Cloud Penetration Testing Career Path: Essential Certifications & Skills for 2026

The cybersecurity landscape is transforming at breakneck speed, and cloud penetration testing sits at the intersection of two of the industry's hottest specializations. As organizations migrate critical infrastructure and sensitive data to cloud platforms, the need for professionals who can identify and exploit cloud-specific vulnerabilities has never been more urgent.

If you're considering a cloud penetration testing career, you're looking at one of the most lucrative and future-proof paths in the field of information security. This article covers the following areas:

• What is cloud penetration testing?
• Understanding what cloud pentesters do
• The certification foundation: Cloud security expertise
• Career paths into cloud penetration testing
• Skills versus certifications: The balanced approach
• Emerging trends in cloud pentesting
• Building your cloud pentesting career
• Next steps: Start your journey

 

Want to get hands-on with cloud security right away? Check out the free AWS workshop to start building practical cloud security skills you can apply immediately to your career. 

What is cloud penetration testing? 

Cloud penetration testing involves systematically attacking cloud infrastructure, applications and configurations to identify security weaknesses before malicious actors can exploit them. Unlike traditional network pentesting, cloud security testing requires understanding unique architectural patterns, shared responsibility models and platform-specific attack vectors across AWS, Azure and Google Cloud Platform. 

The market demand tells a compelling story. Organizations are investing significant resources in cloud migration projects, with 93% of enterprises now utilizing multiple cloud environments. This massive shift creates an equally enormous security gap. Many companies struggle with cloud misconfigurations, which remain the leading cause of cloud security breaches. Traditional security professionals often lack the specialized knowledge needed to secure these environments effectively, creating opportunities for those with cloud-pentesting expertise. 

Salary expectations for cloud pentesters 

The financial rewards for cloud penetration testing skills are substantial. According to ZipRecruiter's 2025 salary data, cloud penetration testers in the United States earn an average annual salary of $119,895. The salary range varies significantly based on experience and location: 

• Entry-level cloud pentesters: $96,000 – $102,000 
• Mid-level professionals: $119,000 – $141,000 
• Senior cloud penetration testers: $141,000 – $168,500 

Top earners in the 90th percentile make $158,500 or more annually. Geographic location plays a role, with cities like San Francisco, New York and Seattle offering salaries 15-25% above the national average. Remote positions have become increasingly common, allowing professionals to command competitive salaries while living in lower-cost areas. 

These figures underscore the strong earning potential of a cloud penetration testing career, especially as organizations increase investment in cloud infrastructure and security. 

Why cloud plus offensive security equals high-value skillset 

The combination of cloud expertise and offensive security capabilities creates a unique and highly valued professional profile. Most cybersecurity professionals specialize in either cloud administration or penetration testing, but rarely both. 

Cloud pentesters bridge this gap. They understand how to navigate IAM policies, exploit serverless functions, identify storage misconfigurations and assess container security. This dual expertise makes them invaluable for organizations running critical workloads in the cloud — and it’s a core differentiator in a successful cloud penetration testing career. 

The certification and skills approach outlined in this guide emphasizes practical, hands-on experience alongside credential-based validation. Certifications open doors and meet HR requirements, but actual testing sets competent professionals apart from those who are merely certified. 

Understanding what cloud pentesters do 

Before diving into certifications and training paths, let's examine the day-to-day responsibilities of cloud penetration testers. Understanding the role helps you make informed decisions about which skills and credentials to pursue. 

Day-to-day responsibilities 

Cloud pentesters spend their time conducting security assessments across AWS, Azure and GCP environments. A typical workday includes reviewing IAM policies for privilege escalation opportunities, testing authentication configurations and analyzing storage for data exposure risks. Documentation and reporting consume a significant amount of time — pentesters must clearly explain technical findings to both technical and non-technical audiences. Communication skills matter as much as technical prowess. 

