A tailored course, built for your situation
Mastering CIS Controls for Senior Hardware Design Engineers
Build defensible hardware security architectures with source-backed precision
$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.
Being questioned on hardware security decisions without clear, credible backing
The situation this course is for
Even well-architected hardware designs face pushback when stakeholders lack confidence in the rationale. Without clear grounding in recognized standards, engineers spend cycles defending intent instead of advancing design.
Who this is for
Senior hardware design engineer working on secure systems where security justification must withstand cross-functional scrutiny
Who this is not for
Entry-level engineers, software-only security practitioners, or those not involved in hardware-level control decisions
What you walk away with
- Map CIS Controls directly to hardware design choices with documented justification
- Respond to peer challenges using specific control examples and implementation precedents
- Reference authoritative sources when defending security trade-offs in design reviews
- Integrate compliance reasoning into schematic documentation for audit readiness
- Reduce rework by establishing defensible baselines before layout begins
The 12 modules (with all 144 chapters)
Module 1. Introduction to CIS Controls in Hardware Design
Understand how CIS Controls apply to physical and embedded systems, not just software or IT infrastructure. See where hardware design fits in the control hierarchy.
12 chapters in this module
- CIS Controls overview for engineering practitioners
- Control families relevant to hardware security
- Mapping controls to motherboard-level decisions
- Security baseline definitions in circuit design
- How CIS complements ISO 27001 and NIST CSF
- Hardware-specific control interpretations
- Integrating controls into schematic reviews
- Common misconceptions about hardware and CIS
- Case study: Secure boot implementation
- Control 1 and device provisioning
- Control 2 and hardware inventory
- From policy to physical design
Module 2. Control Mapping for PCB and SoC Design
Learn how to align printed circuit board and system-on-chip architectures with CIS Control objectives using design-first reasoning.
12 chapters in this module
- Mapping controls to power delivery design
- Secure clock distribution and Control 4
- Trusted platform module integration
- Firmware write protection in hardware
- Physical memory protection strategies
- Hardware root of trust implementation
- Tamper detection circuit integration
- Secure boot ROM design considerations
- Bus encryption at the SoC level
- Debug port disable mechanisms
- Control 8: Multi-factor authentication hardware
- Designing for Control 9: Wireless protections
Module 3. Defensible Configuration Baselines
Establish hardware configurations that can withstand peer review by grounding them in CIS-recommended practices.
12 chapters in this module
- Defining default deny in hardware design
- Port lockdown strategies at the schematic level
- Setting baseline configuration registers
- Secure JTAG implementation patterns
- CIS-recommended default settings
- Hardware write-once fuses for config
- Immutable bootloaders and CIS
- Documenting configuration rationale
- Version control for hardware baselines
- Designing for CIS Control 11
- Network stack hardware defaults
- Component-level CIS alignment
Module 4. Secure Hardware Development Lifecycle
Embed CIS Controls into the full design-to-test pipeline, from concept to verification.
12 chapters in this module
- Integrating CIS into design reviews
- Checklist use in schematic sign-off
- Static analysis tools for hardware
- Automated rule checking in layout
- Design-for-test without sacrificing security
- Vendor component vetting process
- Trusted supplier requirements
- Bill of materials security validation
- Hardware obsolescence planning
- Lifecycle documentation for audit
- Design change control process
- End-of-life security considerations
Module 5. Physical Security and Tamper Resistance
Design enclosures and internal layouts that align with CIS Control 13 and physical access principles.
12 chapters in this module
- Tamper-evident enclosure design
- Internal sensor placement logic
- Voltage glitch detection circuits
- Clock glitch resistance
- Physical shielding techniques
- Secure enclosure interlock design
- Environmental sensor integration
- Case-open detection and response
- Hardware-based shutdown triggers
- CIS Control 13 implementation examples
- Battery-backed security circuits
- Designing for physical audits
Module 6. Firmware and Boot Integrity
Secure the foundation of device operation with hardware-rooted boot validation aligned with CIS.
12 chapters in this module
- Chain of trust from ROM to OS
- Hardware-backed key storage
- Secure element integration
- Bootloader signature verification
- Rollback protection circuit design
- Hardware monotonic counters
- CIS Control 14 implementation
- UEFI security register mapping
- Measured boot support circuits
- Hardware entropy sources
- Trusted execution environments
- Designing for remote attestation
Module 7. Network Interface Security
Design secure network interfaces that meet CIS Control expectations for segmentation and monitoring.
