A tailored course, built for your situation
Mastering CIS Controls for Senior Quality Program Managers
Build defensible, repeatable quality outcomes that stand up under regulatory scrutiny
$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.
Avoiding last-minute scrambles to justify control implementation during audits
The situation this course is for
Quality leaders often spend cycles refining documentation after review cycles, reacting to auditor questions with incomplete mappings or inconsistent evidence. This erodes confidence and prolongs sign-off.
Who this is for
Senior Quality Program Manager in a regulated tech environment, responsible for control design, audit readiness, and cross-functional alignment
Who this is not for
Entry-level compliance staff, auditors looking for checklist templates, or engineers focused solely on tooling without governance context
What you walk away with
- Produce audit-grade control documentation on the first attempt
- Map CIS Controls directly to internal quality frameworks with defensible logic
- Anticipate and answer assessor follow-ups using structured rationale
- Deliver consistently polished outputs across SOC 2, ISO 27001, and internal audits
- Build a reusable library of control narratives that accelerate future reviews
The 12 modules (with all 144 chapters)
Module 1. Foundations of CIS Controls
Understand the structure, intent, and evolution of the CIS Controls framework. Learn how it aligns with quality assurance expectations in regulated environments.
12 chapters in this module
- What are CIS Controls
- The role of quality in control implementation
- Version 8 updates and implications
- Mapping to NIST CSF and ISO 27001
- Control families and prioritization
- How assessors use CIS in practice
- Common misinterpretations to avoid
- Linking controls to evidence types
- Control maturity levels explained
- Integrating with existing QA processes
- Documentation standards for clarity
- Baseline assessment techniques
Module 2. CIS Control 1 Inventory and Control
Master asset discovery, classification, and ownership mapping to create defensible inventories accepted by auditors on first submission.
12 chapters in this module
- Defining asset scope
- Hardware vs software tracking
- Network device identification
- Cloud resource enumeration
- Ownership assignment rules
- Lifecycle status tracking
- Evidence collection methods
- Sampling strategies for audits
- Automated discovery tools
- Reconciliation processes
- Version control for asset lists
- Audit trail maintenance
Module 3. CIS Control 2 Secure Configuration
Develop standard secure configurations for operating systems and software, ensuring they meet both security and quality benchmarks.
12 chapters in this module
- What is secure configuration
- Benchmark standards overview
- CIS Benchmarks vs STIGs
- Operating system hardening
- Application configuration policies
- Change management integration
- Automated configuration tools
- Drift detection methods
- Patch compliance linkage
- Audit evidence preparation
- Common configuration gaps
- Version control for baselines
Module 4. CIS Control 3 Continuous Vulnerability Management
Implement consistent vulnerability scanning and remediation workflows that generate audit-ready reports without rework.
12 chapters in this module
- Vulnerability scanning scope
- Frequency requirements
- Tool selection criteria
- False positive handling
- Severity classification
- Remediation timelines
- Escalation procedures
- Evidence retention
- Reporting formats
- Integration with ticketing
- Executive summaries
- Historical trend documentation
Module 5. CIS Control 4 Controlled Use of Administrative Privileges
Design privilege management processes that satisfy both operational needs and auditor scrutiny for least privilege.
12 chapters in this module
- Defining administrative access
- User role segmentation
- Privileged account inventory
- Just-in-time access models
- Session monitoring
- Password vault integration
- Approval workflows
- Review frequency standards
- Separation of duties
- Evidence collection
- Incident response linkage
- Audit trail completeness
Module 6. CIS Control 5 Secure Authentication
Implement multi-factor authentication and identity verification practices that meet quality expectations for reliability and completeness.
12 chapters in this module
- Authentication risk levels
- MFA implementation scope
- Phishing-resistant methods
- Identity provider trust
- Password policy standards
- Recovery process security
- User provisioning linkage
- Authentication logging
- Session timeout rules
- Remote access validation
- Audit evidence structure
- Sign-in anomaly detection
Module 7. CIS Control 6 Minimizing Attack Surface
Reduce exposure through service disablement, port closure, and configuration hygiene, with documentation acceptable on first review.
