Incident Detection and Response from Coursera

Course 7: Incident Detection and Response

Welcome to course seven, Incident Detection and Response. Having an intruder inside your systems for months unnoticed by your systems, administrators, security specialists, and end-users is tantamount to giving the intruder, the keys to your business or organization. In many cases, organizations discover that they have been subjected to a data breach when they are told by others that their private data has been offered for sale on the dark web. Many leading voices within the security profession state that we all must do better to detect the intruders in our myths. Many people even say that detecting intruders should be the priority for security professionals. Ransomware attacks have become a big business involving not only large scale extortion attacks, but also the sell of ransomware attack tools and services, as well as the exploitation of any data ex-filtrated during the breach. Government officials and industry professionals worldwide have been raising their voices about this new and very troubling variant in the business model of advanced persistent threat or APT attackers. In this chapter, we'll focus on intrusion and incident detection. Many of the tools, techniques, technologies, and ideas, you'll see here have already been examined in previous chapters. This course brings them together and begins by discussing the central theme of detecting the intruder. Model one uses the concepts of precursors and indicators, the signals that give us advanced warning and a genuine alert about a risk event and the indicators of compromise concept which are those signals that we're certain can only mean a hostile agent has gained access. Module two will extend these ideas and concepts around the idea of what to do after you've discovered a possible intrusion, expanding your understanding of incident response. Module three continues with a deeper look at supporting forensic investigations. Forensics is an evidence-based process of logically and dispassionately reasoning about a situation or an event. It's your inner child, looking at something and asking questions. Then following each of those questions with more questions, letting the facts that you find frame and shape your growing understanding of what happened, how why and where, who did it and what impacts it may have. With these questions answered you can circle back to reviewing risk mitigation controls to see which if any, need to be modified, replaced or augmented.

Course 7 Learning Objectives

After completing this course, the participant will be able to: 

L7.1 - Review the steps for monitoring, incident detection and data loss prevention using all-source intelligence.

L7.2 - Identify the elements of an incident response policy and members of the incident response team (IRT).

L7.3 - Classify the security professional’s role in supporting forensic investigations.

Course Agenda

Module 1: Operate All-source Intelligence for Monitoring and Incident Detection (Domain 3 - Risk Identification, Monitoring, and Analysis)

Module 2: Support Incident Lifecycle (Domain 4 - Incident Response and Recovery)

Module 3: Understand and Support Forensic Investigations (Domain 4 - Incident Response and Recovery)

Who Should Take This Course: Beginners

Experience Required: No prior experience required

What's inside

Syllabus

Module 1: Operate All-source Intelligence for Monitoring and Incident Detection

We saw in Chapter 5 the evolution from simple host-based intrusion detection, through network-based intrusion prevention and on to integrated security information and event management (SIEM) systems. Each step along this path was attempting to bring together every possible signal, from every element of an organization’s IT and OT architectures, and then analyze and exploit those signals to see if any were indicators of a possible attack or intrusion taking place. The goal of such a set of processes, the objective of gathering, collating and assessing all of that information, is to try to answer three questions:  What just happened to us?  What happened to us a while ago, but we didn’t notice it?  Is it too late to do anything about what happened in either case?  Part of that evolution to SIEMs and the next generation of intrusion detection and response systems (and the next generation after that) is the idea of all-source intelligence as the input and the process. This idea of using every possible piece of data from even the most unlikely of channels is nothing new; business forecasting and market analysis does it, national weather services do it and, of course, military and national security organizations have been doing it for years. These professions and many others know that transforming information into actionable intelligence, the kinds of conclusions and assertions on which leaders and managers can base their decision-making, requires as broad a spectrum of analysis approaches and ideas as the spread of the sources it observes.  All-source intelligence as a cybersecurity operation takes in far more than just monitoring. Monitoring in general involves observing the things you already know about: the systems, the endpoints, the people using them and the traffic on the networks. Monitoring is often about comparing observations to clip levels or alarm thresholds. As we’ll see, all-source intelligence as a process goes beyond monitoring; but it plays a vital role in enhancing the monitoring function, which still must be performed well.  No examination of monitoring or incident detection would be complete without looking at the compliance requirements that relate to it, and we’ll use that topic to bring the many threads of this module together. 