Types of cloud pentesting 

Cloud penetration testing encompasses several distinct specializations: 

• Infrastructure pentesting targets foundational cloud services, including compute instances, networking configurations, and storage systems, across AWS, Azure, and GCP. Testers look for misconfigured security groups, overly permissive IAM roles, exposed databases, and vulnerable network architectures. 
• Application pentesting in cloud environments focuses on web applications and APIs hosted on cloud platforms. This includes testing for traditional web vulnerabilities, such as SQL injection and cross-site scripting, but with cloud-specific twists, including exploiting metadata services or attacking serverless backends. 
• Container and Kubernetes security testing has become critical as organizations adopt containerized workloads. Pentesters assess container images for vulnerabilities, test Kubernetes cluster configurations, evaluate pod security policies and look for container escape possibilities. 
• API security testing targets the REST and GraphQL APIs that power modern cloud applications. Broken authentication, injection flaws and excessive data exposure represent common API vulnerabilities in cloud environments. 
• Serverless application testing examines Lambda functions, Azure Functions and Google Cloud Functions. These ephemeral compute resources introduce unique attack vectors around event injection, function invocation permissions and inadequate input validation. 

Differences from traditional network pentesting 

Traditional network pentesting assumes you control the physical infrastructure. You can deploy your own network monitoring tools, manipulate routing tables and physically access servers. Cloud environments flip this model entirely. 

In the cloud, you share physical infrastructure with other tenants. The cloud provider manages hypervisors, physical networking and hardware security. Your testing scope focuses on configuration errors, permission boundaries and logical isolation failures rather than physical access controls. 

Cloud environments also operate at a different pace — infrastructure changes constantly through automated deployments and auto-scaling. What you test today might look completely different tomorrow. Cloud pentesters must understand infrastructure-as-code tools, such as Terraform and CloudFormation, to assess these dynamic environments effectively. 

Cloud-specific attack vectors and methodologies 

Cloud platforms introduce attack vectors rarely seen in traditional networks. Metadata services, for instance, allow compute instances to retrieve credentials and configuration data. Attackers who compromise a web application can often pivot to the metadata service and steal IAM credentials, as demonstrated in the Capital One breach. 

IAM privilege escalation represents another cloud-specific concern. Subtle permission combinations can allow low-privileged accounts to grant themselves administrator access. Understanding these permission boundaries requires in-depth knowledge of the platform. 

Storage misconfigurations plague cloud environments. Public S3 buckets, Azure Blob containers with overly permissive access policies and improperly secured databases frequently expose sensitive data. Cloud pentesters systematically assess these storage systems for data leakage risks. 

Emerging area: AI and machine learning model security testing 

As organizations deploy machine learning models in production, testing the security of AI and ML systems has emerged as a new frontier. Cloud pentesters now assess model poisoning risks, evaluate training data security, test inference APIs for abuse and identify prompt injection vulnerabilities in large language models. 

The CEH v13 certification now includes content on AI security, recognizing this growing specialization. Early adopters who develop expertise in testing AI systems position themselves for future opportunities as this field matures. 

The certification foundation: Cloud security expertise 

Building a cloud penetration testing career requires a strategic approach to certifications. The most successful professionals combine cloud security certifications with offensive security credentials. This section explores the cloud security certifications that form your foundation. 

Why start with cloud security certifications 

Learning to attack cloud environments effectively requires first understanding how to defend them. Cloud security certifications teach you the security controls, monitoring capabilities and configuration options available in each platform. This defensive knowledge informs better offensive testing. 

Understanding the shared responsibility model proves critical. Cloud providers secure the underlying infrastructure, but customers remain responsible for ensuring their data, applications and configurations. Knowing where provider responsibility ends and customer responsibility begins helps you focus testing efforts appropriately. 

Platform-specific security controls vary significantly between providers. AWS uses IAM policies, security groups and S3 bucket policies. Azure relies on Azure AD, NSGs and Azure Policy. GCP implements Cloud IAM, VPC firewall rules and Organization Policy constraints. You need platform expertise to test effectively. 

AWS Certified Security - Specialty 

The AWS Certified Security - Specialty validates a deep understanding of AWS security controls and services. For penetration testers, this certification provides invaluable insight into the defensive side of AWS security. 

Why it matters for pentesters: When you understand how AWS security controls work, you know exactly what to test and where vulnerabilities typically hide. The certification covers IAM privilege escalation paths, common security group misconfigurations, data protection weaknesses and logging blind spots. 

Exam overview: The exam consists of 65 questions delivered over 170 minutes. The $300 exam fee represents a significant investment, but the credential's value justifies the cost. Questions focus on incident response, logging and monitoring, infrastructure security, data protection and identity and access management. 

