GIAC Security Essentials Certification (GSEC) Exam Curriculum Outline
Networking Concepts
Overview/Description
To introduce basic networking concepts and devices
Target Audience
Any individual with technical security responsibilities, including system/network administrators and security officers/administrators; managers or technical staff who wish to demonstrate a technical understanding of a broad range of security-related issues and technologies
Prerequisites
A basic knowledge of networking internetworking concepts and associated hardware
Networking Concepts
- discuss the broad goals and content of the SANS GIAC Security Essentials Certification (GSEC).
- differentiate between local area networks (LANs) and wide area networks (WANs).
- identify the basic topologies in a network.
- describe network components and their application.
- explain the role of bridges, switches, and routers in a network.
- explain the OSI reference model.
- discuss the OSI and TCP/IP reference models and how they relate to each other.
- describe layer 3 protocols.
- explain the fundamentals of IP addressing.
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Network Security Overview
Overview/Description
To describe fundamentals of security for defending your network
Target Audience
Any individual with technical security responsibilities, including system/network administrators and security officers/administrators; managers or technical staff who wish to demonstrate a technical understanding of a broad range of security-related issues and technologies
Prerequisites
A basic knowledge of networking internetworking concepts and associated hardware
Network Security Overview
- explain the underlying concepts and principles of security management.
- describe the fundamentals of Defense in Depth.
- describe some real-life information security defense failures.
- define security policy and identify issue-specific security policy documents.
- design a security policy document.
- discuss the responsibilities of users and correct user response to security incidents.
- describe how passwords are stored and explain why they are vulnerable to attack.
- explain why a strong password policy is important and what can be done to protect password files on UNIX and Windows systems.
- use the password cracking utility LC4 and employ it to audit passwords from a number of locations.
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TCP/IP, Routing and Host Security
Overview/Description
To introduce the student to the TCP\IP stack, routing and host perimeter defence
Target Audience
Any individual with technical security responsibilities, including system/network administrators and security officers/administrators; managers or technical staff who wish to demonstrate a technical understanding of a broad range of security-related issues and technologies
Prerequisites
A basic knowledge of networking internetworking concepts and associated hardware
TCP/IP, Routing and Host Security
- describe the functions of the transport layer of the OSI model.
- explain how connection-oriented services are established.
- describe the functionality of Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP), the ping command, and the traceroute command.
- describe how different port scanners operate.
- perform a port scan using Nmap and SuperScan.
- explain what a routing protocol is.
- explain how routers create routing tables.
- explain the router bootup and log in to the router CLI.
- explain the requirement for access lists.
- describe how access lists filter by protocols and packet details.
- describe host vulnerabilities and applications to protect against them.
- configure a personal firewall.
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Information Warfare and Web Security
Overview/Description
To introduce incident handling and web security issues for networks
Target Audience
Any individual with technical security responsibilities, including system/network administrators and security officers/administrators; managers or technical staff who wish to demonstrate a technical understanding of a broad range of security-related issues and technologies
Prerequisites
A basic knowledge of networking internetworking concepts and associated hardware
Information Warfare and Web Security
- discuss how to respond to and manage computer-related security incidents.
- describe threats to information security and network infrastructure.
- explain how different types of denial-of-service attacks affect a network.
- detail threats that arise specifically from hackers.
- set up and monitor a Telnet session using a protocol analyzer.
- provide an overview of the various threats to web security.
- describe how web sites and web applications can be attacked and defended.
- describe how to design and maintain a secure web site.
- run a Black Widow scan to probe a web site for vulnerabilities.
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Internet Security Technologies, Network Vulnerabilities
Overview/Description
To introduce networking vulnerabilities and vulnerability scanning
Target Audience
Any individual with technical security responsibilities, including system/network administrators and security officers/administrators; managers or technical staff who wish to demonstrate a technical understanding of a broad range of security-related issues and technologies
Prerequisites
A basic knowledge of networking internetworking concepts and associated hardware
Internet Security Technologies, Network Vulnerabilities
- describe the basic operation of firewalls and proxy servers.
- list the components of NAT and explain when NAT should be implemented.
- describe Mitnick attacks and outline steps that can be taken to prevent them.
- discuss footprinting and network discovery tools.
- discuss the threat of social engineering.
- explain how system scanners work.
- describe some vulnerability scanning tools and outline how they operate.
- describe how Gnutella and peer-to-peer networks work and outline the security issues that arise from their use.
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Intrusion Detection and Risk Management
Overview/Description
To identify features of host and network-based intrusion detection mechanisms and introduce risk analysis and management
Target Audience
Any individual with technical security responsibilities, including system/network administrators and security officers/administrators; managers or technical staff who wish to demonstrate a technical understanding of a broad range of security-related issues and technologies
Prerequisites
A basic knowledge of networking internetworking concepts and associated hardware
Intrusion Detection and Risk Management
- discuss the principles of detecting network intruders.
- describe the characteristics and features of intrusion detection systems.
- describe the different types of intrusion detection mechanisms.
- discuss the deployment of intrusion detection systems.
