Academy Launches Second Intake 

Intro about the Academy 

CovertSwarm, the UK’s fastest growing CyberSecurity solution provider and Red Team, proudly announces the launch of its Academy Program for a second year running. 

CovertSwarm’s Academy Program offers comprehensive training in red team operations, covering ethical hacking, social engineering, and physical compromise. Rooted in the ethos of CovertSwarm, the program instils a mindset of continuous attack simulation, enabling participants to stay ahead of industry changes and counter Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs). 

The program not only focuses on technical acumen but also emphasizes essential soft skills such as communication, teamwork, and problem-solving in the cybersecurity realm. As participants, you will be mentored by CovertSwarm’s esteemed Red Team, receiving continuous support throughout your learning journey. Access to our unique CovertSwarm Portal ensures real-time access to collective intelligence from our red team experts. 

Graduates of the Academy Program will embark on an exhilarating career in red team operations with CovertSwarm. You will put your newfound skills into practice, conducting proactive security assessments and targeted simulated attacks to make a genuine difference for our clients. 

Recap on the first year. 

The first iteration of the academy program has proved to be a roaring success. Our three academy members have kick-started their ethical hacking careers and are already helping perform attacks against our clients. In keeping with the CovertSwarm approach, we are never done, and we have used this first year to identify areas we can improve and highlight what has gone well. Therefore, we are also recruiting an Academy Hive Leader who will be able to closer support the members and allow the academy to scale each year. 

Joao, one of our first Academy Members has been part of the program for 6 months and, in that time, he has learnt how to perform a variety of different attacks such as Reconnaissance, Web Application and Perimeter attacks, Vishing, and he has even successfully social engineered his way into one of our clients’ offices. When asked to reflect on his 6 months as part of the swarm, Joao said:  

“It has been a great experience having the time and resources to enhance my skills, along with the opportunity to learn from professionals who guide me in my new cybersecurity career.” 

John, another one of our Academy Members, has found a passion for hardware hacking and has even started to help plan, code and build as part of our DEFCON badge project. Since joining the Swarm, John’s natural attention to detail has helped hone his OSINT skills, and his background in learning web application hacking has given him a strong platform to start his career. John had the following to say about his experience at CovertSwarm so far: 

 “The CovertSwarm Academy has been an amazing opportunity for me so far. It is refreshing to work in an environment where we are provided with the resources to learn about the cyber security world through detailed training platforms, whilst also being able to collaborate with and learn from the of our swarm on real world examples. We are also able to work our own schedule which is a massive help if you have any appointments that can’t be at the weekend — you don’t need to take time off to go to them” 

What we are looking for in candidates 

Open to all European based applicants over the age of 18, this fully paid two-year program starts in September with a six-team cohort.  Through mentorship, industry-recognized qualifications, and specialization in areas of interest, participants will be integrated into the dynamic world of red team operations as CovertSwarm Hive members.  

If you have a curious mindset, like problem solving and are passionate about Cyber Security we want to hear from you. Our Academy Program does not have any technical requirements as we firmly believe with the right mindset and support those can be taught. Experience with learning platforms such as HackTheBox and TryHackMe is preferred but not a strict requirement.  

As a member of CovertSwarm’s red team, your role will involve: 

• As this is an entry level position, with the aim of training you to become Hive Members, you will share responsibilities with the Hive Members themselves, supporting them on day-to-day operations wherever possible. 
• Acting as a business contact for CovertSwarm clients, fostering and maintaining relationships with key stakeholders and business partners. Ensuring client communication throughout the engagement and contract.  
• Performing cyber security assessment activities against complex networks, applications, operating systems, wired/wireless networks, and mobile applications/devices.  
• Developing and maintaining attack plans bespoke to each client to replicate an Advanced Persistent Threat (APT).  
• Creating high-quality actionable reports on security assessment results, providing detailed insights and recommendations. Conducting thorough debriefings with clients following the completion of assessments.  
• Consulting with application developers, systems administrators, and management to demonstrate security assessment results, explain the threats presented, and provide guidance on remediation.  
• Communicating security issues to a wide variety of internal and external “clients,” including technical teams, executives, risk groups, vendors, and regulators.  

Key Dates and Hiring Timeline 

• 5th June – Open for Applications 
• 21st June – Applications Closed  
• 24th June – 6th July – 1st Round interviews (Screening call via MS Teams) 
• 8th July – 20th July – 2nd Round interviews (Technical Challenge Review) 
• 26th July – Final outcome and 6 Academy Members selected. 

Salary and Benefits: 

• Starting Salary: £25,000 -£28,000 
• The Academy is open to all European Candidates, this role is fully remote, allowing you to work from anywhere in Europe.
• Flexible working hours, as long as the job is done well, and core meetings are attended online.  
• Opportunity to attend DEF CON, the annual hacking conference.  
• Access to necessary software, hardware, and research materials to perform your best.  
• Unlimited training opportunities to enhance your skills and knowledge.  
• Unlimited holiday policy to prioritize your well-being and work-life balance.  
• Financial support for presenting at major infosec events or hacker conferences.  
• Transparent and open culture with no corporate politics, fostering honest communication.  
• Competitive salaries and a supportive hacker-driven culture.  

For more information about the Academy, role or to submit your application, please apply here: https://covertswarm.bamboohr.com/careers/36