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EC-Council · Cloud · Entry

EC-Council Cloud Security Essentials (CSE) exam guide

Exam 112-54

EC-Council's Cloud Security Essentials (CSE) is an entry-level certification covering cloud security fundamentals: IAM, data protection, network and application security, monitoring, risk and compliance in the cloud. It requires no prior experience and comes bundled with training.

Questions75
Time limit120 minutes
Passing scoreSee official page
Exam fee$299 USD
Valid for3 years
DeliveryEC-Council exam portal (remote proctored) or Pearson VUE test center

Format: Multiple choice. Fee note: Price is for the course, which includes a proctored exam voucher valid 1 year.

Who it's for

Students, career changers and IT staff new to cybersecurity who want a first cloud security credential.

What the exam covers

Cloud Computing and Security Fundamentals—
Identity and Access Management in the Cloud—
Data Protection and Encryption in the Cloud—
Network Security in Cloud—
Application Security in Cloud—
Cloud Security Monitoring and Incident Response—
Cloud Security Risk Assessment and Management—
Cloud Compliance and Governance—

A dash means the vendor does not publish a weight for that domain.

Eligibility & prerequisites

Required: None

Recommended: No prior cybersecurity knowledge or IT work experience required.

Keeping it active

Valid 3 years. Maintain through the EC-Council Continuing Education (ECE) program: earn 120 ECE credits in the 3-year cycle and pay the annual ECE fee.

Skills & careers

Skills it validates

  • Cloud service and deployment models
  • Cloud IAM basics
  • Encryption and data protection in the cloud
  • Cloud network and application security
  • Cloud monitoring and incident response basics
  • Cloud compliance and governance

Job roles

Cloud Support AssociateJunior Cloud Security AnalystIT Support SpecialistSOC Analyst Trainee

Where it fits in your path

Take before

No prerequisite certification needed.

You are here

EC-Council Cloud Security Essentials (CSE)

Planning a degree too? See how this cert earns college credit in the College Credit Navigator.

Build my study plan

  1. Week 1: Cloud fundamentals and IAM.
  2. Week 2: Data protection, network and application security in the cloud.
  3. Week 3: Monitoring, incident response, risk assessment and management.
  4. Week 4: Cloud compliance and governance, practice questions, then take the exam.

Make it yours: pick your exam date and weekly hours. We'll split your time by domain weight and give you a printable plan.

Exam-day tips

  • Know the shared responsibility model for IaaS, PaaS and SaaS.
  • Questions are conceptual; focus on which control fits which risk.
  • Learn encryption at rest vs in transit and key management basics.
  • 75 questions in 2 hours is relaxed; read carefully.

Frequently asked questions

How much does EC-Council CSE cost?

$299 for the course, which includes a proctored exam voucher valid for 1 year.

Do I need experience?

No. EC-Council states no prior cybersecurity or IT experience is required.

How many questions are on CSE?

75 multiple choice questions in 2 hours.

CSE vs AWS Cloud Practitioner?

CSE focuses on security concepts across clouds; AWS Cloud Practitioner covers AWS services and billing.

What should I take after CSE?

Security+ for broad security, or Cloud+ and a cloud provider associate cert for cloud roles.

Official page: www.eccouncil.org. Reviewed November 2026. Vendors change fees and objectives, so confirm with the vendor before you book. Spot something out of date? Tell us.