Traffic lights

Read about what's good

what should give you pause

and possible dealbreakers

Provides a solid knowledge base for those who want to become cybersecurity practitioners or network security professionals

Emphasizes tool and technology agnostic approaches to developing core security skills

Includes tools, techniques, and technologies used in the real world by security professionals

Designed for experienced professionals, particularly those interested in managerial positions

Reviews summary

Essential incident detection and forensic principles

According to students, this course provides a solid foundational understanding of incident detection, response, and forensic investigations. Learners appreciate its focus on highly relevant topics such as ransomware and advanced persistent threats, which are critical in today's cybersecurity landscape. The course is seen as a well-structured introduction for beginners in the field, covering all-source intelligence and the incident lifecycle effectively. While it offers a strong theoretical base, some indicate a desire for more hands-on activities to reinforce the concepts.

Valuable insights into supporting digital forensics.

"The module on forensic investigations gave me a much clearer picture of my role in supporting incident analysis."

"Understanding how evidence is gathered and analyzed was a key takeaway for me, very useful."

"I learned about the importance of proper preparation and procedures for forensic readiness."

Well-paced for those new to the subject matter.

"The instructor explained complex topics in a way that was easy for a beginner to grasp."

"I found the module structure logical and the pace comfortable, allowing me to digest the information."

"It breaks down incident response into manageable segments, which was great for someone with no prior experience."

Addresses current and critical cybersecurity threats.

"The focus on ransomware and APTs made the content feel very current and valuable for my role."

"I appreciated how the course connected theory to real-world scenarios and modern attack methods."

"It provided insights into threats I encounter daily, making the learning directly applicable."

Provides a strong base for new cybersecurity professionals.

"I found this course really helpful for building a strong foundation in incident response."

"As a beginner, I gained a clear understanding of core concepts like precursors and indicators of compromise."

"It perfectly covers the essential theories and processes needed to start in incident detection."

Strong theoretical base, but could benefit from more practical exercises.

"While the concepts are well explained, I wished for more hands-on labs or practical demos."

"The course is very informative, but I felt it lacked enough practical application of the tools and techniques."

"I would have preferred more opportunities to work with SIEMs or forensic tools directly."

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 Incident Detection and Response with these activities:

Security Awareness Training

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Reviewing the basics of security awareness will help you stay vigilant and protect yourself and your organization from common threats.

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Review security awareness materials and best practices.
Identify areas where you can improve your security awareness.
Implement new security measures in your daily routine.

Review intrusion detection fundamentals

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Brush up on the basics of intrusion detection to refresh your knowledge and ensure a solid foundation for this course.

Browse courses on Intrusion Detection

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Review concepts such as signatures, anomalies, and heuristics.
Go through examples of common intrusion detection techniques.
Practice identifying and classifying different types of intrusion attempts.

Participate in peer-to-peer learning discussions

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Engage with fellow learners in online forums or discussion groups to exchange insights, ask questions, and reinforce your understanding.

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Join an online forum or discussion group related to the course topic.
Actively participate in discussions, sharing your thoughts and perspectives.
Ask questions to clarify concepts and seek different viewpoints.
Provide constructive feedback to other participants.

Eight other activities

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Security Tools and Resources

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Create a comprehensive list of security tools and resources that you can use to enhance your security posture and stay up-to-date with the latest threats.

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Research and identify relevant security tools and resources.
Categorize and organize them based on their functionality and purpose.
Share the compilation with your team or other stakeholders.

Participate in Industry Meetups

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Networking can provide insights into how others are approaching your challenges and helps you to get help and resources from your peers.