- recognize the functionality and deployment issues of intrusion detection.
- describe how to distract network intruders and limit the damage they can cause.
- set up a decoy account and monitor both failed and successful login attempts.
- discuss risk management and its requirements with reference to security issues.
- describe the processes involved in implementing information risk management.
- describe the importance of risk assessment and auditing to network security.
- identify the risks to valuable information.
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Introducing Encryption and Cryptography
Overview/Description
To discuss techniques for encrypting information
Target Audience
Any individual with technical security responsibilities, including system/network administrators and security officers/administrators; managers or technical staff who wish to demonstrate a technical understanding of a broad range of security-related issues and technologies
Prerequisites
A basic knowledge of networking internetworking concepts and associated hardware
Introducing Encryption and Cryptography
- outline the history of encryption and the reasons why encryption is important.
- outline the principles of symmetric encryption.
- explain what a block cipher is and identify the algorithms that use them.
- discuss the fundamentals of asymmetric encryption.
- explain the functionality of hashes and message functions in protecting the integrity of encrypted data.
- describe the processes involved in symmetric and asymmetric encryption.
- outline the different methods of managing encryption keys.
- discuss some practical applications of encryption.
- implement a secure encryption scheme on a computer.
- exchange encrypted e-mails.
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PKI and Steganography
Overview/Description
To introduce public key encryption infrastructure and steganographic techniques
Target Audience
Any individual with technical security responsibilities, including system/network administrators and security officers/administrators; managers or technical staff who wish to demonstrate a technical understanding of a broad range of security-related issues and technologies
Prerequisites
A basic knowledge of networking internetworking concepts and associated hardware
PKI and Steganography
- explain the use of certificates for trusted secure public-key implementation.
- discuss the X.509 standard for public-key certificates.
- describe public-key infrastructure and Secure Electronic Transactions (SETs).
- describe revocation and nonrepudiation of public-key certificates.
- outline certificate practices, policies, and paths.
- detail what steganography is and how it works.
- hide and recover data using steganographic tools.
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Secure Communications
Overview/Description
To detail VPN, wireless, and virus security issues
Target Audience
Any individual with technical security responsibilities, including system/network administrators and security officers/administrators; managers or technical staff who wish to demonstrate a technical understanding of a broad range of security-related issues and technologies
Prerequisites
A basic knowledge of networking internetworking concepts and associated hardware
Secure Communications
- explain the technologies used to implement VPNs for secure WAN communications.
- detail the features of a VPN solution for secure remote connectivity.
- implement a VPN solution for secure remote access.
- outline the RADIUS authentication mechanism.
- outline the TACACS+ authentication mechanism and compare it to the RADIUS authentication mechanism.
- describe different virus types and how they operate.
- outline steps to protect against viruses.
- configure antivirus software such as AVG 6.0.
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Wireless Security
Overview/Description
To introduce the issues surrounding wireless security and how to overcome these issues
Target Audience
Any individual with technical security responsibilities, including system/network administrators and security officers/administrators; managers or technical staff who wish to demonstrate a technical understanding of a broad range of security-related issues and technologies
Prerequisites
A basic knowledge of networking internetworking concepts and associated hardware
Wireless Security
- describe WEP and the differences between the various wireless LAN standards.
- describe wireless LAN security attacks and explain how to prevent them.
- identify the strengths and weaknesses of various wireless LAN security techniques.
- identify appropriate security solutions for wireless LANs.
- explain corporate security policies and outline the procedures involved in performing a site survey.
- conduct a wireless LAN site survey.
- describe the WAP protocol and discuss mechanisms for protecting the WAP gateway.
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Windows Security
Overview/Description
To describe Windows 98/ME, NT4, and 2000 OS security requirements and implementations
Target Audience
Any individual with technical security responsibilities, including system/network administrators and security officers/administrators; managers or technical staff who wish to demonstrate a technical understanding of a broad range of security-related issues and technologies
Prerequisites
A basic knowledge of networking internetworking concepts and associated hardware
Windows Security
- describe security issues with MS Windows 98 and Windows ME.
- configure account policy in Windows NT Server 4.0.
- describe Security Configuration Manager.
- implement the SYSKEY utility.
- enable auditing, configure an audit policy, and analyze audit logs.
- implement a step-by-step process to ensure security on Windows NT machines.
- discuss how to manage network and security policies and to outline how to configure security policies through Group Policy.
- evaluate security by using Group Policy.
- analyze security configuration in Group Policy.
- implement user security in Windows 2000.
- manage security in Windows 2000 using Group Policy.
- harden Windows 2000 during installation.
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Windows XP Security and IIS Security
Overview/Description
To introduce Windows XP security and IIS security issues
Target Audience
Any individual with technical security responsibilities, including system/network administrators and security officers/administrators; managers or technical staff who wish to demonstrate a technical understanding of a broad range of security-related issues and technologies
Prerequisites
A basic knowledge of networking internetworking concepts and associated hardware
Windows XP Security and IIS Security
- describe advanced boot options for troubleshooting startup problems in Windows XP Professional system restorations.
