TN-963: Windows Security Automation with PowerShell

Course Overview:

PowerShell is made for Security Operations (SecOps) automation on Windows. SecOps requires automation in order to scale out security changes and monitoring beyond a handful of hosts. For example, when a vulnerability must be remediated but there is no patch for it yet, automation is needed to quickly and consistently enact the changes necessary. PowerShell “remoting” is encrypted remote command execution of PowerShell scripts in a way that can scale to thousands of endpoints and servers.

Imagine being able to hunt for indicators of compromise across thousands of machines with just a few lines of PowerShell code. Or imagine having the local Administrator account password reset every night on thousands of endpoints in a secure way, and being able to retrieve that password securely too.

We will show you to do these tasks and more. Transcription logging for forensics, strong encryption code signing, application whitelisting of scripts, IPSec port control, and Just Enough Admin (JEA).

As more and more of our systems are moved up to the cloud, PowerShell will become even more important. Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, Office 365, Hyper-V and VMware already support PowerShell administration for many tasks.

Attendees to TN-963: Windows Security Automation with PowerShell will receive TechNow approved course materials and expert instruction.

Date/Locations:

No Events

Duration: 3 days

Course Objectives:

Day One
PowerShell Overview and Tips

- Getting started running commands
- Using and updating the built-in help
- Execution policies
- Fun tricks with the ISE graphical editor
- Piping .NET and COM objects, not text
- Using properties and methods of objects
- Helping Linux admins feel more at home
- Aliases, cmdlets, functions, modules, etc.
- Customizing your profile script

What Can We Do With PowerShell

- PowerShell remote command execution
- Fan-out remoting and security
- File copy via PowerShell remoting
- Capturing the output of commands
- Parsing text files and logs with regex patterns
- Searching remote event logs faster with XPath
- Mounting the registry as a drive
- Exporting data to CSV, HTML and JSON files
- Parsing and mining nmap port scanner XML output
- Running scripts as scheduled jobs
- Pushing out scripts through Group Policy
- Importing modules and dot-sourcing functions
- http://www.PowerShellGallery.com

Write your own scripts

- Writing your own functions
- Passing arguments into your scripts
- Function parameters and returning output
- Flow control: if-then, do-while, foreach, switch
- The .NET Framework class library: a playground
- How to pipe data in/out of your scripts

Day Two
Continuous Secure Configuration Enforcement

- How to use Group Policy and PowerShell together
- Automate with INF security templates
- How to customize INF templates
- Microsoft Security Compliance Manager (SCM)
- SECEDIT.EXE scripting
- Building an in-house security repository for SecOps/DevOps
- NSA’s Secure Host Baseline GPOs

Group Policy Precision Targeting

- Managing Group Policy Objects (GPOs) with PowerShell
- LSDOU, Block Inheritance, Enforced GPOs
- Group Policy permissions for targeting changes
- ADMX templates for mass registry editing
- Deploying PowerShell startup and logon scripts
- WMI item-level targeting of GPO preferences
- GPO scheduled tasks to run PowerShell scripts
- Remote command execution via GPO (not remoting)
- Empowering the Hunt Team to fight back!

Server Hardening for SecOps/DevOps

- Server Manager scripting with PowerShell
- Adding and removing roles and feature
- Remotely inventory roles, features, and apps
- Why Server Nano or Server Core
- Running PowerShell automatically after service failure
- Service account identities, passwords, and risks
- Tools to reset service account passwords securely

Day Three
PowerShell Desired State Configuration (DSC)

- DSC is Configuration Management built in for free
- Using DSC for continuous reinforcement of settings
- Writing your own DSC configuration scripts
- Free DSC resource modules: www.PowerShellGallery.com
- How to push DSC configurations to many targets
- DSC background job processing in push mode
- Examples: sync files, install roles, manage groups
- Auditing a remote target against a DSC MOF template
- “ApplyAndAutoCorrect” mode for continuous enforcement

PowerShell Just Enough Admin (JEA)

- JEA is Windows sudo, like on Linux
- JEA is Windows setuid root, like on Linux
- Restricting commands and arguments
- Verbose transcription logging
- How to set up and configure JEA
- Privilege Access Workstations (PAWs)

PowerShell and WMI

- Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) service
- What is WMI and why do hackers abuse it so much?
- Using PowerShell to query WMI CIM classes
- WMI authentication and traffic encryption
- Inventory operating system versions and installed software
- WMI remote command execution versus PowerShell remoting
- PowerShell security best practices
- PowerShell transcription logging to catch hackers

Prerequisites:

GSEC or equivalent experience
UNIX, Windows, Networking, and Security Experience
This is a hands-on skill course requiring comfort with command line interaction and network communications

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CT-325: Security+

Course Overview:

The CT-325: Security+ (SY0-701) class is the primary class you will need to take if your job responsibilities include securing network services, network devices, and network traffic. It will also help you prepare for the CompTIA Security+ examination (exam number SY0-701). In the CT-325: Security+ class you’ll build on your knowledge and professional experience with computer hardware, operating systems, and networks as you acquire the specific skills required to implement basic security services on any type of computer network. Let us help you prepare for the CompTIA Security+ exam (SY0-701).

