Akamai Certified Professional — App and API Security

Akamai App & API Protector Certification · ● Active · Professional · Akamai

Vendor-delivered professional-level certification validating hands-on expertise with Akamai's App & API Protector (Web Application & API Protection platform). Covers WAF configuration, API threat modeling, DDoS layer defense, bot detection and challenge strategies, rate limiting, and production tuning. Delivered via Akamai University and issued as a Credly digital badge. Designed for security engineers, architects, and DevOps professionals securing applications and APIs against modern threats.

Exam facts

Vendor source — Akamai Training & Certification ↗ Official course — Akamai University ↗ Certification badge — Technical Mastery: App & API Protector Certification ↗

About

The Akamai Certified Professional — App and API Security certification validates hands-on proficiency with Akamai's App & API Protector solution, including Web Application Firewall (WAF) configuration, API threat modeling, bot detection and mitigation, DDoS protection at the application layer, rate limiting, and advanced policy tuning. Launched in 2021 as part of Akamai's Technical Mastery track, it targets security engineers, solutions architects, and DevOps professionals responsible for deploying and operating Akamai edge security in production environments. Holders are equipped to provide technical consultation on App & API Protector, Advanced Security Management, and Malware Protection, and manage customer integration projects. The certification is issued via Credly's open badging program and is recognized across organizations relying on Akamai for application security.

Domain context — Security

Vendor-specific applied security certification covering edge-delivered API and application defense (WAF, bot management, API protection, DDoS, rate control, threat intelligence integration). Distinct from foundational web security; requires working knowledge of Akamai's platform-specific controls and policy optimization.

Read full deep dive — Akamai Ecosystem →

Topics covered

Based on Akamai University curriculum and published exam blueprint:

• App & API Protector (WAF core) — policy modes (monitoring vs. blocking), managed rulesets, attack group tuning, false-positive reduction
• Kona Site Defender configuration — custom rule development, attack pattern detection, signature vs. behavioral tuning
• API protection and threat modeling — API endpoint security, API definition and discovery, authentication enforcement, threat modeling workflows
• Akamai Bot Manager — bot scoring and classification, browser fingerprinting, challenge actions (JavaScript, CAPTCHA, multi-factor), credential stuffing defense
• DDoS protection (multi-layer) — network-layer DDoS, application-layer DDoS (slowloris, request flooding), DNS DDoS protection, Prolexic scrubbing
• Akamai Client Reputation — IP reputation scoring, high-risk client actions, behavioral indicators, whitelisting / blacklisting
• Rate controls — rate policies, adaptive rate limiting, request queuing, traffic shaping
• Network Lists — IP / geo-based access controls, blacklists, whitelists, custom threat lists
• Advanced authentication — Akamai MFA, phishing-resistant authentication, multi-factor challenges
• Log analysis and integration — WAF event logging, SIEM integration, forensic investigation, threat intelligence feeds
• Production deployment and tuning — configuration best practices, performance impact assessment, policy optimization, incident response workflows
• Advanced Security Management and Malware Protection — application-layer scanning, malware detection and response

Source: Akamai University App & API Protector Training ↗

Common skills at Security · Professional

Shared content for the Security domain at Professional level — not specific to this cert.

• Applied WAF rule development and tuning (signature vs. behavioral)
• Attack pattern recognition across protocols (HTTP/HTTPS, APIs, gRPC, GraphQL, non-HTTP)
• Incident investigation and threat triage
• Security architecture and control integration
• Compliance mapping (PCI-DSS, HIPAA, SOC 2, OWASP, industry standards)
• Log analysis, correlation, and SIEM integration
• Remediation design and stakeholder communication

Recommended courses at Security · Professional

Course-selection rule: Akamai University is the primary source for official prep. Many organizations bundle certification with product trial environments and hands-on labs; contact Akamai or your training partner for bundled offerings.

Practice exams

Note: Akamai does not publish third-party practice exams at the scale of cloud giants. Official Akamai University curriculum, hands-on lab exercises, and trial product environments are your best preparation tools.

Books

Book rule: Akamai-specific technical books are limited. The above references foundational application security, API security, and WAF principles. Akamai whitepapers (free from Akamai's resource library) are recommended supplements to textbook study.

Typical job titles at Security · Professional

Akamai Security Engineer · Web Application Firewall Engineer · CDN Security Specialist · Application Security Engineer · DDoS Engineer · Security Operations Engineer · Solutions Architect (Akamai)

(Job titles drawn from current job-board postings that list this cert as required or preferred.)

Salary

Salary note: These ranges reflect security engineer and specialist roles that list App & API Protector / Akamai certification as a requirement or strong preference. Actual compensation varies by organization size, location, and role scope (architect vs. engineer). Akamai security professionals command premiums in markets with heavy Akamai adoption (financial services, SaaS, e-commerce, CDN-dependent businesses).

Skills validated

Cert-specific — what this exam actually tests.

• App & API Protector (WAF) policy configuration, rule tuning, and attack detection
• Managed ruleset updates and custom rule development
• API threat modeling and endpoint security configuration
• Akamai Bot Manager classification, bot scoring, and challenge strategy
• DDoS protection across network and application layers (including Prolexic)
• Rate control policies and adaptive rate limiting
• Client Reputation scoring and behavior-based access control
• Network Lists management (IP/geo blacklists, whitelists)
• Advanced authentication (MFA, phishing-resistant challenges)
• Log analysis, event correlation, and SIEM integration
• False-positive tuning and production optimization
• Akamai policy language (APL) for custom rules
• Integration with Threat Intelligence feeds
• Multi-product integration (App Protector + Bot Manager + DDoS)

Related certifications

• Stacks with: Akamai Web Security Specialist ↗
• Prerequisite for: Akamai Solutions Architect track (internal Akamai pathway)
• Replaces: N/A — direct descendant of "Akamai Web Application & API Protection" foundational track
• Equivalents at this level: CompTIA Security+ ↗ · Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) ↗ (cross-referenced; not direct equivalent)
• Vendor overview: Akamai Vendor Overview ↗

Sources

• Akamai Training & Certification: https://www.akamai.com/us/en/training-and-certification/
• Akamai University: https://learn.akamai.com/
• Technical Mastery: App & API Protector Certification (Credly): https://www.credly.com/org/akamai/badge/technical-mastery-app-api-protector-certification-p
• Akamai Web Application & API Protection course: https://www.akamai.com/resources/product-brief/app-and-api-protector
• Glassdoor salary data: https://www.glassdoor.com/
• Robert Half IT Salary Guide: https://www.roberthalf.com/salary-guides
• IT Jobs Watch (UK): https://www.itjobswatch.co.uk/
• Pnet (ZA): https://www.pnet.co.za/
• Akamai Gartner 2026 API Protection recognition: https://www.akamai.com/blog/security/2026/jan/enhancements-akamai-api-security-q4-2025
• OWASP Testing Guide: https://owasp.org/www-project-web-security-testing-guide/

Last verified: 2026-05-02 Parent ecosystem: Akamai Ecosystem Parent domain: Security Domain Vendor overview: Akamai Vendor Overview