Stages of Incident Response from Coursera

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Syllabus

Stages of Incident Response

The Preparation section of the module goes into some detail with common definitions and severity criteria, with special attention being paid to making sure the student understands that the severity criteria should be based on overall organizational definitions and procedures. The latter part of the module goes into the importance of asset inventory and identification as a basis for establishing severity criteria. All these pieces are required for proper preparation for any incident.

Incident Response: Identification

The Identification section deals specifically with how incidents are identified, as well as the classification levels that incidents might fall within. It also reminds the student that these classification levels are established with input from upper management and the rest of the organization. We go into details of notifying the appropriate parties of the incident and how to do that properly. We end this course with a discussion of common tools and techniques.

Incident Response: Containment

This section explores containment and the proper scoping and management of it. We examine the details of how to contain an incident and, more importantly, how to define what containment means. We also explore common containment tools.

Incident Response: Investigation

In the Investigation segment, you’ll learn the questions asked in normal investigations and how to properly answer them. You’ll explore the important data sources these answers are pulled from and the role this process plays in incident response overall.

Incident Response: Eradication

Dive into what it takes to remove threats from and environment after the threat has been contained. We’ll also take a look at how to verify the threat has been eradicated and address proper notification of eradication to other authorized parties. Lastly, we’ll discuss some common tools for eradication.

Incident Response: Recovery

This Recovery segment shows how we tie directly into business continuity and disaster recovery at this phase. We deal with how to restore systems in the least disruptive and most efficient way, as well as defining what constitutes "recovered."

Follow Up/Lessons Learned

Look at validation and sign-off of recovery. The module looks at how to effectively assess how well the team responded. It also looks at implementing needed improvements and how to ingest feedback from the rest of the organization or even outside organizations.

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Explores IR response in detail, which is standard in the industry

Taught by Keatron Evan, who are recognized for their work in IR

Develops technical skills through labs and projects

Examines IR concepts, which is highly relevant to cybersecurity

Requires extensive background knowledge, which may be a barrier for some

Reviews summary

Well-received incident response course

Learners say this well-structured course offers informative lectures on incident response. They also praise the instructor's expertise and the engaging way the content is presented. However, some learners have expressed disappointment with the quality of the quizzes.

Learners appreciate the course's logical layout and clear organization.

"The classes were laid out logically with strong supporting documentation."

"I appreciated that much of the fluff had been removed."

Students find the lectures to be very informative and engaging.

"Very Informative material"

"Learned so much from this course"

"It's incredible how inspiring Keatron gets his messages across."

Learners praise the instructor's expertise and ability to convey complex topics clearly.

"Instructor Evans definitely knew his stuff"

"It s a dry topic and instructor had did good job,,,,in presenting it and structuring it"

Some learners have expressed disappointment with the quality of the quizzes.

"I was disappointed by the quiz however."

"To have not double-checked that questions are entered in correctly, or that answers reflect class content is unfortunate."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Stages of Incident Response with these activities:

Review Computer Network Fundamentals

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This course builds upon fundamental concepts in networking. Reviewing these concepts prior to class will allow you to focus more on the offensive and defensive aspects of the material.

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Review the OSI Model
Examine common network topologies
Refresh your understanding of TCP/IP

Gather learning resources and tools

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Build a comprehensive resource toolkit that supplements and enhances your course materials, fostering a deeper understanding.

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Identify and curate relevant books, articles, and online resources.
Compile a list of tools and software used in incident response, including their specific applications and benefits.
Create a central repository or database for easy access to all gathered resources.

Review Memory and Process Management

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This course focuses heavily on memory forensics. Doing a quick review of these concepts will prepare you to fully grasp the offensive techniques discussed later.

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Examine different memory management techniques
Review process scheduling algorithms
Explore common process management tools

Eight other activities

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Collaborate in Online Study Groups

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Discuss concepts, techniques, and experiences with other students to enhance your understanding and identify areas for improvement.

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Find or create a study group with peers
Establish meeting times and topics for discussion
Actively participate in discussions, sharing insights and asking questions

Practice Packet Analysis

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Performing packet analysis is a key skill for incident responders. Completing this activity will solidify this skill for you.

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Capture network traffic using Wireshark
Analyze captured packets using various filters
Identify common network attacks

Explore Incident Response Frameworks

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Incident response frameworks provide a structured approach to incident handling. Learning more about these frameworks will enhance your incident response skills.

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Research the NIST Cybersecurity Framework
Explore the ISO 27001/ISO 27002 standards
Examine other industry-specific frameworks

Explore Advanced Network Analysis Techniques

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Enhance your understanding of network scanning, traffic analysis, and intrusion detection systems to strengthen your incident response capabilities.

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Identify reputable sources for advanced network analysis tutorials
Follow the tutorials, practicing the techniques in a controlled environment
Document your findings and apply them to incident response scenarios

Develop an Incident Response Plan

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Creating an incident response plan will help you apply the concepts learned in this course to a real-world scenario.

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Identify potential risks and threats
Establish roles and responsibilities
Develop response procedures
Test and evaluate your plan

Mentor Junior Incident Responders

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Mentoring others will help you solidify your understanding of incident response concepts and enhance your communication skills.

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Identify a junior incident responder to mentor
Provide guidance and support
Share your knowledge and experience
Evaluate their progress and provide feedback

Seek Guidance from Experienced Incident Responders

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Having a mentor can provide you with valuable insights and support throughout your incident response journey.

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Identify potential mentors
Reach out and introduce yourself
Request their guidance and support
Maintain regular communication

Participate in Incident Response Competitions

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Participating in competitions will test your incident response skills in a practical and challenging environment.

