INE Resources
09/04/2025
INE
New IT & Cybersecurity Mandates: What Federal Workers Need to Know
The US Government is shifting Network and Cybersecurity priorities from perimeter-based defenses to a more proactive posture. Here’s what you need to know.
09/03/2025
INE
New eCIR Certification: Advanced Incident Response Training
Today, we're excited to announce the launch of our updated Certified Incident Responder (eCIR) certification—a comprehensive incident response certification designed to prepare cybersecurity professionals for the realities of modern threat investigation and response.
09/03/2025
INE
Press Release: eCIR Certification Launch
INE Security Releases Next-Generation eCIR Certification Amid Growing Demand for IR SkillsINE Security, a leader in cybersecurity education, is announcing the launch of its updated Certified Incident Responder (eCIR) certification. This comprehensive incident response certification certification is designed to equip cybersecurity professionals with the knowledge and hands-on experience required to effectively detect, investigate, and respond to security incidents in enterprise environments.The eCIR certification is built for professionals at all levels of defensive cybersecurity, including SOC analysts, incident responders, blue team engineers, and IT security personnel. The updated program emphasizes blue team defense, practical skills, real-world engagement, and modern incident response methodologies to equip professionals with the capabilities necessary to handle today's sophisticated cyber threats and complex breach scenarios."Organizations need cyber teams that are prepared to not only respond to incidents but also conduct thorough investigations that lead to effective containment and recovery," said Lindsey Rinehart, CEO of INE Security. "With the updated eCIR certification, we're providing professionals the hands-on training and investigative skills that will make them essential in today's rapidly evolving threat landscape."Key Features of the eCIR Certification:Hands-on, Realistic Lab Environment: Candidates will work in simulated corporate networks investigating actual breach scenarios, analyzing logs and artifacts to build comprehensive incident timelines, providing practical experience in real-world cybersecurity incident response.Comprehensive Coverage of Five Critical Domains: The certification covers Threat Detection & SIEM Operations, Endpoint & Network Analysis, Digital Forensics & Evidence-Based Analysis, Threat Intelligence & Attribution, and Reporting & Communication to ensure complete preparation for professional incident response roles.Focus on Practical Investigation Skills: Unlike other certifications that rely on multiple-choice testing, the eCIR features a fully practical exam where candidates must investigate a corporate breach and document their findings, mirroring the type of analysis included in professional incident reports.Real-world Application: The certification challenges candidates to apply their skills using industry-standard tools for SOC operations, SIEM analysis, endpoint investigation, network forensics, and threat intelligence in scenarios featuring modern attack techniques including fileless malware, living-off-the-land tactics, and cloud-based compromises.The certification addresses the growing industry demand for skilled incident responders, as organizations increasingly recognize that effective incident response capabilities are critical for minimizing breach impact and ensuring rapid recovery. eCIR-certified professionals are positioned for expanded career opportunities in high-demand roles such as SOC analysts, incident response specialists, digital forensics investigators, and cybersecurity consultants.The updated eCIR certification is now available for purchase and can be paired with INE Security's comprehensive cybersecurity training programs. These programs include everything from introductory materials to advanced hands-on training designed to prepare professionals for the evolving demands of the cybersecurity industry.For more information or to enroll in the eCIR certification program, visit ine.com.About INE SecurityINE Security is a leading provider of online cybersecurity education, offering a comprehensive suite of hands-on courses and certification programs designed to meet the needs of professionals at all levels. INE Security is the top training choice for Fortune 500 companies worldwide for cybersecurity training in business and for IS/IT professionals looking to advance their careers. With a global community of learners, INE Security equips individuals and organizations with the skills necessary to defend against and combat modern cyber threats, offering a wide range of security certifications to build and elevate cybersecurity careers.
09/02/2025
INE
INE Announces Senior Leadership Transition
INE Training and Certifications Names Executive Team for Next Phase of GrowthCary, NC – September 1, 2025 – INE Training today announced a change in its senior leadership team, with Dara Warn stepping down from her role as Chief Executive Officer, effective September 1, 2025. Concurrently, Lindsey Rinehart has been appointed as the new CEO, bringing her extensive experience to the role."We extend our deepest gratitude to Dara for her dedicated service and significant contributions to INE Training over the past three years," said Lindsey Rinehart, CEO. "She was instrumental in strengthening and expanding our market presence within the networking and cybersecurity sectors. Her leadership was key to driving operational efficiencies that enabled this strategic growth, while simultaneously fostering a company culture built on respect and accountability." Warn will continue to support the company in a new capacity, having been appointed to the board of directors where she will work directly with PSG Equity.Lindsey Rinehart, a leader with a distinguished 13-year background in professional EdTech, has been appointed CEO of INE Training. She transitions to the role after serving as Chief Operations Officer, where she was instrumental in successfully leading product development initiatives and scaling global operations."Lindsey's proven leadership and deep expertise in strategic growth and innovation make her an ideal fit to lead the INE team as we continue to innovate and expand our offerings," added Warn. "We are confident that her vision will be invaluable as we navigate our next phase of growth and continue to deliver exceptional value to our customers."As part of this transition, INE is pleased to welcome Scott Barnes as its new Chief Financial Officer. He assumes the role from Josh Smith, who will be transitioning to a new CFO position within the PSG portfolio.This leadership transition underscores INE’s ongoing commitment to strengthening its strategic capabilities and fostering continuous growth. The company remains dedicated to its mission of a deep commitment to practical, real-world training led by industry experts and looks forward to a successful future under its evolving leadership team.About INEINE x INE Security is the premier provider of online networking and cybersecurity training and certification. Harnessing a powerful hands-on lab platform, cutting-edge technology, a global video distribution network, and world-class instructors, INE Security is the top training choice for Fortune 500 companies worldwide for cybersecurity training in business and for IT professionals looking to advance their careers. INE Security’s suite of learning paths offers an incomparable depth of expertise across cybersecurity and is committed to delivering advanced technical training while also lowering the barriers worldwide for those looking to enter and excel in an IT career.
