Cybersecurity Assessment: CompTIA Security+ & CYSA+ Course Syllabus

Overview: This course provides a practical, framework-based approach to cybersecurity assessment, designed to prepare learners for the CompTIA CySA+ exam and real-world roles in threat analysis and security operations. Over four weeks, students will engage with core concepts in threat detection, vulnerability management, security frameworks, and cybersecurity operations. Each module combines theory with hands-on assessments, including log analysis, vulnerability scanning, framework mapping, and incident response workflows. With approximately 3-5 hours of work per module, this course offers a structured, career-aligned path for IT professionals seeking to advance into security analysis roles.

Module 1: Threat Detection and Response

Estimated time: 4 hours

• Indicators of compromise (IOCs)
• Behavioral analytics and anomaly detection
• Threat intelligence sources and integration
• Analyzing log data to identify threat patterns

Module 2: Vulnerability Management

Estimated time: 4 hours

• Vulnerability assessment methodologies
• Patch management strategies
• CVE identification and prioritization
• Simulating vulnerability scanning and mitigation

Module 3: Security Frameworks

Estimated time: 4 hours

• NIST Cybersecurity Framework components
• MITRE ATT&CK framework application
• CIS Controls implementation
• Mapping organizational practices to industry standards

Module 4: Cybersecurity Operations

Estimated time: 4 hours

• Incident response planning and procedures
• Compliance audit fundamentals
• Threat modeling techniques
• Building a basic SOC incident workflow

Module 5: Final Project

Estimated time: 6 hours

• Conduct a comprehensive threat analysis using real-world log data
• Perform a vulnerability assessment and recommend mitigation steps
• Apply NIST and MITRE frameworks to a simulated organizational scenario

Prerequisites

• Basic understanding of networking concepts
• Familiarity with fundamental security principles
• Experience with IT systems and operations

What You'll Be Able to Do After

• Conduct threat detection using data-driven cybersecurity frameworks
• Interpret logs, network traffic, and system artifacts for incident response
• Apply NIST and MITRE frameworks to identify vulnerabilities and assess risks
• Perform vulnerability assessments and prioritize remediation efforts
• Build and execute incident response workflows aligned with SOC best practices