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Information Security Cheat Sheets and Checklists

As much as we try to be proactive about information security, IT planning, or project management, we get distracted, or procrastinate. These information security cheat sheets and checklists are designed to assist IT professionals in difficult situations, even if they find themselves unprepared.

Tips For Getting the Right IT Job

This cheat sheet presents practical tips for finding and getting the right job in Information Technology.

REMnux Usage Tips for Malware Analysis on Linux

This cheat sheet outlines the tools and commands for analyzing malicious software on the REMnux Linux distribution.

Tips for Creating an Information Security Assessment Report

This cheat sheet presents recommendations for creating a strong report as part of an information security assessment project.

Critical Log Review Checklist for Security Incidents

This cheat sheet presents a checklist for reviewing critical logs when responding to a security incident. It can also be used for routine log review. (Co-authored with Anton Chuvakin.)

Analyzing Malicious Documents Cheat Sheet

This cheat sheet outlines tips and tools for reverse-engineering malicious documents, such as Microsoft Office (DOC, XLS, PPT) and Adobe Acrobat (PDF) files.

Security Architecture Cheat Sheet for Internet Applications

This cheat sheet offers tips for the initial design and review of a complex Internet application's security architecture.

Troubleshooting Human Communications

This cheat sheet offers communication tips for technologists, engineers, and information workers.

Security Incident Survey Cheat Sheet for Server Administrators

This cheat sheet captures tips for examining a potentially-compromised server to decide whether to escalate for formal incident response.

Initial Security Incident Questionnaire for Responders

This cheat sheet lists the questions the incident handler should consider asking when taking control of a qualified incident.

Network DDoS Incident Response Cheat Sheet

This cheat sheet captures advice for battling a network DDoS attack on your infrastructure.

Reverse-Engineering Malware Cheat Sheet

This cheat sheet presents shortcuts and tips for analyzing malicious software.

Information Security Assessment RFP Cheat Sheet

This cheat sheet offers tips for planning, issuing and reviewing RFPs for information security assessments.

How to Suck at Information Security

This cheat sheet presents common information security mistakes, so you can avoid making them.

Security-Related Cheat Sheets by Other Authors


Authored by Lenny Zeltser. Lenny is a seasoned business and tech leader with extensive experience in information technology and security. His areas of expertise include incident response, cloud services and product management. Lenny focuses on safeguarding customers' IT operations at NCR Corporation. He also teaches digital forensics and anti-malware courses at SANS Institute. Lenny frequently speaks at conferences, writes articles and has co-authored books. He has earned the prestigious GIAC Security Expert designation, has an MBA from MIT Sloan and a Computer Science degree from the University of Pennsylvania. You can follow Lenny on Twitter, read his blog and .