Cybersecurity is a game of decisions. Learn to play it well.
Playing Cyber Defense turns cybersecurity into something new and experienced defenders can understand, practice, and teach through publishing, instruction, hands-on exercises, and field-tested resources.
The Authors
Meet the authors of Security Isn't What You Do!
Hands-on Learning Tools
Free, decision-focused activities that help learners practice defensive thinking.
Incident Risk / Tactical Triage
Walk through an incident, request information, make escalation calls, and see how your decisions change the outcome.
Launch lab → ▣Defense in Depth
Select layered controls under constraints, then test how well your defensive strategy holds up.
Launch lab → +More Labs Coming
New labs and learning activities will be added as the project grows.
Get updates →Resources
The existing site links, cleaned up and grouped without making the page longer than it needs to be.
Doc Blackburn on Video
Cybersecurity talks, interviews, and teaching clips from Doc Blackburn.
Watch videos → ✓GIAC Exam Prep
Study guidance and preparation resources for GIAC certification candidates.
Open resource → ✎Are We Safer Yet?
Security news and analysis for technical and non-technical readers.
Visit blog →Teaching and project links
Quick access to instructor schedules and future project items.