A tailored course, built for your situation
Mastering CIS Controls for Sr. Director Cyber Threat Leadership
Expand your influence across incident response, compliance, and cross-functional security teams
$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.
Coordination across teams slows down threat response
The situation this course is for
Even experienced leaders face fragmentation when regional teams, compliance groups, and external partners don’t follow the same protocols. This leads to inconsistent reporting, duplicated effort, and delayed closure.
Who this is for
Senior cyber threat investigator leading multi-team responses within global consulting or security firms
Who this is not for
Entry-level analysts or practitioners not responsible for cross-team coordination or framework implementation
What you walk away with
- A standardized CIS Controls-based playbook tailored to enterprise-scale investigations
- Faster alignment across regional and functional units using a common control language
- Clearer executive visibility on investigation impact without additional reporting overhead
- Repeatable artefacts that integrate with compliance frameworks like SOC 2, NIST CSF, and ISO 27001
- Increased influence in cross-functional risk and response planning cycles
The 12 modules (with all 144 chapters)
Module 1. Foundations of CIS Controls v8
Understand the evolution, structure, and core logic of the CIS Controls framework with a focus on cyber threat response alignment.
12 chapters in this module
- History and evolution of CIS Controls
- CIS Critical Security Controls overview
- Control categories and prioritization
- Mapping to MITRE ATT&CK framework
- Integration with NIST CSF
- Mapping to SOC 2 Trust Principles
- Control baselines for small vs large orgs
- Adaptation for consulting environments
- Mapping to incident response lifecycle
- Control ownership models
- Documentation standards
- Common implementation pitfalls
Module 2. Control 1 Inventory and Device Management
Establish authoritative asset visibility to strengthen investigation starting points and reduce blind spots.
12 chapters in this module
- Hardware inventory methods
- Software inventory tracking
- Active device discovery
- Virtual and cloud asset tracking
- Mobile device enumeration
- IoT and OT device identification
- Data sources for asset logs
- Automated discovery tools
- Continuous monitoring setup
- Ownership assignment protocols
- Asset tagging standards
- Integration with SIEM systems
Module 3. Control 2 Software Inventory and Management
Track authorized and unauthorized software to isolate malicious actors and reduce attack surface.
12 chapters in this module
- Approved software list maintenance
- Unauthorized software detection
- Software normalization
- Patch compliance tracking
- License enforcement
- Application blacklisting
- Whitelisting strategies
- Containerized app inventory
- Cloud-native software tracking
- Version control integration
- DevOps pipeline alignment
- Reporting for audit readiness
Module 4. Control 3 Secure Configurations
Enforce standardized configurations across endpoints and servers to accelerate forensic analysis.
12 chapters in this module
- Baseline configuration standards
- CIS Benchmarks application
- Hardening Linux systems
- Hardening Windows systems
- Network device hardening
- Cloud infrastructure hardening
- Configuration drift detection
- Automated remediation
- Golden image management
- Change control integration
- Audit log configuration
- Testing in staging environments
Module 5. Control 4 Account Management
Strengthen investigative rigor by validating identity access and privilege levels.
12 chapters in this module
- User account inventory
- Service account tracking
- Privileged account discovery
- Guest account management
- Account lifecycle automation
- Multi-factor enforcement
- Password policy alignment
- Role-based access control
- Just-in-time access
- Identity provider integration
- Account review frequency
- Segregation of duties
Module 6. Control 5 Access Control
Map access rights to investigation needs and minimize scope creep during incident response.
12 chapters in this module
- Least privilege enforcement
- Access review cadence
- Group membership auditing
- Remote access policies
- Cloud access governance
- Temporary access workflows
- Access revocation triggers
- Justification documentation
- Directory service alignment
- Cross-domain access rules
- Emergency access procedures
- Delegated administration
Module 7. Control 6 Continuous Vulnerability Management
Identify exploitable weaknesses that correlate to active threats and investigative findings.
12 chapters in this module
- Vulnerability scanning frequency
- Critical vulnerability thresholds
- Patch deployment timelines
- False positive reduction
- CVSS scoring application
- Threat intelligence integration
- Zero-day response planning
- Automated ticketing
- Remediation tracking
- Reporting to executive stakeholders
- Integration with SOAR
- Vendor patch validation
Module 8. Control 7 Malware Defense
Standardize detection and containment approaches for faster forensic conclusions.
12 chapters in this module
- Anti-malware deployment
- Signature update management
- Behavioral analysis tools
- Sandboxing integration
- Endpoint detection and response
- Ransomware protection
- Zero-day malware response
- File integrity monitoring
- Command and control detection
- Email-based malware filters
- Mobile malware protection
- Cloud workload protection
Module 9. Control 8 Network Defense
Map network architecture to investigative timelines and response workflows.
12 chapters in this module
- Firewall rule management
- Network segmentation
- Wireless security
- DNS filtering
- Network access control
- Encrypted traffic inspection
- Remote access security
- Cloud network policies
- Zero trust alignment
- Micro-segmentation
- Network logging
- Traffic anomaly detection
Module 10. Control 9 Email and Web Browser Protection
Strengthen phishing and social engineering investigation with consistent control mapping.
12 chapters in this module
- Email filtering systems
- URL filtering
- Phishing simulation
- User awareness training
- Malicious attachment detection
- Sender authentication
- Web browser hardening
- Tab isolation
- Pop-up blocking
- Ad-blocking policies
- Drive-by download prevention
- Reporting mechanisms
Module 11. Control 10 Data Recovery
Ensure reliable recovery points to support forensic timelines and evidence validation.
12 chapters in this module
- Backup frequency
- Offsite backup storage
- Tested recovery procedures
- Immutable backups
- Encryption of backups
- Retention policies
- Backup integrity checks
- Cloud-native backup tools
- Replication strategies
- Disaster recovery alignment
- Chain of custody
- Audit trail preservation
Module 12. Implementing Cross-Functional Playbooks
Unify incident response, compliance, and regional teams under one CIS Controls-aligned framework.
12 chapters in this module
- Stakeholder identification
- Playbook governance
- Version control
- Training rollout
- Regional adaptation
- Compliance integration
- Executive reporting
- Incident debrief integration
- Lessons learned process
- Metrics and KPIs
- Third-party alignment
- Continuous improvement
How this maps to your situation
- When initiating a new investigation
- During cross-regional incident coordination
- Preparing for audit or regulator engagement
- Onboarding new team members to standardized protocols
Before vs. after
Before
Investigations start from scratch, with inconsistent application of controls across regions and teams
After
Every investigation follows a unified, CIS Controls-aligned playbook, increasing speed, compliance, and cross-functional trust
What's included with your purchase
- 12 modules with 12 chapters each (144 chapters total)
- 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 1.5 hours per module, designed for completion within six weeks with ongoing application to active cases.
If nothing changes
Without a unified control framework, investigations remain siloed, response times slow, and compliance reporting becomes reactive instead of repeatable.
How this compares to the alternatives
Unlike generic cybersecurity certifications or vendor-specific training, this course delivers a field-tested, consultant-aligned implementation model for the CIS Controls framework tailored to senior threat investigation leadership.
Frequently asked
Who is this course designed for?
Senior cyber threat investigation leaders responsible for coordinating response across teams, regions, and compliance domains.
How is the course structured?
12 modules, each containing 12 chapters (144 chapters total).
Does this integrate with other frameworks?
Yes, the course shows how CIS Controls aligns with NIST CSF, SOC 2, ISO 27001, and MITRE ATT&CK for comprehensive coverage.
$199 one-time. Approximately 1.5 hours per module, designed for completion within six weeks with ongoing application to active cases..
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