CyberOps Associate

Organizations of every size rely on digital systems and networks that are continuously targeted by malware, phishing, insider threats, and increasingly automated attacks. To protect operations, data, and customers, teams need entry-level analysts who can recognize suspicious activity, understand how operating systems and networks behave, and follow established security policies and response procedures. This training builds the foundational knowledge and practical analysis skills required to triage alerts, interpret logs and network traffic, and support incident response within a Security Operations Center (SOC). It also prepares learners for the Cisco Certified Cybersecurity Associate certification and helps establish a common language aligned with the NICE Cybersecurity Workforce Framework.

Knowledge

• Core cybersecurity concepts, terminology, and common threat actors, motivations, and impacts.
• Fundamentals of Windows and Linux operating systems relevant to security monitoring and investigation.
• Networking foundations: Ethernet, IPv4/IPv6 addressing, ARP, transport-layer concepts, and common network services (DHCP, DNS, NAT, HTTP, email).
• Security infrastructure concepts, including security devices, services, and defense-in-depth principles.
• Common threats and attacks (e.g., malware, reconnaissance, social engineering, denial of service, evasion) and how they manifest in logs and network traffic.
• Foundational cryptography concepts (integrity, authenticity, confidentiality, PKI) and endpoint protection approaches.
• Security governance basics: policies, regulations, standards, access control/AAA, and threat intelligence sources.

Skills

• Use basic host and network troubleshooting/verification utilities (e.g., ping, traceroute) to validate connectivity and support investigations.
• Interpret common log sources and security data (endpoint logs, network logs) and identify indicators of compromise.
• Perform basic host-based analysis on Windows and Linux systems to support alert triage.
• Perform basic network intrusion analysis by examining protocol behavior and traffic patterns.
• Evaluate and prioritize security alerts using a structured workflow (context, severity, confidence, and potential impact).
• Apply fundamental security controls (access control concepts, endpoint protections, cryptography use cases) to reduce risk.
• Follow security procedures and escalation paths typical of a Security Operations Center (SOC).

Competences

• Operate with a SOC analyst mindset by combining threat awareness, situational context, and evidence-based decision-making.
• Communicate findings clearly (what was observed, why it matters, and recommended next steps) to support incident handling.
• Work safely and professionally with sensitive security data, following organizational policy and compliance requirements.
• Collaborate within a response process (triage → analysis → escalation/containment support) to reduce time-to-detect and time-to-respond.
• Demonstrate readiness for entry-level SOC roles aligned to the NICE Workforce Framework by applying consistent cybersecurity language and practices.

Module 1: The Danger
Module 2: Fighters in the War Against Cybercrime
Module 3: The Windows Operating System
Module 4: Linux Overview
Module 5: Network Protocols
Module 6: Ethernet and Internet Protocol (IP)
Module 7: Connectivity Verification
Module 8: Address Resolution Protocol
Module 9: The Transport Layer
Module 10: Network Services
Module 11: Network Communication Devices
Module 12: Network Security Infrastructure
Module 13: Attackers and Their Tools
Module 14: Common Threats and Attacks
Module 15: Network Monitoring and Tools
Module 16: Attacking the Foundation
Module 17: Attacking What We Do
Module 18: Understanding Defense
Module 19: Access Control
Module 20: Threat Intelligence
Module 21: Cryptography
Module 22: Endpoint Protection
Module 23: Endpoint Vulnerability Assessment
Module 24: Technologies and Protocols
Module 25: Network Security Data
Module 26: Evaluating Alerts
Module 27: Working with Network Security Data
Module 28: Digital Forensics and Incident Analysis and Response

Target audience includes  IT professionals, systems engineers, network administrators, security experts who want to develop their skills  in the Security Operation Center (SOC).