Incident Response & Digital Forensics

Objectives:

• Train learners to handle security incidents effectively.
• Develop skills in digital evidence collection, analysis, and reporting.
• Foster incident management lifecycle expertise.

Curriculum:

• Incident Response Lifecycle & Frameworks
• Types of Cyber Incidents
• Evidence Collection & Chain of Custody
• Malware & Root Cause Analysis
• Forensic Tools & Techniques
• Legal & Compliance Aspects
• Recovery & Remediation Strategies
• Case study analyses

12-Week Incident Response & Digital Forensics Curriculum

Week 1: Incident Response Lifecycle & Frameworks

The course opens with an overview of the incident response (IR) lifecycle, emphasizing frameworks such as NIST SP 800-61 and SANS Incident Handling. Participants will understand the stages—Preparation, Detection & Analysis, Containment, Eradication, Recovery, and Lessons Learned. This foundational week covers the roles and responsibilities within an IR team, incident classification, and establishing an incident response plan.

Discussions will highlight the importance of readiness and proactive preparation.

Week 2: Types of Cyber Incidents

Learners will explore different incident types, including malware outbreaks, data breaches, privilege escalation, insider threats, and DoS/DDoS attacks.

They will gain knowledge on how to identify and prioritize incidents based on their characteristics and potential impact. Case studies of real-world incidents will help contextualize these concepts, highlighting the importance of swift, accurate response.

Week 3: Evidence Collection & Chain of Custody

This week centers on the collection of digital evidence while maintaining integrity and admissibility. Participants will learn techniques for imaging disks, capturing volatile data, and preserving evidence in a forensically sound manner. Emphasis will be on documenting every step to establish an unbroken chain of custody. Labs will simulate evidence handling scenarios, including write-blocker usage and forensic imaging.

Week 4: Malware & Root Cause Analysis

Participants will study malware types, behaviors, and indicators of compromise. The focus will be on analyzing suspicious files, processes, and system artifacts to trace the root cause of incidents. Labs include malware sandboxing, static and dynamic analysis, and utilizing tools like Volatility to extract memory artifacts. This week aims to equip learners with skills to identify how malware infiltrates and persists.

Week 5: Forensic Tools & Techniques

This week introduces key forensic tools such as EnCase, FTK, and open- source alternatives. Participants will practice imaging drives, analyzing file systems, recovering deleted files, and examining logs. Focused labs will involve performing forensic analysis on disk images, extracting metadata, and understanding typical forensic methodologies to support investigations.

Week 6: Legal & Compliance Aspects

Understanding legal considerations is crucial in digital forensics. Learners will explore laws affecting evidence handling, privacy, and data protection (e.g., GDPR, HIPAA). They will learn about jurisdictional issues, reporting requirements, and the importance of proper documentation. Discussions

will include legal scenarios and the role of forensic evidence in court proceedings.

Week 7: Recovery & Remediation Strategies

This week covers techniques to restore systems after an incident,

including malware removal, patching vulnerabilities, and restoring backups. Participants will learn the importance of thorough forensic analysis in guiding remediation efforts, ensuring that threats are fully eradicated, and similar future attacks are prevented. Labs will model recovery scenarios in lab environments.

Week 8: Incident Response Playbooks & Communication

Participants will develop and refine incident response playbooks, detailing step-by-step procedures for various incident types. The importance of clear communication, escalation procedures, and coordination with legal and PR teams will be emphasized through interactive exercises and role-playing. Effective reporting and documentation skills will be practiced.

Week 9: Forensic Analysis of Network Traffic & Log Files

This week emphasizes analyzing network traffic captures, firewall logs, and system logs to uncover attack vectors, lateral movements, and data exfiltration attempts. Tools such as Wireshark and log analysis platforms will be introduced. Labs will focus on detecting anomalies, reconstructing attack timelines, and correlating data for comprehensive incident understanding.

Week 10: Forensic Investigation Simulations

Realistic forensic investigation scenarios will be conducted, combining evidence collection, malware analysis, and endpoint investigations. Participants will work in teams to solve simulated cases, analyzing artifacts, identifying attack methods, and documenting findings thoroughly. Emphasis will be on applying all forensic techniques learned throughout the course.

Week 11: Case Study Analyses & Best Practices

Learners will study famous security incidents, dissecting their causes, response strategies, and lessons learned. This week reinforces best practices in incident response, including communication, documentation, and continuous improvement. Discussion sessions will encourage critical analysis and practical application of principles.

Week 12: Final Assessment and Certification Preparation

The program culminates with comprehensive review sessions, scenario- based assessments, and mock incident response exercises. Participants will demonstrate their capability to execute an incident response plan,perform forensic analysis, and generate reports. Guidance for industry certifications such as GCIH or EnCE will be provided, ensuring trainees are ready to validate their skills professionally.

Labs/Tools/Simulations:

• EnCase, FTK, Volatility
• Malware analysis sandbox
• Evidence handling exercises
• Network traffic analysis
• Forensic investigation simulations

Internships & Projects:

• Digital forensic investigations
• Incident simulation exercises
• Capstone forensic project

Certifications:

• GIAC Certified Incident Handler (GCIH)
• EnCase Certified Examiner (EnCE)

Job Readiness Program:

• Soft skills & communication
• Resume workshops
• Industry case studies
• Job placement support