Security Operations Centers (SOCs) sit at the heart of modern cyber‑defense. If you want to break into cybersecurity, starting as a SOC analyst is one of the fastest ways to gain real‑world experience, visibility into attacks, and a stable, well‑paid career path.

The best news? You don’t need to spend thousands of dollars on bootcamps. Below is a curated list of seven free (or freemium) training programs—all offering certificates of completion—to help you build the fundamentals of threat detection, incident response, SIEM operations, and OSINT.

1. Splunk Free Courses

Why it matters: Splunk is one of the most widely used SIEM and SOAR platforms in enterprise SOCs. Mastering its interface and query language (SPL) is a major résumé booster.

  • Content: Splunk Fundamentals 1–3, SOAR Administration, and Security Use Case labs

  • Duration: 4–20 hours (self‑paced)

  • Certificate: Digital badge upon course completion

  • Link: https://www.splunk.com/en_us/training/free-courses/overview.html

Key Takeaways

  • Learn to ingest data, create searches, build dashboards, and pivot to SOAR playbooks.

  • Gain hands‑on experience with Splunk Security Essentials.

2. Fortinet Security Operations Courses

Why it matters: Many SOCs run on Fortinet hardware + FortiAnalyzer/FortiSIEM. Fortinet’s free library teaches event triage, automation, and network security basics.

  • Content: SOC Analyst fundamentals, log analysis, threat detection with FortiAnalyzer/FortiSIEM

  • Certificate: Completion badge via Fortinet NSE Institute

  • Link: https://training.fortinet.com

Key Takeaways

  • Walk through real FortiAnalyzer investigations and create correlation rules.

  • Complete labs on FortiSOAR automated response.

3. AttackIQ Academy: Operationalizing MITRE ATT&CK

The MITRE ATT&CK framework is the universal language of adversary tactics. SOC analysts rely on ATT&CK mapping to classify, hunt, and report.

  • Course: Foundations of Operationalizing MITRE ATT&CK

  • Duration: ~6 hours with quizzes

  • Certificate: Printable certificate and Credly badge

  • Link: https://www.academy.attackiq.com/courses/foundations-of-operationalizing-mitre-attck

Key Takeaways

  • Understand ATT&CK matrices, detection engineering, and purple‑team validation.

  • Learn to design tests that verify your SOC’s coverage.

4. Microsoft SC‑200: Security Operations Analyst

Azure Sentinel (now Microsoft Sentinel) is Microsoft’s cloud‑native SIEM and SOAR. The SC‑200 official learning path is free.

  • Content: Threat hunting, Sentinel Kusto Query Language (KQL), incident response, Defender XDR deep dives

  • Duration: ~24 hours across 14 modules

  • Certificate: Course completion + voucher discounts periodically

  • Link: https://learn.microsoft.com/training/courses/sc-200t00

Key Takeaways

  • Build detection rules, respond to real alerts, and integrate playbooks.

  • Prepares you for the SC‑200 certification exam.

5. DFIR Diva – Awesome OSINT & DFIR Library

DFIR Diva tracks free and low‑cost incident‑response and OSINT courses.

  • Content: OSINT, malware analysis, DFIR labs

  • Structure: Link directory—choose your own adventure

  • Certificate: Varies by provider

  • Link: https://training.dfirdiva.com/listing-category/osint

Key Takeaways

  • Build reconnaissance skills, gather threat intel, and map digital footprints.

6. CSI Linux Academy – Linux Forensics & OSINT

CSI Linux (now EchoThis Labs) provides a purpose‑built Linux distro for investigators, plus free courses.

  • Content: CSI Linux Certified Investigator, OSINT workflows, memory forensics

  • Duration: 10–15 hours

  • Certificate: Badge after exam

  • Link: http://csilinux.com

Key Takeaways

  • Practice disk & memory analysis, timeline creation, and open‑source investigation.

7. Cybrary SOC Analyst Career Path

Cybrary curates a free SOC Analyst career path that bundles ~20 courses and hands‑on labs.

  • Content: Log analysis, Wireshark fundamentals, incident response, SIEM monitoring

  • Duration: ~40+ hours

  • Certificate: Skill badge after each micro‑course

  • Link: https://www.cybrary.it/career-path/soc-analyst

Key Takeaways

  • Structured progression from Tier‑1 alert triage to advanced threat analysis.

  • Hands‑on labs using Splunk, Suricata, and malware analysis sandboxes.

How to Structure Your Learning Path

Phase Goal Time Allocation Suggested Resources Phase 1 SIEM & Log Fundamentals 2 weeks Splunk Free Courses, Cybrary intro labs Phase 2 Threat Detection & ATT&CK 1 week AttackIQ MITRE ATT&CK course, Fortinet SOC labs Phase 3 Cloud SOC & Automation 1 week Microsoft SC‑200 path, Fortinet SOAR modules Phase 4 OSINT & Forensics Ongoing DFIR Diva OSINT list, CSI Linux Academy

Complete each phase, earn digital badges, and build a public portfolio by sharing your labs on GitHub or LinkedIn.

Pro‑Tip: Combine Training with Certs

  • Splunk Core Certified User – free exam voucher after Fundamentals 1 + 2

  • Fortinet NSE 4/5 – free if you finish the SOC Security Operations Analyst path and tasks

  • Microsoft SC‑200 – 50% off exam voucher after finishing the learning path and virtual training days

  • Cybrary Skill Badges – add to your LinkedIn profile to demonstrate continuous learning

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Ready to start your SOC journey? Pick a course above, allocate your next weekend to hands‑on labs, and let us know your progress by tagging @CodeIndia Community on LinkedIn or Twitter. Happy hunting!