If you’re interested in cybersecurity training, professional development and career advancement, we’d like to introduce you to Logan Flook. He’s a talented young cybersecurity pro whose passion for RangeForce training has motivated him to create a training log on LinkedIn that describes his experiences with the RangeForce platform.
Unique Trajectory
Like more and more young people in IT and cybersecurity, Logan’s career trajectory did not involve obtaining a college education. Instead, he gained knowledge and experience on jobs and from self-training via books and various online sources.
He enlisted in the Air Force, where he learned systems administration for the VMware platform. After his military service, Logan landed a job as a VMware administrator at a global management and information technology consulting firm.
His true aspiration was to be a SOC analyst. He sought out every source of learning he could find, starting with books and online presentations, but he hoped for something more hands-on and interactive. An online forum recommended the free RangeForce Community Edition.
Now a Security Analyst II at SMC Corp, Logan is proud of the non-traditional path he took to a career in cybersecurity. Initially, he aspired to be a SOC red team analyst, or pen-tester. After being involved in several on-the-job incident response scenarios as a SOC analyst, he found his true calling was defensive cybersecurity on the blue team.
Logan was looking for a blue version of Hack The Box, something where he could just jump into a cloud environment and do what the material is explaining how to do. According to Logan, RangeForce checks all of his boxes for an engaging, interactive hands-on experience. His learning honors include certifications as a TryHackMe Wizard and a RangeForce Pro.
100 Days of Learning
To share his thoughts and experiences working with RangeForce, particularly its Battle Paths (of which he is an adamant supporter) Logan has been keeping a diary about 100 days of learning on the platform. He hasn’t reached the 100 mark yet, but he is working hard on it! The diary is not consecutive, he admits…as life gets in the way.
Logan says that writing the diary not only keeps him motivated, but gives him a medium to share details about RangeForce, adding that he has a mission to get the word out about good platforms and bad ones.
“There are a lot of SOC people looking for blue team training and for excellent resources such as RangeForce,” he said.
Hands-On Modules
Logan’s favorite Battle Paths are SOC Analyst 1, SOC Analyst 2, and Threat Hunter.
The SOC Analyst 1 enables cybersecurity professionals and students to gain live-environment experience with the foundational concepts and practices of a security operations center (SOC). Whether it’s understanding event logs, visualizing data, or conducting malware analysis, this curriculum is designed to get people SOC-ready.
SOC Analyst 2 is a great resource for entry-level analysts looking to take their career to the next level. In this path, people work through hands-on modules to develop robust skills, including more sophisticated search capabilities, utilizing APIs and SIEMs to automate repetitive tasks, and incorporating the right tools into incident response.
Threat Hunter is the most advanced blue team training for those who have mastered enterprise security operations. In this Battle Path, users are introduced to the practices and techniques employed by attackers, from the tools at their disposal to the way they view and target systems. Users are encouraged to exercise their threat hunting skills in the cyber range through a variety of interactive challenges designed to give them a better understanding of targeted attacks.
Before starting the Threat Hunter journey, RangeForce recommends that learners first complete the SOC Analyst 1 and SOC Analyst 2 Battle Paths.
Logan's unconventional path to becoming a SOC analyst is proof that self-determination and passion bolstered by interactive and hands-on learning tools can equal–if not surpass–traditional classroom-based approaches for achieving a career in cybersecurity.
To help Logan and others like him pursue their goals, RangeForce offers The RangeForce Community Edition, which gives access to its dynamic hands-on learning environment and free use of 20 core cybersecurity learning modules. In addition, RangeForce partners with various minority advancement organizations and educational institutions to provide hands-on cyber skills training, enabling learners to acquire the skills they need to start or advance their career.
