Cloud Security Training With Hands-On Exercises: How to Start

🌩 Why Cloud Security Skills Matter

Cloud computing underpins nearly every modern business — and with that comes growing security risk. Misconfigurations, insecure APIs, and poor identity management remain among the top causes of cloud breaches, according to the Cloud Security Alliance.

Whether you’re a beginner or an IT professional upskilling for hybrid or multi-cloud roles, practical experience is essential. Reading whitepapers or watching lectures won’t teach you how to detect or prevent real cloud attacks. You need to get hands-on.

🧭 Step 1: Learn the Cloud Security Fundamentals

Before jumping into labs, understand how cloud differs from traditional on-prem systems. Focus on:

Shared responsibility models for AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud

Identity and Access Management (IAM) principles

Network segmentation and firewall rules in cloud environments

You can explore these topics through TryHackMe’s Introduction to AWS module — it’s beginner-friendly and introduces key AWS security concepts in a practical, guided format.

🧰 Step 2: Practise Hands-On With Cloud Labs

Next, put the theory into action. Instead of static demos, use environments that simulate real attacks and misconfigurations:

AWS misconfiguration labs – learn how S3 buckets get exposed and how to secure them.

Azure identity labs – practise privilege escalation and policy hardening.

Incident response scenarios – trace suspicious activity and implement detection rules.

TryHackMe’s Attacking and Defending AWS Path and Defending Azure Path provide sandboxed environments for both AWS and Azure, allowing you to safely explore offensive and defensive tactics.

🛡 Step 3: Focus on Detection and Response

Cloud breaches often go unnoticed because monitoring is decentralised. Learning how to detect threats in distributed environments will set you apart.

Try the Microsoft Sentinel: Introduction or XDR: Introduction rooms to practise:

Reviewing audit logs and CloudTrail data

Setting up alerts for anomalous activity

Simulating lateral movement across services

If you prefer structured frameworks, explore the MITRE ATT&CK Cloud Matrix to understand common adversary techniques.

🧩 Step 4: Build a Cloud Security Portfolio

Document your progress as you go — screenshots of your completed labs, notes on IAM configurations, or a short write-up of a simulated incident. These become practical evidence for job applications or interviews.

You can reference them in certifications like CompTIA Cloud+ or (ISC)² CCSP, where demonstrating hands-on ability is increasingly valued by employers.

🚀 Step 5: Keep Practising and Stay Current

Cloud threats evolve quickly. Continue learning through evolving labs on TryHackMe’s Cloud Security Paths to stay sharp.

🔐 Final Takeaway

Cloud security is one of the fastest-growing cybersecurity domains — but to stand out, you need practical experience. Start small with guided labs, build your confidence, and move into real-world cloud incident simulations.

👉 Ready to train? Start with TryHackMe today to access full cloud security learning paths and practice environments that mirror real attacks safely.