The McAfee® Network Security Platform Administration course from McAfee Education Services is an essential component of implementing a successful intrusion prevention strategy. In hands-on lab sessions, you’ll learn how to deploy and configure a Network Security Platform solution to protect against real-world attacks. You can immediately apply your new skills to improve protection for your business and take full advantage of your investment in our Network Security Platform.

• Planning the deployment.
• Installing and configuring the Manager.
• Managing users and resources.
• Configuring and managing policies.
• Analyzing and responding to threats.
• Tuning your security policies for maximum effectiveness.

Module 1: Welcome

• About the Course
• Acronyms and Terms
• Course Logistics
• Locating Resources on McAfee Business Website
• McAfee Product Training
• McAfee Foundstone Security Education
• ServicePortal
• Security Content Release Notes
• Product Enhancement Request
• Business Community
• Helpful Links
• Classroom Lab Topology

Module 2: Introduction to Network Intrusion Prevention

• Security Threats: The Increasing Risks
• What are Threats and Attacks?
• Common Attack Types
• Motivation and Contributing Factors for Attacks
• Comparing Intrusion Detection and Prevention
• Types of Intrusion Prevention Systems
• Why a Network IPS is Important
• Network Security Platform Overview
• New This Release
• Solution Components
• Attack Detection Framework
• Traffic Normalization
• Ten Steps to Using NSP
• Beyond Intrusion Prevention

Module 3: Planning a McAfee Network Security Platform Deployment

• Choosing a Deployment Option
• Deployment Requirements and Recommendations
• NSM Server Requirements
• NSM Client Requirements
• Windows Display and Browser Settings
• Virtual Server Minimum Requirements
• Virtual Machine Requirements
• NSP 8X Sensor Support
• NSP Server Ports
• Desktop Firewall Requirements
• Using Anti-virus Software with the NSM
• Wireshark
• Single and Central NSM Deployment
• Determining Database Requirements
• Sensor Deployments
• Determining Sensor Placement

Determining Number of Sensors

• High Availability and Disaster Recovery
• Implementation Process Checklist

Module 4: Getting Started

• Logging into Manager Interface
• Manager Installation Wizard
• Verifying Access to Manager Interface
• Operational Monitors
• Security Monitors
• Navigating Manager Interface
• Managing Dashboard Monitors
• Setting up Basic Features
• Manager Disaster Recovery (MDR) Overview
• Configuring MDR Pair
• Central Manager Overview
• Defining Trust with Central Manager Proxy Server
• Configuring Proxy Server
• IPS Event Notification Overview
• Viewing Summary of IPS Events
• Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) Overview
• Configuring SNMP Notification
• Syslog Notification Overview
• Configuring Syslog Notification
• E-mail Server and Notification Overview
• Configuring E-mail Server and Notification
• Configuring Script Notification
• Fault Notification Overview
• Configuring Fault Notification
• Configuring Common Settings for Faults
• Access Events Notification Overview
• User Activity Overview
• Configuring User Activity: SNMP
• Configuring User Activity: Syslog
• Global Threat Intelligence Overview
• GTI Integration Requirements
• Enabling GTI Integration

Module 5: User Management

• User Management Overview
• Minimum Account Configuration
• Role Assignment Overview
• Viewing Roles and Privileges
• Editing the Default Root Admin User
• Adding, Editing, and Deleting Users
• Verifying User Credentials
• Creating a Custom Role
• Assigning Domains and Roles
• Managing My Account
• Managing GUI Access
• Viewing User Activity
• Configuring Banner Text and Image
• Configuring Session Controls
• Configuring Password Controls
• Specifying Audit Settings
• Authentication
• Summary of Authentication Configuration
• LDAP External Authentication
• Configuring LDAP (Up to 4 Servers)
• Assigning LDAP Authentication
• RADIUS External Authentication
• Configuring RADIUS External Authentication
• Assigning RADIUS Authentication

Module 6: Administrative Domains

• Administrative Domains Overview
• Admin Domain’s Hierarchical Structure
• How Admin Domains Work
• Managing Admin Domains
• Editing the Root Admin Domain
• Adding a Child Admin Domain
• Adding Users to a Child Domain

Module 7: Network Security Sensor Overview

• M-Series Sensor Portfolio
• NS-Series Sensor Portfolio
• Virtual IPS-series Sensor Portfolio
• Primary Function of Sensor
• Respond
• Inspect
• Classify
• Capture
• Virtualization (Sub-Interfaces)
• Secure Socket Layer (SSL) Decryption
• Acceleration and Operation
• Operating Modes
• Fail-close and Fail-Open (In-line Only)
• Multi-Port Monitoring
• Interface Groups (Port Clustering)
• High Availability
• Large Networks: Perimeter, Core, Internal Placement
• Best Practices

