Ask HN: How to start learning about information security and hacking?

12 points·cthuluforprez··5 comments

I would like to learn more about information security and hacking in general. Any recommendations to where should I start?

Edit: I would like to know about resources which are generally free. Thanks!

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Here are a few resources:

https://www.reddit.com/r/netsec/ General news about netsec

https://github.com/enaqx/awesome-pentest List of tools and resources

https://github.com/wtsxDev/Penetration-Testing Another list of tools and resources

https://www.hackthebox.eu/ Hands on hacking (OSCP style) but free, unless you want to pay for a VIP version and get access to even more machines.

https://www.vulnhub.com/ Individual VMs you can hack into, most of them providing walkthroughs.

Web application wise I'd suggest starting with https://www.owasp.org/index.php/OWASP_Juice_Shop_Project which is a modern version of the "damn vulnerable web app (DVWA)".

These may look quite "massive" for a beginner but I think it's the best way to start. The approach I would suggest would be to go download a VM from vulnhub and read its walkthrough. Then learn to use the tools in that walkthrough (each machine may use a tool in a different way) until you're confident enough to make an attempt on your own.

Hope this is helpful!

my favorite infosec book is no doubt https://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/~rja14/book.html

For practical learning there is a great list of tools here: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=17166545

Also join an open source project you like and help out for hands on experience, eventually you'll do well and build a reputation for yourself. (this is worth more than any certification in case it's a job you're after)

PentesterLab, make sure you check the bootcamp and the free stuff first

I once found cybrary.it but have no idea how good they are

owasp website is the #1 resource for this.

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