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Where is the best place to get free cybersecurity hands on experience?

#cyber-security #hands-on

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James Constantine’s Answer

Hey there, Faisol!

Let's dive into some awesome places where you can gain real-world cybersecurity experience without spending a dime. These platforms offer a variety of interactive tasks, puzzles, and labs that will help you sharpen your cybersecurity skills. Here are some of the top spots to get your hands dirty with cybersecurity, all for free:

Cybrary: This online hub offers a vast array of cybersecurity courses, including practical labs and virtual scenarios. Best of all, Cybrary gives you free access to a ton of cybersecurity resources, so you can practice your skills in a simulated setting.

OverTheWire: This is a go-to platform for those looking to boost their cybersecurity skills with hands-on challenges. It features engaging war games that touch on different areas of cybersecurity, like cryptography and web security.

Hack The Box: This online platform offers a variety of virtual labs and challenges aimed at testing and enhancing your penetration testing and ethical hacking skills. You can access a selection of machines and challenges for free to practice on.

TryHackMe: This is another great resource if you're seeking practical experience in cybersecurity. It provides a range of guided learning paths, capture the flag (CTF) challenges, and virtual rooms where you can apply your skills in a real-world setting.

CTFtime: This platform shares information about upcoming Capture The Flag (CTF) events, which are competitive cybersecurity challenges. Participating in these events can give you valuable hands-on experience and a chance to use your cybersecurity knowledge in real-world situations.

Open Security Training: This is a treasure trove of free training materials and resources covering various aspects of cybersecurity, including reverse engineering and malware analysis. You'll find lecture videos, slides, and hands-on exercises here.

YouTube Tutorials and Channels: YouTube is home to countless cybersecurity tutorials and channels that offer step-by-step guidance on a range of cybersecurity topics. Many creators provide practical demonstrations and walkthroughs of hands-on exercises for free.

VulnHub: This platform hosts vulnerable virtual machines that you can use to practice your penetration testing skills in a safe setting. You can download these virtual machines and try to exploit vulnerabilities as part of your learning journey.

GitHub Repositories: GitHub is home to a variety of open-source cybersecurity projects and repositories that offer hands-on exercises, tools, and resources. This is a great place to gain practical experience in areas like network security and cryptography.

Capture The Flag (CTF) Events: Joining local or online CTF events can give you valuable hands-on experience in cybersecurity. These events often feature a variety of challenges that test your skills in areas like web security, reverse engineering, forensics, and more.

In a nutshell, there are plenty of ways for you to gain free hands-on experience in cybersecurity, thanks to platforms that offer interactive labs, challenges, virtual environments, and educational resources.

Top 3 Authoritative References Used:

Cybrary
OverTheWire
TryHackMe

Wishing you all the best and God's richest blessings!
Thank you comment icon Thanks for the advice. Faisol
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Thank you comment icon Wow! I see you have gotten some great feedback. I like to share that you can go to the US Air National Guard or check out any of the armed services to have a career in Cybersecurity. Anthony
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Itamar’s Answer

Here are some fantastic platforms and resources where you can acquire hands-on cybersecurity experience at no cost:

TryHackMe:
Dive into virtual environments and tackle challenges that will sharpen a wide range of cybersecurity skills.

Hack The Box:
Join a platform that provides a variety of virtual machines, suitable for beginners and experts alike.

PentesterLab:
Take advantage of resources designed to teach web penetration testing, complete with free exercises to enhance your learning.

Metasploit Unleashed (MSFU):
Sign up for an in-depth online course that covers the extensive Metasploit framework.

GitHub:
Peruse cybersecurity repositories that offer practical exercises and toolsets to build your expertise.

Remember, it's crucial to always practice ethically and responsibly, securing the necessary permissions for any testing you undertake.
Thank you comment icon Thanks, can't wait to put this advice into action! Faisol
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Aisha’s Answer

Seek out internships that don't require technical certifications as a condition for application. This approach allows you to acquire real-world work experience while you're studying a Cyber Security course, and simultaneously develop the essential skills needed to advance in the right career direction. Don't worry about the salary (or lack thereof) and working hours at this point.
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Kris’s Answer

Cybersecurity is a very broad field that continues to evolve and expand and evolve into new areas such as Artificial Intelligence and others. It's helpful to get a sense of this wide spectrum of areas across cybersecurity to be able to see which ones are of most interest to you. For example, some may prefer learning about malicious code, malware and forensics while other may be more interested in the policy aspects yet others may gravitate more towards technology aspects. A good idea is to understand the broad body of knowledge across cybersecurity - a good starting point may be to read up on sources such as the ISC2 Common Body of Knowledge (http://isc2.org). They also offer free Cybersecurity Certifications which are always a great asset to have for a future role. There are many free resources available including Security tools including distributions such as Kali linux, which will allow you to learn about security tools and how the bad actors may leverage them; it's a very hands on approach and there are often great tutorials linked. Capture the Flag (CTF) is also a great opportunity to simulate and learn about security paths.
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Sylvia’s Answer

Hey Faisol. I will echo other comments and recommend TryHackMe and Udemy. Both platforms provide practical training that can be utilized in all areas of cybersecurity. Good luck to you on your new career path!
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Kennedy’s Answer

Hey Faisol! I'm currently working towards my masters degree in cybersecurity and we've been using this fantastic resource called TryHackMe. It offers interactive modules that provide practical training in cybersecurity skills. I strongly suggest you check it out, it's truly beneficial!
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Erneka "Nikki"’s Answer

Udemy, Youtube and internships are great sources as well! Also research organizations related to cyber, they also offer fellowships that will introduce you to all kinds of training, conferences, and networking opportunities.
Thank you comment icon Thanks for the help. Faisol
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Pamela’s Answer

Microsoft's online training is an excellent, cost-free platform designed for diverse IT career paths. You can find it at https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/training/career-paths/security-operations-analyst. This user-friendly portal gives you the flexibility to learn at a speed that suits you. Plus, it offers the chance to delve into a range of job roles within the cybersecurity field.
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Atul’s Answer

It's not clear if you're a high schooler, a college student, or neither. But don't worry, you can still apply for an internship! All you need is some understanding of computer programming languages like C++, Java, or Python. You can check out company profiles and job openings on LinkedIn to see which languages they're using.
If you're rocking a great GPA and have any skills related to Cybersecurity, that's even better! These will definitely give you a leg up when it comes to landing internships.
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