Cybersecurity in a Resource Constrained Environment for Public and Rural Utilities

(16 hr. Instructor-Led Course)

Offered through the National Cybersecurity Preparedness Consortium (NCPC) and developed by Norwich University Applied Research Institutes (NUARI), this course examines cybersecurity in the context of community and critical infrastructure protection. It bridges policy, operations, and technology to help decision-makers and technology professionals understand how digital risk affects essential services and how to strengthen resilience through informed planning and investment.

Location:

Northeast Public Power Association (NEPPA) Training Center
200 New Estate Road, Littleton, MA 01460

Dates:

Students need to attend all three sessions to achieve course certification

July 14, 2026   8 am – 2:30 pm (includes 30 minute lunch break)

July 15, 2026 8 am – 2:30 pm (includes 30 minute lunch break)

July 16, 2026 8 am – 12 noon

Course Description:

The course introduces foundational cybersecurity principles in the context of community and critical infrastructure protection. Through classroom instruction, guided labs, and applied exercises, participants explore common threats, examine open-source tools for monitoring networks and systems, and review key cybersecurity standards and policies. Using these concepts, participants will develop a practical outline for a cybersecurity program that reflects their organization’s resources and operational realities, incorporating both technical and administrative controls to support ongoing program development and implementation.

Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Describe common and current cybersecurity risks to communities and their critical infrastructure.
• Categorize and communicate fundamental concepts of cybersecurity and how they apply to their organization and/or community.
• Describe the purpose and basic configuration of common open-source cybersecurity tools.
• Describe common cybersecurity policies, their purpose, and how those policies impact their organization and/or community.

Target Audience:

Designed for decision-makers and technology professionals supporting community organizations and critical infrastructure sectors. Typical participants include community leaders, utility managers, emergency management coordinators, IT and OT personnel, cybersecurity staff, finance managers, operations managers, and human resources managers. The course is particularly relevant for those in public and rural utilities, local government, and essential service operations who must balance cybersecurity responsibilities with limited resources and shared accountability across departments.

Prerequisites:

Participants should be comfortable using computers and have a general awareness of networked systems. Prior cybersecurity experience is not required, and the course is equally valuable for experienced IT and OT professionals seeking to stay current with evolving practices.

Required Materials:

Participants are required to have a laptop computer that can access a public wifi connection.

NUARI, as a member of the National Cybersecurity Preparedness Consortium (NCPC), is a FEMA training provider.

Questions about registration, contact us at  – nuaritraining@nuari.org

**April 1, 2026 – with the government shutdown, you may have trouble obtaining an SID number. If this is your situation, please simply enter nine zeroes in the SID field below.

A FEMA Student Identification (SID) number is necessary for registering and participating in any training offered by FEMA, as well as for the registration systems and enrollment processes of all FEMA training providers. The FEMA SID will serve as your unique identifier and be used to maintain the record of any FEMA training you attend. Obtaining and registering with FEMA’s Student Identification system is a one-time step, and the number can then be used to take training with FEMA or any FEMA training provider. Registering with a FEMA SID number ensures NUARI and the NCPC can continue to provide training at no cost, made available through congressionally designated funding awarded by FEMA’s U.S. Department of Homeland Security National Training and Education Division. For further information about the FEMA SID number, please see https://cdp.dhs.gov/FEMASID/