Demand for blue team talent has grown quickly in recent years. Organisations are dealing with more alerts, more cloud services, and more complex attacks, and this creates a strong need for analysts who can investigate incidents confidently. Reading about defensive concepts helps, but incident detection and response is a practical skill. You only build it by working with real logs, analysing attacker behaviour, and solving live scenarios.
Interactive blue team labs make this possible. They let you analyse real logs, examine attacker behaviour, and walk through realistic investigations in a safe environment. If you want to build confidence in detection and response workflows, the platforms below offer some of the strongest ways to learn in 2025.
What makes a blue team lab effective
Good blue team labs share several characteristics. They provide:
- Realistic log sources such as endpoint, cloud, or network data
- Repeatable incident scenarios
- Clear investigative workflows
- A safe place to make mistakes
- Tools that resemble real SOC environments
- Hands-on tasks rather than theory only
You want labs that help you practise triaging alerts, analysing evidence, and forming conclusions, not isolated challenges that lack context.
The best blue team labs for detection and response in 2025
Below are the leading platforms for practical defensive learning, presented in the same structure as the red team comparison blog.
TryHackMe
TryHackMe provides guided defensive labs that walk you through investigations step by step. The platform uses realistic log data, cloud-based analysis tasks, and attack simulation exercises that teach you how to review alerts, identify suspicious behaviour, and understand attacker objectives. The SOC Level 1 Pathway gives beginners a structured route into detection and response.
For learners who want to prove their skills, the Security Analyst Level 1 certification tests practical SOC tasks inside a live environment. TryHackMe stands out for its beginner-friendly design and clear explanations that help learners understand the full investigation workflow.
Hack The Box
Hack The Box is widely known for offensive content, but it also offers a growing catalogue of blue team material under HTB Blue. This includes Sherlocks (forensic puzzles), detection labs, and analysis-focused challenges. The exercises are realistic and cover interesting defensive scenarios.
HTB Blue is less guided than TryHackMe, and some exercises assume prior experience, which can make them challenging for beginners. It is an excellent option for intermediate analysts who want to sharpen their investigative skills.
RangeForce
RangeForce offers modular defensive exercises that cover key SOC and incident response topics such as log review, malware fundamentals, and detection logic. Many labs focus on specific tasks, which makes them good for quick refreshers or targeted practice.
The platform works well for learners who want to focus on individual skills rather than following a guided path. The training is high quality but can feel fragmented for new analysts.
Immersive Labs
Immersive Labs provides scenario-driven content with crisis simulations, complex incidents, and detailed forensic tasks. Its strength lies in realism and enterprise-level detail, making it popular with corporate teams.
The content can be intense for beginners, and the platform is often used by organisations rather than individuals. It is a strong option once you understand the basics and want to practise more advanced scenarios.
CyberDefenders
CyberDefenders offers free forensic and SOC-style challenges that help learners practise investigative reasoning. Many challenges mimic real-world cases, making them valuable for building puzzle-solving skills.
The platform does not provide a structured progression, so beginners may find it difficult to know where to start. It works best as a supplement to more guided learning.
Open-Source IR Labs and Community Projects
There are several open-source incident response projects that allow learners to explore logs, review telemetry, or analyse small scenarios. These resources tend to be niche, often created for research or community workshops. They can be useful for practising targeted skills but may require more setup and background knowledge.
A well-known repository for incident reports and investigation references is the public collection maintained by the DFIR Report team.
This helps learners understand how real incidents unfold, although it is not a hands-on environment.
Which platform is best for beginners
For most beginners, TryHackMe is the best starting point because it provides guidance, structure, and clear explanations that help learners understand the full incident workflow. The platform is designed to teach you how to think like an analyst, not just how to solve isolated challenges.
Hack The Box Blue, CyberDefenders, and community IR projects are better suited for intermediate analysts who want to practise specific skills or tackle open-ended investigations. Immersive Labs and other enterprise platforms work best when you already understand the fundamentals.
Your choice depends on whether you need structured progression or challenge-driven practice. TryHackMe's Premium pricing structure also means you'll get access to all of the available learning material for a fixed monthly or annual rate, often ending up being much more affordable than the alternatives.
Final takeaway
Incident detection and response is a practical discipline. The best way to learn it is through interactive labs that simulate alerts, let you investigate suspicious behaviour, and help you understand the story behind an attack.
TryHackMe provides a guided entry point for new analysts, while platforms like Hack The Box Blue, RangeForce, and CyberDefenders offer useful ways to continue practising. Combine guided learning with challenge-based scenarios to build a well-rounded defensive skillset.
Nick O'Grady