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SOC100

PREPARE DEFEND ADVANCE

Join the Waitlist!

The Why Behind the Course

Many students still find Level Effect after spending tens of thousands on entry-level bootcamps or live training vendors with not a lot to show for, or getting lost in a sea of 20-30 hour high-level courses that were never designed to connect to one another.

Let's change that - together with SOC:

  1. You invest, We invest. The course is pay-what-you-can with an affordable minimum pricing. Additionally, what ever you pay we'll credit toward CDA or any of our other courses after completion. Click here to see more.

  2. It's taught by many top professionals in the field and features over 20 modules, 400+ hours of content, and 120+ labs, all instructed live and available on-demand afterward

  3. Go from opening an app to removing malware and using a SIEM, to working in a Virtual SOC as a Tier 1 Cybersecurity Analyst

  4. It readies you for Intermediate training by starting you in Detection Engineering, DFIR, and more

  5. It offers experience to put on your resume as a Community SOC Analyst helping others just like you

Let's make an impact.

Launches October 11th 2024 for Cybersecurity Awareness Month and runs live until Mar 2025 Saturday & Sundays 10-2PM EST outside holidays.

STREAM CALENDAR LINK HERE

Believe in this mission? Share this page with others to spread the word! ❤️

If you’d like to contribute as an instructor, community member, or sponsor this initiative, fill out the “Get Involved” form below.

Course Description

You will start from the very basics of navigating the Windows operating system, to endpoint and enterprise network and server administration, and go all the way to responding to and containing live malware using the latest tools and procedures that SOC Tier 1 Analysts in the field use today.

You will also gain all the adjacent supportive skill sets ensuring you are ready for intermediate to advanced training or experience and draws from requirements set out in the NIST Workforce Framework for Cybersecurity (NICE Framework).

The course will be delivered as multiple courses:

SOC100-1: Prepare

SOC100-2: Train

SOC100-3: Defend

SOC100-4: Certify (1 Week Practical Exam with Report Readout Live to Instructor, NO Multiple Choice)

SOC100-5: Advance (Fundamentals of Intermediate+ Training)

Click here to see the FULL CURRICULUM below for more details.

Note - this course will replace and add on to our current Fundamentals.

 

Course Delivery

Launches Oct 11th!

Live streamed every Saturday & Sunday on our Twitch channel 10-2PM EST starting on Oct 12th!

The stream recordings will then be added in as recordings to the course content where the course will remain completely on-demand after that.

In addition to the live stream sessions and recordings, the course content will consist of:

  • Video lectures and labs

  • Quizzes and assessments

  • Practical challenges

  • Portfolio projects to build of your own

  • Discord community support

  • Industry speakers & CDA Alumni

Imagine taking our IT Fundamentals course over at https://training.leveleffect.com but having an Instructor walk you through it in a classroom, and have the recording available and community after.

Click here to see what the Live classes will be similar to, where you can ask the Instructor anything you'd like!

 

Pre-Requisites

  • Willingness to Learn: Strong interest and commitment to learning cybersecurity concepts and practices.

  • Basic Computer Skills: Understanding of fundamental computer and internet operations.

 

Who is this course for?

  • Complete newcomers looking to get started in IT and Cybersecurity with a clear roadmap.

  • Those with some experience looking to develop entry-level Cybersecurity or Security Engineering skill sets i.e. malware analysis, log analytics, detection engineering, etc. for further training or experience.

  • Current Cybersecurity professionals in the field looking to strengthen their foundations or undertake some additional experience.

  • Managers or those in positions supportive or adjacent to IT that wish to be more knowledgeable about this area or contribute more.

Why the SOC100 Program?

From Basics to Breaches 

Go from opening up a browser to hunting down malware while learning all relevant IT skills along the way, with no need to stitch together different content and courses to accomplish this.

Senior Instructors, Proven Track Record & Community

You have more than one top experienced professional teaching you here, and a Discord community where you can reach them directly for support. Level Effect has also been doing this for 4 years now - check out our testimonials.

