Level Effect

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.

"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!

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!

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.  

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.

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/

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!

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!

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!

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!

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.