CCSP vs AWS Security Specialty | Full Breakdown: Difficulty, Jobs & ROI
Introduction
Introduction
If you’ve been in cybersecurity or cloud engineering for a while, chances are you’ve bumped into two heavyweight certifications: CCSP and AWS Certified Security Specialty.
One gives you vendor-neutral cloud security street cred.
The other shows you can secure AWS in the real world.
But which one is right for you? That depends on your goals, your day-to-day work, and how far up the ladder you want to climb.
Let’s break it down , clearly, honestly, and with real-world context.
CCSP | Certified Cloud Security Professional
CCSP is managed by ISC2 , the same folks behind CISSP.
It’s a vendor-neutral certification that covers six major domains:
- Cloud Concepts, Architecture and Design
- Cloud Data Security
- Cloud Platform & Infrastructure Security
- Cloud Application Security
- Cloud Security Operations
- Legal, Risk, and Compliance
This isn’t about memorizing service names or CLI commands. CCSP is designed to show that you understand the bigger picture , how cloud security works across providers, how risks are managed, and how controls are applied.
Experience Requirement:
- 5 years of IT experience
- 3 years in cybersecurity
- 1 year in at least one CCSP domain
If you don’t have the full experience yet, you can still pass the exam and hold the title Associate of ISC2 while you work toward the required time.
What’s New: As of October 1, 2025, CCSP switched to adaptive testing, which adjusts question difficulty based on your performance. So the better you do, the harder it gets.
AWS Certified Security Specialty
AWS Certified Security Specialty is managed by Amazon Web Services.
Unlike CCSP, this one is very hands-on and AWS-specific. It focuses on:
- Incident detection and response
- Logging and monitoring (think CloudTrail, CloudWatch, GuardDuty)
- Infrastructure security (VPC, WAF, Shield, etc.)
- Identity and Access Management
- Data protection with KMS and encryption
- Governance and compliance within AWS
AWS recommends having 3–5 years of security experience and at least 2 years working directly with AWS.
This exam doesn’t care about buzzwords. It tests whether you can actually secure real AWS environments.
Who Each Cert Is Really For
Let’s be brutally honest here , these two certs are not for the same audience.
CCSP is ideal for people working in multi-cloud, architecture, or leadership roles. Think: Cloud Security Architect, Security Consultant, or someone handling risk and compliance across multiple platforms.
AWS Security Specialty is for hands-on defenders. If your day revolves around securing AWS workloads, writing guardrails, building detection systems, and responding to incidents , this is your playground.
Level & Difficulty
CCSP
CCSP is broad. It’s less about tricky multiple-choice questions and more about how well you understand the cloud ecosystem.
It dives into data classification, the shared responsibility model, jurisdiction issues, risk assessment, and how to design controls across IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS. It can feel a little “CISO-ish” at times , and that’s by design.
This cert requires a strong conceptual foundation. You’ll be expected to apply judgment, not just recall facts.
AWS Security
This one’s a completely different beast. The AWS exam is scenario-heavy. Expect questions like:
- “Your GuardDuty alerts you to suspicious activity in an S3 bucket. What’s your next step?”
- “How do you design IAM roles to support a multi-account organization with least privilege?”
- “Which logging architecture gives you the best balance of cost and visibility?”
If you live and breathe AWS, it’s fun. If you don’t, it’ll be a long road.
How to Prep Without Losing Your Mind
For CCSP
- Study the Official Exam Outline , make it your roadmap.
- Focus on the cloud data lifecycle and shared responsibility.
- Get comfortable with compliance, contracts, and governance , yes, the legal stuff matters.
- Use scenario-based practice questions, not just flashcards.
- If you don’t have the required experience, go the Associate of ISC2 route.
Typical prep time: 10–14 weeks if you’ve already got cloud/security background.
Weeks 1–2: Map out domains, identify weak areas.
Weeks 3–8: Domain-by-domain deep dive (data security, compliance, infra, etc.).
Weeks 9–10: Case studies, legal & risk, shared responsibility.
Weeks 11–12: Practice tests and CAT pacing.
For AWS Security
Start with the official AWS exam guide , this is your bible.
Build a hands-on lab environment with multiple AWS accounts.
Drill deep into:
- GuardDuty, Detective, Security Hub
- CloudTrail, CloudWatch
- IAM, SCPs, permission boundaries
- KMS and encryption
- WAF, Shield, VPC security
Do scenario drills , the exam isn’t about definitions, it’s about decisions.
Use practice exams strategically in your final weeks.
Typical prep time: 9–10 weeks if you already work in AWS.
Weeks 1–2: Set up lab environment and review exam domains.
Weeks 3–6: Deep dive per domain with hands-on labs.
Weeks 7–8: Incident response scenarios, detection pipelines.
Weeks 9–10: Full practice exams + gap closing.
Career Opportunities & Demand
Cloud security isn’t a hot field anymore , it’s a critical one.
According to the ISC2 Cybersecurity Workforce Study, cloud security remains one of the biggest skill gaps worldwide. Companies are moving to the cloud faster than they can secure it, and they’re willing to pay for people who can close that gap.
Here’s the big picture:
AWS is still the #1 cloud provider globally, so demand for AWS-specific security skills is sky-high.
AWS Security Specialty tends to open doors to mid-level and senior technical roles: Cloud Security Engineer, DevSecOps Specialist, Security Lead. These are the folks who do the work.
CCSP is more strategic. It helps you move toward architect, consultant, or leadership positions. It’s respected by hiring managers who look for people who can shape the bigger security picture.
How to Decide Which One to Take First
Here’s a simple decision framework:
Where will you spend most of your time in the next 2 years?
- Mostly in AWS → Start with AWS Security.
- Multi-cloud or strategic leadership → Go for CCSP.
What kind of hiring signal do you want to send?
- “I can build and defend.” → AWS Security Specialty.
- “I can design and lead.” → CCSP.
Pro tip: Many professionals take AWS Security first to get hands-on credibility, then go for CCSP to move up strategically. That combo is a career accelerator.
Final Thoughts
Both of these certifications are strong. Both are respected. And both can open doors to well-paying cloud security jobs.
But they serve different purposes:
- AWS Security Specialty is about hands-on, tactical capability in AWS.
- CCSP is about strategic, vendor-neutral leadership in cloud security.
If your daily life revolves around AWS, start there. If your next career move involves architecture, compliance, or leadership, CCSP is the better first step.
And if you really want to future-proof your career? Stack them. AWS Security first for impact, CCSP second for leadership.
