What is CCD?

Certified CyberDefender (CCD) is a vendor-independent, practical cybersecurity training and certification program aimed at equipping the next generation of SOC analysts, security blue teams, threat hunters, and DFIR professionals. This program immerses participants in real-world threats faced by network defenders and the tools they use for protection. It covers defense strategies, threat-hunting methods, adversary detection, security intrusion investigations, and forensic analysis techniques.

Topics Covered in CCD

The CCD exam typically includes the following domains:

  1. Threat Intelligence and Analysis:
    • Identifying and understanding cyber threats.
    • Analyzing Indicators of Compromise (IoCs).
  2. Endpoint Security:
    • Configuring endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions.
    • Managing and defending against malware and ransomware.
  3. Network Defense:
    • Monitoring and analyzing network traffic.
    • Identifying anomalous behavior and mitigating threats.
  4. Incident Response:
    • Steps in detecting, responding to, and recovering from cyber incidents.
    • Forensic investigation and evidence preservation.
  5. Security Tools and Technologies:
    • Proficiency with tools like SIEM, firewalls, intrusion detection/prevention systems (IDS/IPS), and vulnerability scanners.

BTL1 Exam Details

The CCD exam is entirely practical and spans 48 hours, designed to assess your expertise in areas such as threat hunting, perimeter defense, disk forensics, memory forensics, and network forensics. Upon purchasing the course, you are granted two attempts, with the first attempt required to be used within the 4-month access period.

Additionally, a private Discord channel is available for communication with the CD team in case of any issues. Upon successfully passing the certification, candidates are awarded a CCD physical coin (Gold for scores ≥ 85% or Silver), an electronic certificate, and a digital Credly badge.

Who Should Take the Exam?

  • Cybersecurity analysts.
  • SOC (Security Operations Center) staff.
  • IT professionals transitioning into cybersecurity.
  • Anyone interested in bolstering their defense skills.

BTL1 Exam Tips

For those planning to take the CCD exam, here are some key recommendations to help you succeed:

  1. Read the FAQ Before Starting
    The FAQ contains essential information about the exam, such as how to answer questions, the tested domains, what to practice, the passing score, and more. Familiarizing yourself with these details upfront can make a big difference.
  2. Complete the CCD Training Course and Take Notes
    Go through the full training course thoroughly and take detailed notes on commands and tools that might be helpful during the practical exam. Good notes can save significant time when under pressure.
  3. Finish All CCD Labs
    Completing all labs is critical, as per the FAQ, it provides a 5% bonus to your initial score if you fall short of the passing threshold. This extra buffer can be invaluable.
  4. Read Exam Scenarios and Questions Carefully
    Ensure you understand what each scenario and question is asking before answering. Clear and precise responses are crucial.
  5. Don’t Overthink
    Keep your approach straightforward and develop a consistent methodology to avoid missing important details. If you encounter a challenging question, move on and return to it later if needed.
  6. Time Management
    While 48 hours is generally sufficient, plan your time wisely. Allocate adequate time for each section and factor in breaks for meals, rest, and personal commitments.

Other Key Tips

Understand the Exam Objectives

  • Carefully review the exam’s syllabus and domain breakdown.
  • Focus your study plan on key areas like threat analysis, incident response, and network defense.
  • Identify any personal knowledge gaps and prioritize those topics.

2. Develop Practical Skills

  • The CCD exam places heavy emphasis on hands-on abilities. Practice with real-world tools and scenarios, including:
    • Threat Hunting: Use tools like Splunk, Wireshark, or Zeek to analyze logs and network traffic.
    • Endpoint Security: Familiarize yourself with EDR tools like CrowdStrike, SentinelOne, or Microsoft Defender.
    • Incident Response: Learn how to investigate security breaches using tools like Velociraptor, Autopsy, or FTK.

3. Master Security Tools

  • Gain experience with commonly used cybersecurity tools, such as:
    • SIEM Systems: Splunk, Elastic Security.
    • Network Monitoring Tools: Wireshark, Zeek.

4. Study Key Concepts

  • Threat Intelligence:
    • Understand how to interpret IoCs, TTPs (Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures), and MITRE ATT&CK mappings.
  • Network Defense:
    • Learn how to analyze NetFlow data and detect malicious activities like data exfiltration or lateral movement.
  • Forensics:
    • Study the basics of memory analysis, file system forensics, and registry examination.

BTL1 Study Notes

Table of Contents:

About CCD

About The Exam

Exam Tips

Other Prep Resources

SOC Fundamentals

Security Controls

Incident Response

Email Spoofing

Forensic Evidence Collection

Windows Disk Forensics

Windows Memory Forensics

Threat Hunting

Eric Zimmerman Tools

Cuckoo Sandbox

Malware Analysis

Page Count: 487

Format: PDF & Markup

Certified Cyber Defender (CCD) Study Notes

Testimonials (LinkedIn)

How to Get CCD Study Notes?

You can buy the booklet directly by clicking on the button below

Certified Cyber Defender (CCD) Study Notes

After you buy the booklet, you will be able to download the PDF booklet along with the markup files if you want to import them to Obsidian software.

What about the notes updates?

if you have been watching my YouTube Channel, you definitely know that those who subscribe to the second tier of my channel membership they instantly get access to a vast catalog of cybersecurity, penetration testing, digital marketing, system administration and data analytics notes catalog for 10$ along with the ability to receive all notes updates as long as they are subscribed so what does that mean?

This means if you want to stay up to date with the changes and updates to the notes and get access to other categories, I encourage to join the channel membership second tier instead. However, if you are fine with downloading the current version of this section of the notes then you can buy this booklet instead for a one-time payment.

Will the prices of this booklet change in the future?

Once another version of this booklet is released, which it will, the price will slightly change as the booklet will include more contents, notes and illustrations.

Free Blue Team Training

Checkout the playlist below on my YouTube channel for free Blue Team Training