SANS is holding a conference in Melbourne in July to help organizations keep their networks safe, in what it describes as an increasingly hostile environment.
SANS, an International provider for computer training, certification and research, has been running three to four events in Australia per year since 2000.
The conference, held on July 26-31, will feature three different classes: Security Essentials Bootcamp; Firewalls, Perimeter Protection, and VPNs; and 17799 Security and Audit Framework.
On completion of the Security Essentials Bootcamp, students can apply for the Global Information Assurance Certification (GIAC) security essentials.
The course covers the language and underlying theory of computer security, and the essential knowledge and skills required for effective performance for securing systems and/or organizations.
The course topics include risk assessment and auditing, host and network-based intrusion detection, firewalls and perimeter protection.
On completion of The Firewalls, Perimeter Protection, and VPNs, students can apply for the GIAC certified firewall analyst.
This course, in which teachers aim to use real-world examples, covers decoding IP packets, firewalls, intrusion detection, centralized logging and alerting, VPNs, auditing, and network design.
Topics include IP Stimulus/Response and Fragmentation, Complex IP Transports and Services, Business Needs vs Security, and in-depth coverage of popular firewall products.
Students completing the 17799 Security and Audit Framework course can apply for the GIAC ISO-17799 specialist certification. The ISO-17799 is developed by the British Standards Institute (BSI).The standard seeks to offer best practice guidance regarding all manner of security issues and can assist any organisation that chooses to adopt it to develop a true security minded corporate culture.
This course is designed for information security officers or other management professionals who are looking for a how-to guide for implementing ISO-17799 effectively. It offers step-by-step pragmatic examples to move quickly into compliance with the standard and certification.
“While the standard is very well written, anyone who has actually tried to shift to an ISO-17799 structured security organization knows there can be some significant hurdles to overcome. This course will give you the information you need to go back to your organisation with a plan of action to get the job done,” a SANS spokesperson said.
All three courses run for six days and students have the option of applying for the related GIAC certification. Each certification is designed to stand alone and need not be completed in any particular order.
There is a two-tiered pricing system with early-bird rates. The Security Essentials Bootcamp costs $US2495, and $US2745 with the certification.
The Firewalls, Perimeter Protection, and VPNs course costs $US2395 and $US2645 with the certification.
The 17799 Security and Audit Framework costs $US2395 and $US2645 with the certification.
These prices all go up by $500 after June 16.
Business development and venue planning director Brian Correia describes the Australian events as extremely successful, with students numbering between 50 and 200 for each event.
“Tickets for the bootcamp usually sell out about two or three weeks beforehand,” he said.