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Threat Intelligence
Support Unit

Key Aspects of TISU

The Threat Intelligence Support Unit (TISU) is an innovative, free, semester-long training program and community, often held at Grand Canyon University (GCU) in Phoenix, designed to provide hands-on cybersecurity skills for students and professionals. Jointly developed with the Arizona Cyber Threat Response Alliance (ACTRA), the program focuses on open-source intelligence (OSINT), threat hunting, and practical, real-world case analysis, frequently training over 200 participants by 2024.

Training Content

Covers foundational attack and defense, MITRE ATT&CK, CIS-18 controls, OSINT, and incident response.

Real-World Application

Participants work on anonymized cases from real ACTRA members.

Access & Certification

The training is free, and participants can earn a certification upon passing a test.

Mentorship

Led by industry professionals including Michael Manrod, Ezra Woods, and others.

Networking & Careers

TISU aims to connect students with employers, bridging the gap between education and cyber roles.

Structure

Typically meets weekly for in-person training in building 57 on the GCU campus, with, as of 2023, discussions regarding an online version.

Evolution

The program runs in cohorts (e.g., Cohort 7, Cohort 8), using feedback to iterate and improve content

This free in-person training spanned one semester and covered topics ranging from the basics of attack and defense to mapping out attack surface, adversary profiling, along with a basic introduction to analyzing malware. 

This training spanned one semester and covered topics ranging from the basics of attack and defense to mapping out attack surface, adversary profiling, and other interesting topics.

It is built on a foundation of MITRE ATT&CK and CIS18, making the lessons practical and relevant to up-skilling and working toward job opportunities in a Security Operations or Administration role

Threat Intelligence Support Unit training presented by Grand Canyon University (GCU) and the Arizona Cyber Threat Response Alliance (ACTRA). The training is the first step in a journey that also includes an opportunity to join a community of volunteer analysts, creating new career pathways and onramps for people starting out their cyber career.

ACTRA operates the Threat Intelligence Support Unit in collaboration with Grand Canyon University. TISU serves as a research and open-source intelligence arm of ACTRA, supporting projects that translate persistent, evasive, or emerging threats into practical research, emulation, assessment, and defensive resources.


TISU projects may include open-source threat research, cybersecurity defender tools, emulation resources, assessment concepts, and other projects based on threats observed and prioritized by the ACTRA community.

Community and Workforce Development

ACTRA supports the broader cybersecurity community through initiatives that strengthen collaboration, education, and workforce development.

These initiatives include: