Ops 401: Cybersecurity Engineering

Course Information

• Course Level: Ops 401

Course Prerequisites

• Ops 101
• Ops 102
• Ops 201
• Ops 301

Students with previous relevant or equivalent experience can test out of this requirement in their application.

Course Description

Ready to kickstart your exciting career in cyber security operations (SecOps)? In this intensive course, delve into critical topics like cyber frameworks, data encryption, cloud security, network security, threat modeling, shell scripting, vulnerability scanning, and incident response. Gain valuable ethical hacker skills in penetration testing, and show off your awesome new abilities in two resume-enhancing projects!

Designed to prepare you for today’s most in-demand security skills, this hands-on course emphasizes practical SecOps. Students will gain cutting-edge skills by analyzing systems vulnerabilities, implementing defenses against common threats, and using industry-relevant tooling.

Certification

This course will substantially prepare you for achieving the learning objectives of CompTIA Security+ certification. This course covers significant aspects of all six domains required for Security+.

• 1.0 Threats, Attacks, and Vulnerabilities
• 2.0 Technologies and Tools
• 3.0 Architecture and Design
• 4.0 Identity and Access Management
• 5.0 Risk management
• 6.0 Cryptography and PKI

Students register for the CompTIA Security+ SY0-601 during course prework, and take the exam during the final module. The student’s resulting score from taking CompTIA Security+ SY0-601 is then factored into the final grade for this course. Passing this course is largely contingent upon passing CompTIA Security+ SY0-601.

Required Materials

Reading Materials

Sybex CompTIA Security+ Study Guide (includes access to online practice exams)

Personal Computer/Laptop

By the start of the first class, you will need a working computer, meeting the school-specified requirements.

Ops Lab Kit

The Ops course Lab Kit will include a second computer and additional tools for lab.

Internet Connection

Each student is responsible for their access to the internet for purposes of this course and for research. Internet access is a required component of this course and will not be accepted as an excuse for missed work. If you know that you will be traveling, then make sure you plan accordingly.

Applications

• Zoom Video Conferencing Software
• The latest version of Google Chrome
• Visual Studio Code

Program Learning Outcomes

At the end of this course, you will be prepared for a career in Cyber Security

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon satisfactory completion of this course, a student should be able to:

Describe and Define

Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC)

• Cybersecurity frameworks (e.g. SOC2)
• CIA triad
• Systems hardening
• Risk analysis, assessment, and reporting
• Security compliance and auditing

Data Security

• Data classification
• Data loss prevention (DLP)
• Data privacy concepts and regulation (GDPR, CCPA)
• Encryption standards
• Password security
• Protecting data at rest and in transit
• Public Key Infrastructure (PKI)
• SSL/TLS

SecOps Foundations

• Threat detection with IDS, SIEM
• Incident response lifecycle
• Indicators of compromise (IOC)
• SIEM deployment and operation
• SIEM log and event analysis
• SIEM troubleshooting, data ingestion, query writing
• Threat hunting techniques

Cloud Security

• Cloud identity and access management
• Cloud security in AWS
• Data loss prevention (DLP)
• Intrusion detection & prevention systems (IDS/IPS, Snort)
• Network traffic analysis
• Virtual private cloud (VPC)
• AWS native tooling (e.g. AWS CloudTrail)

Threat Modeling and Analysis

• Tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs)
• Cyber Kill-Chain
• MITRE ATT&CK
• OWASP
• STRIDE
• Threat Modeling
• Data flow diagrams

SecOps: Threat Hunting

• Malware detection with YARA rules, VirusTotal API
• Malware traffic analysis
• Forensic investigation
• Threat hunting with Zeek, RITA

AppSec and Vulnerability Analysis

• Web app scanning and exploitation with Burp Suite, w3af, OWASP ZAP
• CVE, CVSS
• Vulnerability scanning tools, e.g. Nessus
• Network and application vulnerability scans and assessments
• Scanner output handling, false positives, prioritization
• Vulnerability risk rating
• Vulnerability types and concepts

Penetration Testing

• Enumeration
• Exploitation
• Impact analysis
• Investigation and intelligence collection
• Legal considerations in pentest scoping
• Nmap, metasploit, datasploit
• OSINT
• Penetration test lifecycle
• Planning
• Scoping
• Target profiling and evaluation

