FedVTE Course Catalog

This course was developed for organizations and individuals who are at the beginning of their planning and implementation process for creating a computer security incident response team or an incident management capability. This course begins with definitions and context for defining a CSIRT framework, followed by services that may be provided and building an action plan. An attendee workbook is included with questions and exercises to use in conjunction with the training.

Learning Objectives:

• Understand the function of Computer Security Incident Response Teams (CSIRTs) and the philosophy behind them.
• Understand the role of CSIRT in the incident management process.
• Identify the requirements to establish an effective CSIRT.
• Appreciate the key issues and decisions that must be addressed when creating a CSIRT.
• Learn to strategically plan the development and implementation of your CSIRT.

Date: 2017

Training Purpose: Management Development

Training Proficiency Area: Level 1 - Beginner

Alignment to the NIST SP 800-181 Cybersecurity Workforce Framework

This course serves as an introduction and overview of several concepts and technologies that may be encountered as part of an investigation with a digital or cyber component. Starting with the basics of how devices communicate, the course continues with technical concepts and applications that may be used to facilitate or investigate incidents. Content includes lab exercises and practical application takeaways to reinforce concepts, and a course exam.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe essential computing communication concepts.
• Identify digital evidence sources and handling.
• Apply techniques to examine applications for target information.

Date: 2017

Training Purpose: Functional Development

Training Proficiency Area: Level 1 - Beginner

Alignment to the NIST SP 800-181 Cybersecurity Workforce Framework

The Cybersecurity Analyst course is designed to help reinforce concepts for cyber work roles that require monitoring and information analysis to respond to suspicious events. This intermediate-level course focuses on defense techniques leveraging data and tools to identify risks to an organization, and apply effective mitigation strategies to detect and respond to threats.

Learning Objectives:

• List common cyber threats and examples of scanning and assessment tools and techniques to identify potential vulnerabilities.
• Analyze data from various sources to identify vulnerabilities and recommend strategies for mitigation.
• Configure and implement threat detection tools to detect incidents, and effectively respond and recover.

Date: 2018

Training Purpose: Skill Development

Training Proficiency Area: Level 2 - Intermediate

Alignment to the NIST SP 800-181 Cybersecurity Workforce Framework

This 1/2-day course is a joint collaboration of the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the CERT Division of the Software Engineering Institute at Carnegie Mellon University. The purpose of this training is to help federal civilian agencies meet required actions of BOD 20-01, the Binding Operational Directive to Develop and Publish a Vulnerability Disclosure Policy (VDP) by covering the knowledge of and providing resources for:

• Vulnerability report receipt and intake
• Developing and publishing a vulnerability disclosure policy
• Developing vulnerability disclosure handling procedures
• Developing a vulnerability disclosure capability development
• Reporting metrics

After completing this course, participants should be able to

• Describe agency requirements for developing and publishing a vulnerability disclosure policy (VDP).
• Describe the minimum capacity needed to support your vulnerability disclosure handling process.
• Explain how vulnerability disclosure and handling is dependent on successful human interaction.
• Explain the importance of establishing trust and good relationships with reporters and stakeholders.
• List the key resources that can help your agency build your VDP and supporting processes.
• Meet the requirements to develop and publish a VDP and supporting handling process.
• Understand how and when to work with CISA for assistance and escalation.

Date: 2022

Training Purpose: Skill Development

Training Proficiency Area: Level 1 - Beginner

Alignment to the NIST SP 800-181 Cybersecurity Workforce Framework

This course covers a broad range of cybersecurity elements that pose threats to information security posture. The various threats are covered in detail, followed by mitigation strategies and best practices. It will cover what the policies are, the roles it plays in cybersecurity, how they are implemented. The course will also look at cybersecurity laws, standards, and initiatives. Topics include policy, knowing your enemy, mobile device security, cloud computing security, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) security, LAN security using switch features, securing the network perimeter, securing infrastructure devices, security and DNS and IPv6 security. Video demonstrations are included to reinforce concepts.

Date: 2010

Training Purpose: Skill Development

Training Proficiency Area: Level 2 - Intermediate

Alignment to the NIST SP 800-181 Cybersecurity Workforce Framework

This course highlights technical knowledge and skills required for implementing secure solutions in the enterprise. A broad spectrum of disciplines is covered to aid practitioners in applying frameworks and controls to improve the security posture while supporting the business mission.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe risk management's role in the enterprise and mitigation strategies for specific threats.
• Detail implementing network security strategies and controls for connected devices.
• Explain how cloud technologies are leveraged and can support a secure enterprise architecture.
• List sources and methods to help stay current with cybersecurity best practices and threat trends and analyzing potential impact to the enterprise.