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Identify and register for competitions
Prepare for the competition by practicing and studying
Participate in the competition and give your best effort
Review your performance and identify areas for improvement

Career center

Learners who complete Stages of Incident Response will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Incident Responder

If you're looking to become an Incident Responder, you will need to develop the ability to contain, investigate, and eradicate threats within the cybersecurity domain. This course will provide you with information on the various stages of incident response, including the preparation, identification, containment, investigation, eradication, and recovery stages. In addition, this course will help you build the technical skills needed to manage incidents effectively, including memory, network, and host analysis and forensics. This course will help build the foundational knowledge and skills needed to succeed in this role.

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Security Consultant

Security Consultants provide security advice and services to organizations. This course will provide you with the knowledge and skills you need to succeed in this role, including an understanding of the stages of incident response, how to identify and classify incidents, and how to contain, investigate, and eradicate threats. In addition, this course will help you build the technical skills needed to manage incidents effectively using a variety of tools and techniques.

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Incident Response Manager

Incident Response Managers are responsible for leading and managing incident response teams. This course will provide you with the knowledge and skills you need to succeed in this role, including an understanding of the stages of incident response, how to identify and classify incidents, and how to contain, investigate, and eradicate threats. In addition, this course will help you build the technical skills needed to manage incidents effectively using a variety of tools and techniques.

See salaries and explore the career path for Incident Response Manager

Digital Forensic Examiner

Digital Forensic Examiners are responsible for collecting, preserving, and analyzing digital evidence. This course will provide you with the knowledge and skills you need to succeed in this role, including an understanding of the stages of incident response, how to identify and classify incidents, and how to contain, investigate, and eradicate threats. In addition, this course will help you build the technical skills needed to manage incidents effectively using a variety of tools and techniques.

See salaries and explore the career path for Digital Forensic Examiner

Cybersecurity Engineer

Cybersecurity Engineers are responsible for designing, implementing, and maintaining cybersecurity systems. This course will provide you with the knowledge and skills you need to succeed in this role, including an understanding of the stages of incident response, how to identify and classify incidents, and how to contain, investigate, and eradicate threats. In addition, this course will help you build the technical skills needed to manage incidents effectively using a variety of tools and techniques.

See salaries and explore the career path for Cybersecurity Engineer

Security Analyst

Security Analysts are tasked with monitoring networks for suspicious activity, investigating security breaches, and responding to security incidents. This course will provide you with the knowledge and skills you need to succeed in this role, including an understanding of the stages of incident response, how to identify and classify incidents, and how to contain, investigate, and eradicate threats. In addition, this course will help you build the technical skills needed to manage incidents effectively using a variety of tools and techniques.

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Incident Handler

Incident Handlers are responsible for responding to and resolving security incidents. This course will provide you with the knowledge and skills you need to succeed in this role, including an understanding of the stages of incident response, how to identify and classify incidents, and how to contain, investigate, and eradicate threats. In addition, this course will help you build the technical skills needed to manage incidents effectively using a variety of tools and techniques.

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Information Security Manager

Information Security Managers are responsible for developing and implementing information security policies and procedures. This course will provide you with the knowledge and skills you need to succeed in this role, including an understanding of the stages of incident response, how to identify and classify incidents, and how to contain, investigate, and eradicate threats. In addition, this course will help you build the technical skills needed to manage incidents effectively using a variety of tools and techniques.

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Network Security Engineer

Network Security Engineers are responsible for designing, implementing, and maintaining network security systems. This course will provide you with the knowledge and skills you need to succeed in this role, including an understanding of the stages of incident response, how to identify and classify incidents, and how to contain, investigate, and eradicate threats. In addition, this course will help you build the technical skills needed to manage incidents effectively using a variety of tools and techniques.

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Computer Forensics Analyst

Computer Forensics Analysts are responsible for investigating computer crimes and recovering digital evidence. This course will provide you with the knowledge and skills you need to succeed in this role, including an understanding of the stages of incident response, how to identify and classify incidents, and how to contain, investigate, and eradicate threats. In addition, this course will help you build the technical skills needed to manage incidents effectively using a variety of tools and techniques.

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Malware Analyst

Malware Analysts are responsible for analyzing malware and developing countermeasures. This course will provide you with the knowledge and skills you need to succeed in this role, including an understanding of the stages of incident response, how to identify and classify incidents, and how to contain, investigate, and eradicate threats. In addition, this course will help you build the technical skills needed to manage incidents effectively using a variety of tools and techniques.

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Penetration Tester

Penetration Testers are responsible for testing the security of computer systems. This course will provide you with the knowledge and skills you need to succeed in this role, including an understanding of the stages of incident response, how to identify and classify incidents, and how to contain, investigate, and eradicate threats. In addition, this course will help you build the technical skills needed to manage incidents effectively using a variety of tools and techniques.

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Threat Intelligence Analyst

Threat Intelligence Analysts are responsible for gathering and analyzing threat intelligence. This course will provide you with the knowledge and skills you need to succeed in this role, including an understanding of the stages of incident response, how to identify and classify incidents, and how to contain, investigate, and eradicate threats. In addition, this course will help you build the technical skills needed to manage incidents effectively using a variety of tools and techniques.

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Vulnerability Analyst

Vulnerability Analysts are responsible for identifying and assessing vulnerabilities in computer systems. This course will provide you with the knowledge and skills you need to succeed in this role, including an understanding of the stages of incident response, how to identify and classify incidents, and how to contain, investigate, and eradicate threats. In addition, this course will help you build the technical skills needed to manage incidents effectively using a variety of tools and techniques.

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Forensic Accountant

Forensic Accountants investigate financial crimes and provide expert testimony in court. While this course won't provide all the skills needed for this role, it does provide a useful grounding in several areas, such as investigation and data analysis. This can get your foot in the door to this role.

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