New TEEX Training Course Integrates Cyber Experts into the Incident Command System

Participants learn to work together to manage a multi-faceted cybersecurity incident

In partnership with the National Cybersecurity Preparedness Consortium (NCPC), The Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service (TEEX) has created a new three-day, immersive course, Cybersecurity Incident Response and Management (PER371), to integrate cybersecurity experts into a community’s Incident Command System. The course is offered at no cost through TEEX’s National Emergency Response and Recovery Training Center (NERRTC). All NCPC courses are certified and funded by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Federal Emergency Management Agency.

When a cybersecurity attack occurs at the local level, it could affect a city or county’s emergency services, water supply, transportation system and other critical services. Public- and private-sector organizations must have strong working relationships with their cybersecurity experts to respond to and mitigate the attack. Often, those relationships either don’t exist, or need to be reinforced.

Governments and the private sector are experiencing an array of cyber-enabled threats designed to access sensitive information, steal money, force ransom payments, cause service disruptions and even impact the health of U.S. citizens. Because of this increase in cyber threats and attacks, it is critical that technology personnel, risk managers and emergency managers understand how to work together to respond to, manage and report cybersecurity incidents.

The course introduces participants to the cyber incident lifecycle as specified by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). By engaging in various cyber scenarios in the safe, virtual cyber range developed by the University of Texas at San Antonio’s Center for Infrastructure Assurance & Security, an NCPC partner, participants gain practical, hands-on experience responding to simulated cyberattacks. This experience enhances their understanding of the critical role of information exchange during live cyber incidents. The course integrates the Incident Command System that equips the public and private sectors with the framework, knowledge and practical skills needed to effectively navigate and manage the full spectrum of the cyber incident.

“This is a one-of-a-kind course that is essential for anyone involved in managing cybersecurity risks,” said Dr. Bart Taylor, TEEX’s cybersecurity training manager. “Using real-world scenarios, the latest NIST standards and our virtual cyber range, participants will learn to effectively respond to areawide, multi-faceted cyber threats. Whether you’re from the public or private sector, this training will equip you with the skills needed to manage the entire cyber incident lifecycle from start to finish—training you won’t find anywhere else in the world!”

PER371 is designed for representatives from information technology, cybersecurity, risk management, government, the supply chain industry, emergency response managers, and mid- to senior-level managers from public and private entities responsible for the cybersecurity incident response of their organization.

Mary Kate Howard, enterprise security operations program manager for Hewlett-Packard, Inc., participated in a pilot of the course in March. About the course’s value to cyber incident emergency planning and response, Howard said, “Oftentimes, security and technical professionals find themselves limited to their own industry or sector for context to dictate their actions and response to any incident. By leveraging NIST and traditional Incident Command System methodologies, this course offers a detailed and sector-agnostic environment so that participants can test their existing skills while challenging them to learn and collaborate in a new setting. I personally stepped away with a greater appreciation for the work that all my cohorts do in any emergency situation, cyber or otherwise, and have gained a new perspective on how I can be a more effective contributor in those scenarios.”

To register for the course, which is taught at the TEEX Emergency Operations Training Center in College Station, Texas, visit https://teex.org/class/PER371/, call 979-431-4837 or email [email protected].

About TEEX

The Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service (TEEX) is an internationally recognized leader in emergency response training, workforce training and technical assistance. In 2023, TEEX trained more than 212,000 participants from every U.S. state and territory and 118 countries worldwide.

Major TEEX programs include Fire and Emergency Services, Infrastructure and Safety, Law Enforcement and Protective Services, and Business and Cyber Solutions. Additionally, through its National Emergency Response and Recovery Training Center (NERRTC), TEEX provides federally funded homeland security training and technical assistance for communities across the nation. The agency also sponsors the Texas A&M Public Works Response Team (TX-PWRT) and the Texas A&M Task Force 1 (TX-TF1) Urban Search and Rescue Team.

For more information, visit teex.org

Distributed by:
Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service
Vita Vaughn | Director of Marketing and Communications/CMO
[email protected]
Office: (979) 458-7726 | Cell: (979) 402-7810