Microsoft and the SANS Institute are partnering on a new series of computer-based training modules in the Attack Simulation Training service that will focus on IT systems and network administrators.
The training will be included in the Defender for O365 offering for security professionals utilizing the Microsoft 365 E5 Security license. IT systems and/or network admins who contribute to the overall security of the organization can access the training videos to gain increased awareness and reinforcement of critical issues to a wide range of IT administrative roles.
According to the Maryland-based SANS Institute, a cybersecurity training and certification provider, the partnership aligns with the organization’s mission to empower cybersecurity professionals with the practical skills needed. The 12-module series provides task-specific training catered to the needs and experience of the learner.
The organization calls the training a self-paced, short-form, easily digestible program designed to build awareness specific to security engineers. The training format opens the door for IT professionals to advance their security knowledge and helps prepare them for more advanced learning in future SANS coursework.
“SANS has been delivering technical training and certifications to IT professionals for over 30 years, so we recognize the unique needs of these technical users,” says Carl Marrelli, Director of Business Development at the SANS Institute. “We salute Microsoft for recognizing the requirement to direct security awareness training towards this technical group of users since our experience tells us that it is precisely these users who are more frequently targeted because of their privileged access.”
In a Tech Community blog, Microsoft says it chose SANS Institute for its long track record and its focus on an audience that Defender for Office 365 wants to support.
The Redmond, Wash.-based IT giant says its current Attack Simulation Training includes end-user training experiences that will soon expand beyond social engineering topics. The SANS partnership will help Microsoft expand to cover IT system administrators and network administrators and the tools and data they use to secure their organizations.
The new training will be made available in the coming months through the Attack Simulation Training platform. They will ship alongside the rest of Microsoft’s catalog and can then be assigned through the company’s training campaign workflows.
Attack Simulation Training is available to organizations through Microsoft 365 E5 Security or Microsoft Defender for Office 365 Plan 2.
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