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Contact UsCybersecurity and IT Essentials, Cyber Defense
Shane Harsch draws on decades of military and enterprise defense experience to equip students to turn complex security theory into practical, repeatable action. As a SANS Certified Instructor, he teaches SEC501: Advanced Security Essentials – Enterprise Defender and SEC504: Hacker Tools, Techniques, Exploits, and Incident Handling. In his industry role as Principal Solution Engineer at SentinelOne, Shane helps organizations operationalize intelligence-driven defense strategies—bridging real-world practice with classroom precision.
A veteran of the U.S. Army, Shane served fifteen years as a Chief Warrant Officer specializing in signals and cyber intelligence. He later led and architected Security Operations Centers (SOCs) for military and commercial clients, transforming teams from reactive responders to proactive defenders. Across his career he has trained hundreds of defenders and guided cyber programs for both government and Fortune 500 enterprises. His senior leadership roles at RSA Security, Visteon Corporation, and Sequris Group deepened his expertise in enterprise defense, threat detection, and incident response—experience that directly shapes the scenarios and casework in his courses.
Because Shane continues to advise and engineer solutions at SentinelOne, his teaching reflects the latest tactics adversaries use—and how defenders stop them. He holds multiple GIAC certifications, including the GIAC Certified Intrusion Analyst (GCIA), GIAC Certified Enterprise Defender (GCED), and GIAC Certified Incident Handler (GCIH), as well as the CISSP® credential. Shane earned an MBA from Michigan State University and a Bachelor’s in Computational Linguistics from the University of Michigan. His publications, Secure Your Identity, People! and Alignment of Business and IT Security, underscore his belief that security must align with business outcomes. A frequent speaker at events such as GrrCON, SecureWorld, and CDM Media, he shares practical insights on intelligence-driven defense and incident response. Shane Harsch is also a faculty member of the SANS Technology Institute, an NSA Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense and multi-year winner of the National Cyber League competition.
As part of the SANS global faculty, Shane helps shape the next generation of cyber defense professionals who protect the world’s most critical systems. Known for his clarity, real-world focus, and mentorship, he consistently earns top marks from students for transforming complex material into actionable skill. By week’s end, his students don’t just understand enterprise defense—they can architect and execute it with confidence. His philosophy: defense is learned by doing, refined by thinking, and proven when students leave ready to lead from the front lines of cyber defense.
Shane's expertise was evident throughout the course. His passion for the subject was contagious, fostering an inspiring and motivating learning environment.
Shane was awesome, definitely lucky to have an instructor as enthusiastic as he is.
[Shane] has been phenomenal the entire course. I would like Mr. Harsch to teach EVERY SANS course.
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