In today’s digital battlefield, cyber incidents are not a matter of if, but when. From ransomware and phishing attacks to insider threats, organizations must be prepared with effective incident response frameworks and structured response strategies to minimize operational disruption and security impact. The ability to respond quickly and effectively can mean the difference between containment and catastrophe.
This incident response cybersecurity course is designed to equip learners with the tools, strategies, and practical knowledge needed to implement industry best practices for cyber incident response and develop a structured incident response plan that organizations can follow during critical security events.
Learners will explore leading cyber incident response frameworks, including the NIST incident response framework and SANS incident response framework, and understand how these models are applied in real-world cybersecurity operations. The course also examines how to integrate incident response plans into existing IT Service Management environments and broader cybersecurity solutions.
Through expert guidance, applied examples, and real-world scenarios, participants will learn what is incident response in cyber security, how to create a cyber attack incident response plan, coordinate response teams, manage recovery efforts, and continuously improve organizational response capabilities.
Designed for cybersecurity engineers, Service Desk Analysts, Service Desk Managers, IT Managers, and professionals involved in operational security, this incident response training course provides practical, real-world exposure to handling major cybersecurity incidents effectively.
Participants should have a foundational understanding of IT Service Management, the ITIL pillars of Incident, Problem, Change, and Request Management, and familiarity with common cybersecurity events and operations.
By the end of the course, learners will be able to explain the foundations of cyber incident response, compare major incident response frameworks, build tailored incident response plans, and evaluate response effectiveness to strengthen long-term organizational resilience.
Overview
Syllabus
- Course Introduction
- In this course, you’ll learn how to respond confidently to major cybersecurity incidents using industry-standard frameworks like NIST and SANS. You’ll practice identifying incidents, coordinating response efforts, and building structured plans that integrate smoothly with IT Service Management workflows. Through clear examples and practical guidance, you’ll develop the skills to contain threats, recover systems, and improve your organisation’s readiness over time. By the end, you’ll be equipped to step into incident response roles and act decisively when a real attack hits.
- Defining the Problem
- In this module we will look at defining the problem of what a major cybersecurity incident is and why it is important to our businesses to have a plan in place to manage these issues when they arise. We will cover key terminology that we will need for future sections, as well as what industry frameworks we will use to populate the requirements as we go. Finally, we will look at why having a major incident process in place before a cybersecurity incident is key to limiting damage, halting the attack, and recovering as quickly as possible.
- Cybersecurity Incident Management Frameworks
- This module is designed to provide participants with a comprehensive understanding of key cybersecurity incident management frameworks, including NIST, and SANS. The module aims to equip learners with the knowledge and skills necessary to effectively manage and respond to cybersecurity incidents.
- Developing a Cyber Incident Response Plan (CIRP)
- A Cyber Incident Response Plan (CIRP) is a crucial document and associated process for IT and cybersecurity departments within a business. It provides a clearly defined process for handling any major cybersecurity event including, but not limited to, security breaches, data leaks, malware attacks, and other disruptions. In this module we will look at how to build out a CIRP specific to your business and how it can help minimize damage, reduce downtime, and protect an organization's reputation.
- Implementing a Cyber Incident Response Plan
- This module will guide you through the essential steps of implementing an effective cyber incident response plan. It aims to equip you with the knowledge and skills needed to swiftly and efficiently address major cybersecurity incidents. From making the plan available to practical hands-on training, and improving the plan over time, you'll learn how to deploy a successful CIRP, ensuring your organization can minimize damage and recover quickly from cyber threats.
- Course Conclusion
- In this wrap-up module, you’ll apply everything you’ve learned by creating a practical implementation plan for a full cybersecurity incident response process. This final project brings the core concepts together and shows your ability to design, document, and prepare an organisation for effective incident response.
Taught by
Starweaver and Brett Moffett
