FREE COURSE / SELF-PACED LEARNING

Detection Engineering: From Telemetry to Tuned Detections

Study telemetry, detection logic, ATT&CK mapping, testing and tuning in this free introduction to detection engineering.

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Experience level
All levels
Curriculum
5 modules · 9 lessons
Estimated reading
54 min
Language
English

Reading estimates use lesson text and an allowance for diagrams. Reflection, exercises and optional linked resources take additional time. These are estimates, not measured completion times.

KNOW WHAT YOU’RE WORKING TOWARD

What you’ll learn

  • By the end of this course, learners will be able to design, build, test, tune, and operate threat detections using modern telemetry sources, detection logic, MITRE ATT&CK mapping, and adversary emulation.

Is this the right course for you?

Who it’s for

Security learners and practitioners seeking an overview of the detection lifecycle.

Scope and boundaries

Broad lifecycle foundations. Specialist follow-on courses explore telemetry quality, analytical choices and delivery in more detail.

How you’ll learn

Self-paced reading with explanatory diagrams and linked resources. Reflection and optional resource study take additional time.

About this course

Detection engineering is the discipline of designing, building, testing, and maintaining the alerts and analytics that help security teams find malicious activity. This course takes students from foundational concepts to job-ready skills. It is written for beginners who are new to security operations and for mediors who want to formalize their knowledge and improve their craft. The course begins with the detection engineering mindset and the detection lifecycle. It then teaches students how to understand telemetry sources, from endpoint logs to network data and cloud activity. Next, students learn to write detection logic, map adversary behavior to the MITRE ATT&CK framework, reduce false positives through tuning and suppression, and validate detections with adversary emulation. Throughout the course, realistic examples, practical trade-offs, and common mistakes are explained in plain language. The final module prepares students to operate detections in production, including monitoring, metrics, documentation, and continuous improvement. By the end, a student will be ready to contribute meaningfully to a detection engineering team.

FOLLOW THE LEARNING PATH

Course curriculum

MODULE 1

Foundations of Detection Engineering

What detection engineering is, why it matters, how it fits into security operations, and the mindset and lifecycle that guide every detection.

  1. What Is Detection Engineering?Understand the role, value, and responsibilities of a detection engineer, and how detection engineering differs from threat hunting and incident response.6 min reading
  2. The Detection Engineering LifecycleLearn the end-to-end lifecycle of a detection, from requirements and design through development, testing, deployment, and continuous tuning.6 min reading

MODULE 2

Telemetry and Data Sources

Understand the data that powers detections: endpoint telemetry, network data, logs, cloud activity, and the data quality issues that make or break a detection.

  1. Understanding Telemetry SourcesExplore the four main pillars of detection data: endpoint, network, cloud, and application logs. Learn what each source reveals and where it falls short.6 min reading
  2. Data Quality and Detection Blind SpotsLearn how missing fields, broken collection, inconsistent formats, and blind spots undermine detections, and how to assess data quality before writing rules.6 min reading

MODULE 3

Writing Detection Logic and Mapping Adversary Behavior

Learn to translate adversary techniques into detection logic, use detection approaches like signatures and behavior analytics, and map detections to MITRE ATT&CK.

  1. From Technique to Detection LogicLearn a repeatable thought process for turning a threat technique into concrete detection logic, with a realistic example from technique to rule.6 min reading
  2. MITRE ATT&CK Mapping and Honest Coverage ClaimsLearn how ATT&CK v19 organizes adversary behavior and defensive knowledge, map a detection honestly, and distinguish a technique mapping from proven coverage.6 min reading

MODULE 4

Testing, Tuning, and Reducing False Positives

Learn how to validate detections with safe testing and adversary emulation, tune thresholds and exceptions, and systematically reduce false positives without creating false negatives.

  1. Testing Detections with Adversary EmulationLearn how to validate detections safely by emulating attacker techniques and confirming that your detection fires when it should and stays quiet when it should not.6 min reading
  2. Tuning Detections and Reducing False PositivesLearn practical techniques for tuning thresholds, adding context, and creating exceptions to reduce noise without introducing dangerous blind spots.6 min reading

BUILD ON THE RIGHT FOUNDATION

These courses address different scopes. Choose the foundation or follow-on that fits your next question.

Intermediate

Detection Engineering as a Way of Reasoning

A conceptual starting point for the specialist detection series. It focuses on requirements and claims before platform-specific rule writing.

3 lessons · 12 min estimated reading

Intermediate

Security Telemetry as Evidence

Telemetry meaning and evidence quality. Product installation and exhaustive logging configuration are outside this course's scope.

3 lessons · 12 min estimated reading

Sources and editorial review

Reviewed by Threat Intelligence Lab

Sources linked in the lessons provide context and further reading. Check the original documentation for current platform behavior and requirements.

About this learning content: Courses, lessons, assessments, explanations and illustrations may be created with the help of artificial intelligence. We review and check the material and do our best to avoid incorrect or outdated information, but mistakes, omissions or ambiguous questions may remain. Please verify information before relying on it for professional, security, legal or operational decisions. Read the full notice or report an issue.