Updated September 7, 2021
Anyone keeping up with business news these days knows that IT security is paramount. They also know that traditional IT security practices aren’t enough to defend against today’s cyberattacks. And with more security vulnerabilities identified every day, it’s increasingly more difficult to triage, prioritize, and manage responses. Azure provides security from the ground up—from identity and access control, security posture management, threat protection, and much more. And Azure security engineers are on the front lines, helping to keep their organizations’ infrastructure, apps, and data safe in the cloud.
The Azure Security Engineer Associate certification validates that you have subject matter expertise implementing security controls and threat protection, managing identity and access, and protecting data, applications, and networks in cloud and hybrid environments as part of an end-to-end infrastructure. You earn this certification by passing Exam AZ-500: Microsoft Azure Security Technologies.
If your responsibilities as part of a larger team include maintaining the security posture, identifying and remediating vulnerabilities by using a variety of security tools, implementing threat protection, and responding to security incident escalations, this could be the certification for you.
What kind of knowledge and experience should you have?
Candidates for this certification must have expert Azure administration skills. Although it’s not a requirement, we recommend that you shore up your foundation with Azure administrator training. In fact, you might even consider earning the Azure Administrator Associate certification before pursuing this one. For more details, check out our blog post, Level up with Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate.
In addition to Azure administrator skills, you should have solid scripting and automation skills. Plus, you need a deep understanding of networking, virtualization, and cloud N-tier architecture. And it’s important to be thoroughly familiar with cloud capabilities, along with Azure technologies and other Microsoft products and services.
How can you get ready?
To help you plan your journey, check out our infographic, The journey to Microsoft Certified: Azure Security Engineer Associate. You can also find it in the resources section on the certification and exam pages, which contains other valuable help for Azure security engineers.
To map out your journey, follow the sequence in the infographic. First, decide whether this is the right certification for you, and be sure your Azure administrative skills are up to date.
Next, to understand what you’ll be measured on when taking Exam AZ-500, review the skills outline guide on the exam page.
Sign up for training that fits your learning style and experience:
- For self-paced online training, choose curated learning paths on Microsoft Learn.
- If you prefer to learn from an instructor, choose instructor-led training from a Microsoft Learning Partner. Take this practical course, Microsoft Azure Security Technologies.
Then take a trial run with the Microsoft Official Practice Test for AZ-500: Microsoft Azure Security Technologies. All objectives of the exam are covered in depth, so you’ll find what you need to be ready for any question.
Complement your training with additional resources, like Microsoft Docs or the Azure Architecture Center.
After you pass the exam and earn your certification, check out the many other training and certification opportunities. Want to add to your Azure knowledge? Explore the Microsoft Azure Well-Architected Framework. For related training, check out Microsoft Learn.
Note: Remember that Microsoft Certifications assess how well you apply what you know to solve real business challenges. Our training resources are useful for reinforcing your knowledge, but you’ll always need experience in the role and with the platform.
Celebrate your Azure talents with the world
When you earn a certification or learn a new skill, it’s an accomplishment worth celebrating with your network. It often takes less than a minute to update your LinkedIn profile and share your achievements, highlight your skills, and help boost your career potential. Here’s how:
- If you’ve earned a certification already, follow the instructions in the congratulations email you received. Or find your badge on your Certification Dashboard, and follow the instructions there to share it. (You’ll be transferred to the Acclaim website.)
- To add specific skills, visit your LinkedIn profile and update the Skills and endorsements section. Tip: We recommend that you choose skills listed in the skills outline guide for your certification.
Keep your certification up to date
If you’ve already earned your Azure Security Engineer Associate certification, but it’s expiring in the near future, we’ve got good news. You’ll soon be able to renew your current certifications by passing a free renewal assessment on Microsoft Learn—anytime within six months before your certification expires. For more details, please read our blog post, Stay current with in-demand skills through free certification renewals.
It’s time to level up!
Your Microsoft Certification can help validate that you have the skills to stay ahead with today’s technology. It can also help empower you with a boost in confidence and job satisfaction—and maybe even a salary increase. Want to know more? In our blog post, Need another reason to earn a Microsoft Certification?, we offer 10 good reasons to earn your certification.
Although cloud security may be a relatively new field in many industries, it’s definitely here to stay—and it’s foundational to Azure, with multiple layers across infrastructure and operations. And implementation is key. As an Azure security engineer, validate that you have the skills and experience you need to assess your current IT environment and assets and to identify and address potential security issues. Help keep your organization’s data, devices, and apps safe every day—smarter and faster—with your proven Azure skills.
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