SOC Training & 1 Week Practical Certification

Gain experience in a virtualized Security Operations Center (SOC) environment triage incidents just like on the job. Afterwards, take a 1-week practical NO multiple choice exam with report readout to an Instructor.

Pay What You Can for "Content" not Marketing

We're tired of overpriced content & bootcamps where you're paying for their marketing budget, and we bet that you are, too. This is our effort to put out a solid course with far better value, that shouldn't break your bank.

Lifelong Access & Experience

Once you own the content, you own it forever! This includes the updates we'll make to this course. The best part is once you learn the material, you can ask to help others and put various roles on your resume as Community SOC Analyst, or Malware Developer, and more.

Ready for Intermediate & Advanced

The future of Cybersecurity at a technical level is Engineering. Develop your Tier 1 Analyst skills here to get going, as well as advanced foundations to get started on the needs of what's to come.

John Hammond's Thoughts

This is what John Hammond had to say about our Cyber Defense Analyst Program in its first iteration.

And guess what? It's only gotten better.

 

Sandra - Tech & Lifestyle's Review

Sandra's reviewed a lot of training programs... hear what she has to say about our real SOC experience.

 

Hear From the Co-Founders How We Started

Learn about the origin story of Level Effect, why we made our original Cyber Defense Analyst program, and the problems we aimed to solve in the cybersecurity training landscape.

 

 

Meet Your Core Instructors

Led by the Level Effect team - we will be your main Instructors for live and recorded content.

Greg_Ake

Greg Ake

Level Effect Co-Founder

With over 20 years of experience in cybersecurity and intelligence, including roles such as Principal Detection Engineer at Huntress, Co-Founder of Level Effect, and positions at Booz Allen Hamilton, the NSA, and the U.S. Air Force, Greg Ake is a seasoned professional specializing in detection engineering, signals intelligence, and data analysis.

Rob Noeth-1

Rob Noeth

Level Effect Co-Founder

With over 15 years of experience in cybersecurity and software engineering, Rob is the CTO and Co-Founder of Level Effect. He developed the Level Effect Cyber Learning Platform and designed the Recon security platform (acquired by Huntress Labs), specializing in computer network operations and offensive/defensive network capabilities from his tenure at the U.S. Department of Defense.

Anthony_Bendas

Anthony Bendas

Level Effect Co-Founder

With over 10 years of experience across senior IT management, security consulting, engineering, and GRC roles, Anthony is a Co-Founder of Level Effect. His specialities are in penetration testing, security program development, and management for enterprises, leveraging his deep knowledge of both technical and operational aspects of cybersecurity and IT.

Contributing Instructors

These seasoned Cybersecurity professionals believe in the mission of this course, and will be teaching their specialties to you. We are honored to stand with them together!

Will Nissler

Will Nissler

Infrastructure Lead | Security Engineer

Will has more than eight years of experience in cybersecurity and six years with the Intelligence Community, supporting cyber operations during his time in the U.S. Navy as a Cryptologic Technician. After his military career, Will transitioned into the private sector where he worked as a Systems Administrator and Security Engineer. Will currently works as a Security Engineer and moonlights to handle the deployment and management of Level Effect's cloud infrastructure.

Jordan Linden _ 25

Jordan Linden

SIEM Content Development Engineer | Infrastructure Engineer

Jordan brings a wealth of development and infrastructure knowledge to our team, backed by his extensive experience of close to 5 years in Software Development, and is currently a SIEM Content Development Engineer by day. He has also built and runs a successful language learning platform. Notably, Jordan is the only student in the history of our CDA Program to achieve a perfect 100% score in all areas.

Tom Marsland

Tom Marsland

Director, VetSec

With over 20 years of experience in cybersecurity and technical leadership, Tom is the Vice President of Technology at Cloud Range, where he leads operations in digital forensics and incident response training. A U.S. Navy veteran who served as a Technical Program Manager and Information Security Manager overseeing classified networks, he is also the Chairman of the Board at VetSec, supporting veterans pursuing cybersecurity careers. Tom’s extensive expertise makes him a highly knowledgeable and impactful instructor.

