CyberDefender's Tier 1 Track - Mini Review

Last year, CyberDefender released their new structured training paths, covering all skill levels—from Entry Level (Tier 1 - L1 Analyst) to Advanced (Tier 2-3 - L2-L3 Analysts). Since I’m a beginner, I started with the Tier 1 Track, and I have to say I enjoyed every lab. It was a great starting point for someone like me with little hands-on experience.

What I liked the most was how well-structured the labs are and how each one is based on a real attack scenario. Also, their labs are some of the fastest I have come across—you can expect a smooth experience on their VMs.

CyberDefender’s Official Walkthroughs#

While the labs are structured well, you might still run into challenges. Fortunately, CyberDefender offers official walkthroughs to guide you through complex scenarios.

CyberDefender’s Tier 1 Track includes over 30 hands-on labs, most of which have official walkthroughs that provide step-by-step guidance. These walkthroughs are great for reinforcing key concepts and ensuring you fully understand each lab’s objective.

Even if an official walkthrough isn’t available, or if you’re stuck on a question, you can check out community walkthroughs. Another great resource is CyberDefender’s Discord group, where each lab has a dedicated channel. There, you can ask for hints related to specific questions. That said, I’d still recommend trying to complete each lab on your own first—it’ll only benefit you in the long run.

I’d recommend completing the free labs first. Then, for the remaining labs, a one-month Pro subscription should be enough to complete the track. By then, you’ll be confident enough to tackle some of the more challenging labs too.

Estimated Time Required#

If you stay consistent, you can finish this track in 4-7 weeks. Here’s a suggested schedule to help you stay on track:

1. Start by completing labs in Level 1 and Level 2 (Free labs) | Week 1-2
2. Complete Level 3 and Level 4 (Free labs) | Week 3-4
3. Finish the remaining Pro Labs. You’ll have a month to complete these. | Week 4-7

Final thoughts#

Overall, the Tier 1 Track is a fantastic resource for beginners. It provides hands-on experience with real-world attack scenarios, making it a great way to build confidence as a SOC analyst. While I hope CyberDefender adds cloud-related labs in the future, this track is still one of the best structured learning paths for anyone starting in cybersecurity.

If you’re serious about cybersecurity, this track is a great way to gain hands-on SOC experience. Why not start with a free lab today and see for yourself?