Implementing a Cybersecurity Program

Looking to set up a cybersecurity program at your company? This course will cover tips and tricks of setting up an IT program from the ground up. The focus will be on the process and how to efficiently and quickly set up the program. The course will cover the following:

• Define elements of a cybersecurity program

• Choosing an implementation approach

• Implementing high value, low cost changes

• How to assesses companies risk tolerance

• Determining and organizing work

• Choosing a cybersecurity framework

This course is for:

Anyone looking into developing a cybersecurity program. The course is designed for someone more technical or leading a technical department and is probably best suited for companies with at least one person devoted to IT.

A note from the instructor: The first time I set up a cybersecurity program, there weren't a lot of resources on the process. Within two years I took the company from no security program to being fully SOC 2 Type 2 Compliant. This was an incredible feat considering the lack of resources. I’ve compiled what made this project so successful into this course, as well as added additional tips and tricks that I’ve learned since.

Who Should Take this Course:

• Anyone wanting to set up a cybersecurity program for their business or organization

• Most ideal for small or medium size companies that have at least 1 IT person

Who Should Take this Course:

• Anyone wanting to set up a cybersecurity program for their business or organization

• Most ideal for small or medium size companies that have at least 1 IT person

Why take the course from me?

• Experience: I’ve been in the IT world since 2000, have a masters in computers, and over 20 industry standard certifications

• Know how to Teach: I was trained as an instructor by the USAF, have a bachelors in education, teaching since 1997, and well over 6,000 hours of classroom instruction time.

• I’ve been a hiring manager since 2010, I know what skill sets employers are looking for.

TechKnowSurge’s Unique Approach

Your instructor has training and years of experience as an educator, as a technician, and as a leader. The course implements the following features:

• Microstep lectures and segmented videos that meters learning into bite size chunks. It also makes it easy to go back and review concepts when needed.

• Extensive coverage of topics to make sure topics are explained fully

• Well-organized content. A tremendous amount of effort has been placed on what order content should be delivered to maximize learning and minimizing confusion.

• A focus on pedagogy. A funny name, but your instructor has a deep understanding of educational theory and what drives learning.

• Module overviews explaining what to expect for each module and sets a mindset for why the information is important to learn.

• Video intros, overviews, and summaries to explain the intention of each video, reinforce learning, and prepare you for success.

• High quality and engaging videos that use graphics, great explanations, and analogies to explain complex topics in an easy to understand way.

Real world application. Step beyond just the theory. Your instructor has real world experience and will share that with you throughout the course.

Content and Overview

This well organized course will has the following modules:

Welcome and Getting Started: Prepare yourself for efficiently and successfully completing the course. You’ll get an overview of what the course is all about and what you should expect out of it.

What is a Cybersecurity Program: Let’s start by exploring what is a cybersecurity program, what are it’s core functions, and who it mitigates risk for a business or organization. We’ll also cover some core cybersecurity definitions and concepts that we’ll use throughout the course.

Implementation Approaches: We’ll set the stage for the three main approaches that I would recommend: Start with action; Start with an Assessment; and Start with a Framework. This will be an overview of the three approaches. We’ll also have a video about change management from a human perspective, that is how to roll out proper change management to help gain the most acceptance for the changes you would be making for the organization.

Lane 1: Start with Action: A cybersecurity program is about making changes that will put the company in the best position for success. This requires action. Delaying action could mean you putting the business at risk. We’ll cover considerations for how to choose which actions are the right first steps for you.

Regulatory Compliance: Laws and regulations continue to evolve and develop to protect consumers. Those businesses that don’t take the new regulatory compliance seriously, may find themselves irrelevant. We’ll cover some of the larger, more common laws and regulations that you may need to implement for your business. We’ll get into what the regulation is, who must comply with it, and some of the highlights of the law.