Execute

• Assess risk using quantitative or qualitative methods
• Document risk mitigations and perform security compliance audits
• Take a security project all the way from conceptual requirements to technical implementation
• Apply modern cryptographic principles to protect data at rest and in transit
• Use data loss prevention (DLP) tools
• Perform threat analysis and threat modeling using various tools such as STRIDE, cyber kill-chain, and MITRE ATT&CK
• Explore web application security
• Administer anti-malware systems and various security tools
• Analyze IT systems security with vulnerability scanning
• Perform penetration testing
• Configure an intrusion detection/prevention system (IDS/IPS)
• Performing incident response operations and SIEM event monitoring
• Deploy configure, and query a SIEM
• Oversee cloud security efforts using AWS native tooling

Resources / Downloads

All required downloads of large files will be listed within the class schedule (below) to help you prepare for each class lab activity. It is your responsibility to:

• Maintain a reliable high speed internet connection.
• Maintain adequate hard drive space on your lab kit PC.
• Download the required files in a timely fashion, preferably well in advance of the class you'll be using it.

If you encounter issues downloading the required files for a class, troubleshoot the issue with your instructor outside of lecture. Your instructor will be responsible for maintaining working download links.

To avoid lengthy software installation and setup times, many of the required virtual machines used in this course have been prepared for you in advance. Unlike Ops 301, required infrastructure will commonly be provided to you by way of OVA files, unless the installation and setup of the infrastructure is a part of the learning objectives for the day.

It is generally a good idea to maintain a "core lab" in VirtualBox representing the key elements of a cyber range throughout the course and even past graduation:

• PfSense Router/Firewall
• Windows Server 2019 Domain Controller
• Windows 10 Endpoint (Domained)
• Ubuntu Server 20.10 Web Server
• Ubuntu Server 20.10 GitHub Repository Development Box
• Ubuntu Desktop 20.10 Threat Hunter/IDS Machine
• Kali Linux Attacker Box

Several labs and projects in Ops 401 require an AWS account and free tier hours to avoid incurring charges. It will be your responsibility to maintain and shut down cloud machines in a timely fashion to avoid incurring charges on AWS. Note that creating instances in EC2 involves the use of AMIs (Amazon Machine Images) and not OVAs.

Files customized for this course are intended for students and should not be shared/distributed beyond this class.

Course Schedule

This course is composed of 8 modules, each module with its own theme and 2 projects....

Please refer to the downloads table at the bottom of this document to find the downloadable resources you will need for each lab.

Module 1 Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC)

Class #	Topic	Lab
01	Strategic Policy Development	Scenario: Policy Development + Automated Compliance
02	Cloud Security Principles and Frameworks	Scenario: IaaS Provider Recommendation based on SOC2 Compliance
03	Cyber Risk Analysis	Scenario: Create risk assessment report for client
04	Systems Hardening with CIS Standards	Deploy and harden a Windows 2019 server to EC2
05	Career Coaching Workshop	Resume Review

Module 2 Data Security

Class #	Topic	Lab
06	Data File Encryption and Hashing	Transfer files securely between computers
07	Protecting Data at Rest	Full Disc Encryption on Windows and Linux
08	DLP and Classification	Implement Data Lost Prevention & Data Classification Solution
09	Public Key Infrastructure (PKI)	Use PKI in Windows and Linux to send and decrypt messages
10	Career Coaching Workshop	Personal Pitch

Module 3 Security Operations

Class #	Topic	Lab
11	Foundational SIEM Operations	Deploy and use SIEM Solution (Splunk)
12	Log Analysis with Splunk	Scenario: Search log data using splunk
13	Reconstructing a Cloud Attack Using Log Data	Scenario: Use Splunk to trace/re-create an attack
14	Intrusion Detection and Prevention Systems (IDS/IPS)	Deploy IDS/IPS and trigger rules
15	Career Coaching Workshop	Targeted Job Search/Negotiations

Module 4 Cloud Security

Class #	Topic	Lab
16	Cloud Identity and Access Management (IAM) with AWS	Configure users & groups via CLI
17	Cloud Network Security	Manage AWS networking and security
18	Cloud Logging and Monitoring	Enable logs and triggers in AWS
19	Cloud Detective Controls	Configure Amazon Guard Duty and logging triggers
20	Project Prep	Team Building, Planning

Module 5 Midterm Project

Module 6 Threat Modeling and Analysis

Class #	Topic	Lab
26	Remote Code Execution	Reproduce attack, fix with RCE Script
27	Persistence	Keep open shell connection with remote computer
28	Log Clearing	Reproduce and then mitigate a log clearing attack
29	Modeling a Web Application	Scenario: Threat modeling and DFD
30	Career Coaching Workshop	Behavioral Interviews