TechNow is a CompTIA partner and uses official CompTIA Security+ curriculum.

Attendees to CT-325: Security+ will receive TechNow approved course materials and TechNow expert instruction.

Dates/Locations:

Date/Time	Event
01/27/2025 - 01/31/2025 00:00 -23:59	CT-325: Security+ TechNow, Inc, San Antonio TX
03/31/2025 - 04/04/2025 08:00 -16:00	CT-325: Security+ TechNow, Inc, San Antonio TX
06/23/2025 - 06/27/2025 08:00 -16:00	CT-325: Security+ TechNow, Inc, San Antonio TX
08/18/2025 - 08/22/2025 08:00 -16:00	CT-325: Security+ TechNow, Inc, San Antonio TX
10/27/2025 - 10/31/2025 08:00 -20:00	CT-325: Security+ TechNow, Inc, San Antonio TX
12/15/2025 - 12/19/2025 08:00 -16:00	CT-325: Security+ TechNow, Inc, San Antonio TX

Duration: 5 Days

Course Objectives:

Compare and contrast attacks
Compare and contrast security controls
Use security assessment tools
Explain basic cryptography concepts
Implement a public key infrastructure
Implement identity and access management controls
Manage access services and accounts
Implement a secure network architecture
Install and configure security appliances
Install and configure wireless and physical access security
Deploy secure host, mobile, and embedded systems
Implement secure network access protocols
Implement secure network applications
Explain risk management and disaster recovery concepts
Describe secure application development concepts
Explain organizational security concepts

Prerequisites:

CompTIA A+ and Network+ certifications, or equivalent knowledge.
Windows 7/8/10 and Server 2008/2012/2016 experience required.
Six to nine months experience in networking, including experience in configuring & managing TCP/IP.

Comments

Latest comments from students

User: joshjepsen@hotmail.com

Instructor comments: Instructor was very knowledgeable on all the course content. There were some instances when I felt he streamlined through some of the material too quickly, such as going over how to identify types of attacks.

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TN-969: Windows Security Administrator Course

Course Overview:

A skills focus enables the student to better absorb the subject matter and perform successfully on the job. This is not death by power point. The course is aligned with information assurance operators and executing hands-on labs to secure Windows systems. Lecture and labs start with quick review of Active Directory and group policy to enforce security mechanisms within the Windows architecture. Students then gain network experience and use sniffing to help exemplify the benefit of learning wired and wireless security configurations. PowerShell is made for SecOps/DevOps automation and students will learn to write PowerShell scripts to automate security operations and Desired State Configuration (DSC). The course concludes with exercising real attack strategies to demonstrate the effectives of properly securing your host.

Attendees to TN-969: Windows Security Administrator course will receive TechNow approved course materials and expert instruction.

Date/Locations:

No Events

Duration: 5 days

Course Objectives:

Active Directory and BloodHound
Security Controls
PKI
Encryption
Wireless & Network Security and Hardening DNS
802.1x and Endpoint Protection
Firewalls and VPN
PowerShell Scripting
JEA, DSC, Enterprise Security with PowerShell
Windows Attack Strategies

Prerequisites:

Security+
Windows System Administration Skills

Comments

Latest comments from students

User: bbrabender

Instructor comments: Instructor was very knowledgeable and help more inexperienced users with concepts as well explaining in a way that can be understood.

Facilities comments: N/A

User: dale.r.anderson

Instructor comments: Instructor was well knowlegeable accross alot of domains.

Facilities comments: Pretty good

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TN-415: Computer Hacking Forensics Investigator (CHFI)

Course Overview:

The Computer Hacking Forensic Investigator (CHFI) course delivers the security discipline of digital forensics from a vendor-neutral perspective. CHFI is a comprehensive course covering major forensic investigation scenarios and enabling students to acquire necessary hands-on experience with various forensic investigation techniques and standard forensic tools necessary to successfully carry out a computer forensic investigation leading to the prosecution of perpetrators.