Daniel Crothers

Daniel Crothers

Founder, Crothers Solutions Group

With over 15 years of experience in cybersecurity and IT solutions, Daniel is a seasoned professional specializing in cloud computing, automation, and enterprise-level system architecture. As a former Solutions Architect at GC&E Systems Group and Chief Technology Officer at Brand Ventures, Inc., he brings extensive expertise to his instruction, making complex concepts accessible to learners.

Luke Rogerson

Luke Rogerson

Director, ogSec Consulting

With over 10 years of experience in cybersecurity, Luke is a seasoned professional who began his career at NCC Group, advancing to Executive Principal Security Consultant. He specializes in security assessments, code reviews, cloud security, and has led large teams in complex engagements, including red team assessments and M&A technical due diligence—bringing extensive expertise to his instruction.

Douglas Kaluhiokalani

Douglas Kaluhiokalani

CEO & Founder of Cyber Kata, LLC | Senior Advisor for NATO Locked Shields

Douglas brings over 10 years of experience in the field. A U.S. Air Force veteran who served in Special Operations Communications and as a Combat Controller, he brings real-world expertise to his instruction. Douglas is the Founder & CEO of Cyber Kata, LLC. Specializing in defensive cybersecurity, and holds experience in penetration testing, and threat assessments. He has also served as a Senior Advisor and Key Leader for the U.S. National Blue Team at the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence (CCDCOE).

Tyler Dupont

Tyler Dupont

Founder, APT-0

Tyler, with nearly 3 years of experience in cybersecurity, is the Founder of APT-0, where he leads a dynamic cybersecurity education initiative. He manages operations, recruits and directs volunteers, organizes industry events, and oversees IT infrastructure, all with the goal of empowering the next generation of security professionals. His specialities lie within Pentesting and Offensive Security.

Summer Rankin-1

Summer Rankin, PhD

AI Solution Architect

Summer has a robust background as an AI Solution Architect and Senior Lead Data Scientist, with significant expertise in managing distributed teams and developing AI and data science solutions for sectors like cybersecurity and federal clients. She also serves as an instructor at GTK Cyber, designing courses focused on Python and Data Science for cybersecurity professionals. Additionally, her academic experience includes teaching at prestigious institutions like The Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University.

Chris Young

Chris Young

Digital Intelligence Analyst

A veteran of the United States Marine Corps, Chris has addressed information security requirements in joint federal operations, including such entities as the U. S. Department of State and across the Department of Defense. Post-military service, he leans on his 20+ years in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), lead generation and entrepreneurship to bring a unique, purposeful lens to the cyber community. Chris works in consulting and has presented at cybersecurity conferences.

TallisJordan_Headshot

Tallis Jordan

2K Games, Lead DFIR

GREM, GCFA, GCFE, GCIA, GPYC, GPEN, GCIH, GSEC, OSCP, OSWP, PNPT, PJMR, eCTHP, CDCP Gold, BTL1. Needless to say Tallis brings a ton of experience to the field on top of years of experience in the DFIR and Detection Engineering realm across very different industries, and comes from a military background of over 8 years as a Security Operations Manager.

James Jolley Cropped

James Jolley

Cybersecurity Engineer & Assistant Instructor

With 5 years of dedicated experience in the field of cybersecurity, James has honed his skills as a self-taught professional, driven by a passion for defending digital landscapes. His work as a challenge developer for CTF competitions showcases his ability to create engaging, technical puzzles for a variety of audiences. He also holds certifications in Machine Learning and Deep Learning, adding to his diverse skill set. Most notably, James earned the prestigious CDCP Gold certification, marking him as a standout.

you

More coming soon!

Your Title

Do you believe in this initiative and want to part of it? Reach out to us, or use the "Get Involved ❤️" form at the top! Whether you want to be a Contributing Instructor or Guest Speaker or help in other ways, and we'll be happy to hear how you want to help!

