Free Learning Resources
There are tons of free resources to learn about cybersecurity. Sometimes, though, they can be hard to find. This page is a collection of free resources you can use to learn more about various aspects of cybersecurity. We will continue to update this page over time. Get Learnin’!
General Cyber Resources
These resources include general cybersecurity knowledge that isn’t necessarily offensive or defensive. It is a good idea to know all these topics, at least on a fundamental level.
Networking
While networking can be the simplest topic to understand, it can also be one of the hardest. However, a foundation in networking is a great place to start a career in cybersecurity.
Cisco Networking Essentials
While Cisco stuff is usually very expensive, their networking essentials course is a free, self-paced, online course about basic networking knowledge. Trust us, Cisco knows a thing or two about networking. Check it out!
Cisco Networking Academy-Networking Essentials
GNS3 Network Testing Software
Ready to get your feet wet? GNS3 is free software that allows you to put your networking knowledge to the test. You can design, build, and test virtual networks in a sandbox environment. If you want to get hands-on and apply your networking knowledge, try out GNS3.
Cryptography
We won’t sugarcoat this: Cryptography is hard! However, there are plenty of great resources out there to learn about it. Plus, when you understand it, you will be heralded amongst your peers. Eat the elephant one bite at a time!
Crypto 101 Book
If you love to read and really want to learn about cryptography, many recommend this for your next literature adventure. This book, while over 200 pages, serves as a very good technical guide into the world of cryptography. Take heart, brave warrior!
Khan Academy Cryptography Course
Remember Khan Academy from elementary school? Well, they have got a great course about cryptography! This course covers topics from various well-known ciphers to code breaking and even some of the mathematics used in modern cryptography. Jump into Khan Academy if you are looking for a better understanding of Cryptography.
Khan Academy Cryptography Course
Cyber Chef
Cyberchef is a great tool for many applications, one being messing around with cryptography. Once you understand how to use Cyberchef, it may become one of your most used tools in CTFs.
Open Source Intelligence (OSINT)
The OSINT Framework
This is an amazing repository for all things OSINT. You can easily learn and visually see how many aspects are involved in Open Source Intelligence gathering and how powerful of a skill it can be in today’s connected world. Check this site out to learn more about all the tools and resources you can use in OSINT.
Bellingcat
An awesome and free resource for learning about OSINT and seeing it in action is Bellingcat. Bellingcat is an investigative group that heavily uses OSINT to conduct very rigorous and world-class investigations. You should definitely check out their work.
Offensive Cyber Resources
Do you like to break stuff? Find out how things work? Are you oozing with curiosity? Use these resources responsibly.
Web Exploitation
OWASP
OWASP stands for The Open Worldwide Application Security Project. They are a non-profit foundation that dedicates itself to securing software. You can find great discussions, articles, and learning resources while digging around their website. You can check out OWASP to learn more about web exploitation and how software vulnerabilities can be mitigated.
PortSwigger’s Web Security Academy
A tool you should become familiar with if you want to get into web exploitation is called Burpsuite. The creators have a free academy where you can read about and learn how to use it. It is certainly a tool that is handy for competitions and could be a regular in your cyber arsenal. Check it out!
Burp Suite - Web Security Academy
Pen-testing
Metasploit Unleashed
Metasploit Unleashed is a free comprehensive course that covers many topics in the realm of pen-testing. If you want to learn how to become an ethical hacker and dive deep into this discipline, this is the most comprehensive and in-depth Metasploit guide. It’ll walk you through setting up your own digital lab environment and all the required tools and dive into many different topics.
PenTester Lab
PentesterLab offers a platform that provides hands-on, practical exercises focused on web security and penetration testing. While they offer some paid content, they also have free exercises covering topics like SQL injection, cross-site scripting (XSS), and more. These exercises give you a chance to practice real-world scenarios in a controlled environment.