Module 7 Threat Hunting

Class #	Topic	Lab
31	Threat Hunting with YARA	Write and test YARA rules
32	Malware Traffic Analysis with Wireshark	Find malicious attack with Wireshark; Incident Reporting
33	Threat Hunting with Zeek, RITA	Active Countermeasures Threat Hunting Scenarios
34	Forensic Investigation with Autopsy	Post Mortem analysis of hard drive using Autopsy
35	Career Coaching Workshop	Technical Interviews

Module 8 Web Application Security

Class #	Topic	Lab
36	XSS with w3af, DVWA	Scan a web app using w3af
37	Automated AppSec with OWASP ZAP	Use ZAP to crawl and brute force attack a web app
38	Attacking Juice Shop with Burp Suite	Using Burp Suite to probe an app
39	SQLi with Burp Suite, Web Goat	Practice SQL Injection through scenarios
40	Career Coaching Workshop	Personal Presentation

Module 9 Penetration Testing

Class #	Topic	Lab
41	Reconnaissance with Maltego	Information gathering with Maltego
42	Pass the Hash with Mimikatz	Practice & Document a "pash the hash" attack
43	Traffic Sniffing with Ettercap	Implement a man-in-the-middle attack via spoofing
44	Pentest Practice 1 of 2	Scenario: Use metasploit to gather information and start attack plan
45	Pentest Practice 2 of 2	Scenario: Gather information, report findings

Module 10 Final Project

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Downloads Table

Files are either hosted externally by the source (for example, kali.org hosts Kali Linux ISO) or hosted by Code Fellows using iCloud (Mirror 1) or Google Drive (Mirror 2). You may be prompted to create a free user account for the corresponding service in order to download the hosted files.

Note that "Mirror 2" is an alternative source for downloading the same file. Use the Mirror 2 download link if the primary download link, Mirror 1, does not work. You do not need to download both the Mirror 1 and Mirror 2 for a given class; they are the same file. If none of the provided download links work, contact your instructor for assistance.

Occasionally an OS installer ISO is listed for the class, which indicates that the listed OS is required for the lab. For ISO files, you do not need to download more than one copy to a local computer. Many of these you likely already have saved locally if you completed previous prerequisite coursework with Code Fellows.

Class	File	Size	Mirror 1	Mirror 2
Class 1	SOC 2 Policy Docs	9 KB	Download	---
Class 2	Cloud Security Policy Template PDF	813 KB	Download	---
Class 3	CyHy Sample Report_508C.pdf	1.65 MB	Download	---
	Risk Assessment Worksheet.xlsx	410 KB	Download	---
Class 5	class-05-cryptor.ova	2.63 GB	Download	---
	Win10 VM	5.81 GB	Download	---
	Windows Media Creation Tool	18.5 MB	Download	---
	7-Zip Installer	1414 KB	Download	---
Class 7	Ubuntu Linux Desktop 20.10 ISO	2.7 GB	Download	---
Class 8	FileZilla FTP Client Installer	13.5 MB	Download	---
	Win10 VM	5.81 GB	Download---
Class 9	Gpg4win 3.1.13 Installer	13.5 MB	Download	---
	Win10 VM	5.81 GB	Download---
Class 10	class-10-target.ova	855 MB	Download	---
	ADHD4-sha1.ova	6.0 GB	Download	---
Class 11-13	Class-11-13-SIEM.ova	2 GB	Download	---
Class 14	Class-14-hunter3.ova	4 GB	Download	---
Class 15	Metasploitable 1	545 MB	Download	---
Class 26	term2-baseline-lab-v5.zip (Contains winserv2019-dc1, pfsense-corpnet, siem.ova): Grab this bundle, or each OVA individually from below	39 GB	Download
	README.txt - Includes login / network config details	1.37 KB	Download	Download
	Kali Linux 64-bit Image (Attacker VM)	4.0 GB	Download
	win10-v2.ova (Single VM, fresh Win10 image)	5.81 GB	Download	Download
	ids.ova (Single VM with Snort)	9.88 GB	Download	Download
	winserv2019-dc1.ova (Single VM)	9.36 GB	Download	Download
	pfsense-corpnet.ova (Single VM)	748 MB	Download	Download
	siem.ova (Single VM with Splunk)	13.5 GB	Download	Download
Class 29	Microsoft Threat Modeling Tool	16.2 KB	Download	---
Class 30	Metasploitable 3	7 GB	Download	Download
Class 31	class-31-34-flare-vm-v2.ova	21.3 GB	Download	Download
Class 33	Rita VM	8 GB	Download	---
	sample-1500.pcap	1.6 GB	Download	---
	sample-500.pcap	832 MB	Download	---
	sample-200.pcap	523 MB	Download	---
Class 35	class-35-webserv.ova	491 MB	Download	Download
Class 36	class-36-39-security-dojo.ova	5.82 GB	Download	Download
Class 40	Kali Linux 64-bit Image	4 GB	Download	---
	class-40-target.ova	646 MB	Download	---
Class 42	class-42-target1-win7.ova	7.22 GB	Download	---
	class-42-target2-win7 2.ova	6.15 GB	Download	---
Class 44	class-44-target.ova	855 MB	Download	---
Class 45	class-45-target.ova	7.01 GB	Download	---

