Level Effect

If you are passionate about learning, and developing your skills in cybersecurity, look no further than this course. Having recently graduated from the bootcamp I can say that I've never had a group of instructors as passionate about teaching and cybersecurity as those I've found here. I have taken courses on HackTheBox, TryHackMe, TCM, and a number of others and the level and quality seen here is unmatched. The course itself is designed to be challenging (it is) and is geared to help students develop a deeper understanding of the concepts and skills need to land their first job in cyber. They encourage students to ask questions, improve critical thinking skills, and most importantly, develop hands on knowledge and experience needed to truly be impactful from day 1 of landing a job. Whether you are a beginner, intermediate, or advanced in your skills you will learn something from this course. Read less

I came into the CDA Bootcamp with very few technical skills. I had used a Linux shell a few times, set up a Virtual Machine once, and understood very little about how Operating Systems work or why they are vulnerable to attack. However, by the time I graduated, I felt prepared to tackle the CDCP (optional certification after bootcamp graduation) and enter the job market. 

I’m a big fan of how the course is structured. Every week a new module gets released with a few interrelated topics that require you to read some material, watch a short (20min) lecture, do a lab on the provided Virtual Machine and complete a challenge where you put your skills to the test. There are also optional labs and challenges for the more advanced students. There will be a few lessons you need to get through every weekend before class starts so that you are familiar with the topics. 

The classes are two hours long, but since they are conducted using Zoom and Prezi, they are very engaging. The instructors spent the first hour of class reinforcing the topics through interactive lectures, answering our questions, or walking us through labs. We broke into small groups in the second hour and worked on the weekly individual or group challenges. It may sound repetitive, but trust me, you’ll need the reps! On Friday, there was an optional FAQ. The optional class featured a respected industry figure, a lab, or a value-added FAQ (not just rambling).

The class vibe was great, and communication with other students and the instructors was super easy through discord. In my cohort, we set up an additional study group to help with the super challenging stuff. All the instructors are knowledgeable in their respective fields and very personable. They are true mentors if you approach them with your issues. 

If you already have some experience in cybersecurity or IT, you will be in better shape out of the gate than I was. I came to the course with 20 years of experience in another unrelated career field but found many unexpected opportunities to bring in my previous experience. I’m building a new career, and the bootcamp has given me the tools.

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"Course" is a cute title which doesn't acknowledge or measure the real life work experience gained from this experience. 

The CDA bootcamp delivered by expert, friendly instructors really tests and pushes you through the vast and fluid landscape of cyber security, starting with the fundamentals of the internet and risk management and using them as the north star while navigating more complex technical and analytical topics.

The best part for me was the team challenges, hunting together, collaborating, talking through artefacts that one of us had discovered which could be relevant to our scenario, coming up with a narrative, delegating the workload, and owning and delivering a report to which we all contributed.

There is so much info and terrain to cover that at about half way through I hit my limit, my brain got fried, and I couldn't retain the content as well as during the earlier weeks. The instructors picked up on this and adapted, to their credit, some of the course schedule to accommodate for this in future cohorts.

Job assistance provided was excellent and included mock interviews with seasoned industry experts, resume assistance and review, and job hunting and networking support. Being from Australia was a slight disadvantage because there didnt appear to be the same level of networks to connect into, such as there was for students in US and Canada, but overall I was very satisfied and impressed by the support I received.

I've never taken a "course" like this before and am quite sure I'll never find one like this again!

For prospective cyber security students from either non-technical or technical backgrounds: Get enrolled, get through it, and then get helping to make the internet a safer place for everyone. You can do it! Read less

You can without a doubt stop your search for the right cybersecurity bootcamp. Of course, you should always do your due diligence when investing a significant amount of money in your future, but I'm here voluntarily telling you to look no further. 

For me, Level Effect hit all the right notes: a small class size taught by industry experts; an accessible platform to complete the many hours of live instruction, labs, and coursework; TAs who work in the industry and aren't hired after graduating to inflate employment statistics; and tons of career support interwoven throughout the course.