Date: 2018

Training Purpose: Skill Development

Training Proficiency Area: Level 2 - Intermediate

Alignment to the NIST SP 800-181 Cybersecurity Workforce Framework

This course introduces basic concepts and functions of incident management. This includes where incident management activities fit in the information assurance or information security ecosystem and covers the key steps in the incident handling lifecycle with practices to enable a resilient incident management capability.

Learning Objectives:

• Explain the role of incident management.
• Distinguish between incident management and incident handling.
• Outline the incident handling lifecycle.
• Identify key preparations to be established to facilitate incident handling.
• Distinguish between triage and analysis.
• Identify the basic steps in response.

Date: 2015

Training Purpose: Functional Development

Training Proficiency Area: Level 1 - Beginner

Alignment to the NIST SP 800-181 Cybersecurity Workforce Framework

This course focuses on helping insider threat analysts understand the nature and structure of data that can be used to prevent, detect, and respond to insider threats. This course focuses on how to work with data from multiple sources to develop indicators of potential insider activity, as well as strategies for developing and implementing an insider threat analysis and response. This course explains the workflow that incorporates expertise and capabilities from across an organization.

Learning Objectives:

• Work with raw data to identify concerning behaviors and activity of potential insiders.
• Identify the technical requirements for accessing data for insider threat analysis.
• Develop insider threat indicators that fuse data from multiple sources.
• Apply advanced analytics for identifying insider anomalies.
• Measure the effectiveness of insider threat indicators and anomaly detection methods.
• Navigate the insider threat tool landscape.
• Describe the policies, practices, and procedures needed for an insider threat analysis process.
• Outline the roles and responsibilities of insider threat analysts in an insider threat incident response process.

Date: 2020

Training Purpose: Skill Development

Training Proficiency Area: Level 3 - Advanced

Alignment to the NIST SP 800-181 Cybersecurity Workforce Framework

This course presents a process roadmap that can be followed to build the various parts of a robust Insider Threat Program. It discusses various techniques and methods to develop, implement, and operate program components. The content covered supports organizations implementing and managing insider threat detection and prevention programs based on various government mandates or guidance.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify critical assets and protection schemes.
• Coordinate a cross-organizational team to help develop and implement the Insider Threat Program.
• Develop a framework for the Insider Threat Program.
• Identify methods to gain management support and sponsorship.
• Plan the implementation for their Insider Threat Program.
• Identify organizational policies and processes that require enhancement to accommodate insider threat components.
• Identify data sources and priorities for data collection.
• Identify infrastructure changes and enhancements necessary for implementing and supporting an Insider Threat Program.
• Outline operational considerations and requirements needed to implement the program.
• Build policies and processes to help hire the right staff and develop an organizational culture of security.
• Improve organizational security awareness training.
• Identify training competencies for insider threat team staff.

Date: 2020

Training Purpose: Management Development

Training Proficiency Area: Level 2 - Intermediate

Alignment to the NIST SP 800-181 Cybersecurity Workforce Framework

This course introduces the tasks, processes, and technologies to identify, collect and preserve, and analyze data so that it can be used in a judiciary setting. This course begins with obtaining and imaging data and then describes each step in following the forensic process.

Learning Objectives:

• Explain the importance and the processes necessary to handle data to ensure its admissibility in a court of law.
• List steps in the computer forensics process and goals for each step.

Date: 2020

Training Purpose: Skill Development

Training Proficiency Area: Level 1 - Beginner

Alignment to the NIST SP 800-181 Cybersecurity Workforce Framework

This course focuses on what cyber intelligence is and how to acquire, process, analyze, and disseminate information that identifies, tracks, and predicts threats, risks, and opportunities inside the cyber domain to offer courses of action that enhance decision making. The course explains the current threat landscape and the importance of cyber intelligence, describes how cyber intelligence differs from cyber security and cyber threat intelligence, and explores intelligence tradecraft fundamentals. The content covers analytical techniques, estimative writing, and briefing within a cyber intelligence construct.

Learning Objectives:

• Discuss the threat and data landscape.
• Apply traditional intelligence tradecraft to the Cyber Domain.
• Define and describe a Cyber Intelligence Framework involving Human-Machine Teaming.
• Describe structured analytical techniques and biases.
• Communicate analytic findings effectively and recommend courses of action to practitioners and decision makers.