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Hours+

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Units+

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Hands-on Labs+

Example Classes

The Live classes will feel similar to these live streams we carry out on Fridays right now, with Instructors on stream and a chat active and recorded on to the content. These will be recorded after and added on to the lecture and lab videos in the course so you can get the "classroom" feel any time you need to rewatch or catch up later! Afterwards you can ask for support in our Discord where you'll receive it.

Zloader Thumbnail

Triaging through persistence, process, and networking. Identifying a DLL Injection attack hooked in Explorer.exe and removing it! (something you'll learn how to do through SOC100!)

 

Sep 13 - GRC Part 1

Learning the "why" and "purpose" of GRC with immediate takeaways like risk assessments and how to start with Governance. The chat recorded in this one is how it will look like.

Explore the Curriculum

If you want to see how this fits in visually - make sure to check out our Training Roadmap page.

SOC100-1: Prepare

Cybersecurity is a subset of IT. You can only secure something when you know how it works.

Windows Operating System

Module 1

From navigating the Start menu to writing PowerShell scripts for system administration. Learn how and why this operating system works, focusing on securing accounts, managing permissions, and defending against threats.

Linux Operating System

Module 2

Explore the Linux command line, file structure, and essential commands. You’ll progress from basic navigation to advanced scripting for system management and even write your own security tool scripts.

Network Traffic Analysis

Module 3

Understand the fundamentals of networking, from IP addresses and protocols to packet capture and analysis. Learn how to monitor and interpret network traffic to identify potential threats.

Windows Enterprise Administration

Module 4

Learn the ins and outs of managing an enterprise-level Windows environment. From setting up Active Directory to securing user access and managing group policies.

HelpDesk Administration & Troubleshooting

Module 5

Diagnose and debug errors and software issues. Develop critical troubleshooting skills to efficiently resolve technical problems in a professional environment.

Career Prep 1 - Home Lab & Portfolio Projects

Module 6

The importance of a home lab cannot be understated enough. Projects demonstrate experience and proficiency of concepts taught - just what the industry needs.

SOC100-2: Train

Develop the competencies required to perform SOC Tier 1 Analyst tasks.

Note - after completing this section, you would be ready to start our Cyber Defense Analyst (CDA) Program, though we do recommend to complete everything in SOC100 to be over-prepared for CDA.

Cybersecurity Industry

Module 7

Gain a deep understanding of the cybersecurity landscape, key roles, and industry trends. Learn where you fit in and how to stay ahead in this fast-evolving field.

Governance, Risk, Compliance (GRC)

Module 8

Explore the frameworks and regulations that govern cybersecurity. Learn how to align security practices with business objectives, reducing risks and ensuring compliance.

Cryptography & Encryption

Module 9

From the basics of encryption and decryption to understanding modern cryptographic algorithms. You’ll discover how cryptography secures data in transit and at rest.

Log Analytics with SIEMs

Module 10

Learn how to analyze security logs using industry-leading SIEM tools. Detect and respond to potential threats by interpreting log data from various systems.

Email Security

Module 11

Understand the common email attack vectors like phishing, embeds, and attachments. Learn common security settings and analyze emails for threats.

Windows Triage & Malware Analysis

Module 12

Learn the process of triaging incidents within a Windows environment and analyzing suspicious files. You’ll develop hands-on skills to identify, isolate, and mitigate malware.

Cyber Threat Intelligence

Module 13

From gathering data to analyzing potential threats, learn the fundamentals of cyber threat intelligence. You’ll use this information to perform threat modelling and enrich SOC operations.

Report Writing & Communication

Module 14

Learn the art of translating technical findings into clear, actionable reports. Develop professional communication skills for interacting with clients and stakeholders.

SOC100-3: Defend

Apply your competencies in a Virtual SOC environment utilizing DFIR best practices.

Digital Forensics & Incident Response (DFIR)

Module 15

Understand the steps involved in investigating and responding to cyber incidents. Learn how to collect, analyze, and preserve digital evidence for your investigation.