Key domains relevant to pentesting: 

• IAM: The IAM section proves particularly valuable for offensive work. You'll learn how policies interact, where permission boundaries apply and how role assumption chains work. This knowledge directly translates to identifying opportunities for privilege escalation. 
• Security groups and network ACLs: These are common targets for misconfiguration. Understanding default deny rules, stateful vs. stateless filtering and standard bypass techniques helps you conduct more thorough assessments. 
• Data protection: Topics cover encryption at rest and in transit, key management services and secrets management. Understanding how encryption works helps you identify when it's implemented incorrectly. 
• Logging and monitoring: Reveals visibility gaps. Learning what CloudTrail captures, how CloudWatch works and where monitoring blind spots exist helps you understand whether your activities might be detected during testing. 

Study approach for pentesters: Focus on misconfigurations and attack vectors. Frame every security control as something to test rather than defend. 

Timeline: Expect to invest 3-4 months preparing for this exam if you have some AWS experience. Without prior AWS exposure, budget 5-6 months. Hands-on practice in AWS environments matters more than theoretical study. 

Infosec's AWS Security Specialty Boot Camp provides intensive preparation with hands-on labs, expert instruction and exam-focused content — a concentrated format that accelerates learning compared to self-paced study.

Microsoft Certified: Azure Security Engineer Associate (AZ-500) 

The AZ-500 certification validates your ability to implement security controls, maintain security posture and manage identity and access in Azure environments. Given Azure's dominance in enterprise environments, this certification significantly expands your career options. 

Why it matters: Azure powers infrastructure for 95% of Fortune 500 companies. Any cloud pentester working with enterprise clients will encounter Azure regularly. The certification provides the platform knowledge needed to assess these environments effectively. 

Exam overview: The exam includes 40-60 questions covering managing identity and access, implementing platform protection, managing security operations and securing data and applications. Microsoft charges $165 for the exam. The flexible question format includes case studies, multiple choice and interactive scenarios. 

Pentesting-relevant skills: The certification covers Azure AD attack vectors, network security group configurations, Key Vault vulnerabilities and Azure Storage misconfigurations. Understanding these Azure-specific implementations helps you accurately assess enterprise environments. 

Multi-cloud career advantages: Earning both AWS and Azure security certifications makes you highly valuable to organizations that run multi-cloud environments. Many enterprises split workloads across providers, requiring pentesters who can assess both platforms. 

Timeline: Budget 2-3 months for AZ-500 preparation, especially if you already hold AWS certifications. The concepts transfer well between platforms, though implementation details differ. 

Infosec's Azure Security Engineer Boot Camp covers Azure security controls end-to-end with hands-on labs and expert instruction, making it an efficient path to exam-ready in a focused timeframe.

CCSP (Certified Cloud Security Professional) 

The CCSP from (ISC)² represents vendor-neutral cloud security expertise at an advanced level. This certification is suitable for mid-career professionals seeking consulting roles or security leadership positions. 

When to pursue: Consider the CCSP after gaining 2-3 years of cloud security experience and earning at least one vendor-specific certification. The credential requires five years of cumulative IT experience, with three years in information security and one year in the cloud security domain. 

Vendor-neutral cloud security knowledge: Unlike AWS or Azure certifications, the CCSP covers cloud security concepts applicable across all platforms. You'll learn cloud architecture patterns, legal and compliance considerations, data security in the cloud, and cloud security operations from a provider-agnostic perspective. 

Six domains covered:

• Cloud concepts, architecture and design
• Cloud data security
• Cloud platform and infrastructure security
• Cloud application security
• Cloud security operations
• Legal, risk and compliance.

Why it's valuable for pentesters: The broad, conceptual approach helps you understand cloud security holistically rather than focusing on a single platform. This perspective proves valuable when assessing complex multi-cloud environments or unfamiliar cloud services. 

Advanced career credential: The CCSP carries weight in the industry, particularly for consulting roles and leadership positions. Organizations hiring senior cloud security professionals or those in architectural roles often list CCSP as a preferred or required credential. 

Preparation time: Expect to invest 4-6 months preparing for the CCSP exam. The breadth of material requires significant study time; however, professionals with existing cloud security experience may be able to prepare more quickly. 

Infosec's CCSP Boot Camp delivers comprehensive coverage across all six domains, with hands-on labs and expert instruction, helping you efficiently work through the breadth of material.

