multiple-choice questions. The exam can be taken at a testing center, or you can choose to have an online-proctored exam from a remote location. The cost of the exam is USD$200 plus tax and is only available in English. You can register for the exam by following these steps:

1. Navigate to the GCP Professional Cloud Security Engineer landing page at https://packt.link/PZx8D, where you can find more detailed information about the exam.

You will find many useful resources here, such as an exam guide, sample questions, training options, and links to community learning and the certification hub.

2. Select the option to book the exam by clicking on Register, which will take you to the Webassessor Google Cloud certification landing page at https://packt.link/2FmkY. You will need to create an account with Webassessor in order to book your exam.

Figure 1.1 – Logging in to Webassessor

3. Once you have created an account and logged in, you will need to select the exam you would like to register for. Here you will also be able to select whether you would like to sit the exam at a testing center or via the online-proctored method.

Figure 1.2 – Registration page

4. Note that for every exam, there is a + sign. By expanding that, you will be able to choose between the options of testing center and online-proctored.

Figure 1.3 – Exam selection

5. Next, you will be allowed to select a testing center.

Figure 1.4 – Select a testing center

6. Next, you will need to select a date and time when you wish to sit the exam at your preferred center.

Figure 1.5 – Book a date and time for the exam

7. Proceed to checkout and complete the transaction by either paying the fees or using a voucher, if you have one.

Figure 1.6 – Review and pay

Once you have completed the process, you have the option to make changes to either the center or the date/time. Please refer to the instructions in the confirmation email on how to reschedule without incurring cancellation charges.

Each center has specific requirements as to the identification you need to provide. All this information will be included in the email. Do pay attention to the requirements as you will not be allowed to sit the exam, whether online-proctored or on-site, if you do not have the proper identification.

Cloud security exams are different from those for other security certifications. They require both depth and breadth of knowledge in multiple security domains. Most vendor security certifications focus on the product, but the GCP Professional Cloud Security Engineer exam focuses on domains such as identity and access management, data protection, network security, logging and monitoring, and security operations. It is important for those attempting the exam to have a sound understanding of the foundational security concepts. This book assumes that you already have basic knowledge of these concepts; if you don’t, it’s highly encouraged that you gain that knowledge before attempting the exam.

Every individual has a different way to prepare and study, but it’s advised that you follow the structure laid out in this book and build knowledge in the areas covered. If you are familiar with GCP security, you can skip chapters and/or read them in any order. For those who are new to GCP, it is highly recommended that you follow the sequence of chapters.

The GCP certification page (https://packt.link/WlaJJ) for the Professional Cloud Security Engineer exam contains some helpful details on the exam syllabus, an exam guide, and sample questions. Do take the time to read those as they offer insights. The content of this book is based on the exam blueprint.

The exam questions are multiple-choice and based on real-world scenarios. The test is based on your knowledge of GCP security products and technology. The topics and options can range from cloud security best practices and security configuration to product-specific security controls and how you would meet compliance objectives. The exam is geared toward what cloud security engineers experience day to day while performing their roles.

This book will help you prepare for the range of questions in the exam, and each chapter has a section to test your knowledge. Nothing compares to having hands-on experience; therefore, it is highly encouraged that you create a free GCP account if you don’t already have one and spend some time playing around with GCP’s security products. Google Cloud Skills Boost has a great collection of GCP security labs, and that collection is recommended for you to get some hands-on experience. In each chapter, there are links to whitepapers and relevant Google Cloud Skills Boost for you to complete. Please note that Google Cloud Skills Boost is a paid service; you can either buy a subscription or pay for each lab.

Another useful resource is courses offered by Google Cloud Skills Boost. In the Further reading section of each chapter, you will find links to Google’s official courses that are offered through Google Cloud Skills Boost. For those who are new to GCP or familiar with another cloud provider, it is highly recommended that you do some introductory GCP courses from Google Cloud Skills Boost. They will help you build a sound understanding of how GCP is different and what capabilities are offered.

Finally, some key things to remember for the exam. Many of you will already know this, but remember to read the questions very carefully. Most questions have a scenario to paint a picture, but the actual question that is asked is usually in the last line. For example, a question may describe how developers in an organization are building an application that stores sensitive data and how developers and end users access it. It is important to focus on aspects such as who the user is (the developer), how they access the application (by identity and access control), and what needs to be protected (the sensitive data). Extracting such information will help you identify the solution that addresses all those areas.

Always use the option of marking the question for later if you are not sure. Sometimes, the next question is asked in a way that answers the previous question. In that case, you can mark both questions to come back to later and then revisit them before you hit submit. Do keep some time at the end to revisit the questions. Often, when you do 60+ questions, you tend to overlook certain things. Giving yourself an opportunity to check your answers will help.

In this chapter, we looked at how the GCP Professional Cloud Security Engineer certification is distinguished from others by the kinds of security domains it concerns. We also covered the benefits of getting certified and how to register for the exam.

The next chapter will cover aspects of Google Cloud security at the infrastructure level to help you understand how Google secures its cloud footprint and the various compliance programs and standards it is compliant with.

Refer to the following links for further information and reading:

• Google Cloud Certification: https://packt.link/9hV9a
• Professional Cloud Security Engineer: https://packt.link/knxFi
• Google Cloud Skills Boost: https://packt.link/gyaJD