Critical Cybersecurity Documents: Some documents and policies are requirements, while others are important to legally protect the business. We’ll cover common documents an organization should consider. We’ll discuss who should implement, how the document is used, and look at some examples of the documents.

Cybersecurity Functions: Business operations can be broken down into different individual functions. We’ll get into core functions that can be implemented that will help protect the business from risk.

Lane 2: Start with an Assessment: One of the core functions of a cybersecurity program is to assess risk, determine solutions, prioritize solutions, and then take action. By starting with an assessment, you can prioritize projects in a way that gives the organization the best return on investment. We’ll cover what risk assessments look like and the basics of how to perform a risk assessment for your organization.

Lane 3: Start with a Framework: A framework helps establish a comprehensive cybersecurity program. Without it, an organization could find itself overlooking risk in areas of its operations. A framework can identify those areas and ensure proper controls are in place to protect those areas.

Wrap Up: Time to wrap up the course and provide any final thoughts.

Instructor Bio

TechKnowSurge (Andrew Grimes) has been in the tech industry since 2000 and even longer as an Instructor. He started out as a Survival Instructor for the United States Air Force (USAF) in 1997. When he got out of the military, he started teaching computer classes. Wanting to advance his technical skills, he became a contractor working on a wide range of technologies while teaching technology college courses in the evening. Overtime, he became a hiring manager, director, and leader

His background includes:

• Building a security program within 2 years to include becoming SOC 2 Type 2 compliant

• Leading and maximizing efficiency of IT, Security, and DevOps teams

• Managing SaaS company infrastructure with millions of active users

• Managing small, medium, and large IT Infrastructures

• Migrating technologies to the cloud

• Managing multi-million dollar budgets and reducing overall budget spend year over year

• Utilizing various project management techniques such as waterfall, scrum and Kanban to maximize efficiency and success

• Bachelors in Workforce Education

• Masters in Computer Resource and Information Management

• Over 6,000 hours of teaching experience

• Over 20 industry standard certifications.

Past student reviews:

“Andrew is absolutely the best instructor I've had throughout the course of my education. He is extremely knowledgeable when it comes to all things network and IT-related. Because of the education he provided, I am now working in the network engineering field, and I could not have done it without his expert guidance.” ~Michael B.

“Andrew was hands down my favorite instructor since enrolling” “He has great skills as an instructor, and I've learned a lot from his classes.” ~Jeff S.

“As an instructor, he is thorough, articulate, patient and positive. He genuinely cares that his students fully comprehend the curriculum. I have a great deal of respect for Andrew. I can't recommend him highly enough.” ~Dan H.

“I found Andrew to be one of the best Instructors” “He presents the information with real world applications, which helped to reinforce the concepts presented in the Cisco Certification track.” “I am truely thankful to have had him as my teacher.” ~Dan M.

“Andrew is very knowledgeable and brings his practical business experience with him. He expresses himself very well and treats everyone with respect. He explains very complicated concepts in a manner that is easy to understand.” “It is without reservation that I would recommend Andrew as a business professional and/or teacher.” ~Adam C.

“Andrew is an excellent instructor and more.” “Andrew is the kind of teacher that you never forget.” ~ William C.

“Andrew Grimes is a first rate instructor who genuinely cares about the success of his students. I was fortunate to have Andrew as my instructor.” “I highly recommend Andrew as an instructor and IT professional.” ~Paul C.

“Andrew is a great instructor who really cares whether his students grasp the concepts he teaches. He has a passion for teaching that many couldn't muster.” ~Patrick R.

“He was a great teacher and I would gladly take a class under him again.” ~Joshua R.

“...his style of teaching is accommodating for any level, that a student is starting off at, either beginning or advance in IT world.” ~Paul W.

“He fosters a multidimensional environment of learning in which students of diverse abilities excel.” ~Mark B

“Andrew Grimes was a great Data Networks and Telecommunications Instructor.” “I would highly recommend him to any who desires to further their education.” ~ Tommy S.