*** NOTE: AWS has pulled this specific certification version, refunding those who took the original beta exam. ***
I had the opportunity to take the AWS Certified Security Specialty Exam at re:Invent 2016. The exam was in a beta phase where questions were being tested, refined, and the exam pass line was being set. While I can't share actual exam questions, I can share advice for others interested in the certification path.
Preparation
I entered the exam cold, drawing only on my working knowledge of AWS and its services, so my perspective is an unbiased view of the exam's difficulty. While blueprints change, the foundational security pillars remain consistent.
Format
- Duration: ~3hr Exam Time
- Volume: > 100 Questions (Beta format)
- Style: Heavy focus on reading comprehension and identifying technical nuances.
- Service Focus: High concentration on services with direct security relationships:
- Identity & Access Management (IAM)
- AWS WAF & Shield
- CloudFront & ACM (Certificate Manager)
- Security Groups, NACLs, and VPC Architecture
My Exam Perspective
I found the questions to be very long, requiring significant reading comprehension to answer accurately. The possible answers were also lengthy, requiring careful differentiation to identify the most valid technical solution. There were substantial parallels to security-related questions found on the Professional-level Architect exams.