Start Hacking
A brief introduction on how to start your hacking journey.
Last updated
A brief introduction on how to start your hacking journey.
Last updated
So let's get started shall we?
I would highly recommend you to brush up your networking skills as it would help you throughout your security journey, giving you a brief idea about how things on the internet work and get you comfortable with terminology used frequently.
A YouTube playlist explaining basics of Networking
You need to know your way around Linux, while I highly suggest that you just install a Linux distribution on a VM and just play around with it, try to use it as your daily driver and that should equip you with knowledge needed as the best way to learn something is by actually doing it. But if you don't wanna do that, I suggest these following resources
A really guided and comprehensive guide to learn Linux
EDIT : As of 27-Dec-2022, linuxjourney.com is down as it was hosted on heroku on free tier which ended
Alternatives include
EDIT : As of 06-Mar-2024, the original website is up and running
Explains you the shell commands
You will need a programming language, just the basics should be good, I'll recommend Python as it is widely popular and pretty much like English. I'll suggest approaching it in a way of making things, like for example, "I would like to make a port scanner", this helps a lot. See the video for reference
This is a free to read online book which should make you a Pythonista!
This contains resources where you can practice and hone your skills by hacking something
Over The Wire helps you learn some basic security concept via little games
picoCTF is a always on-going CTF to practice your CTF skills
CTFLearn is really similar to picoCTF, a ongoing CTF with various categories for you to practice
Try Hack Me provides very guided and beginner friendly way to learn hacking
This is a really good resource for honing your pen-testing skills, if this feels overwhelming to you, feel free to try Try Hack Me first and then come back here
CTFs are probably the best way to up your hacking game, I'll let LiveOverFlow explain why
CTFs have categories for example - Web Hacking, Binary Exploitation and such. I would really suggest you to try out every category and see which ones you love the most. Below are some places where you can try them out
NOTE - This only covers Jeopardy style of CTFs
PortSwigger will teach you web hacking along with some hands on practice. Highly recommended
JuiceShop is an open-source web application which tons of vulnerabilities for you to hack
A free platform providing challenges to learn modern cryptography
Similar platform to CryptoHack providing challenges
A interactive course teaching you reversing
EDIT : As of 06-Dec-2024, begin.re domain has expired
A self paced course on reversing
Workshop teaching how to reverse, check out both of them i.e Reversing 101 and Reversing 102
Website hosting lot of binaries for you to crack
Gamify the way you learn reversing
Introductory course to Binary Exploitation
A course hosted on GitHub
A platform oriented for students
OpenSecurityTraining provides tons of security courses
NOTE - They have a new website, but at the time of writing it didn't have all of the courses, nonetheless, here is the link - OST2
A platform with downloadable VMs practically teaching you exploitation
Websites hosting challenges for you to pwn
Provides various resources and practice materials
Provides resources for DFIR
