McAfee Institute

McAfee Institute is an American professional certification and training organization founded in 2010 by Joshua McAfee. ^[1] It provides online education programs for professionals working in intelligence, investigations, law enforcement, cybersecurity, and corporate security fields. The Institute offers certifications in areas such as cyber intelligence, open-source intelligence (OSINT), cryptocurrency investigations, human trafficking investigations, and workplace violence prevention.

Programs and certifications

McAfee Institute offers a range of online certification programs targeted at professionals in law enforcement, military, intelligence, cybersecurity, private investigation, and corporate sectors. ^[2] The Institute’s programs cover topics including:

• Cyber intelligence and investigations
• Cryptocurrency investigations
• Counterintelligence
• Human trafficking investigations
• Artificial intelligence applications in investigations
• Workplace violence prevention and active shooter response
• Organized retail crime
• Leadership development
• Incident response
• Digital forensics
• Fraud detection
• Deception detection
• Open-source intelligence (OSINT)

The programs incorporate theoretical content alongside practical case studies and application exercises. ^[3]

Accreditation and listings

McAfee Institute's programs are accredited by the Missouri Department of Education, ^[4] and by the Missouri Department of Public Safety. ^[5]

The Institute’s certifications are also listed in the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Careers and Studies (NICCS), administered by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, ^[6] and approved by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) to offer professional development credits. ^[7]

McAfee Institute certifications are eligible for credentialing assistance under U.S. Department of Defense programs including:

• Army COOL ^[8]
• Navy COOL ^[9]
• DOD Civilian COOL ^[10]
• Air Force COOL ^[11]

The Institute’s certifications are also listed in the Government of Canada’s Cyber Security Certifications Guide, published by the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security. ^[12]

See also

• Vocational education in the United States
• Open-source intelligence
• Cybercrime

References

1. "How A Data-Sleuth Helps Battle Human Trafficking". Inc. Magazine. 2013-08-20. Retrieved 2025-05-30.
2. "Board Certifications". McAfee Institute. Retrieved 2025-05-30.
3. "McAfee Institute". NICCS.gov. 25 February 2025. Retrieved 2025-05-30.
4. "Search". scorecard.mo.gov. Retrieved 2025-05-30.
5. "POST Calendar - Department of Public Safety". dps.mo.gov. Retrieved 2025-05-30.
6. "NICCS - McAfee Institute". NICCS.gov. 25 February 2025. Retrieved 2025-05-30.
7. "New Companies Become SHRM Recertification Providers". SHRM.org. 2021-02-18. Retrieved 2025-05-30.
8. "U.S. Army Credentialing Assistance". Army COOL. Retrieved 2025-05-30.
9. "Navy COOL". Navy COOL. Retrieved 2025-05-30.
10. "DOD Civilian COOL". DOD Civilian COOL. Retrieved 2025-05-30.
11. "Air Force COOL". Air Force COOL. Retrieved 2025-05-30.
12. "Cyber Security Certifications" (PDF). Canadian Centre for Cyber Security. Government of Canada. February 2021. Retrieved 2025-05-30.