Introduction to Security Principles in Cloud Computing

This course is part of Google Cloud Cybersecurity Professional Certificate

Instructor: Google Cloud Training

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4 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

302 reviews

Beginner level

No prior experience required

Flexible schedule

2 weeks at 10 hours a week

Learn at your own pace

96%

Most learners liked this course

4 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

302 reviews

Beginner level

No prior experience required

Flexible schedule

2 weeks at 10 hours a week

Learn at your own pace

96%

Most learners liked this course

What you'll learn

Define cybersecurity as it applies to cloud computing.
Describe the common roles and responsibilities of an entry-level cloud security analyst.
Identify common tools used by entry-level cloud security analysts.
Explore the fundamentals of digital transformation within the cloud.

Skills you'll gain

Details to know

Shareable certificate

Add to your LinkedIn profile

Assessments

21 assignments

Taught in English

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Build your Cloud Computing expertise

This course is part of the Google Cloud Cybersecurity Professional Certificate

When you enroll in this course, you'll also be enrolled in this Professional Certificate.

Learn new concepts from industry experts
Gain a foundational understanding of a subject or tool
Develop job-relevant skills with hands-on projects
Earn a shareable career certificate from Google Cloud

There are 4 modules in this course

Imagine yourself as a digital guardian, a cyber sentinel at the frontlines of Google Cloud security, safeguarding valuable assets from the world of cybercrime. This certificate program is your training ground, a thrilling mix of expert-led courses and immersive Google Cloud challenges through interactive labs. You'll analyze threats, build defenses, and complete a final mission that'll impress future employers. Grab your cape, hero-in-training, this is where your journey into the exciting realm of Cloud Cybersecurity begins!

Hey there, learner! This is the first of five courses in the Google Cloud Cybersecurity Certificate. In this course, you'll kickstart your journey into the world of cybersecurity. You'll meet your Google instructors (think of them as your cyber sidekicks!) and get a sneak peek into the exciting content we have in store for you. Picture this course as your mission briefing: we'll define cloud computing in security (it's not as mysterious as it sounds!), compare it to the land of on-premises computing, and highlight the essential tools and skills you'll need to become a cloud security champion.

What's included

13 videos10 readings4 assignments

13 videos Total 41 minutes

Welcome to the Google Cloud Cybersecurity Certificate 5 minutes
Introduction to Course 1 2 minutes
Welcome to module 1 1 minute
Ben: The cloud's impact on education 2 minutes
Composition of the cloud 4 minutes
Cloud deployment models 4 minutes
Cloud benefits and considerations 4 minutes
Ephemerality and cloud resources 4 minutes
Virtualization and virtual machines 3 minutes
Containerization 3 minutes
Cloud storage benefits 3 minutes
Types of storage in the cloud 4 minutes
Wrap-up 1 minute

10 readings Total 100 minutes

Google Cloud Cybersecurity Certificate overview 10 minutes
Course 1 overview 10 minutes
Helpful resources and tips 10 minutes
Lab technical tips 10 minutes
Explore your course 1 scenario: Cymbal Bank 10 minutes
Google’s trusted infrastructure 10 minutes
Cloud benefits and limitations 10 minutes
Serverless computing 10 minutes
Google’s storage options 10 minutes
Glossary terms from module 1 10 minutes

4 assignments Total 72 minutes

Test your knowledge: Introduction to the cloud 8 minutes
Test your knowledge: Compute in the cloud 6 minutes
Test your knowledge: Secure cloud data storage 8 minutes
Module 1 challenge 50 minutes

It’s time to get started! This module provides a full introduction to the Google Cloud Cybersecurity Certificate program and the experts who will be teaching you along the way. It sets the stage by defining the field of cloud computing in security, contrasting it with on-premises computing, and highlighting core skills and essential tools.

What's included

12 videos9 readings6 assignments

12 videos Total 38 minutes

Welcome to module 2 1 minute
Cloud defense in depth 4 minutes
The shared responsibility model 5 minutes
Shared responsibility challenges 3 minutes
The shared fate model 3 minutes
An overview of IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS 4 minutes
Infrastructure as a service 3 minutes
Software as a service 3 minutes
IAM policies provide security depth 3 minutes
Networking fundamentals 4 minutes
Key concepts of virtual private clouds 3 minutes
Wrap-up 1 minute

