Overview

Delegates are provided with a Pearson Vue exam voucher for the CPIA examination as part of the course fee. This course prepares the student for a career in Incident Response and provides all of the tools and teaches the techniques needed by a practicing professional. This is the first cross discipline course of its' kind that covers the essential knowledge and skills needed for intrusion detection, incident handling, computer/network forensics and malware reverse engineering.
This course raises the bar and sets a new security baseline for aspiring Intrusion Analysis and Digital Forensics professionals. Every team member should take this course before embarking upon their very own, more specialised, career path.
You will learn how to detect an attack, how to handle it, how to trace and acquire the evidence, investigate, analyse and re-construct the incident. We then lay the groundwork for malware analysis by presenting the key tools and techniques malware analysts use to examine malicious programs. Quizzes and tests throughout, with feedback, re-enforce the knowledge and prepare you for the CPIA multiple choice exam.
Following this course a student may challenge the CREST core skills exam resulting in the CREST Practitioner Intrusion Analyst (CPIA) professional qualification, which is a pre-requisite for the CREST Registered Intrusion Analyst (CRIA) professional qualification. The CRIA exam can be challenged later, once more experience has been gained in real life scenarios.

Target Audience

  • Aspiring information security personnel who wish to be part of an incident response team
  • Existing practitioners wishing to become CREST Registered
  • System administrators who are responding to attacks
  • Incident handlers who wish to expand their knowledge into Digital Forensics
  • Government departments who wish to raise and baseline skills across all security teams
  • Law enforcement officers or detectives who want to expand their investigative skills
  • Information security managers who would like to brush up on the latest techniques and processes in order to understand information security implications
  • Anyone meeting the pre-requisites who is considering a career in Intrusion Analysis or Digital Forensics
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Prerequisites

A good appreciation of the technical aspects of ICT and one year’s experience in network / server technical administration / operations. QACYSEC – Cyber Security Bootcamp is recommended.

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Structure

The course consists of six modules:

  • Module 1 – Soft Skills and Incident Handling
  • Module 2 – Core Technical Skills
  • Module 3 – Background Information Gathering & Open Source
  • Module 4 – Network Intrusion Analysis
  • Module 5 – Analysing Host Intrusions
  • Module 6 – Reverse Engineering Malware
  • Module 7 – CPIA exam preparation, CPIA mock exam

Assessment

Continual assessment, with topic quizzes and module tests, ensure that you understand the knowledge and learn the skills delivered in each module.

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Course Outline

MODULE 1 - Soft Skills and Incident Handling

  • Engagement Lifecycle Management
  • Incident Chronology
  • Law & Compliance
  • Record Keeping, Interim Reporting & Final Results
  • Threat Assessment

MODULE 2 - Core Technical Skills

  • IP Protocols
  • Network Architectures
  • Common Classes of Tools
  • OS Fingerprinting
  • Application Fingerprinting
  • Network Access Control Analysis
  • Cryptography
  • Applications of Cryptography
  • File System Permissions
  • Host Analysis Techniques
  • Understanding Common Data Formats

MODULE 3 - Background Information Gathering & Open Source

  • Registration Records
  • Domain Name Server (DNS)
  • Open Source Investigation and Web Enumeration
  • Extraction of Document Meta Data
  • Community Knowledge

MODULE 4 - Network Intrusion Analysis

  • Network Traffic Capture
  • Data Sources and Network Log Sources
  • Network Configuration Security Issues
  • Unusual Protocol Behaviour
  • Beaconing
  • Encryption
  • Command and Control Channels
  • Exfiltration of Data
  • Incoming Attacks
  • Reconnaissance
  • Internal Spread and Privilege Escalation
  • False Positive Acknowledgement

MODULE 5 - Analysing Host Intrusions

  • Host-Based Data Acquisition
  • Live Analysis Laboratory Set-up
  • Windows File System Essentials
  • Windows File Structures
  • Application File Structures
  • Windows Registry Essentials
  • Identifying Suspect Files
  • Storage Media
  • Memory Analysis
  • Infection Vectors
  • Malware Behaviours and Anti-Forensics
  • Rootkit Identification
  • Live Malware Analysis

MODULE 6 - Reverse Engineering Malware

  • Windows Anti-Reverse Engineering
  • Functionality Identification
  • Windows NT Architecture
  • Windows API Development
  • Binary code structure
  • Cryptographic Techniques
  • Processor Architectures
  • Windows Executable File Formats
  • Hiding Techniques
  • Malware Reporting
  • Binary Obfuscation
  • Behavioural Analysis

MODULE 7 - CPIA Exam Preparation & Mock Exam

  • CPIA- Examination Guidance
  • CPIA- Mock Examination

EXAM - Booked directly via CREST

The CREST Practitioner Intrusion Analyst (CPIA) examination is an entry level qualification that tests a candidate’s knowledge in all three subject areas of network intrusion, host intrusion and malware reverse engineering at a basic level below that of the main

Registered and Certified qualifications.

Success will confer the CREST Practitioner status to the individual. This qualification is a prerequisite for the CREST Registered Intrusion Analyst (CRIA) examination and comprises a multiple choice written only examination.

CREST Accredited Training

CREST has assessed and accredited this training course confirming alignment with 100% of the CREST CPIA exam syllabus.

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QA are proud to be an approved CREST training provider.

Dates & Locations

Cyber Security learning paths

Want to boost your career in cyber security? Click on the roles below to see QA's learning pathways, specially designed to give you the skills to succeed.

Required Star = Required
Certification = Certification
Application Security
Cloud Security
Information Security Management
Security Risk
Cyber Tech Generalist
DFIR Digital Forensics & Incident Response
Industrial Controls & OT Security
NIST Pathway
OffSec
Privacy Professional
Security Auditor
Secure Coding
Cyber Blue Team
Vulnerability Assessment & Penetration Testing
Emerging Tech Security
Reverse Engineer
Security Architect

Cyber Defensive Operations learning paths

Want to boost your career in Cyber Defensive Operations? View QA's learning pathways below, specially designed to give you the skills to succeed.

Required Star = Required
Certification = Certification
Cyber Blue Team
DFIR Digital Forensics & Incident Response
Cyber Tech Generalist

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