12 chapters in this module
- MAC address filtering hardware
- VLAN tagging at the port level
- On-chip packet inspection
- Hardware firewalls and microcontrollers
- Network isolation using PHY design
- CIS Control 9: Wireless protections
- Bluetooth pairing security
- Wi-Fi WPA3 hardware support
- Ethernet port lockdown circuits
- IoT interface disable mechanisms
- Designing for network monitoring
- Hardware-based IDS triggers
Module 8. Logging and Monitoring at the Hardware Level
Enable visibility into hardware behavior using design choices that support logging and forensic readiness.
12 chapters in this module
- Hardware event counters
- Secure timestamp generation
- Tamper-proof log storage
- Event-triggered circuit responses
- CIS Control 8: MFA hardware logging
- Boot failure recording circuits
- Power-on self-test logging
- Hardware watchdog integration
- Designing for audit trail support
- Error log retention strategies
- Remote status reporting
- On-device forensic readiness
Module 9. Vendor Component Security
Evaluate and integrate third-party components with confidence using CIS-aligned criteria.
12 chapters in this module
- Component datasheet security review
- Supply chain risk assessment
- Trusted foundry requirements
- Hardware backdoor detection
- Firmware update mechanism review
- Secure element certification validation
- CIS Control 1: Inventory completeness
- Component EOL and security risk
- Hardware counterfeit detection
- Designing for component replacement
- Designing out known vulnerable chips
- Security-by-design in vendor specs
Module 10. Design for Audit and Compliance
Create hardware designs that are inherently easier to audit and validate under compliance frameworks.
12 chapters in this module
- Schematic annotations for compliance
- Control mapping in design documents
- Designing for SOC 2 evidence collection
- Hardware security assertions
- Audit trail support circuits
- Configurable vs immutable design
- Hardware documentation standards
- Designing for ISO 27001 alignment
- CIS Controls as audit evidence
- Security control boundary definition
- Designing for regulatory inspection
- Hardware assurance documentation
Module 11. Cross-Functional Decision Defense
Strengthen your position in design reviews by anticipating challenges and preparing evidence-backed responses.
12 chapters in this module
- Common pushback on hardware security
- Cost vs. security trade-off reasoning
- Performance impact mitigation
- Using CIS to justify added complexity
- Benchmarking against peer designs
- Defending against 'over-engineering' claims
- Presenting trade-offs to non-engineers
- Translating controls to business risk
- Building consensus with firmware teams
- Collaborating with security architects
- Responding to procurement concerns
- Defensible deviation processes
Module 12. Sustaining Security Across Revisions
Ensure hardware security improvements compound over time through documented reasoning and reusable design patterns.
12 chapters in this module
- Version-to-version control continuity
- Designing for modular security
- Reusable security sub-circuits
- Security baseline updates
- Change control for security features
- Documentation handover strategies
- Designing for long-term support
- Security regression testing
- Hardware security debt tracking
- Succession planning for design teams
- Institutionalizing CIS practices
- Creating a hardware security playbook
How this maps to your situation
- Responding to peer design challenges
- Preparing for internal compliance audits
- Justifying security trade-offs to leadership
- Sustaining security across product revisions
Before vs. after
Before
Spending cycles defending hardware design choices without a shared reference framework
After
Walking into design reviews with documented, source-backed reasoning aligned to CIS Controls
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 module, with flexible pacing. Most practitioners complete the course in 6-8 weeks.
If nothing changes
Continuing to rely on informal justification risks delays, rework, and diminished influence in cross-functional reviews, especially as hardware security scrutiny increases.
How this compares to the alternatives
Unlike generic compliance courses, this program is built specifically for hardware engineers, with direct mappings from CIS Controls to schematic-level decisions, making it the only course that grounds security in physical design reality.
Frequently asked
Is this course relevant if I don’t work on security-first devices?
Yes. CIS Controls apply to any hardware system where reliability, security, and compliance intersect, even consumer devices benefit from defensible design choices.
How is the course structured?
12 modules, each containing 12 chapters (144 chapters total).
Can I apply this to legacy designs?
Yes. You’ll learn how to retrofit CIS logic into existing designs and justify incremental improvements with clear examples.
$199 one-time. Approximately 3 hours per module, with flexible pacing. Most practitioners complete the course in 6-8 weeks..
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