SEC540: Cloud Security and DevSecOps Automation

The GIAC Cloud Security Automation (GCSA) certification validates a practitioner's understanding of the DevSecOps methodology and toolchains, and skill in implementing security controls throughout automated secure DevOps pipelines. GCSA certification holders have demonstrated knowledge of the tools, security controls, and configuration required to improve reliability, integrity, and security of cloud-hosted systems.

• DevOps fundamentals; DevSecOps security controls; Cloud security fundamentals; Secure Infrastructure as Code
• Configuration Management as Code; Container security; Securing cloud architecture; Continuous security monitoring
• Data protection and secrets management; Deployment orchestration and secure content delivery
• Microservice security; Serverless security; Runtime security automation; Compliance as Code

The following are courses or equivalent experiences that are prerequisites for SEC540:

• SANS SEC488: Cloud Security Essentials or hands-on experience using the AWS and Azure Cloud
• Familiarity with Linux command shells and associated commands
• Basic understanding of common application attacks and vulnerabilities (e.g., OWASP Top 10)
• Hands-on experience using version control (git) and continuous integration systems (Jenkins) is recommended but not required

Preparing for SEC540

Students taking SEC540 will have the opportunity to learn and use a number of DevOps and cloud tools during the hands-on exercises. Getting a head start on the following tools, technologies, and languages will help students enjoy their lab experience:

• Running basic Git commands (clone, add, commit, push): https://docs.gitlab.com/ee/gitlab-basics/start-using-git.html
• Using GitLab for version control: https://docs.gitlab.com/ee/gitlab-basics/
• Jenkins Getting Started Guide: https://jenkins.io/doc/book/getting-started/
• YAML: https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/reference_appendices/YAMLSyntax.html
• AWS CloudFormation Templates (YAML & JSON): https://aws.amazon.com/cloudformation/aws-cloudformation-templates/
• Terraform HCL: https://www.terraform.io/docs/configuration/syntax.html
• Azure Pipelines: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/devops/pipelines

Important! Bring your own system configured according to these instructions.

A properly configured system is required to fully participate in this course. If you do not carefully read and follow these instructions, you will not be able to fully participate in hands-on exercises in your course. Therefore, please arrive with a system meeting all of the specified requirements.

Back up your system before class. Better yet, use a system without any sensitive/critical data. SANS is not responsible for your system or data.

MANDATORY SEC540 SYSTEM HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS

• CPU: 64-bit Intel i5/i7 (8th generation or newer), or AMD equivalent. A x64 bit, 2.0+ GHz or newer processor is mandatory for this class.
• CRITICAL: Apple systems using the M1/M2 processor line cannot perform the necessary virtualization functionality and therefore cannot in any way be used for this course.
• BIOS settings must be set to enable virtualization technology, such as "Intel-VTx" or "AMD-V" extensions. Be absolutely certain you can access your BIOS if it is password protected, in case changes are necessary.
• 16GB of RAM or more is required.
• 65GB of free storage space or more is required.
• At least one available USB 3.0 Type-A port. A Type-C to Type-A adapter may be necessary for newer laptops. Some endpoint protection software prevents the use of USB devices, so test your system with a USB drive before class.
• Wireless networking (802.11 standard) is required. There is no wired Internet access in the classroom.

Cloud Account requirements for this course:

• Students will select either AWS or Azure to complete the labs during class. Students may opt to perform labs using the alternate cloud provider on their own, after class is over.
• In Person and Live Online students will be provided with an AWS account for the duration of the class. Students who wish to follow the Azure labs will need to provide their own Azure subscription prior to the start of the course. Instructions for this are provided in your course Setup Instructions document. Estimated costs for your Azure usage should be less than $100 per week when following the lab instructions.
• OnDemand students can request AWS and/or Azure accounts be provided for their use during the access period for the class.

MANDATORY SEC540 HOST CONFIGURATION AND SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS

• Your host operating system must be the latest version of Windows 10, Windows 11, or macOS 10.15.x or newer.
• Fully update your host operating system prior to the class to ensure you have the right drivers and patches installed.
• Linux hosts are not supported in the classroom due to their numerous variations. If you choose to use Linux as your host, you are solely responsible for configuring it to work with the course materials and/or VMs.
• Local Administrator Access is required. (Yes, this is absolutely required. Don't let your IT team tell you otherwise.) If your company will not permit this access for the duration of the course, then you should make arrangements to bring a different laptop.
• You should ensure that antivirus or endpoint protection software is disabled, fully removed, or that you have the administrative privileges to do so. Many of our courses require full administrative access to the operating system and these products can prevent you from accomplishing the labs.
• Any filtering of egress traffic may prevent accomplishing the labs in your course. Firewalls should be disabled or you must have the administrative privileges to disable it.
• Download and install VMware Workstation Pro 16.2.X+ or VMware Player 16.2.X+ (for Windows 10 hosts), VMware Workstation Pro 17.0.0+ or VMware Player 17.0.0+ (for Windows 11 hosts), or VMWare Fusion Pro 12.2+ or VMware Fusion Player 11.5+ (for macOS hosts) prior to class beginning. If you do not own a licensed copy of VMware Workstation Pro or VMware Fusion Pro, you can download a free 30-day trial copy from VMware. VMware will send you a time-limited serial number if you register for the trial at their website. Also note that VMware Workstation Player offers fewer features than VMware Workstation Pro. For those with Windows host systems, Workstation Pro is recommended for a more seamless student experience.
• On Windows hosts, VMware products might not coexist with the Hyper-V hypervisor. For the best experience, ensure VMware can boot a virtual machine. This may require disabling Hyper-V. Instructions for disabling Hyper-V, Device Guard, and Credential Guard are contained in the setup documentation that accompanies your course materials.
• Download and install 7-Zip (for Windows Hosts) or Keka (for macOS hosts). These tools are also included in your downloaded course materials.

Your course media is delivered via download. The media files for class can be large. Many are in the 40-50GB range, with some over 100GB. You need to allow plenty of time for the download to complete. Internet connections and speed vary greatly and are dependent on many different factors. Therefore, it is not possible to give an estimate of the length of time it will take to download your materials. Please start your course media downloads as soon as you get the link. You will need your course media immediately on the first day of class. Do not wait until the night before class to start downloading these files.

Your course materials include a "Setup Instructions" document that details important steps you must take before you travel to a live class event or start an online class. It may take 30 minutes or more to complete these instructions.

Your class uses an electronic workbook for its lab instructions. In this new environment, a second monitor and/or a tablet device can be useful for keeping class materials visible while you are working on your course's labs.

If you have additional questions about the laptop specifications, please contact laptop_prep@sans.org

"DevOps and the cloud are radically changing the way that organizations design, build, deploy, and operate online systems. Leaders like Amazon, Microsoft, Google, and Netflix are able to deploy hundreds or even thousands of changes every day, continuously learning, improving, and growing - and leaving their competitors far behind. Now DevOps and the cloud are making their way from Internet 'Unicorns' and cloud providers into enterprises.

"Traditional approaches to security can't come close to keeping up with this rate of accelerated change. Engineering and operations teams that have broken down the "walls of confusion" in their organizations are increasingly leveraging new kinds of automation, including Infrastructure as Code, Continuous Delivery and Continuous Deployment, microservices, containers, and cloud service platforms. The question is: Can security take advantage of the tools and automation to better secure its systems?

"Security must be reinvented in a DevOps and cloud world."

- Eric Johnson, Ben Allen, and Frank Kim

"Great instructor, gave real life devops examples from his experience, and was very willing to demo extra concepts and commands on the fly (hashicorp terraform)." - Eden Kang