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FOR509: Enterprise Cloud Forensics and Incident Response
FOR509Digital Forensics and Incident Response
- 6 Days (Instructor-Led)
- 36 Hours (Self-Paced)
Course authored by:
David Cowen, Pierre Lidome & Megan Roddie-Fonseca
Course authored by:David Cowen, Pierre Lidome & Megan Roddie-Fonseca
- GIAC Cloud Forensics Responder (GCFR)
- 36 CPEs
Apply your credits to renew your certifications
- In-Person, Virtual or Self-Paced
Attend a live, instructor-led class at a location near you or remotely, or train on your time over 4 months
- 23 Hands-On Lab(s)
Apply what you learn with hands-on exercises and labs
Cloud forensics is evolving. FOR509 equips examiners to embrace new evidence sources in enterprise cloud environments instead of forcing outdated on-premise methods.
Featured Quote
People used to predict that cloud computing would become the dominant technology a few years ago, but it has expanded quickly! It is imperative that this course be taken in order to manage the SOC and secure the cloud.
Course Overview
With FOR509: Enterprise Cloud Forensics and Incident Response, examiners will learn how each of the major cloud service providers (Microsoft Azure, Amazon AWS and Google Cloud) are extending analyst's capabilities with new evidence sources not available in traditional on-premise investigations. From cloud equivalents of network traffic monitoring to direct hypervisor interaction for evidence preservation, forensics is not dead. It is reborn with new technologies and capabilities.
2025 Course Update Summary
The updated FOR509 course now delivers significantly expanded multi-cloud DFIR coverage with in-depth focus on AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, and Kubernetes. New hands-on labs, a multi-cloud intrusion capstone, and enhanced tooling prepare teams to counter advanced persistence techniques, cloud-native service abuse, and cross-platform privilege escalation across today's complex environments. For a detailed breakdown of what's new and how these updates can strengthen your team, download the flyer.
What You'll Learn
- Understand forensic data only available in the cloud
- Implement best practices in cloud logging for DFIR
- Learn how to leverage Microsoft Azure, AWS and Google Cloud resources to gather evidence
- Understand what logs Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace have available for analysts to review
- Gain a high-level understanding of Kubernetes and its log sources in each cloud
- Learn how to move your forensic processes to the cloud for faster data processing
Business Takeaways
- Understand digital forensics and incident response as it applies to the cloud
- Identify malicious activities within the cloud
- Cost-effectively use cloud-native tools and services for DFIR
- Ensure the business is adequately prepared to respond to cloud incidents
- Decrease adversary dwell time in compromised cloud deployments
Meet Your Authors
- Slide 1 of 3
David Cowen
Certified InstructorDavid brings 25+ years in cybersecurity, shifting from pen testing to DFIR in 1999. He’s VP at Charles River Associates, a SANS instructor and course author, and Red Team Captain for the National Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition.
Read more about David Cowen - Slide 2 of 3
Pierre Lidome
Certified InstructorPierre is a SANS course author and cyber threat hunter with 25+ years in DFIR, security, and network engineering. He volunteers for NCCDC, teaches at University of Houston, and serves on the GIAC advisory board and SANS Technology Institute faculty.
Read more about Pierre Lidome - Slide 3 of 3
Megan Roddie-Fonseca
Certified InstructorMegan is a Senior Security Engineer at Datadog, SANS DFIR faculty, and co-author of FOR509. She holds two master’s degrees, serves as CFO of Mental Health Hackers, and is a strong advocate for hands-on cloud forensics training and mental wellness.
Read more about Megan Roddie-Fonseca
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Course Syllabus
Explore the course syllabus below to view the full range of topics covered in FOR509: Enterprise Cloud Forensics and Incident Response.
Section 1Microsoft 365 and Graph API
Before exploring the universe of cloud data, you must understand where and how it exists. This section introduces foundational cloud concepts like snapshots and cloud flows. You will understand what kind of logging and data access is provided by each cloud architecture and the various log hierarchy to guide your investigations.
Topics covered
- Course Introduction and SOF-ELK
- Key Elements of Cloud for DFIR
- Microsoft 365 Unified Audit Log
- Microsoft Graph API
Labs
- Analyze and Visualize data in SOF-ELK
- Suspicious Email
- Data Theft
- Entra ID – UAL View
- Graph API Application Activity
Section 2Microsoft Azure
In this section, you will learn to navigate Azure's various activity and diagnostics logs to track resources, investigate compromised virtual machines, and detect data exfiltration. We will also cover how to deploy your own analysis tools directly into the cloud for more efficient investigations.
Topics covered
- Understanding Azure
- Log Sources for IR
- Virtual Machines
- Storage and Networking
- Resources
Labs
- Azure View
- Resource Tracking
- Virtual Machines and Snapshots
- Detecting Data Exfiltration
Section 3Amazon Web Services (AWS)
This section explores how responders can leverage AWS for investigations, covering new and relevant log sources such as CloudTrail, VPC Flow logs, and S3 Access logs. In the labs, you will work through a realistic intrusion scenario that begins with the compromise of the AWS organization via a federated user account.
Topics covered
- Understanding IR in AWS
- Networking, VMs, and Storage
- Virtual Networks
- S3 Buckets
- AWS Native Log Searching
Labs
- Reviewing CloudTrails Logs
- Finding Rogue VMs
- VPC Flow Logs
- S3 Analysis
- Tracking Lateral Movement
Section 4Kubernetes and Google Workspace
This section provides a foundational understanding of Kubernetes, the open-source container orchestration platform used by all major cloud providers. The course explains the evolution from traditional hardware to container deployments and breaks down the core architectural components.
Topics covered
- Kubernetes Overview and Logs
- Common Kubernetes Attacks
- Understanding Google Workspace
- Accessing Google Workspace Evidence
- Investigating Google Workspace
Labs
- Kubernetes Log Analysis
- Investigating a Compromised Container
- Google Workspace Business Email Compromise
- Google OAuth Abuse with Third-Party Apps
- Google Workspace Data Exfiltration
Section 5Google Cloud
This section equips DFIR professionals with the essential skills to investigate incidents within Google Cloud, starting with its unique approach to Identity and Access Management (IAM). You will learn to navigate Google Cloud's hierarchical structure of organizations, folders, and projects.
Topics covered
- Google Cloud Overview and IAM
- Logging
- Virtual Machines
- Cloud Storage and Networking
Labs
- Roles and Service Account Tracking
- Virtual Machines and Snapshots
- Storage Buckets and Data Exfiltration
- Beacons, VPC Flows, and Firewall Logs
Section 6Multi-Cloud Intrusion Challenge
In this final capstone section, you will apply the knowledge gained throughout the week to a real-world challenge. Working in teams, you will investigate a complex intrusion that spans all three major cloud providers: AWS, Azure, and GCP.
Things You Need To Know
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Explore learning pathCourse Schedule & Pricing
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Learn Alongside Leading Cybersecurity Professionals From Around The World
- Slide 1 of 3FOR509 is very much needed in the industry as there is very little training out there for Cloud DFIR. So the fact that this course exists and is huge.
- Slide 2 of 3Thanks a lot for FOR509 course. I believe this course provides a great way to get a really compressed introduction into the different cloud service providers and what is forensically possible there.
- Slide 3 of 3I love SANS - the training you all provide is world class! I hope that I am able to earn another certification and attend again next year!
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