9 readings Total 90 minutes

[Supplemental] Network fundamentals 10 minutes
Controls that contribute to security depth 10 minutes
Shared responsibility and cloud migration 10 minutes
Platform as a service 10 minutes
IAM in the cloud 10 minutes
Explore the Google Cloud console 10 minutes
[Supplemental] Network fundamentals 10 minutes
Firewalls for network security 10 minutes
Glossary terms from module 2 10 minutes

6 assignments Total 92 minutes

Test your knowledge: The importance of layering security 8 minutes
Test your knowledge: The shared responsibility and shared fate models 10 minutes
Test your knowledge: Cloud computing service models 8 minutes
Test your knowledge: Identity and access management (IAM) 8 minutes
Test your knowledge: Networks in the cloud 8 minutes
Module 2 challenge 50 minutes

It’s time to dive into the security lifecycle. In this module, you’ll learn about the security lifecycle for DevSecOps, infrastructure as code, and the software supply chain. You’ll become fast friends with the tools that cloud security analysts use to automate tasks.

What's included

11 videos6 readings6 assignments

11 videos Total 39 minutes

Welcome to module 3 2 minutes
Dayo: Life as a security engineer 3 minutes
An overview of DevSecOps 5 minutes
Software pipelines 3 minutes
The CI/CD pipeline 5 minutes
Introduction to the software supply chain 3 minutes
Levels of the software supply chain 4 minutes
Infrastructure as code (IaC) in the cloud 5 minutes
An overview of policy as code 4 minutes
IaC in the GitOps framework 3 minutes
Wrap-up 1 minute

6 readings Total 60 minutes

DevSecOps in action 10 minutes
Software pipelines and Google’s Cloud Build 10 minutes
Strengthen the supply chain with Software Delivery Shield 10 minutes
Terraform as an IaC tool 10 minutes
Activity: Manage IaC with Terraform 10 minutes
Glossary terms from module 3 10 minutes

6 assignments Total 90 minutes

Test your knowledge: Introduction to DevSecOps 8 minutes
Test your knowledge: Software pipelines 8 minutes
Test your knowledge: Software supply chain security 8 minutes
Activity Quiz: Manage IaC with Terraform 8 minutes
Test your knowledge: Infrastructure and policies as code 8 minutes
Module 3 challenge 50 minutes

Cloud security analysts wear many hats in terms of roles and responsibilities within the cloud security team ecosystem. Try a few on and see how they fit!

What's included

12 videos11 readings5 assignments1 app item1 plugin

12 videos Total 39 minutes

Welcome to module 4 1 minute
Introduction to the cloud security analyst’s role 4 minutes
Cloud security analyst job responsibilities 4 minutes
The security ecosystem 2 minutes
Communicate with stakeholders 2 minutes
Core skills for cloud cybersecurity analysts 4 minutes
Common tools in the cloud analyst’s toolkit 4 minutes
Cloud Shell overview 5 minutes
Wrap-up 1 minute
Chris: Key points for cloud security interviews 3 minutes
Chris and Kevin: Interview role play 7 minutes
Course wrap-up 1 minute

11 readings Total 110 minutes

Cloud security analyst job titles 10 minutes
Core cloud security analyst responsibilities 10 minutes
[Supplemental] Workplace communication and collaboration 10 minutes
Cloud security stakeholders 10 minutes
Useful Google Cloud tools 10 minutes
Introduction to artificial intelligence 10 minutes
Guide to Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) 10 minutes
Interview tip: Demonstrate your thought process 10 minutes
Glossary terms from module 4 10 minutes
Course 1 Resources and Citations 10 minutes
Glossary terms from course 1 10 minutes

5 assignments Total 77 minutes

Test your knowledge: The cloud security analyst’s role in cloud computing 8 minutes
Test your knowledge: Cloud security analyst responsibilities 3 minutes
Test your knowledge: The cloud security ecosystem 8 minutes
Test your knowledge: Cloud security tools 8 minutes
Module 4 challenge 50 minutes

1 app item Total 90 minutes

Create a VPC using Cloud Shell 90 minutes

1 plugin Total 15 minutes

Accessing and completing labs 15 minutes

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Instructor

Instructor ratings

(83 ratings)

Google Cloud Training

Google Cloud

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Reviewed on Aug 7, 2024

The instructors are chill and need a raise for being so.

Reviewed on Jan 2, 2026

well laid-out topics and modules. Really appreciated the lab activity as it guides us but at the same time, lets us have a hands-on experience on the topics we discussed.

Reviewed on May 28, 2025

Good start to understanding how cloud changes how we think about security.

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To access the course materials, assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience when you enroll in a course. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid. The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.

When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Certificate, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile.