Palo Alto Networks Firewall Training Course Lab

Working with the TechNow lab for the PA-215: Palo Alto Networks Firewall Essentials FastTrack course has been nothing less than a techie's idea of fun. When students come in we are immediatly configuring the Cisco 3750 switches for access ports, VLANS, and trunks. We then cable the switch to the Palo Alto Networks Firewall. Each student gets their own Palo Alto Firewall Pod of hardware and software. What we find as fun is the VLAN environment, with an array of virtual machines hosted on an ESXi server that can really exercise the abilities of the Palo Alto Firewall. The DMZ VLAN hosts virtual machines that support enterprise services and also potentialy vulnerable web services. The Trust VLAN has Windows and Linux clients. The UnTrust VLAN has Web services and a VM of Kali. The hardware Firewall is additionally connected to a Management VLAN. All those VLANs are trunked into an ESXi server where the student also has a VM-Series Palo Alto Networks Firewall for High Availability.

After configuring all the trunking, VLANs, and network interfaces we learn about the firewall and configure it for the lab environment. Using Metasploitable and Kali/Metasploit nefarious penetration attempts are executed. Using packet captures, custom APP-ID's and custom signatures are generated. Custom logging and reporting are created to similate and enterprise and assist the desired Incident Response. It is always fun in a training environment to learn all about the controls available in a product, even though specific controls may not be used in the operational environment. In the end we have a good understanding of the Palo Alto Networks Firewall.

CT-425: CompTIA Advanced Security Practitioner (CASP+)

Course Overview:

This course will cover topics to ensure that students have the technical knowledge and skills required to conceptualize, design, and engineer secure solutions across complex enterprise environments. Students will be able to apply critical thinking and judgement across a broad spectrum of security disciplines to propose and implement solutions that map to enterprise drivers. This course will prepare students for the objectives covered in the CompTIA CASP+ certification exam (CAS-004).

Attendees to CT-425: CompTIA Advanced Security Practitioner (CASP+) will receive TechNow approved course materials and expert instruction.

Date/Locations:

Date/Time	Event
03/10/2025 - 03/14/2025 09:00 -17:00	CT-425: CompTIA Advanced Security Practitioner (CASP+) TechNow, Inc, San Antonio TX
06/09/2025 - 06/13/2025 09:00 -17:00	CT-425: CompTIA Advanced Security Practitioner (CASP+) TechNow, Inc, San Antonio TX
09/15/2025 - 09/19/2025 09:00 -17:00	CT-425: CompTIA Advanced Security Practitioner (CASP+) TechNow, Inc, San Antonio TX
12/08/2025 - 12/12/2025 09:00 -17:00	CT-425: CompTIA Advanced Security Practitioner (CASP+) TechNow, Inc, San Antonio TX

Duration: 5 days

Course Objectives:

Support IT governance in the enterprise with an emphasis on managing risk
Leverage collaboration tools and technology to support enterprise security
Use research and analysis to secure the enterprise
Integrate advanced authentication and authorization techniques
Implement cryptographic techniques
Implement security controls for hosts
Implement security controls for mobile devices
Implement network security
Implement security in the systems and software development lifecycle
Integrate hosts, storage, networks, applications, virtual environments, and cloud technologies in a secure enterprise architecture
Conduct security assessments
Respond to and recover from security incidents

Prerequisites:

Completion of the following or equivalent knowledge:

CompTIA Certification: A+ Essentials

CompTIA Certification: Security+

Comments

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User: clbrack

Instructor comments: I expect to pass, another great class from technow!

User: christopher0470

Instructor comments: Alan takes the time to cover the material so that you understand the concepts and applications of the information presented.

Facilities comments: I like the location. It was quiet and very conducive to learning.

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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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TN-8155: HCISPP Preparation Seminar

Course Overview:

The HCISPP is the only certification that combines cybersecurity skills with privacy best practices and techniques. It demonstrates you have the knowledge and ability to implement, manage, and assess security and privacy controls to protect healthcare organizations using policies and procedures established by the cybersecurity experts at (ISC)2. TechNows HCISPP Certification Boot Camp is a comprehensive review of Healthcare cybersecurity with privacy best practices & industry best practices.

Attendees to TN-8155: HCISPP Certification Preparation Seminar will receive TechNow approved course materials and expert instruction..

Date/Locations:

No Events

Course Duration: 5 days

Course Objectives:

Strategically focus your preparation for HCISPP Certification
Cover a broad spectrum of topics in the 7 domains of the HCISPP Common Body of Knowledge (CBK)
Gain knowledge on the Healthcare industry including third party relationships and health data management concepts
Identify applicable regulations, compliance frameworks, privacy principles and policies to protect information security
Develop risk management methodology and identify control assessment procedures

Audience:

The HCISPP certification is ideal for security professionals responsible for safeguarding protected health information (PHI). Take this HCISPP training course to prepare to manage and implement security controls for healthcare information. HCISPPs are instrumental to a variety of job functions: Compliance Officer, Information Security Manager, Privacy Officer, Compliance Auditor, Risk Analyst, Medical Records Supervisor, IT Manager, Privacy & Security Consultants, and Health Information Manager.

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TN-825: Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) Seminar

Course Overview:

The Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) certification program is developed specifically for experienced information security managers & those who have information security management responsibilities. The CISM certification is for the individual who manages, designs, oversees and/or assesses an enterprise’s information security (IS). The CISM certification promotes international practices & provides executive management with assurance that those earning the designation have the required experience & knowledge to provide effective security management & consulting services. Individuals earning the CISM certification become part of an elite peer network, attaining a one-of-a-kind credential. The CISM job practice also defines a global job description for the information security manager & a method to measure existing staff or compare prospective new hires.

This course is designed to assist in your exam preparation for the CISM exam.

Attendees to TN-825: Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) Seminar will receive TechNow approved course materials and expert instruction.

Dates/Locations:

Date/Time	Event
01/27/2025 - 01/31/2025 08:00 -16:00	TN-825: Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) Seminar TechNow, Inc, San Antonio TX
04/07/2025 - 04/11/2025 08:00 -16:00	TN-825: Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) Seminar TechNow, Inc, San Antonio TX
11/17/2025 - 11/21/2025 08:00 -16:00	TN-825: Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) Seminar TechNow, Inc, San Antonio TX

Duration: 5 Days

Course Objectives:

Information Security Governance (24%)
Establish and/or maintain an information security governance framework and supporting processes to ensure that the information security strategy is aligned with organizational goals and objectives
Information Risk Management (30%)
Manage information risk to an acceptable level based on risk appetite to meet organizational goals and objectives
Information Security Program Development and Management (27%)
Develop and maintain an information security program that identifies, manages and protects the organization’s assets while aligning to information security strategy and business goals, thereby supporting an effective security posture
Information Security Incident Management (19%)
Plan, establish and manage the capability to detect, investigate, respond to and recover from information security incidents to minimize business impact

Prerequisites:

A minimum of five years of information security work experience, with a minimum of three years of information security management work experience in three or more of the job practice analysis areas.

Comments

Latest comments from students

User: tracycampbell

Instructor comments: Dave had great command of the class and the flow of information. The lessons seem relevant to the exam and the course material should assist greatly with passing. As a bonus, his breakdown of PKI helped with my current job requirements.

Facilities comments: The Home2Suites by Hilton was FANTASTIC!

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