Date: 2020

Training Purpose: Functional Development

Training Proficiency Area: Level 1 - Beginner

Alignment to the NIST SP 800-181 Cybersecurity Workforce Framework

This course focuses on the type and nature of work the CSIRTs may be expected to handle. It provides an overview of the incident response field, including the nature of incident response activities and an overview of the incident handling processes. The course focuses on foundation material, staffing issues, incident management processes, and other issues such as working with law enforcement, insider threat, and publishing information.

Learning Objectives:

• Provide an overview of the incident response arena, the nature of incident response activities, and incident handling processes.
• Guide learners to understand technical issues from a management perspective, problems and pitfalls to avoid, and best practices where applicable.
• Emphasize the importance of CSIRT management predefined policies and procedures.
• Discuss what is needed to operate an effective CSIRT.

Date: 2020

Training Purpose: Management Development

Training Proficiency Area: Level 2 - Intermediate

Alignment to the NIST SP 800-181 Cybersecurity Workforce Framework

This course focuses on what is needed to create and operate a Computer Security Incident Response Team (CSIRT). The intended audience is individuals tasked with creating a CSIRT and those who may be new to CSIRT issues and processes. Objectives within the course include the benefits and limitations of a CSIRT, CSIRT requirements, services, common policies and procedures, and operational best practices. Previous incident handling experience is not required to partake in this course.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify managerial, organizational, procedural, and operational issues regarding the CSIRT role and function.
• Describe the issues involved with creating and operating a CSIRT.
• Discuss specific topics regarding CSIRT benefits and limitations, requirements and framework, services, policies and procedures, and operational best practices.

Date: 2020

Training Purpose: Skill Development

Training Proficiency Area: Level 1 - Beginner

Alignment to the NIST SP 800-181 Cybersecurity Workforce Framework

This course explains the root cause analysis for cybersecurity incidents and provides an overview of two different root cause analysis models (and approaches used in these models). This course also describes how root cause analysis can benefit other incident management processes (response, prevention, and detection), and details general root cause analysis techniques that can be adopted as methods for analysis of cyber incidents.

Learning Objectives:

• Explain the benefits and challenges of reverse engineering.
• Perform basic tasks with reverse engineering tools.
• Understand basics of Intel x86 assembly code.
• Describe the Microsoft Windows executable file format and understand the basics of the Windows API.
• Extract actionable information from ta malicious binary file that can be used in analysis reports.

Date: 2016

Training Purpose: Skill Development

Training Proficiency Area: Level 1 - Beginner

Alignment to the NIST SP 800-181 Cybersecurity Workforce Framework

Ransomware is the fastest growing malware threat targeting home, business, and government networks. Really, anyone with a computer connected to the internet is a target. Ransomware infection is one computer, one person, one click away from penetrating a networks defense. If just one computer becomes infected with ransomware it could quickly spread all over the network, which is why ransomware protection is critical. Ransomware incidents have become increasingly prevalent and pose an enormous risk to you and your organization’s critical infrastructure.

This training course focuses on basic Ransomware concepts and methodology. This course will explain what ransomware is, preventative measures that can be used to prevent a ransomware attack, and ransomware incident response and recovery.

Learning Objectives:

• Present an overview of ransomware attacks
• Identify preventative measures to block ransomware attacks
• Discuss incident response best practices for ransomware attacks
• Detail ways to implement recovery measure after a ransomware attack
• Learn to strategically plan the development and implementation of your CSIRT.

Date: 2022

Training Purpose: Skill Development

Training Proficiency Area: Level 1 - Beginner

Alignment to the NIST SP 800-181 Cybersecurity Workforce Framework

Ransomware is the fastest growing malware threat targeting home, business, and government networks. Really, anyone with a computer connected to the internet is a target. Ransomware infection is one computer, one person, one click away from penetrating a networks defense. If just one computer becomes infected with ransomware it could quickly spread all over the network, which is why ransomware protection is critical. Ransomware incidents have become increasingly prevalent and pose an enormous risk to you and your organization’s critical infrastructure.

This interactive training module provides mitigation strategies and techniques as it relates to firewall rules. This module will explain what firewalls are, present the importance of implementing firewall rules and provide an opportunity for you to practice applying specific firewall rules in our virtual environment.

This module consists of 3 elements. The Intro Video provides an overview of the topic information. The Block Malicious IPs Demo provides a walkthrough of the tasks you'll need to complete, the Block Malicious IPs Try allows you the opportunity to test out the tasks presented in the Block Malicious IPs Demo. Remember to download the "Try" instructions titled: Lesson Instructions PDF

Learning Objectives:

• Identify the purpose of firewalls
• Present the importance of implementing firewall rules
• Identify specific firewall rules to apply

Date: 2022

Training Purpose: Skill Development

Training Proficiency Area: Level 1 - Beginner

Alignment to the NIST SP 800-181 Cybersecurity Workforce Framework

Ransomware is the fastest growing malware threat targeting home, business, and government networks. Really, anyone with a computer connected to the internet is a target. Ransomware infection is one computer, one person, one click away from penetrating a networks defense. If just one computer becomes infected with ransomware it could quickly spread all over the network, which is why ransomware protection is critical. Ransomware incidents have become increasingly prevalent and pose an enormous risk to you and your organization’s critical infrastructure.

