// Training Architecture

Four-Week Battle Plan

Transform from CTF players to enterprise defenders. This intensive program has been refined through championship-winning teams.

“From knowing how to do things, to knowing how to fight.”

CCDC is not CTF. CTF trains problem-solving; CCDC trains enterprise operations under fire—team coordination, business continuity, documentation, and rapid decision-making.

// Training Dimensions

Four-Dimensional Framework

Comprehensive training that covers all aspects of CCDC competition.

Platform

Windows, Linux, AD, Network, Web, DB

Operations

Monitoring, IR, Forensics, Recovery

Business

Injects, Policies, Reports, Briefings

Team

Roles, Rhythm, Handoffs, Retrospectives

// Week by Week

Training Schedule

Detailed breakdown of the four-week intensive program.

W1

Foundation Week

From CTF mindset to enterprise defense

Focus: Asset inventory
Day 1-2

Asset & Service Mapping

  • Complete asset inventory in 15 min
  • Service priority classification
  • Network topology documentation
Day 3-4

Role Assignment

  • Define 8-person team structure
  • Practice role handoffs
  • Communication protocols
Day 5-6

Template Training

  • Inject response templates
  • IR report format
  • Captain status board
Day 7

Week 1 Retrospective

  • Role assignment finalization
  • Template refinement
  • Gap analysis

Week Deliverables

Finalized team rosterAsset inventory templateService priority frameworkInitial inject templates
W2

Detection & Response

Building detection capabilities

Focus: Log analysis
Day 1-2

Identity Anomaly Detection

  • Brute force simulation
  • Credential theft indicators
  • Privilege escalation signs
Day 3-4

Lateral Movement Detection

  • PsExec/WMI patterns
  • SSH tunneling indicators
  • Cross-host correlation
Day 5-6

Configuration Change Detection

  • Account creation monitoring
  • Scheduled task alerts
  • Service modification tracking
Day 7

Week 2 Retrospective

  • Detection playbook creation
  • Triage process refinement
  • Tool optimization

Week Deliverables

Event classification guideIncident response checklistTimeline templateDetection scripts
W3

Full Team Operations

Parallel operations under pressure

Focus: Multi-tasking
Day 1-2

Service + Inject Parallel Ops

  • Maintain scored services
  • Handle business injects
  • Document all changes
Day 3-4

Red Team Simulation

  • Live attack simulation
  • Detection and response
  • IR report generation
Day 5-6

Pressure Testing

  • Multi-incident handling
  • Captain-only coordination
  • Decision under uncertainty
Day 7

Week 3 Retrospective

  • Rhythm optimization
  • Communication refinement
  • Stress management

Week Deliverables

Operational rhythm SOPEnhanced role handoffsInformation dashboardPressure management guide
W4

Competition Readiness

Final preparation and polish

Focus: Full simulation
Day 1-2

Full Competition Simulation

  • 4-8 hour mock competition
  • External evaluators
  • Complete scoring
Day 3-4

Weakness Remediation

  • Address identified gaps
  • Skill-specific drills
  • Template optimization
Day 5-6

Materials & Prep

  • Print all materials
  • Equipment check
  • Final walkthrough
Day 7

Rest & Mental Prep

  • Light review only
  • Early sleep
  • Team bonding

Week Deliverables

Competition materials packFinal team assignmentsEmergency contactsMental readiness
// Team Organization

Recommended 8-Person Structure

Optimal role distribution for CCDC competition.

Captain

Coordination, decisions, external comms

Windows/AD Lead

AD, GPO, authentication

Linux Lead

Services, web, databases

Network Lead

Firewall, monitoring, IDS

IR Lead

Incident response, forensics

Inject Lead

Business tasks, documentation

Support 1

Windows/Linux backup

Support 2

Network/IR backup

Ready for Game Day?

Download the complete Game Day Playbook with checklists, templates, and quick reference guides.