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

Comments

Latest comments from students

Liked the class?  Then let everyone know!

TN-913: Cloud Security Fundamentals

 

Course Overview:

TechNow Cloud Security Fundamentals addresses the loss of hands-on control of system, application, and data security in the Cloud computing environment.  Security teams wrestle with the impact and liability of Cloud computing on an organization.  This course enables the security team to assist in contract language and Service Level Agreements (SLAs) when utilizing Cloud Service Providers (CSPs).

Compliance and auditing are introduced with strategies for control verification and audit analysis in the CSP environment.  Software as a Service (SaaS) to Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) and everything in between require a compliance strategy.  Students will go in-depth into the architecture and infrastructure fundamentals for private, public, and hybrid clouds.   Topics covered include: patch and configuration management, virtualization security, application security, and change management. Policy, risk assessment, and governance within cloud environments will be covered with recommendations for both internal policies and contract provisions to consider.

TechNow has worked worldwide enterprise infrastructures for over 20 years and has developed demos and labs to exemplify the techniques required to effectively manage security in the cloud environment.

Attendees to TN-913: Cloud Security Fundamentals will receive TechNow approved course materials and expert instruction.

Date/Locations:

No Events

Course Duration: 3 days

Course Objectives:

  • Cloud computing introduction
  • Security challenges in the cloud
  • Infrastructure security in the cloud
  • Policy, risk, and governance for cloud computing
  • Compliance and legal considerations
  • Audit and assessment for the cloud
  • Data security in the cloud
  • Identity and Access Management (IAM)
  • Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity Planning (DR/BCP) in the cloud
  • Intrusion detection and incident response

Course Prerequisites:

  • GSEC, CISSP, CASP or equivalent experience in managing enterprise infrastructures
  • Managing or administering at least one of UNIX, Windows, Databases, networking, or security

Comments

Latest comments from students

User: reedrobt

Instructor comments: Dave is like an encyclopedia of technical topics...what "doesn't" he have expertise in?

Facilities comments: Home2 location was well-kept and convenient to other services.

 

Liked the class?  Then let everyone know!

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.

Liked the class?  Then let everyone know!

Specialized

TechNow provides an array of courses to meet our customer's requirements.  Courses that do not fit into our major course categories and custom or specialized courses appear here.  

Here are courses about specilaized Software or Hardware:

in   

VM-335: VMware Cloud Essentials and vCloud – Architecting the VMware Cloud FastTrack

 

Course Overview:

This FastTrack course combines combines two VMware courses (VMware Cloud Essentials and vCloud Architecting the VMware Cloud) into a single week course that adds extra exercises and labs to exemplify the techniques presented.  The course begins with how to adopt, operate, and govern the cloud. The course enables participants to successfully complete the associated CompTIA Cloud Essentials™ Exam to become a Cloud Essentials™ Professional(CEP). This course also covers the subject matter specified by the VCP-Cloud certification.

This course is designed to guide students through the decision points and policy choices available for designing and implementing a VMware vCloud environment. Detailed labs and exercises for VMware vSphere™, VMware vCloud Director, VMware vCenter™ Chargeback, and the VMware® vShield Edge capability that is included with vCloud Director. A comprehensive VMware cloud design is demonstrated and discussed.

Attendees to VM-335:  VMware Cloud Essentials and vCloud – Architecting the VMware Cloud FastTrack will receive TechNow approved course materials and expert instruction.

Date/Locations:

No Events

Course Duration: 5 days

Course Objectives:

  • Understand the common terms and definitions of cloud computing.
  • Understand the business benefits and business considerations of cloud computing.
  • Understand cloud computing from a technical perspective and recognize the various techniques, methods, challenges, and types of clouds.
  • Understand the impact and changes of cloud computing on IT service management.
  • Explain typical steps that lead to the successful adoption of cloud computing and understand the implications for organizations.
  • Recognize the compliance, risk, and regulatory consequences of cloud computing and its financial and strategic impact on an organization.
  • Evaluate and design a multitenant environment to address both private cloud and public cloud customer needs.
  • Configure vCloud providers that can accommodate heterogeneous server, storage, and network resources
  • Design a network infrastructure optimized for vCloud.
  • Integrate vCloud Director security with existing LDAP systems and design appropriate security hierarchies with security rolesnderstand the common terms and definitions of cloud computing.
  • Understand the business benefits and business considerations of cloud computing.
  • Understand cloud computing from a technical perspective and recognize the various techniques, methods, challenges, and types of clouds.
  • Understand the impact and changes of cloud computing on IT service management.
  • Explain typical steps that lead to the successful adoption of cloud computing and understand the implications for organizations.
  • Recognize the compliance, risk, and regulatory consequences of cloud computing and its financial and strategic impact on an organization.
  • Evaluate and design a multitenant environment to address both private cloud and public cloud customer needs.
  • Configure vCloud providers that can accommodate heterogeneous server, storage, and network resources.
  • Design a network infrastructure optimized for vCloud.
  • Integrate vCloud Director security with existing LDAP systems and design appropriate security hierarchies with security roles.
  • Design a vCenter Chargeback implementation.

Course Prerequisites:

  • VM-315  or equivalent experience.
  • Managing or administering at least one of UNIX, Windows, databases, networking, or security.

Comments

Latest comments from students

 

Liked the class?  Then let everyone know!