This interactive training module focuses on sinkholing as a mitigation technique. This module will explain what Domain Name Service (DNS) sinkholes are, present the importance of implementing sinkholes, and provide an opportunity for you to practice applying specific firewall rules in our virtual environment.

This module consists of 3 elements. The Intro Video provides an overview of the topic information. The Sinkhole Demo provides a walkthrough of the tasks you'll need to complete, the Sinkhole Try allows you the opportunity to test out the tasks presented in the Sinkhole Demo. Remember to download the "Try" instructions titled: Lesson Instructions PDF

Learning Objectives:

• Present the definition of a DNS Sinkhole
• Identify key terms related to the Sinkholing process
• Explain the importance of implementing a DNS Sinkhole

Date: 2022

Training Purpose: Skill Development

Training Proficiency Area: Level 1 - Beginner

Alignment to the NIST SP 800-181 Cybersecurity Workforce Framework

Ransomware is the fastest growing malware threat targeting home, business, and government networks. Really, anyone with a computer connected to the internet is a target. Ransomware infection is one computer, one person, one click away from penetrating a networks defense. If just one computer becomes infected with ransomware it could quickly spread all over the network, which is why ransomware protection is critical. Ransomware incidents have become increasingly prevalent and pose an enormous risk to you and your organization’s critical infrastructure.

This interactive training module provides information on how to disable SMBv1 using the group policy mitigation technique. This module will explain Server Message Block (SMB), provide an overview of the versions of SMB, present the importance of blocking SMBv1, and provide an opportunity for you to practice applying group policies that disable SMBv1 in our virtual environment.

This module consists of 3 elements. The Intro Video provides an overview of the topic information. The SMBv1 Demo provides a walkthrough of the tasks you'll need to complete, the SMBv1 Try allows you the opportunity to test out the tasks presented in the SMBv1 Demo. Remember to download the "Try" instructions titled: Lesson Instructions PDF

Learning Objectives:

• Define Server Message Block
• Identify the three versions of SMB
• Present the importance of disabling SMBv1

Date: 2022

Training Purpose: Skill Development

Training Proficiency Area: Level 1 - Beginner

Alignment to the NIST SP 800-181 Cybersecurity Workforce Framework

Application Allowlisting is a controlled list of applications and components such as libraries, configuration files, etc. that are authorized to be present or active on a host according to a well-defined baseline. It is a highly effective security strategy that acts as a preventative file execution policy to allow only certain programs to run and prevents others from executing. Every organization must verify and trust each and every application they allow on their network. They do this by adapting allowlisting to help block the execution of malware, unlicensed software, and other unauthorized software.

This interactive training module focuses on basic Application Allowlisting concepts and methodologies. This module will explain what Application Allowlisting is, present the importance of implementing Application Allowlisting, and provide an opportunity for you to practice applying specific Application Allowlisting rules in our virtual environment.

This module consists of 3 elements. The Intro Video provides an overview of the topic information. The Application Allowlisting Demo provides a walkthrough of the tasks you'll need to complete, the Application Allowlisting Try allows you the opportunity to test out the tasks presented in the Application Allowlisting Demo. Remember to download the "Try" instructions titled: Lesson Instructions PDF

Learning Objectives:

• Create Windows Defender Application Control (WDAC) allowlisting policies with PowerShell

Date: 2022

Training Purpose: Skill Development

Training Proficiency Area: Level 1 - Beginner

Alignment to the NIST SP 800-181 Cybersecurity Workforce Framework

Active Directory (AD) is one of the most vital components in a Windows network. Cybercriminals today are targeting AD, performing reconnaissance to discover users, servers, and computers in an enterprise network, and then moving laterally to carry out multi-stage attacks to gain access and abuse organization resources and data. An AD backup and restoration disaster recovery strategy is vital for operation continuity. Backing up AD regularly is important, sometimes the backup is the only way for an organization to recover its data after a cyberattack.

This interactive training module focuses on basic AD concepts and methodologies. This module will explain how to identify the Primary Domain Controller (PDC) of the domain, explain how to make changes to AD without backing up again, and provide an opportunity for you to practice confirming the changes made after the backup are replaced with the information in the backup file.

