Cyber Incident Planning & Response Course

Cyber Incident Planning & Response Course Modules: DAY 1

• Interactive Exercises and Collateral

  • Mind Map: Comprehensive exercise on planning for a Cyber-attack 
  • Process Workflows: Creating an Incident Response Strategy
  • Process Workflows: Selecting Threat Actors
  • Process Workflows: Creating a Breach Readiness Framework
  • Process Workflows: Responding to an Incident
  • Defending against the Cyber Kill Chain
  • Visibility: Identifying your Crown Jewels
  • Visibility: Identifying Critical Log Data
  • Worksheet: Identifying Privileged Threat Actors
  • Worksheet: Defining & Base-lining 'Normal'

• Module 1 - Cyber Resiliency

  This module starts by emphasising the importance of asking the question - WHY? Why would an attacker attack your organisation? It delves briefly into the psychology of attacks and builds the foundation for Module 2. In addition, this module introduces the core concept of resiliency in the context of cyber. The module offers:

  • A mind-map that will help you answer this question and also understand what the attacker intends to do with your crown jewels.
  • Explanation of the “whys” with relevant real-world examples.
  • A definition of the ‘Security Fallacy’ and how to work around it. 
  • An understanding into why merely denying entry to criminals isn’t enough.

  For full details on this and other modules click here.

• Module 2 & 2a - Understanding Threat Actors

  Threat actors may sound daunting but fear not. After asking the question, “Why” in the first module, this cyber threat actor section discusses the importance of asking - WHO could damage your critical assets and consequently destroy your business. This section explains the importance of knowing details about your attacker(s) who could target your business. This module offers:

  • An introduction to threat actors, intent and attributes.
  • Threat actors in detail.
  • The TAL or threat actor library and its purpose.
  • Building the Threat Actor Profile.

  For full details on this and other modules click here.

• Module 3 - Define Normal

  Another key concept in the Cyber Incident Planning & Response course, Define Normal introduces the important idea of baselining or defining an organisational normal and explains its importance in building a cyber resilient business. It goes without saying, unless you can define and understand what’s normal for your digital network, it will be almost impossible to rapidly detect the abnormal. In this module, you will learn:

  • The importance and relevance of this concept, with examples.
  • How to define ‘normal’ for your organisation based on the nature of your business, scale, operational model etc.
  • Applying 'Define Normal' in an organisational context.
  • Understanding and building the organisational baseline.

  For full details on this and other modules click here.

• Module 4 a,b,c & d - The Cyber Kill Chain

  Cyber criminals follow a process and have their own easy-to-follow attack methodology. In this module (also known as the cyber-attack process), we disclose the specific workflows that the majority of advanced and/or smart criminals utilise when they attack organisations and nation-states.

  In these four modules, you will learn:

  • The different phases of attack methodologies.
    
  • Analysis of the Cyber Kill Chain (copyright Lock Heed Martin).
  • The importance of knowing the process flows that can help in the understanding of specific threat models and methodologies.
  • Strategies to counter the Cyber Kill Chain.

  For full details on this and other modules click here.

• Module 5 - Visibility

  In this module, we introduce an important strategy - the concept that every business must focus on if it wants to increase its breach response and preparedness. The notion that if you stand in a dark room you are blind and oblivious to the surroundings may seem obvious, but this very fact is ignored and overlooked by organisations when planning and strategising on breach-readiness. In this module, students learn:

  • What is visibility and why it's so important as a strategic item in a cyber resiliency strategy.
  • They key and core concepts and terminology to better understand its overall impact on resilience.
  • The importance of log data and its relationship and importance to cyber resilience.
  • The primary requirements for increasing visibility in an organisation.

  For full details on this and other modules click here.

• Module 6 a, b, c & d - The Golden Hour & Incident Management

  The pivotal moment, the ‘golden hour’ and many other important concepts and strategies are discussed in this section.

  • Module 6a deep dives into the ‘golden hour’, its relevance in incident response and its overall importance in the whole incident management lifecycle. This particular module goes deeper into the important aspects of the golden hour, discusses the importance of taxonomy and communications along with introducing and explaining the critical phase of triage and its role in incident response.
  • Module 6b & 6c discuss standards and workflows on incident management introducing several different terms and approaches on optimising existing processes and procedures while maintaining alignment with the various standards and touch on the key benefits of incident response playbooks.
  • Module 6d takes the student through an exhaustive thought process on creating an effective and fit-for-purpose incident response plan with a comprehensive exercise utilising a mind-map based approach.

  For full details on this and other modules click here.

• Module 7 - Building the Team

  Building a great cybersecurity team also involves walking the tightrope between having a great internal team and liaising with external experts wherever necessary. In this module on Building the Team, students will learn:

  • Identifying the stakeholders, the 'who' and 'what functions' should be included in the core cyber incident management team.
  • Key skills and traits that are essential in members of an effective cyber incident response team.
  • Why contextual experience is more important than technical knowledge when building an incident response team.
  • The importance of encouraging a culture of speaking up in the team, regardless of seniority or experience.

  For full details on this and other modules click here.

• Module 8 - Forensics & Investigations

  Forensics and evidence are often overlooked in cyber incident management. Many IT professionals don't have enough experience in handling evidence the right way. Dealing with a cyber-attack requires the ability to ensure chain of custody and ensure the evidence is captured, protected and processed in a way that it can be presented in court without anyone being able to challenge the integrity of that evidence. Delving further into this subject, in this module, we cover:

  • Introduction to forensics principles.
  • Why organisations must sensitise their employees about the regulatory requirement to protect evidence and ensure its forensic integrity.
  • What is a forensics policy, how it can be created and what should its key constituents be?

  For the full details on this and other modules click here.

• Module 9 - Regulations & Standards

  The actions that an organisation takes before, during and after an incident can have legal and or financial repercussions. It is imperative, therefore, that the management, IT and Security teams understand the regulations and standards that apply to them and have a well-defined set of policies to cover these regulations. In this module, we cover:

  • The legal, financial or reputational impact that a business can suffer on account of incorrect actions.
  • A look at some common regulations and standards that businesses should be aware of.
  • What is a breach notification and how is it defined in the GDPR?
  • The fines that GDPR stipulates on businesses that are in breach of its regulations.

  For full details on this and other modules click here.

• Module 10 - The Technology Stack

  It goes without saying that technology plays an extremely crucial role in all aspects of cyber incident response and management. The challenge is that most organisations have a messy and complex technology stack. A huge part of the objective of cyber incident planning and response is to evaluate your technology stack and ensure that it is optimised and ready for a cyber-attack. In this module, students will learn:

  • The common mistakes organisations make while buying technology and building a technology stack.
  • The problems a disorganised and incoherent technology stack can create for the business in case of an incident.
  • Understanding the technologies that underpin an effective breach-ready organisation.
  • Analysis of core technology requirements.

  For full details on this and other modules click here.

• Module 11: Public Relations and Incident Management

  This module focuses on the communications challenges that arise during cyber incidents and crises. It examines internal stakeholder communications, customer and supplier notifications, regulatory communications and media engagement.
  
  The module highlights the importance of:
   
  - Delivering timely, accurate and transparent communications
  - Crisis communications that support effective incident management 
  - Maintaining stakeholder trust during a crisis 
  - Protecting organisational reputation during and after a cyber incident