What do you take away from the CIS Controls course?
Ability to map CIS Controls directly to Z system configuration templates Faster justification of control scope during infrastructure reviews Reduced back-and-forth in audit preparation cycles Stronger influence in cross-functional infrastructure design sessions Clearer documentation trail for repeatable hardening playbooks.
How does this map to your situation?
Efficiency pressure increases scrutiny on infrastructure decisions STI leadership requires stronger audit narratives Infrastructure hosting teams need faster configuration validation Cross-functional teams expect clearer control ownership.
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.
What does the CIS Controls cover on delivery and format?
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 90 minutes per week over three months, designed to fit around production cycles.
How does this compare to the alternatives?
Unlike generic security frameworks or tool-specific training, this course focuses exclusively on applying CIS Controls to enterprise infrastructure hosting environments, giving you precise, actionable control mapping for IBM Z and similar platforms.
What does the CIS Controls cover on frequently asked?
Within 24 hours your account in the learning environment is provisioned and the tailored implementation playbook is delivered alongside it.
How is the CIS Controls delivered?
The CIS Controls is fully self-paced with immediate online access after enrolment. Access does not expire and future updates are included at no cost. A certificate of completion is issued by The Art of Service when you finish.
How much does the CIS Controls cost?
The CIS Controls is $199 as a one time payment. There is no subscription and no hidden fee. Enrolment carries a 30 day satisfied or refunded guarantee, so it can be assessed in full before you commit.
Closely related courses: Repeatable security hardening playbooks that compound.
More answers: what you get with every course, refund policy, all help answers.
A tailored course, built for your situation
Mastering CIS Controls; A Step-by-Step Guide to Infrastructure Hardening
A proven path to bulletproof Z systems and infrastructure against evolving threats
Who this is for
Senior infrastructure and compliance leader in regulated, large-scale IT environments focused on stability, audit readiness, and secure delivery
Who this is not for
Engineers looking for tool-specific training or introductory security concepts
What you walk away with
- Ability to map CIS Controls directly to Z system configuration templates
- Faster justification of control scope during infrastructure reviews
- Reduced back-and-forth in audit preparation cycles
- Stronger influence in cross-functional infrastructure design sessions
- Clearer documentation trail for repeatable hardening playbooks
The 12 modules (with all 144 chapters)
- Overview of CIS Controls version 8 changes
- Mapping controls to system types and tiers
- Implementation Groups explained with examples
- Prioritizing IG1 vs IG2 for hosting environments
- How CIS maps to NIST CSF and ISO 27001
- Integrating CIS into existing compliance workflows
- Control applicability for mainframe platforms
- Baseline expectations per environment type
- Defining scope boundaries for audit purposes
- Documenting control in-scope and out-of-scope
- Role-based ownership of control execution
- Maintaining version control of framework updates
- Defining managed inventory for mainframe systems
- Automating discovery of connected hardware
- Maintaining accurate asset ownership records
- Tagging systems by criticality and function
- Tracking lifecycle from provisioning to decommission
- Integrating asset data with CMDB systems
- Validating inventory completeness monthly
- Detecting unauthorized hardware additions
- Using hardware fingerprints for consistency
- Reporting missing or rogue devices
- Synchronizing with virtualization layers
- Mapping assets to network zones
- Creating and maintaining software inventory
- Tracking software across development builds
- Identifying unauthorized software execution
- Managing licensing compliance for Z tools
- Version control of system software
- Integrating software lists with patch cycles
- Establishing baseline software configurations
- Enforcing software approval workflows
- Detecting shadow IT installations
- Reporting software drift from baseline
- Using automated tools for software audits
- Documenting exceptions and justifications
- Scheduling regular vulnerability scans
- Integrating scan results with Z monitoring
- Prioritizing findings by exploitability
- Mapping CVEs to system configurations
- Validating false positives manually
- Repairing or mitigating high-risk items