This module consists of 3 elements. The Intro Video provides an overview of the topic information. The AD Backup Restore Demo provides a walkthrough of the tasks you'll need to complete, the AD Backup Restore Try allows you the opportunity to test out the tasks presented in the AD Backup Restore Demo. Remember to download the "Try" instructions titled: Lesson Instructions PDF

Learning Objectives:

• Backup Active Directory on a Domain Controller
• Restore Active Directory on a Domain Controller

Date: 2022

Training Purpose: Skill Development

Training Proficiency Area: Level 1 - Beginner

Alignment to the NIST SP 800-181 Cybersecurity Workforce Framework

Kerberos Ticket Granting Ticket (KRBTGT) is a local default account used for Microsoft’s implementation of Kerberos, the default Microsoft Windows authentication protocol for granting access to network applications and services. KRBTGT acts as a service account for the Key Distribution Center (KDC) service. KRBTGT account in Active Directory (AD) plays a key role that encrypts and signs all Kerberos tickets for the domain.

This interactive training module focuses on basic KRBTGT concepts and methodology. This module will explain how to reset the KRBTGT account password using the Active Directory Users and Computers app in the Administrative tools in our virtual environment.

This module consists of 3 elements. The Intro Video provides an overview of the topic information. The Reset KRBTGT Account Password Demo provides a walkthrough of the tasks you'll need to complete, the Reset KRBTGT Try allows you the opportunity to test out the tasks presented in the Reset KRBTGT Demo. Remember to download the "Try" instructions titled: Lesson Instructions PDF

Learning Objectives:

• Reset the KRBTGT Account password

Date: 2022

Training Purpose: Skill Development

Training Proficiency Area: Level 1 - Beginner

Alignment to the NIST SP 800-181 Cybersecurity Workforce Framework

This course focuses on building skills to improve the ability to piece together the various components of the digital investigation. The course begins with acquisition planning and preparation, progresses through the investigative process, and concludes with analysis techniques and methods for more manageable investigations.

Learning Objectives:

• Develop an investigative process for the digital forensic investigation.
• Explain methods of focusing investigations through analysis of multiple evidence sources.
• Effectively prepare for incident response of both victim and suspect systems.
• Identify sources of evidentiary value in various evidence sources including network logs, network traffic, volatile data and through disk forensics.
• Identify common areas of malicious software activity and characteristics of various types of malicious software files.
• Confidently perform live response in intrusion investigation scenarios.

Date: 2020

Training Purpose: Skill Development

Training Proficiency Area: Level 3 - Advanced

Alignment to the NIST SP 800-181 Cybersecurity Workforce Framework

The Domain Name System, commonly known as DNS, is often referred to as the "phone book" of the Internet. Every time we access the Internet to visit our favorite websites, shop and pay bills online, or access online portals for healthcare or banking, we depend on DNS infrastructure to securely route us to our intended destinations. While this shared infrastructure is incredibly powerful and useful, it also presents a rich attack surface for threat actors: allowing them to shut down websites and online services, replace legitimate website content with threats and extortion attempts, or even route traffic to a carbon copy of a legitimate website to steal any information entered by users intending to conduct business as usual. "Understanding DNS Attacks" provides key information you need to know to protect yourself and your organization from DNS infrastructure tampering including common vulnerabilities, how to identify a potential attack, and guidance and best practices to mitigate the likelihood and impact of a successful DNS attack.

This webinar is accessible to non-technical learners including managers and business leaders, and offers an organizational perspective useful to technical specialists.

Learning Objectives:
Enable learners to prevent, flag, and protect themselves and their organizations from DNS infrastructure attacks through awareness of common attack schemes, best practices, CISA guidance, and resources.

• Define DNS Tampering and explain common attack methods
• Identify signs of a DNS attack
• Learn mitigation steps for DNS attacks
• Understand the process to recover from a DNS attack
• Explore impacts of DNS attacks through case studies

Date: 2021

Training Proficiency Area: Level 1 - Beginner

Training Purpose: Skill Development

Alignment to the NIST SP 800-181 Cybersecurity Workforce Framework

This course will introduce rules and go over example syntax, protocols, and expressions. It contains several supporting video demonstrations as well as lab exercises writing and testing basic rules.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify poorly written signatures and revise them.
• Write regular expressions.
• Create signatures.
• Identify information in PCAP data to use for creating alerts.

Date: 2011

Training Purpose: Skill Development

Training Proficiency Area: Level 2 - Intermediate

Alignment to the NIST SP 800-181 Cybersecurity Workforce Framework