Cloud Security Foundations

Overview

The future of technology runs on the cloud—and securing it starts here. Cloud Security Foundations offers a clear, practical introduction to the systems, identities, and controls that keep cloud environments resilient. Start by getting to know the fundamentals of cloud platforms, including basic principles, deployment and delivery models, roles, and architectural elements. Then it's time to grasp core technical concepts—virtualization, containers vs. VMs, components of cloud infrastructure, and managing a cloud platform—to learn how cloud systems are structured and run. From there, dive into the world of Identity and Access Management. Understand IAM basics, identity lifecycle management, authentication vs. authorization, IAM standards, policies, MFA, and how they are implemented in the real world. You'll also learn how identity threats develop, how to prevent them, and how Zero Trust and IAM metrics improve cloud security. Perfect for beginners, IT professionals, and those looking to become cloud or security enthusiasts, this course will give you the basics of understanding how modern cloud works and how to secure it.

Syllabus

Introduction to Cloud Technologies

This section builds your understanding of cloud fundamentals—covering cloud concepts, NIST characteristics, service models, deployment models, architecture basics, and migration approaches. It gives you the core vocabulary and mental models needed to interpret how cloud environments are designed and operated.

Virtualization & Infrastructure Fundamentals

This section explores how cloud infrastructure works under the hood through virtualization, containers, multi-tenancy, resiliency, IaC, monitoring, scalability, and capacity planning. It prepares you to understand real-world cloud performance, reliability, and architectural decisions.

Identity and Access Management (IAM)

This section focuses on Identity & Access Management, including identity lifecycle, authentication, authorization, RBAC, ABAC, MFA, federation, and Zero Trust principles. It equips you with the skills to design secure access controls and manage identities in modern cloud environments.