A tailored course, built for your situation
Mastering CIS Controls for Senior Application Support Engineers
Turn system resilience into a strategic asset with structured, repeatable security hardening
$199 one-time
24-hour access provisioning
30-day money-back guarantee
Hand-built implementation playbook
12 modules. 12 chapters per module. 144 chapters total.
12 modules, each with 12 chapters (144 chapters total), text-based, plus downloadable templates and a hand-built implementation playbook delivered alongside course access.
Overwhelmed by reactive support cycles and compliance churn
The situation this course is for
Spending too much time firefighting system alerts and audit prep without clear ownership or strategic impact
Who this is for
Senior technical ICs in regulated environments who own system stability and need to demonstrate control maturity
Who this is not for
Entry-level admins, consultants selling generic frameworks, or leaders seeking board-level narratives
What you walk away with
- Map CIS Controls v8 to application-specific hardening workflows
- Produce audit-ready documentation for critical control families
- Lead remediation efforts without escalation bottlenecks
- Document repeatable security baselines for cloud and on-prem systems
- Position yourself as the internal expert for control-driven optimisation
The 12 modules (with all 144 chapters)
Module 1. Introduction to CIS Controls and Their Role in Application Resilience
Establish context for how CIS Controls align with application uptime, patch cycles, and compliance mandates. Introduce control families most relevant to application support roles.
12 chapters in this module
- What are CIS Controls
- Control maturity levels
- Mapping to system ownership
- Application-specific risks
- Control implementation tiers
- Audit expectations
- Security vs stability tradeoffs
- Baseline compliance scope
- Integration with ITIL
- Change control alignment
- Incident response linkage
- Reporting structure design
Module 2. Asset Inventory and Control Mapping for Complex Applications
Build accurate system inventories that feed into control validation. Focus on dynamic environments with frequent updates and multi-cloud dependencies.
12 chapters in this module
- Identifying critical assets
- Version tracking methods
- Ownership documentation
- Cloud instance tagging
- Configuration drift alerts
- Lifecycle stage mapping
- Dependency mapping
- Service account tracking
- Patch status integration
- Inventory automation tools
- Data flow diagrams
- Audit trail alignment
Module 3. Secure Configuration for Linux and Windows Application Servers
Translate CIS Benchmarks into enforceable baselines. Learn to validate settings across enterprise fleets using automated checks.
12 chapters in this module
- Default account hardening
- Service minimisation
- Firewall rule compliance
- Log retention settings
- Remote access controls
- Privilege assignment
- Boot settings
- Password policy alignment
- Anti-malware integration
- Registry hardening
- SSH configuration
- Kernel parameter tuning
Module 4. Access Control Implementation and Privilege Management
Enforce least privilege across user, service, and admin accounts. Implement time-bound access and role-based entitlements.
12 chapters in this module
- Role definition process
- User provisioning review
- Service account audits
- Just-in-time access
- Multi-factor enforcement
- Break-glass account design
- Session timeout policies
- Password rotation automation
- Group membership hygiene
- Entitlement documentation
- Access recertification
- Privileged access workflow
Module 5. Vulnerability Management and Patching Workflows
Integrate CIS-recommended patch cycles into existing support schedules. Prioritise fixes based on exploit likelihood and system criticality.
12 chapters in this module
- Patch cycle definitions
- Criticality scoring
- Out-of-band update rules
- Testing environment use
- Rollback procedures
- Zero-day response
- Third-party component tracking
- Automated scanning setup
- False positive handling
- Vendor patch validation
- End-of-life planning
- Patch documentation
Module 6. Audit Log Collection and Monitoring for Compliance
Design logging architectures that meet CIS control requirements while supporting day-to-day troubleshooting.
12 chapters in this module
- Log sources identification
- Retention duration setup
- Centralised aggregation
- Encryption in transit
- Integrity protection
- Log access controls
- Query performance
- Retention policy alignment
- SIEM integration
- Alert threshold setting
- Log rotation
- Chain of custody
Module 7. Email and Web Browser Security Baselines
Secure user endpoints involved in application management. Align browser and email client settings with CIS Benchmarks.
