CDI: Cyberterrorism First Responder (CFR)

CFR is designed to prepare first responders to effectively and efficiently act to counter any type of cyber-based terror attack against our nation’s internet, communications, and network-based infrastructure. This is an intense, hands-on course for skilled technical personnel who meet specific technical prerequisites, and are responsible for responding to agency assistance calls for potential cyberterrorism activity.

CFR is offered free-of-charge to technical personnel from public safety, law enforcement, state and local government, public utilities, colleges and universities, and health care providers. Depending on classroom space, consideration will also be given to other individuals working within agencies and organizations considered as a part of our nation's critical infrastructures. CFR is a highly-specialized, four-and-a-half day course designed primarily for first responder personnel from those eligible agencies.

Blended learning methods will be utilized, to include a balance of classroom lecture, hands-on laboratory exercises, and the use of cyberterrorism response tools, as cyberterror attacks against significant national network infrastructure targets will be simulated.  Because of the high-level of training provided via this course, this class will be more limited in number and potential participants will be screened to ensure that they meet specified prerequisites. 

CFR classes stress a proactive approach to providing computer, network, and infrastructure incident response handling. Solutions and methods taught are non-vendor-specific, which does not require participants to have specialized software when trying to implement class lessons at their own agencies. CDI stresses proper network and data engineering techniques and methodology over simple software packages, keeping agency financial requirements to a minimum.

Participants will be introduced to a wide variety of incident response information and methods including, but not limited to:

  • Understanding of how to handle specific types of incidents to include preparing for an incident, how to detect and analyze an incident, and how to contain, eradicate and recover from an incident.

  • Understanding of the many tools and resources required in the incident response process that the first responder must bring to bear in order to accurately and successfully detect, analyze, and mitigate an incident.

  • Understanding of the incident response case management process and how to accurately prepare forms and reports that are necessary to document an incident. 

  • Understanding of key techniques and steps to prevent an incident from happening including an analysis of incident precursors and indicators.

  • Understanding of how to handle an ongoing crisis and the steps necessary to return to normal operations.

  • Understanding of how to analyze various types of logs for log entries relating to specific types of incidents.

  • Understanding of the law as it relates to the incident response process.