08/28/2025
INE
Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) Attacks: A Practical Guide for Government Information Security Teams
Town websites are no longer tourism brochures. Local government websites are powerful tools that connect residents with critical services. Most local governments utilize some form of a digital service model to engage with residents and guests. A 2024 survey by Granicus cited that 85% of government leaders recognized the importance of online services - particularly self-service options for residents.Counties, cities, and towns around the world are opting for more services online such as:Contacting government officialsCollecting online payment for taxes and feesFiling for permits and registration formsAccessing non-emergency services Setting online appointmentsAutomation improves government efficiency and constituent experience. Unfortunately, it comes with a new risk – Distributed Denial of Service Attacks (DDoS).What is a Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) Attack?A Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack is one of the most disruptive threats a cybersecurity professional can face in the public sector. These attacks put public systems and networks under intense strain—causing services to go offline and halting essential operations for cities, towns, law enforcement and public utility infrastructure. When a DDoS attack strikes, it isn't always about stealing data; it's about testing the strength of public sector defenses. How DDoS Attacks WorkDDoS attacks overwhelm a target with an excess of traffic or requests. Instead of a single computer, attackers use a network of devices known as a botnet. This flood of fake traffic is designed to:Overload the target’s servers or network resources.Cause legitimate requests from real users to time out or fail.Interrupt critical services, sometimes for hours or even days.Attackers often build their botnets by infecting personal computers, servers, or Internet of Things (IoT) devices with malware. These vectors then attack a target at the same time which overwhelms defenses. Modern attacks can exceed multiple terabits per second, dwarfing older incidents.The most common type of DDoS attacks are:Volume-Based Attacks: These are about numbers—flooding systems with so much data that they simply cannot keep up.Protocol Attacks: These target underlying network protocols (like TCP or UDP), consuming the resources of network equipment such as firewalls and load balancers.Application Layer Attacks: These are more targeted, aiming at specific software applications (like web servers) with requests designed to exhaust resources and bring the service down.For public sector IT teams, the most challenging attacks often combine multiple methods to bypass basic security tools.Cybersecurity professionals must keep their knowledge up-to-date to mitigate risk. Advanced training, such as courses by INE, can help IT professionals prevent and respond to DDoS attacks. Global Reach of DDoS AttacksPublic sector IT environments are highly visible, making them attractive targets for DDoS attackers. When a city’s emergency response platform or a local government website is offline, it affects everyone in the community. These attacks aren’t isolated. They can happen to any city, town, or public agency around the world.In 2023, a major metropolitan 911 system in the US suffered a sophisticated botnet attack. For several hours, legitimate emergency calls failed to get through, causing confusion and putting public safety at risk.Canadian public health portals and provincial government sites experienced outages during COVID-19 response efforts, with attackers likely seeking to disrupt vaccine distribution and public messaging.During the 2022 French presidential election, government IT teams faced a spike in DDoS activity targeting official information portals and voter registration sites.In Germany, local government websites came under attack in early 2024, coinciding with debates on critical infrastructure funding.Several Middle Eastern countries reported outages of airport systems, municipal websites, and even national broadcasters, with evidence pointing to both hacktivist and political motivations.In 2024, a DDoS attack knocked offline a major metropolitan transport system in Southeast Asia, halting digital ticketing and traffic signal synchronization for hours.Several Latin American cities reported targeted attacks on city hall and municipal budgeting portals, with some incidents linked to organized crime and others to political dissent.<br />Sometimes DDoS attacks are paired with a ransom demand. These payouts are costly for smaller governments. It can drain slim budgets, raise the long term cost of cyber insurance, and also reinforce criminal behavior which amounted to over $16 Billion in losses in the United States alone.