12 chapters in this module
- Attack surface definition
- Unnecessary service identification
- Port and protocol review
- Default configuration risks
- Service lifecycle management
- Firewall rule hygiene
- Cloud security group review
- Change control linkage
- Automated discovery scans
- Evidence collection methods
- Historical comparison reports
- Audit readiness checklist
Module 8. CIS Control 7 Data Protection
Establish data classification, encryption, and handling practices that support both compliance and quality assurance goals.
12 chapters in this module
- Data classification schema
- Encryption in transit and at rest
- Data loss prevention basics
- Storage location control
- Access review processes
- Data retention policies
- Disposal verification
- Backup encryption
- PII handling standards
- Jurisdictional considerations
- Audit trail coverage
- Third-party data flow mapping
Module 9. CIS Control 8 Logging and Monitoring
Develop logging strategies that ensure completeness, retention, and audit usability without manual reconstruction.
12 chapters in this module
- Critical system identification
- Log collection scope
- Centralized logging design
- Retention duration standards
- Log integrity assurance
- SIEM integration
- Event correlation basics
- Log review frequency
- Automated alerting
- Incident linkage
- Evidence packaging
- Historical availability
Module 10. CIS Control 9 Email Defense
Strengthen email security with configurations that meet quality standards for phishing protection and message integrity.
12 chapters in this module
- Email gateway configuration
- SPF, DKIM, DMARC setup
- Phishing simulation use
- Attachment filtering
- URL rewriting
- Quarantine management
- User reporting integration
- Threat intelligence feeds
- Incident response linkage
- Evidence collection
- Log retention alignment
- Audit narrative preparation
Module 11. CIS Control 10 Boundary Defense
Design network segmentation and inspection rules that produce clear, defensible documentation for assessors.
12 chapters in this module
- Network segmentation principles
- Firewall rule documentation
- Zone definition standards
- DMZ configuration
- Remote access controls
- Cloud VPC design
- Inspection point placement
- Change control linkage
- Rulebase hygiene
- Evidence sampling
- Historical comparison
- Audit readiness checklist
Module 12. Sustaining Quality Across CIS Controls
Build a repeatable process for maintaining control accuracy, evidence freshness, and auditor confidence over time.
12 chapters in this module
- Control ownership models
- Review cycle cadence
- Version control practices
- Change impact assessment
- Cross-functional alignment
- Stakeholder communication
- Documentation standards
- Automated evidence collection
- Audit simulation drills
- Maturity tracking
- Lessons learned integration
- Continuous improvement loop
How this maps to your situation
- Preparing for annual SOC 2 audit
- Responding to auditor follow-ups
- Designing new control frameworks
- Improving first-pass approval rate
Before vs. after
Before
Spending cycles refining documentation after auditor feedback, dealing with inconsistent evidence, and revising narratives under time pressure.
After
Producing accurate, defensible, polished outputs the first time, reducing rework and building confidence in quality outcomes.
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, designed for completion over 12 weeks with flexibility to accelerate.
If nothing changes
Continuing to rely on reactive refinement increases audit timelines, reduces leadership confidence in quality outputs, and limits capacity for strategic work.
How this compares to the alternatives
Unlike generic compliance courses, this program focuses specifically on producing high-quality, auditor-ready outputs using the CIS Controls framework, no theory, only actionable quality practices.
Frequently asked
Is this course aligned with SOC 2 or ISO 27001?
Yes, it includes direct mappings to both standards, with emphasis on producing defensible evidence accepted by auditors.
How is the course structured?
12 modules, each containing 12 chapters (144 chapters total).
Can I use this if my organization doesn't follow CIS Controls?
Absolutely. The principles apply to any control framework, CIS is used as the anchor to ensure precision and consistency.
$199 one-time. Approximately 3 hours per module, designed for completion over 12 weeks with flexibility to accelerate..
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