CompTIA Cloud+ 

The CompTIA Cloud+ certification provides vendor-neutral cloud computing knowledge covering cloud architecture, security, deployment and troubleshooting across multiple platforms. 

Best suited for: Entry-level professionals seeking a foundational understanding of cloud computing before specializing in specific platforms, or for those working in multi-cloud environments that require vendor-neutral knowledge. 

When it makes sense: Cloud+ works well if you're entirely new to cloud computing and want a broad introduction before diving into platform-specific certifications. It provides baseline knowledge applicable across AWS, Azure and GCP. 

When to skip it: If you already know which cloud platform you'll focus on based on your employer's infrastructure or local job market, jumping directly to AWS Security Specialty or Azure AZ-500 may be more efficient. Platform-specific certifications carry more weight for specialist roles. 

Infosec's CompTIA Cloud+ Boot Camp covers cloud architecture, security and deployment across platforms with hands-on labs — a solid foundation before moving into platform-specific certifications.

Other offensive security skills for cloud testing 

Certifications cover a lot of ground, but cloud pentesting draws on a broader set of offensive skills that are worth developing alongside your core credentials. Web application testing, API security, exploit development and AI-powered offensive techniques all show up regularly in real engagements — and getting hands-on with them early makes you a more versatile tester.

Infosec offers a range of boot camps and learning paths that cover these areas in depth, including:

• Web application penetration testing
• Python and Metasploit for pentesting
• Mobile application pentesting
• Offensive security with AI and ChatGPT

Beyond formal training, a few other pathways are worth building into your routine. CloudGoat is a great starting point — deploy the vulnerable-by-design AWS environment, work through scenarios systematically and document your methodology as you go. It's one of the best ways to build a portfolio while developing real offensive skills.

Bug bounty programs through platforms like HackerOne and Bugcrowd offer another layer of real-world practice, and many cloud providers run their own programs specifically targeting their platforms. CTF competitions are also worth seeking out, particularly cloud-focused events that mirror the kinds of scenarios you'll encounter in actual engagements.

Career paths into cloud penetration testing 

There's no single route into cloud penetration testing. Your background, existing skills and available resources determine the optimal path. This section outlines three everyday journeys with realistic timelines and milestones. 

Entry-level path (12-18 months) 

Starting fresh in cybersecurity without IT experience? This path enables you to transition from beginner to job-ready cloud pentester in 12-18 months with focused effort. 

Phase 1: Foundational knowledge (Months 1-6) 

Begin with CompTIA Security+ to build a foundation in cybersecurity. Those with IT experience might complete this in 2-3 months; complete beginners should expect 4-6 months. Set up a home lab using free AWS and Azure tiers and start exploring cloud interfaces. Practice on Infosec Skills cyber ranges for realistic pentesting scenarios in a safe environment. 

Phase 2: Offensive security and cloud specialization (Months 7-12) 

With foundational knowledge established, pursue the CEH certification. The broad offensive security coverage teaches you to think like an attacker. Follow CEH with either AWS Security Specialty or Azure AZ-500, depending on which platform you encounter more often. 

Begin practicing on platforms like TryHackMe and HackTheBox. These CTF-style challenges develop practical hacking skills. Start with beginner challenges and gradually increase difficulty. 

Deploy CloudGoat and work through its scenarios systematically. Each scenario teaches different attack vectors relevant to real cloud security assessments. 

Phase 3: Specialization and job preparation (Months 13-18) 

Complete Infosec Institute's Cloud Penetration Testing training for hands-on experience. Build a portfolio documenting your CloudGoat solutions. A strong portfolio combined with community involvement is essential to launching a successful cloud penetration testing career. 

Traditional pentester to cloud pentester (6-12 months) 

Already working as a penetration tester but lacking cloud expertise? This accelerated path enhances your existing offensive security skills with cloud specialization. 

Phase 1: Cloud foundations (Months 1-3) 

Select your primary cloud platform based on your experience with client engagements or your employer's preferred platform. Pursue either AWS Security Specialty or Azure AZ-500 certification. 

Don't just study for the exam — build real cloud infrastructure. Deploy multi-tier applications, configure security groups, set up IAM policies and enable logging. Understanding cloud administration makes you a better cloud pentester. 

