What is the NCSP 800-204 Foundation Certificate?

The NCSP 800-204 Foundation Certificate is a 2-day instructor-led course introducing participants to microservices security concepts, service mesh architectures, access control strategies, and container security practices as defined in the NIST SP 800-204 series. It is part of the governed NCSP credential ecosystem aligned to NIST CSF 2.0 and the NIST SP 800-series.

How does this course align with the NIST SP 800-204 series?

The course focuses on the core principles of the NIST SP 800-204 series, including microservices threat modeling, secure service-to-service communication, service mesh governance, attribute-based access control, container hardening, and the relationship between SP 800-204, SP 800-190, and NIST CSF 2.0.

Who governs and maintains the NCSP 800-204 Foundation Certificate?

The NIST Cybersecurity Professional (NCSP) framework is a structured, NIST-aligned cybersecurity and digital trust workforce competency framework developed by CySec Professionals Ltd and governed by The Digital Trust Institute (DTI).

Is NCSP 800-204 Foundation considered official NIST training?

NCSP training is not generic NIST training. It is a governed credential ecosystem aligned to NIST CSF 2.0 and the NIST SP 800-series, with formal governance and stewardship by The Digital Trust Institute.

Who is authorised to deliver NCSP 800-204 Foundation training?

Only organisations formally authorised by The Digital Trust Institute may deliver NCSP training or assessments. Unauthorised use of NCSP identifiers is prohibited.

NIST Cybersecurity Professional®
(NCSP®) 800‑204 Foundation Certificate

Learn how to apply NIST SP 800‑204 microservices security principles to protect distributed applications.

NIST Cybersecurity Professional®

(NCSP®) 800‑204 Foundation Certificate

Course Description

Microservices architectures introduce distributed components, complex communication patterns, and expanded attack surfaces. NIST SP 800‑204 provides authoritative guidance for securing microservices‑based applications.

The NCSP® 800‑204 Foundation Certificate is a 2‑day, instructor‑led course introducing participants to microservices security principles and practices as defined in NIST SP 800‑204 and 800‑204A. This course explains service isolation, API security, service mesh considerations, and alignment with NIST CSF 2.0.

Participants learn how to apply foundational microservices security concepts across development, deployment, and operational environments, preparing them for more advanced NCSP® cloud, DevSecOps, and application security training.

What You Will Learn

Participants gain knowledge of NIST SP 800-204 and security strategies for microservices based applications. You will learn:

How NIST SP 800‑204 aligns with NIST CSF 2.0 and supports microservices security programs.
The core concepts of microservices architectures and distributed security.
How to secure APIs, service communications, and data flows.
How to apply service isolation and container‑based protections.
How to use service meshes for secure communication and policy enforcement.
How to integrate microservices security into DevSecOps workflows.

Course Agenda

Day 1: Microservices Foundations, Governance & Architecture
Module 1: Introduction to NIST SP 800‑204
Module 2: Core Microservices Security Concepts
Module 3: Governance, Roles & Policy Responsibilities
Module 4: Microservices Architecture & API Security

Day 2: Service Mesh, Operations & Continuous Improvement
Module 5: Service Isolation & Container Security
Module 6: Service Mesh Security & Policy Enforcement
Module 7: Monitoring, Logging & Threat Detection
Module 8: Continuous Improvement & Alignment with NIST CSF 2.0

Learning Outcomes

Participants will be able to:

Explain how NIST SP 800‑204 supports NIST CSF 2.0 and microservices security programs.
Describe microservices architectures and security controls.
Apply foundational API, container, and service mesh security practices.
Monitor microservices environments for threats and anomalies.
Integrate microservices security into DevSecOps workflows.
Translate NIST SP 800‑204 guidance into actionable microservices security practices.

Who Should Attend?

Ideal for individuals responsible for the secure planning and deployment of microservices based environments, including:

IT & Security Staff
Cybersecurity Beginners & Career‑Changers
DevOps & DevSecOps Personnel
Application Support Teams
Compliance & Audit Personnel
Anyone supporting microservices‑based environments

Prerequisites

There are no formal prerequisites for this Foundation‑level course. It is designed as an accessible entry point into NIST‑aligned cybersecurity training.

Participants are provided with:

NIST Cybersecurity Professional® (NCSP®) 800‑204 Foundation Certificate courseware including links to further reading and resources.
NIST Cybersecurity Professional® (NCSP®) 800‑204 Foundation Certificate, Certificate of Completion.
NIST Cybersecurity Professional® (NCSP®) 800‑204 Foundation Certificate digital badge.

Enrol Today

Learn how to apply NIST SP 800‑204 microservices security principles to protect distributed applications.

Open enrolment £1,795.00 (ex-VAT)

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NIST Cybersecurity Professional® (NCSP®) 800‑204 Foundation Certificate Learn how to apply NIST SP 800‑204 microservices security principles to protect distributed applications.