- Tracking remediation timelines
- Reporting status to compliance teams
- Using CVSS scores appropriately
- Assessing exposure windows
- Integrating threat intelligence feeds
- Automating patch validation steps
- Defining privileged accounts clearly
- Limiting local admin rights on systems
- Implementing time-bound access approvals
- Monitoring privileged session activity
- Segregating duties for root access
- Using just-in-time elevation tools
- Reviewing admin access quarterly
- Detecting privilege misuse patterns
- Enforcing multi-factor authentication
- Logging all admin-level commands
- Mapping admin roles to job functions
- Auditing access after personnel changes
- Establishing secure configuration policies
- Using CIS Benchmarks as a starting point
- Hardening operating system defaults
- Disabling unnecessary services and ports
- Applying principle of least functionality
- Documenting configuration exceptions
- Automating configuration checks
- Validating settings across environments
- Integrating with change management
- Updating baselines after system changes
- Measuring compliance deviation rates
- Reporting configuration drift
- Mapping network zones for Z systems
- Enforcing segmentation between tiers
- Configuring firewalls for mainframe traffic
- Monitoring for suspicious network flows
- Blocking unauthorized external access
- Validating encrypted tunnel usage
- Inspecting encrypted traffic safely
- Detecting lateral movement attempts
- Integrating with DDoS protection
- Reporting policy violations in real time
- Updating rules after topology changes
- Documenting firewall change history
- Identifying data sensitivity levels
- Classifying data by compliance requirements
- Applying encryption to stored datasets
- Protecting data during transfers
- Managing encryption keys securely
- Auditing access to encrypted data
- Using hardware security modules effectively
- Enabling secure key rotation
- Validating encryption coverage reports
- Reporting data exposure risks
- Integrating with data governance tools
- Documenting decryption access controls
- Defining critical logging events
- Collecting logs from all system layers
- Ensuring log integrity and retention
- Centralizing logs in analysis platforms
- Setting up alert thresholds
- Automating log review processes
- Detecting anomalous behavior patterns
- Correlating events across systems
- Responding to security alerts
- Investigating incidents using logs
- Producing audit-ready log documentation
- Testing log recovery procedures
- Hardening browser configurations
- Blocking malicious domains and URLs
- Filtering email attachments automatically
- Enabling anti-phishing protections
- Detecting impersonation attempts
- Securing web-based admin interfaces
- Using sandboxed browsing for risky sites
- Educating teams on safe habits
- Monitoring for credential theft
- Reporting phishing incidents quickly
- Updating filters based on threat feeds
- Validating browser patch levels
- Deploying host-based anti-malware tools
- Configuring real-time scanning schedules
- Blocking known malicious file types
- Preventing execution of unauthorized scripts
- Using behavior-based detection methods
- Maintaining up-to-date signature databases
- Quarantining infected systems automatically
- Analyzing malware samples safely
- Reporting outbreak patterns
- Validating clean-up procedures
- Integrating with SIEM for alerts
- Conducting periodic infection tests
- Defining incident classification levels
- Activating response teams quickly
- Containing system-level breaches
- Eradicating persistent threats
- Restoring systems from clean backups
- Validating data integrity after recovery
- Documenting incident root causes
- Reporting outcomes to leadership
- Updating playbooks after each event
- Conducting tabletop exercises
- Measuring response effectiveness
- Ensuring recovery plans stay current
How this maps to your situation
- Efficiency pressure increases scrutiny on infrastructure decisions
- STI leadership requires stronger audit narratives
- Infrastructure hosting teams need faster configuration validation
- Cross-functional teams expect clearer control ownership
Before vs. after
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 90 minutes per week over three months, designed to fit around production cycles.
How this compares to the alternatives
Unlike generic security frameworks or tool-specific training, this course focuses exclusively on applying CIS Controls to enterprise infrastructure hosting environments, giving you precise, actionable control mapping for IBM Z and similar platforms.
Frequently asked
Within 24 hours your account in the learning environment is provisioned and the tailored implementation playbook is delivered alongside it.