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Cloud Security Fundamentals for Federal Employees

Overview

With agency workloads moving steadily to the cloud, the workforce as a whole needs a working sense of where cloud security parts company with traditional on-premises security. This foundational course covers cloud service models, the part FedRAMP plays in federal cloud governance, and the shared responsibility model that splits security duties between provider and agency.

From there participants take up identity and data protection, secure configuration, vulnerability management, and cloud monitoring and incident reporting, finishing with a capstone that evaluates a federal cloud service. The live format suits a mixed-experience audience, since the instructor can pitch each topic to the room.

Syllabus

Module 1: Federal Cloud Concepts and Service Models

Review cloud computing fundamentals and compare Infrastructure as a Service, Platform as a Service, and Software as a Service models for federal use.

Module 2: Federal Cloud Governance and FedRAMP Fundamentals

Examine how FedRAMP establishes standardized security assessment, authorization, and continuous monitoring requirements for federal cloud services.

Module 3: Shared Responsibility and Agency Accountability

Define security responsibilities across cloud service providers and federal agencies and identify areas of shared accountability.

Module 4: Identity, Access, and Data Protection in the Cloud

Apply identity and access management principles and data protection practices within federal cloud environments.

Module 5: Secure Cloud Configuration and Vulnerability Management

Implement secure configuration, system hardening, vulnerability scanning, and remediation practices for cloud services.

Module 6: Cloud Monitoring, Incident Reporting, and Risk Response

Monitor cloud environments, report security incidents, and coordinate risk response activities between providers and agencies.

Module 7: Evaluating a Federal Cloud Service Capstone

Assess a cloud service for federal use by evaluating its service model, security responsibilities, controls, monitoring capabilities, and risk considerations.