Introduction

Digital forensics and incident response (DFIR) are critical areas of cybersecurity, enabling organizations to investigate security breaches, recover data, and understand the root causes of incidents. With the increasing frequency of cyberattacks, it is essential for security professionals to have a comprehensive understanding of how to handle, analyze, and respond to digital incidents effectively. This course provides a thorough understanding of digital forensics methodologies, the tools used to collect and preserve evidence, and the best practices for incident response to mitigate the damage caused by cyberattacks.

Through expert-led sessions, case studies, and hands-on exercises, participants will learn to perform digital forensic investigations and effectively manage cybersecurity incidents, all while ensuring compliance with legal and regulatory standards.

Objectives

By the end of this course, participants will:

1. Understand the core principles and methodologies used in digital forensics and incident response.
2. Learn how to collect, preserve, and analyze digital evidence from various devices and media.
3. Gain knowledge of incident response procedures for identifying, containing, and mitigating cyberattacks.
4. Learn how to respond to various types of incidents, including data breaches, malware infections, and insider threats.
5. Understand the legal and ethical considerations involved in conducting digital forensics investigations and managing incidents.

Who Should Attend?

This training course is ideal for:

• Incident Response Teams responsible for managing security incidents and minimizing their impact.
• Digital Forensics Investigators and Cybersecurity Professionals working on data recovery, analysis, and evidence preservation.
• IT Security Managers and Network Engineers tasked with securing systems and monitoring network traffic for security breaches.
• Compliance Officers and Risk Managers ensuring adherence to cybersecurity laws and industry standards.
• Legal and Law Enforcement Professionals involved in the investigation of cybercrimes.
• CISO and Security Architects looking to build effective incident response strategies.

Day 1: Introduction to Digital Forensics and Incident Response

• Morning:
  • What is Digital Forensics? Key Concepts and Overview of the Process
  • The Role of Digital Forensics in Cybersecurity and Incident Response
  • Types of Digital Evidence: Data Sources, Artifacts, and Their Relevance in Investigations
  • Incident Response: The Need for Immediate Action and Coordination
• Afternoon:
  • Phases of Incident Response: Identification, Containment, Eradication, Recovery, and Lessons Learned
  • Types of Cyber Incidents: Malware, Phishing, Insider Threats, and Data Breaches
  • Case Study: A Real-World Cyber Incident and How Digital Forensics and Incident Response Handled It
  • Group Discussion: Key Challenges in Digital Forensics and Incident Response

Day 2: Digital Forensics Methodology and Tools

• Morning:
  • Digital Forensics Methodology: Evidence Collection, Preservation, Analysis, and Reporting
  • Legal and Ethical Considerations: Chain of Custody, Admissibility of Evidence, and Privacy Laws
  • Common Forensic Tools and Software: EnCase, FTK, X1 Social Discovery, and Autopsy
  • Disk Imaging and Data Acquisition Techniques: Creating Bit-for-Bit Copies of Digital Evidence
• Afternoon:
  • Forensic Analysis: File System Forensics, Metadata Analysis, and Carving Deleted Files
  • Timeline Reconstruction: Using Logs, Network Traffic, and System Data to Reconstruct Events
  • Practical Exercise: Collecting and Imaging Digital Evidence from a Hypothetical Cyber Incident
  • Group Discussion: Challenges in Preserving Evidence and Ensuring Integrity During Forensic Investigations

Day 3: Incident Response Procedures and Threat Hunting

• Morning:
  • The Role of Incident Response in Cybersecurity: Detecting and Responding to Attacks
  • Incident Response Tools: SIEMs, IDS/IPS, and Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR)
  • Incident Response Workflow: Containment, Eradication, Recovery, and Post-Incident Review
  • Incident Classification and Prioritization: Determining Severity and Impact
• Afternoon:
  • Threat Hunting: Proactively Searching for Indicators of Compromise (IoCs) and Emerging Threats
  • Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs): Identifying and Responding to Long-Term, Targeted Attacks
  • Practical Exercise: Performing a Threat Hunting Task to Detect Hidden Threats in System Logs
  • Case Study: How Incident Response Teams Effectively Responded to an APT Attack

Day 4: Malware Analysis and Reverse Engineering

• Morning:
  • Understanding Malware: Types of Malware (Trojans, Ransomware, Rootkits, etc.) and How They Work
  • Malware Analysis: Static vs. Dynamic Analysis Techniques
  • Tools for Analyzing Malware: IDA Pro, OllyDbg, and Cuckoo Sandbox
  • Reverse Engineering Malware: Extracting Indicators of Compromise and Understanding Malware Behavior
• Afternoon:
  • Practical Malware Investigation: Analyzing a Malware Sample and Extracting Indicators
  • Incident Response to Malware: Containment, Isolation, and Eradication Steps
  • Best Practices for Preventing Malware Infections in the Future
  • Practical Exercise: Analyzing a Ransomware Incident and Determining the Attack Vector
  • Group Discussion: Real-World Experiences in Dealing with Malware Incidents

Day 5: Reporting, Documentation, and Legal Considerations

• Morning:
  • Writing Forensic Reports: Best Practices for Documentation and Reporting Findings
  • Communicating with Stakeholders: Legal, Regulatory, and Executive-Level Reporting
  • Handling Confidential Data: Ensuring Data Privacy and Compliance with Regulations
  • Post-Incident Analysis and Lessons Learned: Using Insights to Improve Security Posture
• Afternoon:
  • The Legal Process: Working with Law Enforcement and Legal Teams in Cybercrime Investigations
  • Testifying in Court: The Role of Digital Evidence in Legal Proceedings
  • Future Trends in Digital Forensics: Emerging Technologies, Cloud Forensics, and the Impact of Encryption
  • Final Workshop: Writing a Forensic Report Based on a Simulated Incident
  • Course Wrap-Up: Key Takeaways, Actionable Steps, and Final Q&A

Modern Features of the Course

• Real-World Case Studies: Analysis of major cybersecurity incidents and their handling by digital forensics and incident response teams.
• Hands-On Exercises: Practical training on evidence collection, forensic analysis, malware analysis, and incident response workflows.
• Emerging Technologies: Focus on emerging trends like cloud forensics, encrypted devices, and AI in digital forensics.
• Legal and Ethical Emphasis: Strong focus on maintaining legal compliance and handling digital evidence responsibly.
• Expert Insights: Guidance from experienced professionals who have dealt with high-profile cyber incidents.