Phase 2: Cloud offensive skills (Months 4-6) 

Take Infosec Institute's Cloud Penetration Testing training to learn cloud-specific attack vectors and testing methodologies. Apply your existing penetration testing methodology to cloud environments, adapting techniques for cloud-specific scenarios. 

Work through all CloudGoat scenarios. These exercises teach you to chain cloud-specific vulnerabilities together to demonstrate business impact, mirroring real assessment workflows. 

Phase 3: Specialization (Months 7-12) 

Add the second primary cloud platform certification (Azure if you started with AWS, or AWS if you began with Azure). Multi-cloud skills make you significantly more marketable. 

If application testing isn't your strong suit, invest time in web application penetration testing training. Cloud environments host applications at scale, making web app skills essential. 

Consider adding offensive security with ChatGPT and AI training to differentiate yourself. AI-powered security testing represents an emerging specialization with limited competition. 

Cloud engineer to cloud pentester (8-12 months) 

Cloud administrators and engineers possess deep platform knowledge but lack offensive security skills. This path leverages your cloud expertise while building hacking capabilities. 

Phase 1: Offensive foundations (Months 1-4) 

Pursue the CEH certification to learn offensive security methodology. Your cloud knowledge gives you an advantage — you already understand the targets. Focus on learning how attackers think and operate. 

Study common cloud computing attack vectors to understand how your previous defensive knowledge translates to offensive testing. 

Phase 2: Apply offensive skills to cloud (Months 5-8) 

Complete Cloud Penetration Testing training to connect your offensive methodology with cloud-specific scenarios. Your cloud knowledge advantage accelerates learning — you understand the infrastructure, now you're learning to attack it. 

Start thinking like an attacker rather than a defender. When you see an IAM policy, look for privilege-escalation paths rather than best-practice violations. This mindset shift takes time but proves essential. 

Phase 3: Specialized offensive skills (Months 9-12) 

Invest in web application penetration testing training if you lack experience in development or application security. Cloud environments host applications extensively, making web app testing skills essential. 

Consider offensive security with AI training to apply your skills to emerging technologies. Your cloud background positions you well for assessing AI/ML systems deployed in cloud environments. 

Build a portfolio demonstrating offensive work. Document your CloudGoat solutions, contribute to open-source security tools, or publish write-ups of your findings in public CTF competitions. 

Skills versus certifications: The balanced approach 

The cybersecurity industry debates the value of certifications versus practical skills constantly. For cloud penetration testing, the answer is both. You need certifications to get past HR gatekeepers and impress hiring managers, but you need actual skills to perform the job successfully. 

Why certifications alone aren't enough 

Certifications prove you can pass exams. They don't necessarily prove you can conduct professional security assessments. Earning CEH, AWS Security Specialty and CCSP certifications doesn't automatically make you an effective cloud pentester. 

Employers want demonstrated ability. During technical interviews, you'll face questions like "Walk me through how you would assess this AWS environment" or "How would you test for SSRF vulnerabilities in a Lambda function?" Book knowledge helps, but practical experience provides the confidence to answer convincingly. 

Why skills alone aren't enough 

Conversely, focusing purely on practical skills without certifications creates different problems. HR departments often use certifications as a filter for resumes. Your application might never reach a hiring manager if it lacks the required credentials. 

Certifications provide structure and credibility. They validate that you've learned standardized methodologies and industry best practices. Clients hiring penetration testing firms often require testers to hold specific certifications, particularly in regulated industries. 

The winning combination 

Successful cloud pentesters combine foundation certifications, specialized skills training, hands-on practice and proof of work: 

• Foundation certifications like CEH and cloud security credentials (AWS Security Specialty, Azure AZ-500 or CCSP) satisfy HR requirements and provide structured learning paths. 
• Specialized skills training through programs like Infosec Institute's cloud pentesting courses teaches practical techniques and provides hands-on labs for safe practice. 
• Hands-on practice via platforms like CloudGoat, vulnerable cloud CTF challenges and personal lab environments develops the muscle memory needed for actual assessments. 
• Portfolio and proof of work demonstrate your abilities. Maintain a GitHub repository with security tool contributions, publish vulnerability write-ups on your blog or share your approaches to solving complex security challenges. 