I'm one of the many career switchers in my cohort that came in with hardly any technical cybersecurity knowledge. Though a strong desire to learn and apply yourself is a must, the instructors will provide you with the tools and knowledge to break into the field. The course is not easy by any means and will take many hours of work to complete. While that may sound daunting, I had an absolute blast and couldn't wait for class to start, even after a long day of work.

The instructors do an amazing job of providing real world examples and keeping the course fresh, including the latest in the cyber world. In addition to class and lab work, the instructors are also available for office hours if you need to reinforce a particularly challenging topic.

The capstone was no joke, but there's nothing like preparing several reports to ensure you've grasped the various cyber concepts. The Cyber Defense Certified Professional certification absolutely prepared me to crush technical interviews. And speaking of interviews, the instructors provide great career support, including mock interviews, resume prep, and job offer negotiations. It’s not just talk – I got a job offer I wanted to review and the instructors got back to me on the phone in a matter of hours.

I couldn't in good conscience provide an accurate review until I had been hired into a cybersecurity role. Well, that happened; I was hired into a SOC Analyst role in a Fortune 50 company (all without Security+, working at a help desk, etc.). 

So, really, the choice is easy!

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I attended Level Effect in late 2020. I had minimal previous IT experience, but I wanted to be in IT. I researched several boot camps for several years. All the other boot camps had mixed reviews, which made me leery. I stumbled upon Level Effect, and I did my initial call with Greg. The call went fantastic, it was honest, and you could tell Greg was genuinely devoted to the product he and the founders created. He did not try to sell me on a product, instead I felt like we were having an honest conversation about the reality and commitment needed in order to successfully pass the program. 

The class itself was intense, thorough and well constructed. It was not easy by any means. It pushed me and challenged me to dig deeper into my studies and guided me for career readiness. There were moments where I thought I was going to crack, but the instructors did a good job of pulling me back into the program and providing the additional support that I needed.

The best advice that I have and as cliché it sounds, don’t over think it.  

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Level Effect is an intense program but the difference from any other cyber security Bootcamp is they teach you practical skills. This was my second cyber security Bootcamp and I can honestly say I learned 1000% more in this course then the last place I went. I am not bagging on the last place because they did set me up with some fundamentals, but Level Effect took its training to another level. They really drill down on a few select topics versus learning just a little but about everything.  Rob, Greg, Anthony and Will are amazing instructors. They have worked all kinds of jobs in cyber and really know what this industry needs more of and how to train for it. I felt more comfortable coming out of this Bootcamp than the other 2 (web development and cyber security). 

Almost everything you do at Level Effect is hands on. They train you for a SOC Analyst 1 position which honestly is closer to SOC 2. This course will expose you to real-world challenges  ranging from threat intelligence, system triage, network analysis, and malware analysis.  They teach you how to triage a system, write a report, and remediate the infected machine. You will have a lot of hands-on practice with known industry tools (e.g. Sysinternals Suite, Wireshark, Mitre Att&ck), report writing and triaging systems.

Unlike other Bootcamps they do not preach a job percentage of students who have gotten jobs, instead they really focus on the training which I liked a lot. They do give job assistance on what to look for, mock interviews, resume writing, but they do not boast about getting people jobs.

Although my current job is on the red team, I thoroughly have a better understanding on how cyber security works as a whole and I am able to understand how to truly attack and defend a system. Read less

I have taken another book camp and me and my classmates came away feeling jaded. I then took a chance on Level Effect based upon a recommendation and it was the best decision I ever made.

The founders have over a decade of experience and have served Intel in the military and Booz Allen Hamilton at the NSA. Greg and Rob are amazing instructors and really want every student to succeed. The value of the course is beyond simple the material. Like Kung-Fu masters teaching their students, Greg and Rob pass on their experience on top of the knowledge provided. I have done a lot of research and I just haven't found any other certification or course that teaches all the little nuances that Level Effect does. They truly go above and beyond.

The Foundry platform they use works very well and the labs really help to reinforce what you learn in a easy to use manner.

Level Effect's CDA is where I recommend you start your path on being Kung-Fu Cyber Defenders. You would have a very solid and firm foundation.

Lastly, this course is very inexpensive and provides an immense amount of value.