Virtual SOC Experience (3 to 4 Weeks)

Module 16

Gain hands-on experience working in a simulated Security Operations Center (SOC). You’ll apply what you’ve learned to detect, respond to, and resolve incidents. Walkthroughs to compare against will be provided after.

Career Prep 2 - Malware Analysis Lab

Module 17

Continue applying what you've learned now with projects of your own. We'll start you off with a few fun ones so you can prepare and present your own cyber threat analysis reports for your portfolio.

SOC100-4: Certify

Time to put it to the test. NO multiple choice here.

Demonstrate your skills in a week-long virtual SOC engagement. You’ll be tasked with detecting, analyzing, and reporting incidents, culminating in a comprehensive report readout to one of our Instructors on a call. This will earn you the SOC100 Certified badge. 

Note - for those that cannot afford this, we will provide an alternative option with no report readout to earn a Cybersecurity Foundations badge instead. We will also at times run giveaways for a single attempt at the SOC100 Certified badge.

SOC100-5: Advance

This section consists of a series of fundamentals modules to prepare you for intermediate and advanced training or experience in the field. The order may change a bit by the time we get to this course.

Note - after completing this section you would be ready to start DE100, ADS101, or our future DFIR100, and set up best for CDA Live or On-Demand.

Career Prep 3 - Open Source Contribution

Module 19

Learn how to contribute to open-source projects and create public-facing reports to build your professional profile. These activities will help you stand out to employers and peers.

Defensive Scripting

Module 20

Learn the basics of scripting and automation in security operations, setting the stage for advanced automation tasks. You’ll use fundamental scripts to streamline simple processes and improve SOC efficiency.

Detection Engineering

Module 21

Learn the core principles of detection engineering, understanding how to create and adjust detection rules. This will provide the groundwork for advanced detection methods and alert tuning.

DevSecOps & Cloud Security Fundamentals

Module 22

Understand the essential concepts of integrating security into DevOps workflows, with a focus on securing cloud environments. This foundational knowledge will prepare you for more specialized cloud security and DevSecOps training.

Reverse Engineering

Module 23

Gain a foundational understanding of reverse engineering, focusing on dissecting and analyzing malware and software. This module introduces key concepts and tools, preparing you for more advanced reverse engineering and malware analysis.

Threat Hunting

Module 24

Develop a foundational understanding of threat hunting, learning how to proactively search for signs of compromise across systems and networks. This module covers basic methodologies and tools, preparing you for advanced threat-hunting techniques.

Pentesting & Application Security

Module 25

Develop a foundational level of the pentesting process from enumeration to exploitation with a focus on vulnerability reporting including remediation and preventation steps.

Python Programming

Module 26

This module serves as an introduction to Python, providing a strong foundation in the language to enable learners to apply it effectively in the context of cybersecurity, machine learning, and detection engineering. By the end of this module, students will have a firm grasp of Python’s core syntax, data structures, and programming principles.

More Coming Soon...

TBD

As more Instructors continue to contribute - expect to see some more content added here with a focus on ensuring you're set up for success to begin to intermediate training.

Cost of Attendance

This course operates on a pay-what-you-can model, with both minimum and return pricing.

SOC100-1, 100-2, 100-3, 100-5 will be minimum $19.
SOC100-4 (the SOC100 Certification) will be minimum $59.

The amount you pay for all of SOC100 will be credited toward our CDA course or another course of your choice in the future.

If you invest, we invest.

We will still upload all the recordings of the Live Class content for free on YouTube to help where we can.

Getting Experience

Education is not enough. Experience beyond teaching is crucial, and we know not everyone wants to build a home lab, so we have some other ways to get some resume items as volunteer experience. Simply use the "Get Involved" form to get started.

Alumni that have completed our CDA Program can opt in to be a "Community SOC Analyst" for their resume as experience while helping SOC100 students with questions in our Discord.

Once you complete the first SOC100 course, you too can submit a form to us after to help out others learning and put it on your resume. You will be able to put the role of "Community Jr. SOC Analyst" on your resume helping out others in their SOC100 journey.

FAQ