The Cybersecurity Operational Methods Education and Training (COMET)

Incumbent Training for those building foundational knowledge.

5-Week, 3-Part Program
Daily Monday through Friday

Part One – SOCOA I Training: Security Operations Fundamentals

This course introduces participants to the real-world operations of a Security Operations Center (SOC) through immersive, hands-on training. Trainees are guided through industry-defined cybersecurity tools and practices. The training covers foundational security concepts, operating systems, networking, cryptography, scripting, and more, with a strong emphasis on command-line proficiency and practical cybersecurity skills.

Participants explore:

• Core cybersecurity concepts, threats, and social engineering
• Linux and Windows command line environments
• Cryptographic principles and applications
• OSI and TCP/IP network models, devices, and services
• Cloud, mobile device, and application security
• Enterprise security operations including monitoring, incident response, and forensics

Hands-on labs reinforce theoretical knowledge, and instruction is delivered in alignment with real-world employer expectations, preparing participants for entry-level SOC roles.

Part One begins September 29, 2025, and runs through October 17, 2025. Live instruction courses will take place each day from 1:00pm to 3:00pm.

Part Two – SOCOA I Training & Certification: Cyber Range Simulation

Building on skills acquired in Part One, this module places participants in an interactive cyber range that simulates real-world network environments. Acting as SOC analysts, participants respond to live cyberattacks launched by instructors. They must detect, mitigate, and remediate threats using SOC tools and techniques.

Each group of five students collaborates to defend against simulated brute-force and web defacement attacks while using logging tools like Apache, Splunk, and pfSense in a controlled, hands-on environment.

Part 2 begins October 20, 2025. Five students participate and collaborate in the exercise simultaneously. Each session consists of two live 4-hour sessions, conducted from 9:00am to 1:00pm and 1:00pm to 5:00pm (only one four-hour session per day per group). 

Part Three – Fundamentals of Artificial Intelligence in the SOC

SOC operations are always evolving and so must our SOC operators. After completing two parts on command line, Linux, and SIEM, Part 3 will focus on the fundamentals of artificial intelligence (AI). AI is a significant element of cybersecurity already, and its presence will only grow. From AI-enabled attacks to AI cyber defense tools, SOC operators will need to be proficient in AI. This part introduces concepts such as AI training methods, neural networks, generative AI, and AI for cybersecurity.

Part 3 begins October 27, 2025, and runs through November 3, 2025. Live instruction courses will take place each day from 1:00pm to 3:00pm.

Program Requirements:

• Must be either a State of Maryland or Maryland Local Government Employee
• Must have at least one year of IT and/or cyber experience
• Must receive manager approval to take training during business hours
• Must be 18 years of age or older

Advanced Incumbent Training for those seeking certification.

5-Week Program
Daily Monday through Friday

This course includes cybersecurity training and preparation for CompTIA Security+ certification. Security+ certification is an industry standard that demonstrates the practitioner has the knowledge and skills required to securely administrate and manage IT/cyber systems. Practitioners receive training in installation, configuration, and system management. Training topics include network devices, security appliances, threat basics, applications, and networks. The training material prepares students for threat analysis activities and outlines many risk mitigation techniques. The course includes a review of many cyber-attacks, including a general description of the attack, implementations, detection techniques and attack mitigation. Each course participant receives a test voucher for CompTIA Security+ testing.

Training will begin September 29, 2025, and run through November 3, 2025. Live instruction courses will take place each day from 3:00pm to 5:00pm.

Program Requirements:

• Must be either a State of Maryland or Maryland Local Government Employee
• Must have at least two years of IT and/or cyber experience
• Must receive manager approval to take training during business hours
• Must be 18 years of age or older