What employers actually look for 

When hiring cloud penetration testers, employers evaluate: 

• Practical demonstrations: Technical interviews often include hands-on components. You may be granted access to a test environment and need to identify vulnerabilities or exploit misconfigurations. 
• Portfolio of work: Your GitHub contributions, security research publications, CTF write-ups and personal projects demonstrate real capabilities. Quality matters more than quantity. 
• Communication skills: Penetration testing is fundamentally a communication-heavy role. You must explain technical vulnerabilities clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences, write comprehensive reports and present findings effectively. 
• Continuous learning mindset: Cloud platforms evolve rapidly. Employers seek candidates who actively learn new technologies, stay current on security research, and continually expand their skill sets. 

Check out the Cyber Work podcast episode on pentesting and red teaming for insights from professionals working in the field about balancing certifications with practical experience. 

Emerging trends in cloud pentesting 

Cloud security evolves rapidly. Understanding emerging trends helps you position yourself for future opportunities and avoid investing in declining specializations. 

AI and machine learning in offensive security 

Artificial intelligence is transforming penetration testing in two ways. First, AI-powered tools automate reconnaissance, vulnerability discovery and exploit generation. Understanding how to use these tools effectively increases testing efficiency. 

Second, AI systems themselves require security testing. Organizations deploying large language models, machine learning algorithms and AI-powered decision systems need security professionals who can assess these technologies for vulnerabilities. 

Testing AI and ML models involves different techniques than traditional pentesting. You'll evaluate training data poisoning risks, test inference APIs for manipulation, assess prompt-injection vulnerabilities, and identify model-extraction attacks. The CEH v13 certification now includes AI security content, recognizing this emerging specialization. Other certifications will follow suit as they're updated. 

Why AI skills matter now: Organizations rush to deploy AI capabilities, often with insufficient security consideration — early adopters who develop AI security testing expertise position themselves advantageously in a market with limited competition. 

Multi-cloud and hybrid environments 

Single-cloud deployments are becoming rare. Most organizations now run workloads across multiple cloud providers, creating complex security assessment challenges. 

Multi-cloud environments require understanding how to assess AWS, Azure and GCP. You'll test integration points between clouds, evaluate cross-cloud authentication mechanisms, and identify misconfigurations in hybrid networking setups. 

Organizations struggle to find security professionals with genuine expertise in multiple clouds. The combination of AWS, Azure and GCP security knowledge makes you exceptionally valuable and difficult to replace. 

Kubernetes and container security 

Container adoption drives tremendous demand for security professionals who can assess containerized environments. Kubernetes clusters introduce complex security models that many organizations fail to implement correctly. 

Container security testing involves assessing container images for vulnerabilities, testing Kubernetes configurations for privilege escalation paths, evaluating pod security policies and identifying container escape opportunities. 

This specialization represents a somewhat niche expertise area. Organizations running significant containerized workloads often struggle to find security assessors familiar with Kubernetes security models, creating opportunities for specialists. 

Serverless application security 

Lambda, Azure Functions and Google Cloud Functions power increasingly common serverless architectures. These event-driven, ephemeral compute resources introduce unique security considerations. 

Testing serverless applications requires understanding function invocation permissions, event injection vulnerabilities, inadequate input validation and secrets management in serverless contexts. 

As serverless adoption increases, the demand for security testing grows proportionally. Developing serverless security expertise positions you for this expanding market segment. 

Supply chain security 

CI/CD pipeline security, infrastructure-as-code vulnerabilities, and container image security represent critical cloud security concerns. Organizations recognize that compromised supply chains enable devastating breaches. 

Cloud pentesters increasingly assess development and deployment pipelines, not just production environments. You might test GitHub Actions workflows for code injection, evaluate Terraform configurations for misconfigurations or analyze container registries for vulnerable images. 

Understanding DevSecOps practices and securing software supply chains represents an increasingly valued specialization within cloud security. 

Building your cloud pentesting career 

Technical skills and certifications form only part of career success. This section covers networking, continuous learning, reputation building and career progression strategies. 

Networking and community involvement 

Professional relationships accelerate career growth. Many security positions are never listed on public job boards. Hiring managers fill them through personal networks instead. 

