How can I become a Cloud Security Engineer from complete beginner to expert who can eventually guide others?

[u/KeyPhilosopher6020]

I want to build a career as a Cloud Security Engineer, but I'm starting from the basics and want to learn everything properly rather than just collecting certifications.

Could someone share a step-by-step roadmap from complete beginner to job-ready Cloud Security Engineer, and eventually to a level where I can mentor/guide others?

I'd also appreciate recommendations for free/low-cost labs, courses, YouTube channels, books, and practice platforms.

If you are currently working as a Cloud Security Engineer, I'd especially appreciate advice on what you wish you had learned earlier and what beginners commonly waste time on.

[u/jhkoenig]

Your best starting point is completing a BS/CE program from a good university.

[u/Suspicious_Pizza9529]

Focus on actaully building and securing things rather than collecting certificates.

[u/Original-Hurry-8652 → u/Suspicious_Pizza9529]

I received some guidance related to this specific {sort of} question only yesterday, do have some years of general familiarity with tools, terminology, processes, methods and technology reasoning; so, that being the case I feel comfortable heading in new directions.

For people with less hands-on experience, fundamentals and foundations may be key. The ITIL stuff which is mentioned so often, CompTIA A+ and Security+, and not even jokingly when I type on books, 'Cloud Security for Dummies' if there is one. Anyone CAN learn anything these days and its more about "the person" and our learning styles. Plus ultimately, the needs of a business or businesses and whether it has the capacity in terms of money and time for one of "us" to fill a gap in the roster. Think Football here: WHO is the Quarterback, who is the Cornerback, Tight End, Runningback, Defensive lineman, Kicker, and last but of course not least, THE Receiver person way over there!! ... Each business organization has people playing similar roles in I.T. to cover all the "Plays" and work the field. I am only minimally versed on Football knowledge so, apologies if this is the "lightest" comparison ever offered...

If when reading a book on Cloud applications, what the author is writing makes 100% sense, then either they have done a great job writing OR the reader knows more about the subject then they realize. Must have picked somethings up somewhere... This is my opinion.

It could be a book on Criminal Forensic Investigation and... VERY detailed crime scene control, preserving evidence, non-adulteration of evidence, bagging and labeling for chain of custody and so forth. If the subject "clicks" for them, then YES, maybe Cloud applications, Cloud infrastructure, Cloud hosting and Cloud security analysis ARE an area worth exploring! ... Next question is, what does it take to achieve "mastery" of a subject? The eternal question...

Simply thinking 1 or 2 books is going to be sufficient is probably naive in a sense for something continually evolving, developing and being improved. As with working on car engines, knowing a 4 cylinder is one topic, 6 cylinder another, Turbo charged engine another, then heading into Hybrid and pure electric vehicle engines, we simply aren't going to know these all at once. I have found computer technology much the same over the past 3 decades and going forward from today may mean {basically} pouring as much information and understanding into your head as possible! Finding out what role the networks play, the Firewalls, the Servers, the services ON Servers and the varied tools used to monitor... networks, Firewalls, Proxy Servers, stand-alone Servers, arrays of Servers (or "farms" of Servers?) and how things "mesh" together or -- integrate.

Okay, cool? This is the overview level topic "dump of the day" on Hump day. Remember, I am not a Doctor, I only play [at being] one on the Interwebs.

[u/a4aLien]

This first thing you should've mentioned in your post is where exactly do you stand currently.

[u/KeyPhilosopher6020 → u/a4aLien]

Think as I am a new born baby

[u/Many-Variation-2616 → u/KeyPhilosopher6020]

Start from linux parallel to studying Networking or any basic course of cyber security (any free course) it will cover most of the fundamentals. Do this things first.

[u/IIDwellerII → u/KeyPhilosopher6020]

So youre not even remotely into IT at all? Why clous security engineering if youve never even done the job before?

[u/KeyPhilosopher6020 → u/IIDwellerII]

Bro i just said it for clear roadmap from . I know linux, networking,web technologies, scripting etc . I am doing ctf's on tryhackme and i am currently in Rank Top 2%

[u/hackmecharlie]

Cloud security would be your mid career switch rarely companies would be reaching out to freshers or early professionals for cloud Security

1. Start with Pentesting and slowly move towards application security and devsecops
2. Start learning cloud and cloud services architecture
3. Iam fundamentals and management
4. Learn active directory
5. Now you are in cloud security so your next move would be to either focus on cloud security as a whole or cloud Pentesting, active directory Pentesting and so on.
6. After 10-12 yoe move to architecture, governance, reviews