Enroll Course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/threat
In the ever-evolving landscape of cybersecurity, staying ahead of emerging threats is paramount. For associate-level cybersecurity analysts working in Security Operation Centers (SOCs), understanding and implementing robust investigation procedures is key to a threat-centric approach. Coursera’s ‘Threat Investigation’ course offers a comprehensive pathway to achieving this.
This course is meticulously designed for those already in the trenches of SOC analysis. It doesn’t just introduce concepts; it equips you with practical knowledge to proactively hunt for threats and effectively respond to incidents. By the end of this program, you’ll gain a solid understanding of cyber-threat hunting, including the five hunting maturity levels (HM0–HM4) and the fundamental four-stage hunting cycle.
The syllabus dives deep into crucial areas. You’ll learn how to identify vital resources for hunting cyber threats, from publicly available threat intelligence feeds and security intelligence feeds to online security research tools. The course also emphasizes the importance of the Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS v3.0), detailing its base metrics, scoring components (base, temporal, and environmental), and providing practical examples of scoring.
Furthermore, ‘Threat Investigation’ delves into the critical aspects of event correlation and normalization. You’ll explore various network security monitoring event sources like IPS, Firewalls, NetFlow, and application logs. The syllabus also covers the crucial concepts of evidence handling, chain of custody, and interacting with law enforcement, alongside practical examples of data normalization and event correlation. Using tools like Security Onion’s Sguil and ELSA for network monitoring and investigation is also a key takeaway.
Conducting effective security incident investigations is another cornerstone of this course. You’ll learn to dissect incidents by uncovering the who, what, when, where, why, and how, with specific examples like the China Chopper Remote Access Trojan and identifying network traffic from Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs).
Finally, the course empowers you with the ability to organize security monitoring using a playbook model. You’ll understand the security analytics process, the role of playbooks in a SOC, their essential components, and the benefits of a playbook management system.
**Who should take this course?**
This course is ideal for anyone with a background equivalent to Cisco’s CCNA, familiarity with TCP/IP networking, working knowledge of Windows and Linux, and a grasp of basic networking security concepts. If you’re an associate-level cybersecurity analyst looking to enhance your threat hunting and incident investigation capabilities, this course is a must.
**Verdict:**
Coursera’s ‘Threat Investigation’ course is an invaluable resource for SOC analysts. It bridges the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application, providing the skills and confidence needed to tackle modern cyber threats head-on. Highly recommended for anyone serious about advancing their career in cybersecurity operations.
Enroll Course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/threat