If you have any concerns or would like to talk in more depth about my experiences feel free to reach out on LinkedIn.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopher-blase/

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The construct of this course is absolutely unmatched. I have not come across any other curriculum that demystifies the growing number of cyber roles and titles, and how they unite in a security operation environment. Greg and Rob's real world experience is built into each course subject and provides a unique perspective on analysis. A majority of the presentation and supplemental material is reserved for self study so that each student gets as much hands-on lab time as possible during each live session. The virtual environment is quick and easy to spin up with almost no manual installation by the student. If you are tired of bouncing around within multiple training platforms trying to understand all the facets of what a cyber defense analyst really is, then this course is for you! Read less

I was apart of the original Level Effect Cohort in 2020. I had never worked in IT prior, and I came in as a 2x college dog water college drop out that could not figure out or understand how Cyber Security worked. After completing this exam. I was able to immediately build off what I had learned and study for and pass my Security + Certificate. I now currently work for Motorola as a Security Operations Technician, and I 100% thank this class for beginning my journey to get to where I am now. I can not say getting a job was easy. I have been through dozens of job interviews, and I got turned down everytime. But with perseverence and learning from my mistakes from previous interviews, I inevitably was able to start a career. With a little bit of perseverence and hard work, you can most certainly walk down the same path I did to start a Career in Cyber Security. A college degree is not required, and most people nowadays in the field would agree with that.

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Level Effect’s Cyber Defense Analyst virtual bootcamp provides an excellent well-rounded course that begins with a high-level overview on Cyber Security essentials and finishes with threat hunting and reverse engineering malware. Each iteration of material intertwines with past and future lessons that provided us with a more complete picture on what to look for and how it is affecting our networks.  The pilot class did have some growing pains, but Greg Ake and Robert Noeth always made themselves available to answer any questions and respond to student feedback. This is an excellent class for beginner to intermediate level SOC analyst that are looking for some great hands-on experience and group collaboration. I really enjoyed this class and the instructors. I am look forward to what Level Effect will offer up next!

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I am currently enrolled in the CDA course and am about 6 weeks into the three month program; I can already see a huge difference in my knowledge base. The course is about a 30/70 split between online video content and labs (including labs with instructors) which is a refreshing change of pace for online learning. Be ready to engage!

Both Greg and Rob are knowledgable, personable, and always available to answer any relevant questions. Believe me, you will have questions.

The course is fast-paced and offers challenging labs that will force you to think critically and put yourself into the shoes of a cyber threat actor. As a student studying for my Security+ exam , I believe this course has better contextualized the Security+ content and has prepared me for the exam better than any other course I've been able to find. Everyone in IT should take this course! Read less

So, you want to get into Cybersecurity?

You probably are researching a few different bootcamps, looking at their website, and conducting research online. Have you tried doing home labs? Try hack me / Hack the box? Self-study of material? Tired of programs that just push theory and certifications without giving you actual hands-on experience?

Enter Level Effect. Everything I mentioned above is what I went through trying to learn new skills, especially focusing on cyber. There were a few things that caught my eye about this course the great reviews, student experience, instructors have actual real-world experience and the final decision maker for me was that the course is 76% hands-on. After reading that last one, my decision was made.

This program is setting you up to become a SOC 1 / 2 (if you choose to go that route). You will be writing reports, using various tools (Wireshark, Sysinternals suite, MISSP, Nessus, Burpsuite, etc.) to triage systems, You will have 2 1:1 with Anthony and he will gauge your current tracking and also provide feedback on how to improve and push yourself.

You will feel uncomfortable throughout the course and that is completely normal. You will feel like you're drinking from a fire hose every single week, but don't let that discourage you. This course was everything I was looking for, hoping for, and more. The community that they have created is beyond amazing and helpful. I can't recommend this course enough.  Read less

Look, I don't write reviews except for maybe some amazing food on Google now and again, but this is the most thorough and hand-on bootcamp you'll find. The instructors want to know you, teach you, and stop for your questions. It's not like college where you feel like a  number. The projects you do can be slightly redone and added to your resume/portfolio/blog. I'm coming from a soccer coach, Spanish Teacher, and data entry background, and the instructors will tell you straight up, "look, we've trained a prior farmer to do this, and they do it well now, so anyone can do it."

