How to Prepare for the AWS Certified Security – Specialty Exam
Short answer: The current AWS Certified Security – Specialty exam is SCS-C03: 65 questions in 170 minutes for USD 300, scored on a scaled 100–1,000 range with 750 to pass. It spans six domains, weighted toward Identity and Access Management. Prepare by studying each domain in proportion to its weight and practicing hands-on in a real AWS account.
TL;DR: Study the SCS-C03 exam guide, weight your time toward the IAM and Infrastructure Security domains, and practice hands-on in a real account — passive reading alone will not get you to 750.
Key Takeaways - The current exam code is SCS-C03; the older SCS-C02 retired in December 2025, so study only SCS-C03 material. - Format: 65 questions, 170 minutes, USD 300, scored 100–1,000 with a 750 passing score. - Six domains, with Identity and Access Management the heaviest at 20%. - AWS targets candidates with 3–5 years of experience securing cloud solutions, but structured study closes the gap.
Know the current exam first
The most important preparation fact: the exam changed. AWS retired SCS-C02 (last testable on December 1, 2025) and launched SCS-C03 on December 2, 2025. Any study guide or practice set built for SCS-C02 is now out of date, with different domain weightings and question types. Confirm every resource targets SCS-C03.
Per the official AWS Certified Security – Specialty exam guide, the current exam has these characteristics:
| Attribute | Detail (SCS-C03) |
|---|---|
| Exam code | SCS-C03 |
| Questions | 65 (50 scored, 15 unscored) |
| Question types | Multiple choice, multiple response, ordering, matching |
| Duration | 170 minutes |
| Cost | USD 300 |
| Scoring | Scaled 100–1,000; minimum passing 750 |
| Target experience | 3–5 years securing cloud solutions |
Scoring is compensatory, meaning you need 750 overall and there is no minimum you must hit in each individual domain. A note on naming: AWS also presents this certification as part of its current credential structure, so you may see version details update over time; always verify against the official guide.
The six domains and their weightings
Studying efficiently means studying in proportion. The SCS-C03 exam divides into six domains, and their weightings tell you exactly where to spend your time.
| Domain | Weight |
|---|---|
| Identity and Access Management | 20% |
| Infrastructure Security | 18% |
| Data Protection | 18% |
| Detection | 16% |
| Incident Response | 14% |
| Security Foundations and Governance | 14% |
Identity and Access Management carries the most weight, which is no surprise given that IAM is the cloud perimeter. If your time is limited, that is where it pays off most.
A study plan that matches the exam
- Weight your study by domain. Spend the most time on IAM, Infrastructure Security, and Data Protection, which together are more than half the exam. NIST SP 800-53 knowledge is tested across multiple SCS-C03 domains — particularly IAM, Infrastructure Security, and Governance — so familiarity with its control families gives you a conceptual anchor for scenario questions.
- Practice hands-on in a real account. The exam tests applied judgment, so configure the services yourself rather than only reading about them. Fixing common AWS misconfigurations is excellent domain practice.
- Use official AWS training. The learning paths in the AWS security training for cybersecurity professionals guide line up well with the exam domains.
- Rehearse the new question types. SCS-C03 adds ordering and matching questions, so practice with formats beyond simple multiple choice.
- Read scenarios carefully. Many questions present a situation and ask for the most secure or cost-effective option; the distractors are usually plausible but subtly wrong.
- Use the official practice question set. AWS Skill Builder includes the AWS Certified Security – Specialty Official Practice Question Set, a free set of exam-style questions authored by the same team that writes the real exam. Work through it after you have covered all six domains to identify which areas still need attention before you sit.
Beyond official materials, most candidates supplement with third-party practice exams from providers such as TutorialsDojo and Whizlabs, which closely mirror the scenario-based format of the actual exam. The AWS Certification page maintains a current list of authorized prep providers.
Frequently asked questions
What is the current AWS Certified Security – Specialty exam code?
The current exam is SCS-C03, which launched on December 2, 2025. The previous version, SCS-C02, retired on December 1, 2025, so you should only use study materials built for SCS-C03.
How many questions are on the AWS Security Specialty exam and what is the passing score?
The exam has 65 questions (50 scored and 15 unscored) with a 170-minute time limit. Scores are reported on a scaled range of 100 to 1,000, and the minimum passing score is 750. Scoring is compensatory, so there is no per-domain minimum.
How much does the AWS Certified Security – Specialty exam cost?
The exam costs USD 300. Pricing can vary by region and is subject to change, so confirm the current fee on the official AWS certification page when you register.
What are the domains on the SCS-C03 exam?
The six domains are Identity and Access Management (20%), Infrastructure Security (18%), Data Protection (18%), Detection (16%), Incident Response (14%), and Security Foundations and Governance (14%). Identity and Access Management carries the most weight.
ThreatBlock's AWS security course aligns to the current SCS-C03 domains, with hands-on labs that double as exam practice.
About the author: Samaksh is Lead Instructor at ThreatBlock and holds the OSCP, CRTP, CRTO, and CEH certifications, with hands-on experience in penetration testing and red teaming. Read more on the author page · Editorial policy.