I want to get into ethical hacking but there is so much conflicting information online. What are the best free resources for learning tech skills in Cyber Security that actually follow a professional curriculum? I’m looking for platforms that offer Capture The Flag challenges or virtual rooms where I can practice safely and legally.
3 answers
The gold standard for free hands-on learning in security is TryHackMe. They have a massive "Complete Beginner" path that is largely free and covers everything from Linux basics to web vulnerabilities. Another amazing resource is OverTheWire, which teaches you the command line through a series of games. For a more academic approach, Cybrary offers free introductory courses on CISSP and CompTIA Security+. Always supplement these labs by reading the OWASP Top 10 documentation. Understanding the theory behind vulnerabilities is just as important as knowing how to use an automated tool, especially if you want to pass a technical interview.
Have you considered joining a local OWASP chapter or a Discord community dedicated to security? Often, these groups share the latest "invite-only" free beta tests for new platforms. What specific area of security interests you most—blue team or red team?
PortSwigger Academy is absolutely the best free resource for web security. It’s created by the people who made Burp Suite and it is incredibly high quality for zero cost.
PortSwigger is a gem! Their labs are structured exactly like real-world vulnerabilities. It’s better than many paid courses I’ve seen in the past.
I'm definitely more interested in the Red Team side. I've started playing with Kali Linux, but I feel like I'm just running scripts without knowing what they do. Any advice on slowing down?