• Cloud security conferences: Events like AWS re:Inforce, Microsoft Ignite and BSides conferences provide opportunities to meet professionals working in your target field. Don't just attend talks; take the opportunity to introduce yourself to the speakers and other attendees. 
• OWASP chapters: Local OWASP meetings bring together security professionals working on similar challenges. These informal gatherings often lead to job opportunities and valuable professional relationships. 
• Bug bounty communities: Participating in bug bounty programs through platforms like HackerOne and Bugcrowd provides practice, recognition and income. Success in bug bounties demonstrates fundamental offensive skills to potential employers. 

Continuous learning 

Cloud platforms evolve constantly, which makes continuous learning essential. Follow prominent cloud security researchers on Twitter and blogs. Subscribe to cloud security mailing lists and read post-mortems of major breaches. Contribute to open-source security tools to build your GitHub profile. 

Building reputation 

Reputation separates you from other candidates with similar credentials. Establishing yourself as a knowledgeable professional creates opportunities. 

• Blog about cloud security findings: Write about interesting vulnerabilities you've discovered (responsibly disclosed, of course), explain complex cloud security concepts, or share your approach to solving complex testing challenges. Quality content attracts attention from hiring managers and recruiters. 
• Share CloudGoat walkthroughs: Document your solutions to CloudGoat scenarios. Explain your methodology, show screenshots of your work, and describe lessons learned. These write-ups demonstrate practical ability while helping others learn. 
• Present at local meetups: Start with small, friendly audiences, such as regional security meetups. Present case studies from your testing work, explain interesting techniques you've learned, or demonstrate security tools. Public speaking skills prove valuable throughout your career. 
• Bug bounty programs: Success in bug bounty programs provides concrete evidence of your abilities. When you identify vulnerabilities in production systems, you're demonstrating real-world capability. 

Career progression 

Cloud penetration testing offers clear advancement opportunities: 

• Junior to senior progression: Junior cloud pentesters work under supervision, testing specific components and learning assessment methodologies. After 2-3 years, you progress to mid-level roles with more independence. Senior cloud pentesters lead assessments, mentor juniors and handle the most complex technical challenges. 
• Consulting versus in-house: Consulting firms expose you to diverse environments and technologies, accelerating learning. In-house positions provide stability and deep expertise within an organization's environment. Choose based on your learning style and life situation. 
• Red team specialization: Some cloud pentesters transition to red team roles, focusing on full adversary simulation rather than point-in-time assessments. Red teaming requires advanced skills but offers interesting challenges. 
• Management paths: Senior professionals can transition to management, leading security teams rather than conducting technical assessments. Management requires different skills but leverages your technical background. 

For detailed insights about different cloud career paths, explore how cloud administration compares with other cloud-focused roles. 

Next steps: Start your journey 

Your specific journey depends on your starting point, available time and budget. A complete career changer might invest 18 months and $5,000 to $6,000 to reach job readiness. Experienced IT professionals can transition faster with less investment. 

Don't let perfect be the enemy of good. Start learning today with free resources. 

• Set up free cloud accounts: Both AWS and Azure offer free tiers, allowing for substantial hands-on practice. Create accounts today and start exploring. Deploy a web application, configure security groups, set up IAM policies and break things. Learning by doing beats passive reading every time. 
• Start with CloudGoat: Download CloudGoat and deploy your first vulnerable environment. Work through the scenarios systematically. Each one teaches different attack vectors you'll encounter in real assessments. 
• Choose your first certification: Based on your background and career goals, select your entry point. Complete beginners should start with Security+. Traditional pentesters should pursue cloud security certifications. Cloud administrators should begin with CEH. 

The demand for cloud penetration testing skills is expected to continue growing as cloud adoption accelerates. Organizations require security professionals who possess a comprehensive understanding of both offensive security and cloud architectures. By combining strategic certifications with hands-on practice and continuous learning, you position yourself for a lucrative, stable, and intellectually stimulating cloud penetration testing career at the intersection of two of cybersecurity's hottest specializations. 

Additional resources 

Want to explore certification options across your career? Check out these guides: 

• Top 11 cloud computing certifications for 2025: Comprehensive overview of both security-focused and administrative cloud certifications 
• Learn about cloud security implementations and the practical security challenges cloud pentesters help solve 
• Explore the complete CloudGoat vulnerable AWS environment for hands-on practice 

Download the cybersecurity salary guide for detailed compensation information across different cloud security roles and experience levels.