Downloads by Module

The following is a more detailed breakdown of required VMs and downloads for each class. If you're wondering "Can I delete the VM from today?" take a look at here to see what's coming up next in terms of required downloads. Links to download mirrors will not be provided here; see the above table for all download mirrors.

Module 1 Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC)

• Class 1
  • SOC 2 Policy Docs Templates by Blissfully.zip
• Class 2
  • Cloud Security Policy Template PDF
• Class 3
  • CyHy Sample Report_508C.pdf
  • Risk Assessment Worksheet.xlsx
• Class 4
  • No downloads
• Class 5
  • A Windows 10 VM is required for this Ops Challenge. This can be installed with any of the below options:
    • Media Creation Tool
    • MSEdge on Win10 (x64) Stable 1809 6.75GB Download
  • 7-Zip Installer 1414KB Download

Module 2 Data Security

• Class 6
  • No downloads
• Class 7
  • A Windows 10 VM and Ubuntu Linux Desktop VM are required for this lab
• Class 8
  • A Windows 10 VM is required for this lab
  • FileZilla Download
• Class 9
  • A Windows 10 VM is required for this lab
  • Gpg4win 3.1.13 Download
• Class 10
  • A Kali Linux VM is required for this lab

Module 3 Security Operations 1

• Class 11
  • Class-11-13-splunkserv.ova (10 GB)
• Class 12
  • No downloads, uses the OVA from Class 11
• Class 13
  • No downloads, uses the OVA from Class 11
• Class 14
  • Ubuntu IDS OVA
• Class 15
  • This Ops Challenge requires Kali Linux.
  • Metasploitable 1 OVA

Module 4 Cloud Security

• Class 16
  • No downloads
• Class 17
  • No downloads
• Class 18
  • No downloads
• Class 19
  • No downloads
• Class 20
  • No downloads

Module 5 Midterm Project

Module 6 Threat Modeling and Analysis

• Class 26
  • Term 2 Baseline Lab
• Class 27
  • Term 2 Baseline Lab
• Class 28
  • Term 2 Baseline Lab
• Class 29
  • Microsoft Threat Modeling Tool
• Class 30
  • The following VMs are used in this Ops Challenge:
    • Kali Linux
    • Metasploitable 3
    • Windows 10

Module 7 Threat Hunting

• Class 31
  • The FLARE VM is required for this lab
• Class 32
  • The FLARE VM is required for this lab
• Class 33
  • This lab will have you analyze some PCAP files from Active Countermeasures. Download these to a VM where you've installed Zeek, RITA, and Wireshark.
    • sample-1500.pcap (1.6 GB)
    • sample-500.pcap (832 MB)
    • sample-200.pcap (523 MB)
• Class 34
  • The FLARE VM is required for this lab
• Class 35
  • class-35-webserv.ova (491 MB)

Module 8 Web Application Security

• Class 36
  • class-36-39-security-dojo.ova
• Class 37
  • The class-36-39-security-dojo.ova is required for this lab
• Class 38
  • The class-36-39-security-dojo.ova is required for this lab
• Class 39
  • The class-36-39-security-dojo.ova is required for this lab
• Class 40
  • Kali VM
  • class-40-target.ova

Module 9 Penetration Testing

• Class 41
  • This lab requires a Kali VM.
• Class 42
  • class-42-target1-win7.ova
  • class-42-target2-win7.ova
• Class 43
  • This lab requires a Kali VM and class-42-target2-win7.ova
• Class 44
  • class-44-target.ova
• Class 45
  • class-45-target.ova

Module 10 Final Project