Your ultimate guide to the Palo Alto Cortex XSOAR training course (EDU-380)

Cortex XSOAR—the Security Orchestration and Automation Response (SOAR) platform by Palo Alto Networks—has been a preferred incident response management solution for security-conscious industries such as government, cybersecurity, and healthcare.

At the same time, these industries not only have a high demand for network security engineers, but they also come with competitive pay packages. The average salary for a security engineer in the US healthcare industry ranges from $100,000 to $145,000 per year.

If you’re a network security engineer looking to get hired by the top companies in these sectors, then a certification highlighting your experience with Cortex XSOAR can get you noticed by recruiters.

Source

One way you can do this is by completing the Palo Alto Cortex XSOAR: Automation and Orchestration (EDU-380) course. It can get you up to speed on automating security tasks, connecting security tools, and building playbooks and automated workflows to manage incidents in Cortex XSOAR.

let’s explore the specifics of the EDU-380 course in more detail.

Why take the EDU-380 course?

First things first—let’s quickly go over how the Cortex XSOAR: Automation and Orchestration course can benefit you. 

• Stand out to Fortune 500 companies: Security automation, especially expertise in Cortex XSOAR, is highly sought-after by Fortune 500 companies. The EDU-380 course equips you with these in-demand skills, making you a strong candidate for enterprise security positions.
• Advance in your career: Even if you’re in your dream company, upskilling can help you climb the career ladder. With this course, you can learn practical skills like building incident layouts and developing playbooks—skills that can help you prove yourself at work.
• Work smarter: This course is all about security automations—and if you perfect them, then you can end up saving a lot of time, and finally achieve a life-work balance.
• Implement security best practices: For security managers, the course offers valuable insights into best practices for configuring and using Cortex XSOAR. This can standardize processes across your SOC, minimize human error, and ultimately enhance your team’s effectiveness.

This is, by far, the best course that can help you master Cortex XSOAR. At the same time, as this is a Palo Alto-approved course, ​​it ensures you learn the latest features and functionality. 

Besides, the instructor-led format fosters lets you learn from an expert and makes for a collaborative experience. 

Palo Alto Cortex XSOAR: Course overview

This section explores the key aspects of the EDU-380 course such as its delivery format, target audience, and other relevant details.

Enrolling in the course

The Cortex XSOAR: Automation and Orchestration course is a four-day, instructor-led program that’s offered by Palo Alto Authorized Training Providers (ATPs). Palo Alto Networks maintains a user-friendly schedule of all EDU-380 classes. 

Simply visit their page and select “EDU-380” to see upcoming offerings. Refine your search further using the provided filters to find a class in your preferred region, language, or time zone. 

There’s even an option to find classes with no minimum student requirement, maximizing flexibility. So finding a course that suits your needs should be easy.

Datacipher Education Services, for example, conducts monthly virtual classes in all time zones. If you’re an organization or educational institution, then you can even get them to conduct private classes for your employees or students. 

Target audience

This course is for anyone in network security. Some people who might benefit from the course are:

• Security Operations Engineers
• Security, Orchestration, Automation, and Response (SOAR) Engineers
• Managed Security Service Providers
• Service Delivery Partners
• System Integrators
• Professional Services Engineers

Prerequisites

As we can see from the target audience section, this is an advanced course for people who have some hands-on experience in network security and Cortex XSOAR. Palo Alto also mandates that you complete the ‘Cortex XSOAR Analyst digital learning’ course before taking up this course. 

A beginner-friendly and self-paced course, you can complete it within 16 hours. It includes six chapters that’ll introduce you to the various modules in Cortex XSOAR. You’ll also have to complete an assessment after you complete each course.

The EDU-380 course is designed to be accessible to engineers and students with varying technical backgrounds. So while prior experience with scripting languages like Python or Javascript and data formats like JSON can be helpful, it’s not required. 

Training credits

This course is included in the Palo Alto Training Credits program, which provides a flexible way to purchase and manage training for Cortex XSOAR and other training programs. 

How training credits work

Let’s consider the EDU-380 course, which costs $4,000. With the Training Credit program, you can purchase 40 credits (40 x $100 = $4,000) and use them to enroll in the course as long as it’s offered by an Authorized Training Partner (ATP). 

This can be a great option for organizations with ongoing training needs for their security teams—especially if they’re looking for flexibility in course selection and easy budgeting.

EDU-380 course modules: What you’ll learn

The Cortex XSOAR: Automation and Orchestration course comes with thirteen modules that are designed to cover all aspects of security automation—starting from an overview of the features up to integration development and threat monitoring.

(You can find the entire list of modules covered in this datasheet.)

Here’s an overview of what you’ll learn:

• The core functionalities and features of Cortex XSOAR
• Configuring integrations with the various security tools you already use, so you can create a central hub for your security data
• Creating automated workflows within Cortex XSOAR to streamline repetitive tasks and expedite incident response
• Building customized incident layouts within Cortex XSOAR, ensuring all critical information is presented clearly for efficient decision-making
• Understanding Docker, a containerization technology, for deploying Cortex XSOAR efficiently and ensuring portability across environments
• Integrating threat intelligence feeds into Cortex XSOAR to prioritize real threats 

Each student will also be given a guide and lab exercise manual in the form of a PDF. You can get access to it from the third-party digital learning platform—KorText.

Next steps

Once you complete the course, you can also apply for one of their certifications like Palo Alto Certified Network Security Engineer (PCSNE) or Palo Alto Certified Security Firewall Engineer (PCSFE). 

This will demonstrate both your expertise in security automation and your commitment to professional development—significantly enhancing your resume and marketability in the cybersecurity job market. 

Master Cortex XSOAR with Datacipher Education Services

Datacipher Education Services is one of the oldest Palo Alto Authorized Training Partners (ATPs) in the APAC region. With DES, you can enroll in in-person and virtual classes on Cortex XSOAR and get your questions answered by expert instructors. 

We also provide you with both electronic and print copies of all study materials and a recording of the training session allowing you to revisit key concepts at your convenience. 

As we’re an Authorized Training Provider, you can either enroll directly by paying a fee or, if your organization has them, leverage Palo Alto Training Credits for a potentially cost-effective option. You can also generate an invoice and share it with your company if they are paying for the course. 

Ready to become an expert in Cortex XSOAR? Get in touch with our team here.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is Cortex XSOAR?

Cortex XSOAR is a Security Orchestration, Automation, and Response (SOAR) platform from Palo Alto Networks. It helps security teams run automations like connecting security tools, monitoring threats, and managing incidents.

2. What is the difference between Cortex XSOAR and Cortex XDR?

Both platforms are part of the Palo Alto Cortex security platform, but they serve different purposes:

• Cortex XSOAR connects security tools, automates tasks, and streamlines incident response
• Cortex XDR analyzes data from various sources (network, endpoint, cloud) to detect and investigate threats

2. How can I get trained in Cortex XSOAR?

The Palo Alto Cortex XSOAR: Automation and Orchestration (EDU-380) course can be a great way to master Cortex XSOAR in a short time. This is a 4-day, instructor-led program that’s offered by Palo Alto Authorized Training Partners (ATPs).