12 chapters in this module
- Email filtering rules
- Phishing protection
- Browser update policies
- Extension controls
- JavaScript management
- Cookie handling
- Pop-up blocking
- ActiveX restrictions
- Download scanning
- Password manager policies
- Session management
- Remote wipe capability
Module 8. Malware Defence and Endpoint Protection Strategies
Implement layered defences across servers and workstations. Validate anti-malware tooling meets CIS control standards.
12 chapters in this module
- Antivirus selection
- Real-time scanning
- Definition updates
- Malware signature review
- Ransomware protections
- Host-based firewall use
- Exploit prevention
- Behaviour monitoring
- Threat intelligence feeds
- Incident isolation
- Quarantine procedures
- Clean-up workflows
Module 9. Data Protection and Encryption in Transit and at Rest
Ensure sensitive application data meets CIS encryption standards. Apply TLS best practices and storage-level protection.
12 chapters in this module
- TLS version enforcement
- Certificate validity checks
- Cipher suite selection
- Key rotation
- Database encryption
- Filesystem encryption
- Backup encryption
- Tokenisation use
- Data classification
- Access logging
- Encryption key storage
- Hardware security modules
Module 10. Boundary Defence and Network Segmentation
Design secure network zones around applications. Enforce firewall rules and segmentation policies that align with CIS Controls.
12 chapters in this module
- Network zoning
- Firewall rule review
- DMZ design
- Micro-segmentation
- Jump host use
- Port closure
- Service exposure limits
- Network monitoring
- Traffic filtering
- Access list management
- Remote access policies
- Zero trust integration
Module 11. Incident Response Planning and Control Alignment
Develop response playbooks that satisfy CIS control expectations. Align with organisational incident frameworks.
12 chapters in this module
- Incident classification
- Escalation paths
- Containment steps
- Forensic preservation
- Communication templates
- Stakeholder roles
- Post-mortem process
- Regulatory reporting
- Simulation exercises
- Toolchain integration
- Legal hold procedures
- Recovery validation
Module 12. Continuous Improvement and Control Optimisation
Iterate on control effectiveness using feedback loops. Automate control validation and reduce manual overhead.
12 chapters in this module
- Control gap analysis
- Automation opportunities
- Benchmarking use
- Peer review process
- Lessons learned
- Tool evaluation
- Process refinement
- Training integration
- Documentation updates
- Compliance drift alerts
- Audit readiness checks
- Maturity progression
How this maps to your situation
- After onboarding new application clusters
- During annual control review cycles
- Before external audit windows
- When responding to security incidents
Before vs. after
Before
Reactive troubleshooting, fragmented documentation, unclear control ownership
After
Proactive hardening, audit-ready artefacts, recognised expertise on control compliance
What's included with your purchase
- 12 modules with 12 chapters each (144 chapters)
- Downloadable templates and worked examples for every module
- Hand-built implementation playbook delivered alongside course access
- 30-day money-back guarantee
Delivery and format
- Course and learning environment access provisioned within 24 hours of purchase
- Hand-built implementation playbook delivered alongside course access
Format: Text-based modules and chapters in the Art of Service learning environment, plus downloadable templates and worked examples for every chapter, plus the hand-built implementation playbook delivered alongside course access.
Time investment: Approximately 3 hours per week over 12 weeks, with self-paced access to all materials.
If nothing changes
Continuing to operate in reactive mode risks missed opportunities for leadership visibility, slower incident resolution, and exclusion from strategic architecture discussions.
How this compares to the alternatives
Unlike generic compliance courses, this program focuses specifically on application support environments and real-world control implementation, not theoretical frameworks.
Frequently asked
Is this course relevant if I don’t work in security?
Yes , it’s designed for technical ICs like senior application engineers who need to meet security and compliance requirements as part of their operational duties.
How is the course structured?
12 modules, each containing 12 chapters (144 chapters total).
Will I receive a certificate upon completion?
Yes , a digital certificate of completion is issued after finishing all modules and passing the final self-assessment.
$199 one-time. Approximately 3 hours per week over 12 weeks, with self-paced access to all materials..
Within 24 hours your account in the learning environment is provisioned and the tailored implementation playbook is delivered alongside it.
30-day money-back guarantee·
144 chapters·
Hand-built playbook included·
Account access within 24 hours