If you decide to do it, just dedicate some time each day and you'll be fine. I was going through a lot of personal things while in the bootcamp like a relative passing, breakup, COVID, you name it, and I still did my best to just sit down for about 2-4 hours a day and try to push forward. The instructors are there for you and want to know if you're falling behind or confused. They don't look down on you, they thrive on you feeling comfortable. 

Finally, I'll say this, in the next 3-4 months, you'll either have a Security+ or some other entry level cert, or you'll have 3-4 months of solid experience with several tools to analyze phishing emails, dissect network traffic, and take malware on your virtual machine and see what it's doing, how it originated etc. When you take the Sec+, it's multiple choice. And when we focus on how things actually work rather than just, oh which of these 4 things would be the right thing to do? 

I was in nursing school before this and dropped out because I just wasn't happy. But it was a lot of multiple choice questions, minimal practical things until "you're in the field and graduate", which is scary right? How would you train a nurse for 2 years, and then say, well now you'll really learn how to be a nurse after you graduate? Anyway, just an example. This bootcamp will make you ready to go get and do the job, pass a technical interview, do a few projects, get LinkedIn premium so you can message more people and see more analytics etc. 

Don't just go chase certs and ping recruiters. It just won't work, and even if you get an interview, the technical questions will be a bit too difficult. Imagine yourself explaining how something works, how you fixed it, and what can make it more preventable in the future. If you can do that, you'll set yourself apart from other people chasing certs. And food for thought, stay away from Simplilearn and bootcamps like that. They just charge you a few grand with some prerecorded lectures, a ECH cert that's super outdated and multiple choice questions. If you want this career change, like many of us do, you'll need guidance, mentors, support, actual instructors that want to help you, not just take your money.  Read less

Level Effect isn't like any other boot camp you will find out there! This course has a primary focus on giving you real world hands-on experience. You will not only learn the basics of cybersecurity, but you will also be trained, and ready to take on your first entry-level position as a SOC analyst. You will be given different challenges every week that will push your limits, and help you grow in your knowledge, more than any other school could offer in 3 months. I had so much fun in my experience, and I couldn't recommend it enough! Read less

I finished this course Dec 2021 and enjoyed my experience overall. This is my second cybersecurity bootcamp and every bootcamp curriculum is different.  This course focuses more on defensive best practices and triage within Windows environments. It's very well structured by introducing core fundamentals via live and video lectures, however the lab material is document based and a little underdeveloped compared to other educational platform options that are out there. The instructors are very knowledgeable and offer open office hours and make themselves available for students that have questions or require assistance. The course instructors all have intelligence backgrounds, but what makes this bootcamp different is the passion they have for the craft and desire to teach. This course benefits exponentially from Will Nissler and wouldn't be the same without him.


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I am a graduate of Level Effect's CDA course. It is a 3 month intensive program that focuses on training entry-level people as a SOC Analyst 1. This course will expose you to real-world challenges  ranging from threat intelligence, system triage, network analysis, and malware analysis.  They teach you how to triage a system, write a report, and remediate the infected machine. You will have a lot of hands-on practice with known industry tools (e.g. Sysinternals Suite), report writing and triaging systems. By the end of course, you will be able to confidently triage a system and come up with a way to fix it.

The course includes video lecture, labs, group work and challenges.  All the instructors (Greg, Rob, Anthony and Will) are knowledgeable, personable, and available to answer any relevant questions. They continue to help even when you've graduated providing services like job support (e.g. providing mock interviews of what potential employers will ask you during an interview.) They are always open to suggestions and feedback to help improve their course and Foundry platform so don't be afraid to let them know!

I highly recommend this class to anyone interested in cybersecurity specifically if they want to become a SOC Analyst 1. The people behind Level Effect are awesome people and it was a great experience to learn from them.  They really helped grow my love and interest for cybersecurity. I'm so happy that I took the chance on their course and I wouldn't have gotten as far without them. Read less

The short summary - 

1. CDAB initiates its trainees into the field of Cybersecurity and gives them the necessary material and skills to become employable as Security Analysts 

2. The course doesn't just give trainees technical skills; it also teaches them how to begin thinking like an Analyst 

2. CDAB content is taught by seasoned Cybersecurity professionals who are excellent instructors, and who are devoted to the success of their trainees 

3. All materials (such as VMs) are provided on an easy-to-use platform 

4. Online course material is available even after course completion 

The longer version + my personal experience - 

After deciding to pivot my career to Cybersecurity, I began looking into training courses that would prepare me to become employable in the field. I came across the CDAB after reading an endorsement of the course and its instructors on LinkedIn and decided to look into it. As I read the course outline and what the course would accomplish for the successful student (looking to enter the field of Cybersecurity), I thought to myself "well this looks too good to be true"... 

