🔓 Your Free Roadmap to Ethical Hacking
Hands-On Training & Practice
💻 Labs & CTF Challenges:
Resource: TryHackMe (Free Rooms)
URL: https://tryhackme.com/
What you'll find: Over 500 free training labs, guided learning paths (Pre-Security, Cyber Security 101), and Capture The Flag (CTF) practice in a browser-based environment.
🌐 Web Security Specialization:
Resource: PortSwigger Web Security Academy
URL: https://portswigger.net/web-security
What you'll find: The definitive free resource for web application security (SQL Injection, XSS, CSRF, etc.) created by the makers of Burp Suite. Includes interactive labs and tutorials.
Foundational Courses & Learning Platforms
📚 Core Ethical Hacking Courses:
Resource: Cisco Networking Academy
URL: https://www.netacad.com/courses/ethical-hacker
What you'll find: A free, self-paced Ethical Hacker course (70 hours, intermediate level) and an Introduction to Cybersecurity course.
💡 Platform Starter Access:
Resource: Cybrary (Free Account)
URL: https://www.cybrary.it/free-content
What you'll find: Free access to foundational courses and introductory virtual labs in every career path, including ethical hacking and Kali Linux.
Essential Guides & Tool Knowledge
📄 Industry-Standard Guides:
Resource: OWASP Web Security Testing Guide
URL: https://owasp.org/www-project-web-security-testing-guide/
What you'll find: The ultimate, free manual for web application penetration testing.
🎥 Video Tutorials & Walkthroughs:
Resource: HackerSploit and The Cyber Mentor (YouTube Channels)
What you'll find: Free, comprehensive video tutorials on Linux, Kali, Metasploit, CTF walkthroughs, and setting up your hacking lab.
⚙️ Core Tool Documentation:
Resource: Metasploit, Nmap, Wireshark, etc.
What you'll find: Study the official online documentation for these critical tools (e.g., search for "Nmap official documentation").
📖 Free Books (Legal PDFs):
Resource: Search for the OWASP Web Security Testing Guide (PDF) and the Hacking For Dummies (often available via institutional libraries/portals).
What you'll find: Legal distribution of technical whitepapers, guides, and foundational textbooks.
