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Course Overview
Cyber threats are constant—and escalating. To defend networks and critical assets, today’s IT professionals need more than just awareness—they need structured, tested methods to detect, respond, and recover. The average breach costs $4.45 million—making fast, skilled response more critical than ever.
The CyberSec First Responder (CFR) course from CertNexus equips practitioners with the skills to assess risk, monitor for intrusions, analyze threats, and respond to incidents in real time. Built around leading frameworks like NIST 800-61r2 and PPD-41, this 5-day course prepares learners to protect information systems and carry out Defensive Cyber Operations (DCO) effectively.
This course also prepares candidates for the CFR-410 certification exam, validating their ability to detect, contain, analyze, and recover from cybersecurity incidents across modern network environments.
Who Should Attend
This course is designed primarily for cybersecurity practitioners preparing for or who currently perform job functions related to protecting information systems by ensuring their availability, integrity, authentication, confidentiality, and non-repudiation. It is ideal for those roles within federal contracting companies and private sector firms whose mission or strategic objectives require the execution of Defensive Cyber Operations (DCO) or DoD Information Network (DoDIN) operation and incident handling. This course focuses on the knowledge, ability, and skills necessary to provide for the defense of those information systems in a cybersecurity context, including protection, detection, analysis, investigation, and response processes.In addition, the course ensures that all members of an IT team—regardless of size, rank, or budget—understand their role in the cyber defense, incident response, and incident handling process.
Course Objectives
This course prepares learners to act as the first line of defense in cyber operations. Through labs, tools, and instructor-led discussion, participants develop the hands-on skills needed to detect threats, secure systems, and conduct response procedures aligned with federal and industry guidelines.
- Assess cybersecurity risks and analyze threat landscapes
- Identify and respond to reconnaissance, malware, and network-based attacks
- Conduct vulnerability assessments and penetration testing
- Collect and analyze log data using SIEM and forensic tools
- Execute structured incident response and recovery procedures
Course Outline
1 – Assessing Cybersecurity Risk
- Identify the importance of risk management
- Assess and mitigate risk
- Integrate documentation into risk processes
2 – Analyzing the Threat Landscape
- Classify threats and threat profiles
- Analyze trends affecting security posture
3 – Analyzing Reconnaissance Threats to Computing and Network Environments
- Implement threat modeling
- Assess the impact of reconnaissance and social engineering
4 – Analyzing System Hacking Attacks
- Assess the impact of system, web-based, and malware attacks
- Evaluate threats like hijacking, impersonation, DoS, mobile and cloud vulnerabilities
5 – Analyzing Post-Attack Techniques
- Assess techniques including command & control, lateral movement, exfiltration, and anti-forensics
6 – Assessing the Organization's Security Posture
- Perform cybersecurity audits
- Conduct vulnerability assessments and penetration testing
7 – Collecting Cybersecurity Intelligence
- Set up intelligence platforms
- Collect data from host-based and network-based sources
8 – Analyzing Log Data
- Use SIEM tools and log analysis for threat detection
9 – Performing Active Asset and Network Analysis
- Investigate incidents using Windows and Linux tools
- Analyze indicators of compromise
10 – Responding to Cybersecurity Incidents
- Deploy incident handling architecture
- Mitigate incidents and support forensic handoff
11 – Investigating Cybersecurity Incidents
- Apply forensic investigation methods
- Collect, analyze, and follow up on digital evidence