<br />How Government Cybersecurity Professionals Can Respond to DDoS ThreatsEvery strong defense starts with knowing your network’s weaknesses. Public sector IT managers must prioritize systems and services that, if taken down, would cause the most harm to daily operations.Key steps for prevention and risk assessment include:Asset Inventory: List all critical hardware, software, and services. Focus efforts on those supporting essential public functions.Vulnerability Analysis: Test systems for weak points, especially exposed network endpoints, outdated software, or unprotected web applications.Risk Analysis: Measure the potential impact of a successful DDoS attack on each system. Assess both service disruption risks and reputational risk.Prioritization: Assign security resources to the highest-risk areas first, such as public-facing websites and emergency response systems.Make It Routine: Schedule regular reviews. The threat landscape changes quickly, especially with new government tech rollouts or changing public needs.For teams using cloud infrastructure like Azure, reviewing Microsoft Azure ISO 27001 security controls can help align risk management with recognized standards.Detection and ResponseThe faster a cybersecurity professional can identify and respond to a DDoS attack, the less damage it causes. Effective teams mix constant monitoring, clear action plans, and technical solutions tailored to their environment.Best practices for detection and response:24/7 Network Monitoring: Use automated tools to watch for abnormal spikes in traffic or unusual patterns. Flag, isolate, and alert security teams about suspicious behavior right away.Incident Response Plan: Write and regularly update a playbook that spells out who does what during an attack. Run tabletop exercises to keep everyone sharp.Traffic Filtering and Rate-Limiting: Deploy intrusion prevention systems, web application firewalls, and content delivery networks (CDNs) to blunt attacks before they overwhelm servers.Collaboration: Coordinate with Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and upstream vendors to reroute or block malicious traffic when a major campaign hits.Layered Defenses: Combine on-premise and cloud-based security, so no single point of failure disrupts essential services.Strong defenses depend on highly skilled teams. Ongoing workforce training is a top priority—using approaches like Cyber Security Awareness Training Importance programs and practical exercises to keep everyone prepared for the real thing.Recovery and Learning from AttacksNo defense is perfect. At some point, a cybersecurity professional will manage incident recovery. The goal: get services back fast, learn from what happened, and adapt for next time.System Restoration: Get affected services running as quickly as possible using secure backups and tested failover procedures. Verify that restored systems are clean and fully patched.Communication: Notify internal teams, stakeholders, and the public about service status. Clear, honest updates build trust and help control rumors.Root Cause Analysis: After systems are stable, review data to understand how the attack succeeded. Document gaps in tools, processes, or training.Review and Improve: Update risk assessments, security rules, and response plans based on what you learned. Share findings through group debriefs.Support Team Education: Encourage the team to stay current, using resources like Hands-On Labs for Cybersecurity to reinforce learning through real-world scenarios.The cycle of prevention, response, and recovery never stops. By improving after every incident, public sector IT leaders build smarter defenses and a stronger, more capable workforce ready for the next wave of DDoS threats.ConclusionDDoS attacks will continue to threaten local governments and their residents. IT managers must prioritize continuous learning and hands-on training to maintain strong defenses. Public agencies have a responsibility to invest in trusted cybersecurity and networking education to protect against future disruptions.Staying vigilant is not a one-time effort but a sustained commitment. High-quality training and ongoing skills development keep defense strategies sharp and the public safe.<br />
08/27/2025
INE
Secure Network Troubleshooting: Keeping Security Intact
Traditional network troubleshooting methods that worked in simpler times can create massive security holes in today's threat landscape. The pressure to restore service quickly often leads to shortcuts that leave your organization exposed for days, weeks, or even permanently.<br />Here's how to diagnose network issues without breaking your security posture.
08/26/2025
INE
Skills-Based Hiring is Reshaping IT Education: Here’s How to Keep Up
Cyber academies and IT training programs have a critical role to play in getting the next generation of SOC analysts, senior penetration testers, and network architects ready. This pathway prioritizes rapid skill acquisition and immediate workforce readiness. Combining career training with industry recognized certifications can help fill the talent pipeline faster than ever before.
08/22/2025
INE
August CVE Alert: Windows, Chrome & Network Critical Flaws
August 2025 presents a complex threat landscape with critical vulnerabilities spanning Windows infrastructure, recently patched Chrome browsers, and network security platforms. This month's vulnerability management priorities include maximum-severity Cisco exploits, Windows graphics flaws, and enterprise security platform compromises requiring immediate attention across organizational environments.
08/18/2025
INE
Cisco Revamped Its Automation Certs — INE Has You Covered
At INE, we’ve been preparing for this evolution. Our platform already includes foundational and professional-level content aligned to Cisco’s former DevNet track — and now, we’re going even further. With the new ENAUTO v2.0 exam blueprint now live, INE is building the next generation of content to help you master it and earn your place as a modern network automation professional.
08/13/2025
INE
SOC Design: Integrating Network Monitoring from Day One
Most organizations approach SOC design backwards: set up their security tools and then to get network data into the mix. This creates risks. Instead, a SOC should be designed to see everything from the start. Learn how.<br />
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