The CHFI certification gives participants the necessary skills to perform an effective digital forensics investigation. CHRI presents a methodological approach to computer forensics including searching and seizing, chain-of-custody, acquisition, preservation, analysis and reporting of digital evidence

What’s Included:

5 days of instructor-led in classroom training
Detailed Labs for hands-on learning experience; approximately 50% of training is dedicated to labs
Hundreds of investigation tools including EnCase, Access Data FTL, & ProDiscover
Huge cache of evidence files for analysis including RAW, .dd images, video & audio files, MS Office files, systems files, etc.
CHFI Courseware
Exam Voucher
CHFI onsite exam scheduling

Course Objectives:

Establish threat intelligence and key learning points to support pro-active profiling and scenario modeling
Perform anti-forensic methods detection
Perform post-intrusion analysis of electronic and digital media to determine the who, where, what, when, and how the intrusion occurred
Extract and analyze of logs from various devices like proxy, firewall, IPS, IDS, Desktop, laptop, servers, SIM tool, router firewall, switches AD server, DHCP logs, Access Control Logs & conclude as part of investigation process
Identify & check the possible source/ incident origin
Recover deleted files and partitions in Windows, MAC OS X, and Linux
Conduct reverse engineering for known and suspected malware files
Collect data using forensic technology methods in accordance with evidence handling procedures, including collection of hard copy and electronic documents

Dates/Locations:

No Events

Duration: 5 Days

Course Content:

- Module 01. Computer Forensics in Today’s World
- Module 02. Computer Forensics Investigation Process
- Module 03. Understanding Hard Disks and File Systems
- Module 04. Data Acquisition and Duplication
- Module 05. Defeating Anti-forensics Techniques
- Module 06. Operating System Forensics (Windows, Mac, Linux)
- Module 07. Network Forensics
- Module 08. Investigating Web Attacks
- Module 09. Database Forensics
- Module 10. Cloud Forensics
- Module 10. Malware Forensics
- Module 11. Investigating Email Crimes
- Module 12. Investigating Email Crimes
- Module 13. Mobile Forensics
- Module 14. Forensics Report Writing and Presentation

Prerequisites:

- - 2+ years of proven information security work experience
  - Educational background with digital security specialization
Target Audience:
- - Law Enforcement
  - Defense & Military
  - E-Business Security
  - Systems Administrators
  - Legal Professionals
  - Banking & Insurance professionals
  - Government Agencies
  - IT Managers
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P-325: Python Programming

Course Overview:

This is an introductory course into the Python scripting language. This class uses a hands-on approach in teaching the Python language. This course builds the prerequisite skills for TechNow's P-345: Python for Pentration Testers course. Getting comfortable with Python is important to understanding how Python can be utilitized for offensive measures.

This course is hands-on with the instructor walking the students through many short examples to exemplify an objective. Dexterity with the language comes through many small code examples to produce the desired result. Students have fun acquiring points for all the code examples they get correct. We must be having fun because TechNow is always amazed at how competitive students are in trying to acquire the most points!

The instructor will focus on the level that each student is currently at, and ensure the student absorbs the subject matter. Programming is not a daily tasking of administrators or offensive operators and TechNow understands that. As an instructor led course TechNow is very successful in making Python accessible to those who do not live eat and breath programming. If a student's ultimate goal is to attend a course like TechNow's P-345: Python for Pentration Testers course, then not being bogged down in the Python language is critical, and this course (P-325: Python Programming) meets that objective.

Recently we have introduced Raspberry Pi's and multiple sensors to the P-325: Python Programming course. This enables the student to actually see productive results from their coding skills in the physical world! Some examples that students create programs for are: Motion detectors, distance, temperature, cameras and keypads.

Attendees to P-325: Python Programming will receive TechNow approved course materials and expert instruction.

Dates/Locations:

No Events

Duration: 5 Days

Course Objectives:

How Python Runs Programs
Introducing Python Object Types
- Numeric Types
- Dynamic Typing
Variables
Regular Expressions
Strings
Conditionals
- if Tests and Syntax Rules
Lists and Dictionaries
Tuples and Files
Introducing Python Statements
Assignments, Expressions, and Prints
while and for Loops
Iterations and Comprehensions
Documentation
Function Basics
Built-In Functions
Scopes
Arguments
Modules
Module Packages and Importing
Classes and OOP
Operator Overloading
Recursion
Exception Coding Details
Exception Objects
Unicode and Byte Strings
Working with Raspberry Pi
- Writing code for sensors

Prerequisites:

Experience with some form of programming is preferred

Comments

Latest comments from students

User: slewis8435

Instructor comments: Very good instructor - he was excited about the material, very knowledgeable, and explained things clearly.

Facilities comments: The facilities were fine - plenty of room for each student to set up an extra computer and have room for note taking

User: nathan.karras

Instructor comments: Instructor was extremely knowledgeable in programming and scripting. He encouraged students to explore and ask questions. He would work with individuals to troubleshoot lab problems sets. Would highly recommend as an instructor.

Facilities comments: Room got a little warn. Instructor purchased fans to cool things off for the class. Projector had over scan.