Exam Topics

This certification test includes five various domains. Each of them focuses on the specific skills that the examinees must develop in advance. The details of these topics are enumerated below:

Fundamentals: This section requires that the candidates demonstrate their competence in performing the following tasks:

• Analyzing the components that are required for a root cause analysis report
• Describing the roles of debuggers and disassemblers (for instance, Radare, Ghidra, and Evans Debugger) in performing basic malware analysis
• Recognizing encoding and obfuscation techniques (for instance, base 64 and hex encoding)
• Describing antiforensic techniques, tactics, and procedures
• Explaining the process of performing forensics analysis of infrastructure network devices
• Describing the usage and characteristics of YARA rules for malware identification, documentation, and classification
• Describing the roles of hex editors (for example, Hexfiend, HxD, and Hiew) in DFIR investigations
• Describing the issues affiliated with collecting evidence from the virtualized environments
• Describing the roles of deobfuscation tools (for instance, unpacker, xortool, and XORBruteForces)

Reference: https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/training-events/training-certifications/exams/current-list/300-215-cbrfir.html

Study Guides for 300-215 Exam

The guides that you can utilize to gain the general concepts and skills aimed at forensic analysis and how to respond to incidents are usually found on Amazon. Among them are the ones discussed below:

• Incident Response & Computer Forensics Study Guide

  This great book on incident responses as well as computer forensics has been designed by Matthew Pepe, Kevin Mandia, and Jason T. Luttgens. It is intense and covers the most recent techniques and tools regarding forensics and incident response. The intention of this handbook is to arm specialists within the critical industry of information security with relevant skills and knowledge to assist candidates when there are cases of data breaches. In a nutshell, it is a practical resource and goes through the whole lifecycle involved in incident response. This includes preparation, collection of data, analyzing data, and remediation. Real-world cases are used to disclose the methods in addition to remediation strategies targeting the most recent insidious attacks.

• Hands-On Incident Response and Digital Forensics

  This is a book prepared by Mike Sheward to help specialists who perform forensic analysis as well as those who respond to incidents of insecurity in cyberspace. Whatever it covers is best in reviewing the overall content around 300-215 exam. By and large, the manual is vital as it considers the necessity of data on Information Security (IS). Plus, it discusses how digital forensics and incident response relate to each other. The subject in this book is explored in such a way that you will be better placed in carrying out the needed tasks even as you balance them so that they meet an organization’s needs in case there is an event relating to an IS incident. What’s more, the guide includes tips for practice and real-life instances.

• Digital Forensics and Incident Response Study Guide

  In preparation for the Cisco 300-215 exam as well as for the tasks you will be undertaking in your professional life, this study book by Gerard Johansen hands you the best techniques and tools to use. It captures the methods as well as procedures that you can use when handling modern-day cyber threats. Also, it seeks to promote understanding concerning the integration of digital forensics with responses as well as how this is vital when protecting an organization’s assets and infrastructure. Included in this guide are top forensic activities as well as incident response. Once you are aware of the fundamentals that are involved during incident response, the book goes further into assisting you in exploring the framework for incident response. You will come to apprehend the importance of the framework as well as how to create a fast and effective solution in response to any security incidents. Significantly, the guidance is offered through helpful examples that relate to real-life situations. There is also the aspect of techniques for digital forensics. What the book covers, in particular, includes how to acquire evidence and examine volatile memory with the use of hard drive assessment as well as network-related evidence. As you move forward, you will be learning about the part played by threat intelligence during the process of responding to incidents. There is also the part that guides you on the procedure to follow when you are preparing reports that document your findings of incident response. In finalizing, readers will be subjected to varied activities on incident responses as well as malware analysis. They will also get into how to proactively utilize their skills in digital forensics to hunt for threats. Overall, the book intends for users to know what pertains to efficient investigation and reporting of unwanted breaches along with incidents in the security in your organization.