Cybersecurity Incident Response

Programme Summary

Develop coordinated decisions and reliable records for cybersecurity incident detection, response and recovery. Participants examine triage, containment options, evidence handling, stakeholder communication and restoration criteria through a fictional incident. Structured exercises connect technical observations with business impact and decision authority, helping teams respond proportionately, preserve important evidence and turn lessons into improvements before the next disruption.

Training Objectives

1 Strengthen organisational preparedness for cybersecurity incidents; 2 Improve triage containment and escalation decisions; 3 Develop disciplined evidence and incident record handling; 4 Coordinate business technical and communication responsibilities; 5 Support controlled recovery and actionable incident learning.

Learning Outcomes

1 Classify and escalate a suspected cyber incident; 2 Build a factual timeline from supplied evidence; 3 Recommend proportionate containment with business impact review; 4 Prepare recovery criteria and stakeholder communication actions; 5 Produce a justified incident review and improvement plan.

Target Audience

Incident Response Coordinators; Security Operations Analysts; Information Security Managers; IT Operations Managers; Business Continuity Managers; Technology Risk Officers.

Target Industries

Financial Services; Technology Services; Telecommunications; Healthcare Services; Utilities; Online Retail.

Course Contents

• Module 1 Incident Response and Risk Governance: Preparation across organisational risk management activities; Incident roles authority and business accountability; Policies plans and response service interfaces.
• Module 2 Preparedness and Operational Readiness: Asset visibility and essential logging coverage; Contact routes access and response resources; Exercises playbooks and decision rehearsal.
• Module 3 Detection and Initial Triage: Evaluate alerts and corroborating observations; Distinguish events incidents and uncertain indicators; Record initial facts and classification rationale.
• Module 4 Severity Scope and Escalation: Affected assets data services and stakeholders; Business impact and severity criteria; Escalate time critical risks and uncertainty.
• Module 5 Evidence Preservation and Incident Records: Document sources timing and handling actions; Preserve integrity and controlled evidence access; Specialist forensic and legal escalation boundaries.
• Module 6 Containment Options and Decisions: Balance exposure reduction and operational consequences; Isolation account restriction and access coordination; Approval rollback and evidence preservation needs.
• Module 7 Investigation and Analysis Coordination: Develop hypotheses from available observations; Identify information gaps and specialist tasks; Maintain a consistent incident timeline.
• Module 8 Communication and External Interfaces: Internal reporting and executive decision briefings; Customer supplier and specialist coordination; Confirm applicable notification duties with authorised teams.
• Module 9 Eradication and Corrective Action Planning: Remove confirmed causes through authorised changes; Validate fixes and protect evidence integrity; Track dependencies and unresolved exposure.
• Module 10 Recovery and Return to Service: Restore from trusted and verified sources; Acceptance criteria testing and heightened monitoring; Approve service return and communicate residual issues.
• Module 11 Post Incident Learning and Improvement: Review decisions timing and control performance; Identify systemic causes and improvement actions; Update playbooks training and risk priorities.
• Module 12 Incident Response Tabletop Exercise: Respond to a fictional evolving incident; Maintain decisions timeline and communication records; Present recovery and improvement recommendations.

Assessment

• 60 single best answer questions, including applied scenarios; one mark per question.
• 90 minute invigilated digital examination with identity verification. Approved accessibility adjustments preserve the assessed competence.
• Supplied reference sheets permitted; external AI, messaging and unapproved internet assistance prohibited.
• Individual applied assessment (90 minutes): Respond to staged incident updates, build a factual timeline and decision log, justify containment choices and present communication, recovery and improvement actions.
• Assessment criteria: Accurate triage evidence interpretation and incident records; Proportionate coordinated containment and escalation decisions; Defensible recovery criteria and actionable improvement recommendations.
• Pass each component separately: 45/60 written marks (75%) and at least 70% on the applied task.
• All mandatory criteria must pass: Use only supplied fictional evidence and authorised training systems; Preserve evidence integrity and respect stated decision authority.
• Individual results and feedback are provided. One reassessment may follow coaching under the published enrolment terms.

Certification

• Successful learners receive a TQCSI Arabia digital Certificate of Successful Completion.
• The certificate records the learner name, exact programme title, teaching hours, completion date and unique verification reference.
• Verified identity, full attendance and separate written and applied passes are required; all mandatory critical criteria must be met.
• Proposed issue target: within 30 calendar days of approved results and settlement of applicable fees.
• Records assessed incident response coordination skills; it does not confer forensic certification or authorise intervention in live systems.
• Attendance confirmation may record completed hours for unsuccessful learners; it does not certify successful completion.

Programme Profile

Number of daysNumber of daysNumber of days

333

Total teaching hoursTotal teaching hoursTotal teaching hours

18 hours; breaks, pre course work and formal final assessments excluded.18 hours; breaks, pre course work and formal final assessments excluded.18 hours; breaks, pre course work and formal final assessments excluded.

Delegates allowedDelegates allowedDelegates allowed

Maximum 16 delegates.Maximum 16 delegates.Maximum 16 delegates.

Training prerequisitesTraining prerequisitesTraining prerequisites

Basic knowledge of networks, systems and cybersecurity controls is required. Experience with incident monitoring, IT operations or continuity coordination is recommended.Basic knowledge of networks, systems and cybersecurity controls is required. Experience with incident monitoring, IT operations or continuity coordination is recommended.Basic knowledge of networks, systems and cybersecurity controls is required. Experience with incident monitoring, IT operations or continuity coordination is recommended.

Pre course assignment and assessmentPre course assignment and assessmentPre course assignment and assessment

Review a fictional incident playbook and complete a 45 minute diagnostic on triage, escalation and evidence preservation.Review a fictional incident playbook and complete a 45 minute diagnostic on triage, escalation and evidence preservation.Review a fictional incident playbook and complete a 45 minute diagnostic on triage, escalation and evidence preservation.

End of course assessmentEnd of course assessmentEnd of course assessment

60 question written exam (90 minutes) and individual applied task (90 minutes).60 question written exam (90 minutes) and individual applied task (90 minutes).60 question written exam (90 minutes) and individual applied task (90 minutes).

Passing criteriaPassing criteriaPassing criteria

75% written and 70% applied, passed separately; full attendance. All mandatory criteria must pass.75% written and 70% applied, passed separately; full attendance. All mandatory criteria must pass.75% written and 70% applied, passed separately; full attendance. All mandatory criteria must pass.