Professional Cybersecurity and Digital Forensics Training

Course Description

This course provides a comprehensive understanding of cybersecurity and digital forensics, focusing on protecting systems, networks, and data while effectively investigating cyber incidents. Students will explore core principles and practices of cybersecurity, including threat detection, risk management, and incident response. The course also delves into digital forensics, covering techniques for preserving, analyzing, and presenting digital evidence in legal and investigative contexts. It emphasizes compliance with relevant laws, regulations, and industry standards for both cybersecurity and forensics.

Course Objectives

To introduce students to the principles and best practices of cybersecurity and digital forensics.
To teach students how to detect, mitigate, and manage cybersecurity threats and vulnerabilities.
To provide skills for conducting thorough and legally compliant digital forensic investigations.
To familiarize students with tools and techniques for protecting systems and analyzing digital evidence.
To explain the role of governance, risk, and compliance in cybersecurity and forensics.
To equip students with the ability to document, report, and present findings professionally.

Course Outcome

Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:

Understand the principles of cybersecurity and digital forensics.
Identify and mitigate cybersecurity threats using appropriate techniques and tools.
Investigate cyber incidents and preserve digital evidence for legal or organizational purposes.
Use risk management strategies to enhance cybersecurity resilience.
Comply with laws, regulations, and standards relevant to cybersecurity and digital forensics.
Develop professional reports and presentations based on forensic findings.

Course Aim

The aim of this course is to prepare students with the skills and knowledge to safeguard digital assets, respond to cybersecurity incidents, and conduct professional digital forensic investigations. The training is designed to ensure participants are equipped to address real-world challenges while adhering to professional standards and legal requirements.

Course Content

Module 1: Introduction to Cybersecurity and Digital Forensics

Overview of cybersecurity and digital forensics
Importance of cybersecurity in today’s digital landscape
Types of cyber threats and attack vectors
Role of digital forensics in incident response

Module 2: Cybersecurity Foundations

Cybersecurity frameworks and standards (e.g., NIST, ISO 27001)
Security controls: preventive, detective, corrective
Access control methods and network security basics
Threat detection and monitoring tools

Module 3: Digital Forensics Principles

Digital evidence: collection, preservation, and chain of custody
Forensic tools and methodologies (e.g., EnCase, FTK, Autopsy)
File system analysis and metadata extraction
Fundamentals of forensic reporting and legal considerations

Module 4: Incident Response and Risk Management

Incident response lifecycle (preparation, detection, containment, eradication, recovery)
Cyber risk assessment and management strategies
Business continuity and disaster recovery planning
Reporting and documenting incidents

Module 5: Advanced Cybersecurity Techniques

Vulnerability assessment and penetration testing
Secure system and network architecture design
Cyber threat intelligence and proactive defense strategies
Security for emerging technologies (cloud, IoT, AI)

Module 6: Digital Forensics Tools and Techniques

Forensic imaging and analysis
Recovering deleted files and data reconstruction
Network forensics and traffic analysis
Email, mobile, and social media forensics

Module 7: Legal and Ethical Considerations

Cyber laws and regulations (e.g., GDPR, HIPAA, PCI DSS)
Ethical hacking and the role of penetration testers
Compliance requirements in cybersecurity and forensics
Legal admissibility of digital evidence

Module 8: Emerging Trends in Cybersecurity and Forensics

AI and machine learning in cybersecurity
Cloud forensics and securing virtual environments
Cryptocurrency and blockchain forensics
Handling advanced persistent threats (APTs)