What is a cloud security engineer? Cybersecurity roles explained

Picture your company’s cloud environment as a sprawling, high-tech fortress floating in the sky. A cloud security engineer’s role is to be the guardian, constantly patrolling the perimeter and patching up any weak spots to ensure no data-thieving dragons can get in. As more businesses move to cloud solutions, these guardians are in higher demand than ever.

In this article, we’ll explore what cloud security engineers do, the skills and certifications required, how to break into the field, and what your daily life might look like if you choose this career path.

What is a cloud security engineer?

Think of a cloud security engineer as a digital locksmith for the cloud. Their main job is to keep unauthorized people from accessing sensitive data or disrupting services. But within this overarching role, there are several specialized subfields:

• Cloud security architect: Designs the blueprint for cloud security across the organization, ensuring all measures align with industry best practices.
• Cloud security analyst: Monitors cloud infrastructure for threats, investigates suspicious activities, and responds to security incidents.
• DevSecOps engineer: Works within development teams to integrate security measures throughout the software development lifecycle, ensuring that code is safe before it goes live.
• Cloud compliance specialist: Focuses on making sure cloud services meet regulatory requirements and standards like GDPR, HIPAA, or SOC 2.

These roles often overlap, and depending on the company, you may find yourself wearing multiple hats. Financial services, healthcare, government agencies, and tech companies are the biggest employers of cloud security specialists due to stringent data protection regulations.

Key responsibilities of a cloud security engineer’s day

You start your day with a coffee in hand, catching up on the latest cybersecurity news like a sentinel scanning the horizon for signs of trouble. A spike in failed login attempts from a foreign country catches your eye. Is it a brute-force attack or just a forgotten password? You dive into the logs, confirm suspicious activity, and quickly lock down the system by adjusting firewall rules and enabling multi-factor authentication.

Next, you team up with the DevOps crew to secure a new cloud app. Like a skilled builder reinforcing critical supports, you scan the code for vulnerabilities, configure access controls, and set up monitoring tools to catch any issues once the app goes live.

Midday, you update the company’s cloud security policies to meet new compliance requirements—fortifying your defenses to adapt to changing regulations. Later, you respond to a flagged security incident, collaborating with the incident response team to isolate the threat and analyze the logs. After resolving the issue, you document the event and adjust policies to prevent future breaches.

Before wrapping up, you fine-tune security scripts to catch the latest threats without affecting system performance. It's a continuous cycle of defending and improving, keeping the digital fortress secure. Cloud security is dynamic, so you’re always learning, adapting, and refining your strategies.

Key tasks generally include:

• Monitor security alerts
• Configure security tools
• Collaborate on cloud app security
• Update cloud security policies
• Respond to security incidents
• Fine-tune security scripts

Career Switcher Tip: If you’re transitioning from another tech role, leverage any experience you have with troubleshooting, system administration, or software development. Many responsibilities in cloud security overlap with other IT fields, so focus on areas like incident response and access management where you may already have transferable skills.

Does cloud security pay well?

Cloud security roles are well-compensated, with pay varying by experience, industry, and location.

• Entry-Level (Cloud Security Analyst, Junior Cloud Security Engineer)
  • Salary: $70,000 - $90,000 annually
  • Role insights: Involves threat monitoring, vulnerability assessments, and supporting senior engineers. Higher pay is typical in tech hubs or regulated industries like finance and healthcare.
• Mid-Level (Cloud Security Engineer, DevSecOps Engineer):
  • Salary: $100,000 - $160,000 annually
  • Role insights: Focuses on securing cloud environments, automating tasks, and integrating security into development. DevSecOps roles often command higher salaries due to specialized skills.
• Senior Roles (Cloud Security Architect, Senior Cloud Security Engineer):
  • Salary: $140,000 - $200,000+ annually
  • Role insights: Includes designing security frameworks and leading incident responses. Highest pay is found in industries like finance, government, and tech.

Factors influencing salaries include industry type and region, with tech companies and financial institutions in major tech hubs offering premium pay. Skills and certifications like AWS Certified Security – Specialty or CISSP can also boost earning potential.

Essential certifications, skills and tools for Cloud Security Engineering

To excel in cloud security engineering, you'll need a blend of certifications, practical skills, and knowledge of essential tools. Here’s what to focus on:

Certifications

• AWS Certified Security – Specialty (SCS-C02): Validates expertise in securing AWS environments, focusing on incident response, data protection, and monitoring. 
• Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP): Provides a broad grounding in cybersecurity principles, offering a strong foundation for cloud security roles.
•  CompTIA Security+: Covers essential security concepts, including risk management and threat detection, serving as an entry point into cloud security. 
• Google Professional Cloud Security Engineer: Focuses on securing Google Cloud environments, valuable for multi-cloud deployments.

Career Switcher Tip: If you come from a non-IT background, start with foundational certifications like CompTIA Security+ or cloud platform introductory courses (e.g., AWS Cloud Practitioner (CLF-C02)). These can help you build a basic understanding of security concepts and cloud infrastructure, providing a solid base before moving on to advanced certifications like AWS Certified Security – Specialty.

Tools and Technologies

• Cloud Platforms (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud): Deep knowledge of at least one platform is crucial, while familiarity with others adds versatility. 
• Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC) Tools (Terraform, CloudFormation): Automate cloud resource deployment and ensure consistent security configurations. 
• Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) Tools (Splunk, Azure Sentinel): Essential for real-time monitoring and incident investigation.
•  Container Security Tools: Secure containerized applications by scanning for vulnerabilities and enforcing policies. 
• Identity and Access Management (IAM) Solutions (AWS IAM, Azure AD): Central to managing user access and protecting sensitive data. 
• Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM) Tools: Monitor and remediate cloud security issues automatically.
• Network Security Tools (Palo Alto): Guard against threats like DDoS attacks and manage secure cloud-based networks. 
• Encryption and Key Management: Protect data through robust encryption and access controls.

The learning path to become a cloud security engineer

Embarking on a career in cloud security involves more than just mastering technology—it’s about building a strategic foundation to protect digital environments against evolving threats. Whether starting from scratch or transitioning from another tech field, following the right steps can fast-track your path to becoming a skilled cloud security engineer. Here’s a clear step-by-step guide:

1. Start with the basics: Build a foundation in IT, networking, and security fundamentals.
2. Learn scripting with Python or PowerShell.
3. Learn cloud platform basics: Get acquainted with a cloud provider using introductory courses and free-tier resources.
4. Pursue cloud security certifications: Earn certifications like AWS Security Specialty or Azure Security Engineer Associate to validate your skills. If you've achieved those, consider advanced certifications like Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP) for further specialization.
5. Gain practical experience: Pluralsight provides specialized lab environments for hands-on practice with configurations and IaC tools.
   
   Career Switcher Tip: When setting up a personal cloud lab, use it to replicate scenarios from your previous career. For example, if you were in project management, create workflows for automating cloud deployments using Infrastructure-as-Code tools. This approach will help you connect your past experiences to new skills in cloud security, making the learning process more relatable and practical.
   
   
6. Stay updated on cloud security trends: Follow cybersecurity news via Pluralsight's up-to-date blog, participate in forums, and, most importantly, continuously learn about new tools and techniques.