Certificate of Competence in Zero Trust (CCZT)
The industry's first authoritative Zero Trust training and certificate.
The Zero Trust model, which operates on the principle of 'never trust, always verify', is quickly rising as the favored strategy to secure the cloud. Recognizing that organizations are challenged to find skilled staff critical to the development and implementation of a Zero Trust philosophy, CSA created the Certificate of Competence in Zero Trust (CCZT) to provide mainstream best practices. Launched in 2023, the CCZT is based on the key concepts outlined in CSA's CCZT Exam Bundle.
The certificate provides an in-depth understanding of Zero Trust architecture, its components, and its functioning. Earning the CCZT is critical for security professionals seeking to advance their careers and for organizations who must maintain strong security postures. With Zero Trust established as the future of information security, a Zero Trust based approach will inevitably become a requirement for organizations and a required skill for professionals.
The CCZT includes foundational Zero Trust components released by CISA and NIST, innovative work in the Software Defined Perimeter by CSA Research, and guidance from renowned Zero Trust experts such as John Kindervag, Founder of the Zero Trust philosophy. This positions CSA as the authoritative source to deliver the industry’s first benchmark for measuring Zero Trust skill sets.
Meeting the Rising Demand for Zero Trust
Ineffectiveness of Traditional Security: Traditional models are not effective against modern threats. Zero Trust assumes no user or device can be trusted.
Cloud Computing and Remote Work: Zero Trust helps organizations secure their cloud-based resources and remote workforce.
Demand Growth: As organizations and government agencies increasingly embrace Zero Trust, they seek training programs to educate their employees. According to Gartner, 60% of organizations are projected to adopt Zero Trust by 2025.
What are some benefits of the CCZT?
Build a competent workforce and further individual development by keeping up with and demonstrating zero trust excellence.
Gain an in-depth understanding of Zero Trust to implement robust security measures and create secure systems.
Keep up with innovation by tackling evolving cloud security challenges and vulnerabilities with Zero Trust.
Who should enroll?
Are you a cybersecurity professional looking to take your career to the next level?
Register now and gain a competitive edge in the industry
Government AgenciesAre you looking for training to meet federal mandates, enhance cybersecurity, and ensure compliance with security directives?
Contact us for additional guidance
Group CCZT Enrollment for TeamsAre you a manager responsible for maintaining your organization's security posture?
Topics Covered
The CCZT evaluates an individual's knowledge and expertise in various key areas related to Zero Trust security. Successfully passing the exam signifies proficiency in the following essential topics:
Zero Trust Foundational Concepts
Zero Trust Architecture
Software Defined Perimeter
NIST and CISA Best Practices
Zero Trust
Planning
Zero Trust Implementation
How to Prepare for the CCZT Exam
The CCZT is an open-book, online exam, completed in 120 minutes with 60 multiple-choice questions selected from the CCZT topics above. Purchasing the exam costs $175 and provides you with two test attempts, which you will have two years to use. The minimum passing score is 80%. The CCZT exam is currently offered only in English.
Option 1
Study on Your Own
You can choose to study for the exam yourself using our free CCZT Prep-Kit. The kit includes study guides, a knowledge guide, an FAQ, and three authoritative sources.
The CCZT Study Guides are specifically designed to prepare participants to be thoroughly equipped to pursue the CCZT and showcase their expertise in implementing Zero Trust principles and practices.
Option 2
Enroll in Training
The CCZT exam is based on CSA's CCZT Exam Bundle, which helps students to understand the core concepts of Zero Trust and implement the principles to move an organization towards a Zero Trust approach.
The courses are online, self-paced, in English, and include study guides.
Learn more*If you are interested in instructor-led training, please contact us here.
Want to train multiple members of your team?
Study Materials
NSTAC Report to the President
NIST Zero Trust Architecture
CSA Research Publications
CCZT Inaugural Class
John Kindervag
Senior Vice President, Cybersecurity Strategy at ON2IT Cybersecurity
John Kindervag joined ON2IT in March of 2021 as Senior Vice President of Cybersecurity Strategy and ON2IT Global Fellow. Previously he was Field CTO at Palo Alto Networks and VicePresident and Principal AnalystatForrester Research. John is considered one of the world's foremost cybersecurity experts. He is best known for creating the revolutionary Zero TrustModel of Cybersecurity. John also serves as an executive advisor to Cloud Security A...
Cybersecurity succeeds when its experts share. CSA is extremely grateful to have the support and guidance of our vast community of distinguished Zero Trust experts, including the creator of Zero Trust himself, John Kindervag. In recognition of his contributions to the industry as the originator of this revolutionary cybersecurity strategy and in appreciation of his collaboration and partnership in the development of the CCZT, CSA is proud to issue the first Certificate of Competence in Zero Trust to Mr. Kindervag.
Receive a digital badge through Credly
CCZT holders can showcase their credentials through a CCZT digital badge. In partnership with Credly, the digital badge helps you gain recognition for earning your certificate by allowing you to easily display and share your achievement.
Your digital badge has a unique URL and can be used in your email signature, personal websites, social media sites and on electronic copies of resumes. It serves as a digital representation of your knowledge, skills, and credential achievements.
Testimonials
I’m extremely grateful to the Cloud Security Alliance for taking up the Zero Trust banner with the delivery of the CCZT, the world’s first authentic, non-vendor-specific training and certificate that delivers the knowledge needed to understand the core concepts of Zero Trust. The sheer volume of passionate volunteers CSA has been able to bring together to collaborate on the development of Zero Trust tools and best practices is incredibly exciting.
Senior Vice President, Cybersecurity Strategy at ON2IT Cybersecurity
I found the threat intelligence training in CCZT most relevant to my role as it provided crucial knowledge to help me stay ahead of emerging threats.
CEO at Securosis
With Zero Trust becoming a key competence for IT professionals, CCZT will become an essential prerequisite enabling a proper understanding of what Zero Trust is and how to implement it.
CEO at Global Identity Foundation & Board Member of CSA UK Chapter
Zero Trust is a game changer and is going to be a focus of interest for security professionals. To keep up with the evolving interests, I highly recommend completing the Zero Trust Training online course before taking the CCZT. The training courses give the knowledge needed to understand the core concepts of Zero Trust and pass a challenging exam. CCZT is not an easy exam. I recommend reading all of the provided study materials, and then reading them again.
Cyber Security Architect at 6point6 & PhD Student
Zero Trust consolidates our industry's best practices and guidance into a comprehensive and coherent model. The CCZT will provide you with validation that you have a solid grasp of the breadth and depth of Zero Trust, and confidence to lead your organization's investment in this effective strategy.
Founder and Principal at Numberline Security
Zero Trust is the future of information security. Investing in Zero Trust and the CCZT is an investment in our organization’s future. Through the CCZT, our team was able to gain invaluable insights into Zero Trust best practices. Professionals seeking validation on their understanding and implementation of Zero Trust should strongly consider obtaining the CCZT.
VP, Information Security & Compliance, and CISO at Hudl
Acknowledgements
CSA extends its appreciation to the dedicated contributors who volunteered their time and expertise to develop the CCZT exam. Their commitment and passion have been instrumental in shaping this certificate. We are grateful for their support and are honored to have such individuals as leaders in our CSA community.
Help us Spread the Word
Join CSA’s efforts to bring Zero Trust knowledge and best practices to the masses. Participation in CSA’s Affiliate Marketing Program is a win-win; promoting the CCZT to your network not only helps build Zero Trust knowledge to improve cloud security postures, but it also provides you with an opportunity to earn a commission while positioning yourself at the forefront of cloud security best practices. Contact us at [email protected] to learn more.