I reached out to a friend who works in a senior-level position in the field and spoke with him about the course - he helped me put together a list of questions and a general strategy that would help me verify, as best as I could, ahead of time that the CDAB would be worth investing. I then arranged a phone call with Greg. Greg answered all of my questions and also connected me with CDAB graduates who, like myself, did not come from an IT background. The CDAB graduates advised me that the course was designed for someone in my position, and that if I were to run into any difficulties I would only need to reach out to Greg and Rob who would assist me with what I'd need. Following these conversations, I decided to sign up. 

Not having an IT background, much of the subject matter in the first 3 weeks overwhelmed me. I reached out to Rob for advice and assistance, and we set a time each week during which he would help me break down key aspects of the content, ensuring that I would not fall behind. Fast forward to Week 12 and I was already at advanced stages of interviews for 2 Cybersecurity positions. 

For those looking to enter the field of Cybersecurity, and for those looking to become Security Analysts, I highly recommend CDAB. The course material is well-constructed, attainable, and relevant. Further, its instructors are Cybersecurity professionals with a wealth of knowledge and experience, who are invested in their trainees (even following course completion). 

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  The CDA Bootcamp is an incredible course with the most relevant real-world materials I have seen to date.  The LE staff have a special blend of entertainment, education and true expertise that made it fun to learn in-depth cyber concepts remotely.  I initially had my doubts about a virtual course with this time line but I quickly found the pace and unique set up convenient and engaging. The course authors and company founders (Greg Ake and Rob Noeth) were the ones actually delivering the lectures and content. Having the creators as the teachers provided an amazing layer of depth and nuanced familiarity that is hard to come by in certification programs and formal education. 
 
 There is so much to like about the course but I feel their proprietary platform for lab and content delivery is particularly worth mentioning. Their entire lab environment contained on their infrastructure, and accessible through a web browser. This means I did not have to download VMs and could access my notes and exercises even from different computers. The virtual ecosystem they have created, combined with the depth of content, and style of delivery makes this the best course I have taken. 
 
 The materials covered in this course will put the student at a distinct advantage in technical interviews and substantially lower the barrier to entry across the cyber realm. Those who already work in this field will benefit from additional depth of understanding for processes, tool techniques, and advanced tactics for cyber defense.  Read less

This is the 3rd security boot camp I've taken and by far the best experience I've had. The other students in the class were all great to work with and helped me learn when I got stuck. Rob and Greg were amazing instructors. The pre recorded videos flowed perfectly into the lectures and labs for the week. I chose to take this boot camp because it has a heavy emphasis on windows and defense techniques which I could directly apply to my day to day work. I would HIGHLY recommend taking this boot camp if you are new in cyber security industry or are looking to get started. Read less

The pricing for this course does not do the course justice. What you are getting is a "zero to hero" on how to become a cyber analyst. Yes this doesn't cover every topic but it gives you a more than solid baseline to begin your cyber career. Cyber is a career in which you can join and expand as these careers grow. There are over 500,000 cyber opening available now throughout the US. This course will allow you to get into one of those positions and excel. The material is all encompassing you start with a baseline and before you know it your running tools and finding information you never know existed. The capstone is something you must prepare for, please ensure you are familiar with the material before that date comes is not an easy test. But in finishing you will feel accomplished and satisfied with your last 3 months worth of work. 
The instructors Greg and Rob are very knowledgeable they work with you when you struggle and will guide you to the end of the course. Great job gentlemen thank you!
The foundry platform which they created is hands down the best learning experience I've ever had with online learning. It is intuitive, simple to use, and runs the sections of the course flawlessly. 
Highly recommend this program for anyone trying to get into the cyber business! Read less