Module 8: Network Security Sensor Overview

• Installing Physical Sensors
• Installing Virtual Sensor
• Managing Sensors
• Devices Page: Global Tab
• Devices Page: Device Tab
• Installing Sensors in Manager
• Establishing Trust
• Downloading Signature Sets
• Reviewing Device Summary
• Viewing/Editing Physical Ports
• Port Types
• Name Resolution
• Network Time Protocol (NTP)
• Proxy Server
• Activity Reports and Logs Review
• CLI Logging
• IPS Event Logging
• Alerting Options
• Remote Access: TACACS+
• Remote Access: NMS Users and Devices
• Customizing Logon Banner
• Special Configurations
• High Availability
• ATD Integration Overview
• DXL Integration Overview
• Maintenance
• Deploying Pending Changes
• Deploying Device Software
• Troubleshooting
• Performance Monitoring

Module 9: Virtualization

• Virtualization (Sub-interfaces) Overview
• Valid interface Types
• Before and After
• VLAN and CIDR Logical Configuration
• Bridge VLAN
• Policy Application
• Determining Direction
• VLAN Tagging
• Double-VLAN Tagging
• CIDR Block Options
• Configuring VLAN Virtual Interface
• Configuring CDIR Virtual Interface
• Configuring Bridge VLAN Virtual Interface
• VLAN Sub-Interface Configuration
• CDIR Sub-Interface Configuration

Module 10: Policies Configuraion

• Intrusion Prevention Overview
• What are Policies?
• Policy Terms and Concepts
• Signatures
• Attack Definitions
• Types IPS Policies
• Policy Assignment
• Inheritance
• How Policies are Applied
• Policy Management Overview
• Adding IPS Policy for Admin Domain
• Copying or Editing IPS Policy for Admin Domain
• Deleting IPS Policy for Admin Domain
• Adding IPS Policy for Interface
• Editing IPS Policy for Interface
• Using IPS Policies Page
• Defining Properties
• Viewing Attack Definitions
• Assigning Policies
• Using Policy Manager
• Interfaces Tab
• Deploying Changes
• Managing Policy Versions
• Deleting Policy
• Policy Import and Export
• Managing Legacy Reconnaissance Policies
• Reconnaissance Attack Settings Merge Utility

Module 11: Policy Customization

• How Attacks Definitions Work
• Traffic Processing and Analysis
• Attack Definitions Tab
• Attack Categories and Severity
• Attack Protection Categories
• Attack Definitions Tab: Customizing Your View
• Attack Definitions Tab: Quick Search, Sort, Columns, Groups, Filters, and Detail
• Attacks Detail Pane: Description
• Benign Trigger Probability (BTP)
• Attacks Detail Pane: Settings Tab
• Managing Policy Groups

Module 12: Threat Explorer

• Analyzing Threats
• Customizing Threat Analyzer View
• Analyzing Source and Destination IP Addresses
• Top Attacks
• Top Attackers
• Top Targets
• Top Applications
• Top Attack Executables
• Top Malware
• Guidelines

Module 13: Advanced Malware Protection

• Advanced Malware Detection Overview
• Malware Engines
• Policy Management Overview
• Advanced Malware Policies Configuration Overview
• Using Advanced Malware Policies Page
• Using Policy Manager
• Malware Policy Parameters
• File Types
• Blacklist/Whitelist Engine
• TIE/GTI File Reputation Engine
• PDF and Flash Analysis Engines
• Gateway Anti-Malware Engine
• ATD Engine
• McAfee Cloud Engine
• Malware Engine Analysis Sequence
• Confidence Level
• Action Thresholds
• Analyzing Malware
• Malware Analysis Overview
• Top Malware Detections Monitor
• Malware Detections Page
• Archiving Malware Files
• Best Practices

Module 14: Advanced Botnet Detection

• Advanced Botnet Detection Overview
• Zero-day and Targeted Botnet  Detection
• Heuristics
• Examples of Implemented Heuristics
• Known Botnet Detection
• C&C Server/Callback Detection
• DNS Response Packet Inspection
• Whitelisted and Blacklisted Domains Detection
• Example: Blacklist Domain Detection
• Inspection Options Policies
• How Inspection Option Policies Work
• Policy Management Overview
• Inspection Options Policies Configuration Overview
• Properties Tab
• Inspection Options Tab
• Configuring Traffic Inspection
• Configuring Advanced Botnet Detection
• Advanced Botnet Detection Options
• Legacy Malware Detection Options
• Assigning Policies to Sensor Resources
• Deploying Changes
• Analyzing Botnets
• Top Active Botnets Monitor
• Active Botnets Page: Organization