- explain the encrypting file system.
- use security templates and analyze system security in Windows XP Professional.
- apply a security configuration policy to a computer using a security template.
- describe improved reliability features in Windows XP over Windows 2000.
- describe how to install or upgrade Internet Information Services 5.0 and how to customize its installation to suit an organizations needs.
- discuss how Internet Information Services security is integrated into Windows 2000 security.
- apply Internet Information Services 5.0 security methods.
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Backing up Windows and UNIX
Overview/Description
To introduce auditing and backing up in Windows and UNIX systems
Target Audience
Any individual with technical security responsibilities, including system/network administrators and security officers/administrators; managers or technical staff who wish to demonstrate a technical understanding of a broad range of security-related issues and technologies
Prerequisites
A basic knowledge of networking internetworking concepts and associated hardware
Backing up Windows and UNIX
- describe backup strategies and best practices for implementing backups.
- detail the backup utilities available in UNIX.
- describe backups in UNIX.
- use NT 4.0 utilities to back up data.
- describe backup and recover utilities in Windows 2000.
- perform a backup in Windows 2000 using Win 2000 Backup.
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Managing Software, System Services and Auditing
Overview/Description
To introduce utilities and processes for managing software and auditing systems
Target Audience
Any individual with technical security responsibilities, including system/network administrators and security officers/administrators; managers or technical staff who wish to demonstrate a technical understanding of a broad range of security-related issues and technologies
Prerequisites
A basic knowledge of networking internetworking concepts and associated hardware
Managing Software, System Services and Auditing
- detail different security log types and analyze their contents.
- describe how to filter, store, and manage log files.
- discuss audit assessment reports and compliance.
- enable and utilize a security log file.
- describe some useful auditing tools and utilities that are used to simplify auditing.
- apply upgrade patches and software upgrades to UNIX systems.
- install software using the Debian package management tool and RPM, and discover information about packages using RPM.
- describe boot services in UNIX.
- describe the boot process in UNIX.
- describe how to limit services launched by inetd and xinetd.
- decide which services to disable or remove in a UNIX system.
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UNIX Security
Overview/DescriptionTo describe security issues related to UNIX access control and system configuration
Target Audience
Any individual with technical security responsibilities, including system/network administrators and security officers/administrators; managers or technical staff who wish to demonstrate a technical understanding of a broad range of security-related issues and technologies
Prerequisites
A basic knowledge of networking internetworking concepts and associated hardware
UNIX Security
- understand UNIX user and group accounts.
- describe the UNIX password system.
- restrict boot-level and root access to UNIX systems.
- describe how UNIX file attributes relate to file ownership and access rights.
- manage UNIX file attributes.
- protect the security of entire UNIX file systems.
- set security parameters in UNIX kernels and prevent cron and unwanted shutdown security issues.
- change file permissions and implement permission-based system security in UNIX.
- benchmark operating systems (OS), including UNIX OS, and evaluate the security of their configurations.
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GIAC GSEC Certification
(GIAC Security Essentials Certification)
GIAC (Global Information Assurance Certification)is a credential which certifies the knowledge, skills and abilities to incorporate
good information security practice in any organization. The GSEC tests the essential knowledge and skills required of any individual
with security responsibilities within an organization. Note that the certification needs to be renewed every two years.
Benefits of CBT Direct’s Online GIAC GSEC Certification Training
CBT Direct boasts the most beneficial online certification training on the market. With online training, you have the flexibility to study on your schedule, and with the speed and reliability of the internet, CBT Direct’s GIAC GSEC training course is accessible anywhere you have an internet connection. Convenience finally costs less with CBT Direct – the most affordable online training solution today. CBT Direct is also a member of CompTIA.
The unique design of CBT Direct’s GIAC GSEC certification course incorporates a proven four-step learning process: presentation, demonstration, guidance and independent practice. This four-step proven learning model for CBT Direct’s GIAC GSEC training course ensures the greatest level of retention to prepare you for your GIAC GSEC certification exam.
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Who Benefits from CBT Direct’s GIAC GSEC Training?
Security professionals that want to fill the gaps in their understanding of technical information security; System, Security, and
Network Administrators that want to understand the pragmatic applications of the CISSP common body of knowledge and managers that
want to understand information security beyond simple terminology and concepts, In addition, anyone new to information security with
some background in information systems and networking.
What Professionals Will Learn from CBT Direct’s GIAC GSEC Training
GIAC Security Essentials Certification (GSEC) Exam
There are no prerequisites to take the GIAC certifications. Any candidate who feels that he or she has the knowledge and
ability to pass the certification requirements may take the certification.
CBT Direct's GIAC training course will teach basics in Networking Concepts, including, TCP/IP, Routing and Host Security, Network Security Overview. You will learn Information Warfare and Web Security, Intrusion Detection and Risk Management, Wireless Security and much more.
Don’t have the skills required for advancement? Ask a training advisor how we can help!
GIAC Security Essentials Certification (GSEC) Exam
