Certified Defensive Operator (CDO)
The Certified Defensive Operator (CDO) program is a practical, defense-focused course designed to build
strong SOC and cyber defense skills. It prepares learners to detect, analyze, and respond to real-world
security incidents using industry tools and workflows.
Curriculum
What You Will Learn
Modules
- SOC roles, responsibilities, and operational workflows
- SOC structure and threat hunting teams
- Cyber Threat Intelligence fundamentals
- Threat feeds and Indicators of Compromise (IOCs)
- Network security concepts and monitoring
- Network traffic analysis
- Endpoint security monitoring and response
- Security Information and Event Management (SIEM)
- Digital Forensics and Incident Response (DFIR)
- Phishing detection, analysis, and response
- SOC Level 1 hands-on practical labs
- Log analysis techniques
- Advanced Splunk usage
- Advanced ELK Stack operations
- Detection engineering fundamentals
- Threat hunting methodologies
- Incident response lifecycle and execution
- SOC Level 2 hands-on practical labs
- Real-world case studies
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Certified Defensive Operator (CDO) program?
The Certified Defensive Operator (CDO) is a hands-on cybersecurity course focused on SOC operations and
cyber defense. It trains learners to monitor, detect, investigate, and respond to real-world security incidents
using industry-standard tools and workflows.
Who should enroll in the CDO course?
This program is suitable for students, fresh graduates, IT professionals, and anyone interested in building a
career in SOC operations, cyber defense, or incident response.
How long is the CDO program?
The total duration of the course is 217 hours, delivered through structured practical sessions.
Is the training practical or theory-based?
The CDO program is mainly practical. Concepts are explained briefly and then applied through hands-on
labs, log analysis, simulations, and real-world scenarios.
Does this course include SOC Level 1 and Level 2 training?
Yes. The course includes SOC Level 1 and SOC Level 2 practical labs, covering monitoring, analysis,
detection engineering, and incident response activities.
What tools will I learn during the course?
You will work with SIEM platforms, including Splunk and ELK Stack, along with network monitoring, endpoint
security tools, and forensic utilities commonly used in SOC environments.
Will I learn incident response and threat hunting?
Yes. The course covers the full incident response lifecycle, threat hunting techniques, threat emulation, and
detection engineering fundamentals.
Do I need prior cybersecurity experience to join?
Basic IT or networking knowledge is helpful but not mandatory. The course starts with core SOC and security
fundamentals to help learners build a strong base.
What job roles can I apply for after completing CDO?
After completing the program, learners can apply for roles such as SOC Analyst (Level 1 or Level 2), Cyber
Defense Analyst, Security Operations Analyst, or Incident Response Analyst, depending on skills and
performance.
Is there placement or career support after the course?
Yes. SkillMerge provides structured placement support, including resume guidance, interview preparation,
and career mentoring to help learners enter the cybersecurity industry.