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Identify relevant events and meetups in your area.
Attend events and engage with attendees.
Follow up and connect with people you meet for future reference.

Incident Response Discussion Group

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Engaging in discussions with peers will allow you to share knowledge, learn from others' experiences, and stay informed about best practices in incident response.

Browse courses on Incident Response

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Identify and join a relevant discussion group or forum.
Actively participate in discussions, ask questions, and share your insights.
Take notes and summarize key takeaways for future reference.

Explore advanced incident response techniques

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Enhance your incident response skills by following guided tutorials that cover advanced techniques and methodologies.

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Learn about threat hunting and proactive threat detection.
Practice conducting digital forensic investigations.
Develop a plan for incident recovery and business continuity.
Simulate and test your incident response capabilities.

Contribute to Open Source Security Projects

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Participating in open source security projects will not only enhance your technical skills but also provide valuable insights into real-world security challenges and solutions.

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Identify open source security projects that align with your interests.
Review the project's documentation and contribute to discussions.
Submit bug reports, feature requests, or code contributions.

Security Operations Testing

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Follow vendor provided walkthroughs on how to assess your situation. This will help you identify potential gaps or weaknesses in your security posture.

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Review vendor documentation for your tools and platforms.
Identify use cases that align with your needs.
Follow walkthroughs and identify any discrepancies or gaps.

Security Log Review

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Practice analyzing security logs to identify potential threats and incidents. This activity will improve your ability to detect and respond to security breaches in a timely manner.

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Gather sample security logs from various sources.
Use log analysis tools and techniques to review and identify suspicious patterns.
Document and escalate any potential threats or incidents.

Incident Response Plan

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Creating a comprehensive plan will make sure that you're prepared for different incidents and scenarios, and that you are able to respond quickly and efficiently.

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Review existing incident response frameworks and templates.
Customize the plan to fit your organization's specific needs and environment.
Share the plan with your team and stakeholders for feedback.

Career center

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

Incident Responder

Incident Responders investigate and resolve computer security incidents, such as data breaches and malware attacks.

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Digital Forensic Analyst

Digital Forensic Analysts investigate computer crimes by analyzing digital evidence, such as computer hard drives and mobile devices.

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Cybersecurity Analyst

Cybersecurity Analysts protect computer networks and systems from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, disruption, modification, or destruction.

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Security Analyst

Security Analysts collect and analyze information to identify security risks and vulnerabilities in computer systems and networks.

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Information Security Manager

Information Security Managers plan and carry out security measures to protect an organization’s computer networks and systems.

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Information Security Analyst

Information Security Analysts operate complex systems to detect and trace systems intrusions, prevent hacks while safeguarding software and data. This course gives you a head start with that by giving you a comprehensive outline of the field, such as the steps to monitor, incident detection, and data loss prevention using all-source intelligence. With this background, you are well-prepared to start developing your knowledge toward this career with this course.

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Systems Engineer

Systems Engineers analyze, design, and implement computer systems.

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Network Administrator

Network Administrators plan, implement, and maintain computer networks.

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Computer Systems Analyst

Computer Systems Analysts study an organization’s current computer systems and procedures, and design, implement, and maintain new or upgraded systems.

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Computer Network Architect

Computer Network Architects design, build, and maintain data communication networks, such as local area networks (LANs), and wide area networks (WANs). They also develop security measures to protect network systems.

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Database Administrator

Database Administrators are responsible for the performance, availability, and security of an organization’s databases.

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Technical Support Specialist

Technical Support Specialists provide technical assistance to computer users, such as troubleshooting and resolving their issues with hardware and software.

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Software Developer

Software Developers design, develop, and test software applications.

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Computer Hardware Engineer

Computer Hardware Engineers research, design, develop, and test computer systems and components such as processors, circuit boards, memory devices, and power supplies.

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Web Developer

Web Developers design and develop websites.

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