Module 15: Denial of Service Configuration

• Module 15: Denial of Service Attacks
• Evolution of DoS Attacks
• Types of DoS Attacks
• Volume-based Attacks
• DoS Learning Mode
• DoS Learning Attacks
• Customizing DoS Learning Attack
• Managing DoS Learning Profiles
• DoS Threshold Mode
• Configuring Thresholds for Volumebased Attacks
• Connection Limiting Policies
• Adding Connection Limiting Policy
• Rate Limiting (QoS Policies)
• QoS and Rate Limiting Configuration Overview
• Adding QoS Policy
• Configuring Rate Limiting Rules
• Protocol Settings
• Configuring Protocol Settings
• Anti-Spoofing
• Stateful TCP Engine
• DNS Protection Command
• Case Studies

Module 16: Endpoint Reputation

• Global Threat Intelligence Review
• IP Reputation
• Policy Management Overview
• IP Reputation Configuration Overview
• Endpoint Reputation Analysis Options
• Deploying Changes

Module 17: Web Server Protection

• Web Server Protection Overview
• How Web Server Heuristic Analysis Works
• Policy Management Overview
• Heuristic Web Application Server Inspection Configuration Overview
• Prerequisite: SSL Decryption
• Private SSL certificates
• Prerequisite: Required Attacks
• Configuring Web Server Heuristic Analysis
• DoS Protection for Web Servers
• Layer 7 DoS Protection for Web Servers
• Web Server – DoS Prevention Configuration Overview
• Configuring Web Server – DoS Prevention
• Assigning Policies to Sensor Resources

Module 18: Firewall Policy Configuration

• Firewall Policy Overview
• Managing Firewall Policies
• Prerequisite: SSL Decryption
• Using Firewall Policies Page
• Using Policy Manager
• Rule Objects Overview
• Adding Rule Object
• Stateless Access Rules
• User-based Access Rules
• Application Identification
• Policy Export and Policy Import
• Firewall Access Logging
• Firewall Access Events
• Firewall Policy Definitions Configuration Report

Module 19: Threat Analyzer

• Threat Analyzer Overview
• Launching Threat Analyzer
• Menu Bar
• Dashboard Page
• NSP Health Dashboard
• Viewing Details for Pie Slice
• Deploying Pending Changes
• IPS Dashboard
• Viewing Details for Pie Slice
• Viewing Attacks Over Time
• Viewing Consolidated Attacks
• NTBA Dashboard
• Applications and GTI View Dashboard
• Adding Dashboards and Monitors
• Customizing the Dashboard Tabs
• Adding a Dashboard
• Adding a Monitor
• Alerts Page
• Viewing Alert Detail
• Managing Alerts
• Right-click Options
• Example Ignore Rule
• Endpoints Page
• Forensics Page
• Preferences Page

Module 20: Policy Tuning

• What is Tuning?
• Why Implement Tuning?
• Prior to Tuning
• Two Phases of Policy Tuning
• False Positives and Noise
• Identifying False Positives
• Steps for Reducing False Positives
• Preventing False Positives
• Start with High-Volume Attacks
• Looking for Patterns
• Preventing Future False Positives
• Disabling Attacks and Alerts
• Adding Low Severity Attacks to Process
• Excessive Alerts
• High-Level Bottom-up Approach
• Analyzing Event
• Sorting by Attack Name
• Case Studies

Module 21: Report Generation

• Reports Overview
• Role Assignment
• Reporting Preferences
• Configuration Reports Overview
• Running Configuration Report
• Next Generation Reports Overview
• Running Default Next Generation Report
• Adding, Duplicating, Editing Next Generation Report
• Traditional Reports Overview
• Running a Traditional Report
• Adding User Defined Report
• Configuring Report Automation
• Viewing Automatically-Generated Reports

Module 22: Operational Status

• Operational Monitors Overview
• Device Summary Monitor
• Manager Summary
• Messages from McAfee Monitor
• Running Tasks Monitor
• System Health Monitor
• Managing Faults
• Viewing Manager Faults from Dashboard
• Viewing Device Faults from Dashboard
• Viewing Faults from Manage Page
• Alert Relevance
• Viewing Alert Relevance
• System Log
• Viewing System Log
• Exporting System Log
• Running Tasks
• Viewing User Activity Log

Module 23: Database Maintenance

• Maintenance Overview
• Archiving Malware Files
• Backing Up Data
• Automating Database Backup
• Viewing Scheduler Detail
• Exporting Backup Files
• Deleting Backup Files
• Database Tuning Overview
• Tuning Now
• Automating Tuning
• Enabling and Defining Alert Pruning
• Calculating Maximum Alert Quantity
• Configuring File and Database Pruning
• Data Archiving
• Archiving Data Now
• Automating Archiving Data
• Export Archives
• Restoring Archive

System and network administrators, security personnel, auditors, and/or consultants concerned with network and system security should take this course.

It is recommended that students have a working knowledge of Microsoft Windows administration, system administration concepts, a basic understanding of computer security concepts, and a general understanding of Internet services.