Context
In an increasingly digital world, cybersecurity has become a critical field. As technology advances, so do the tactics of cyber threats, making it essential for professionals and enthusiasts alike to stay ahead of the curve. One of the platforms that has been instrumental in my journey to enhance my cybersecurity skills is TryHackMe. In this page, I will share my experiences, lessons learned, and the impact of this training on my professional growth. Additionally, I’ll provide some suggestions on how to keep a dynamic learning experience.
Discovering TryHackMe
My journey began with a simple curiosity about cybersecurity and ethical hacking. TryHackMe stood out as a comprehensive platform that offered a wide range of hands-on labs, challenges, and learning paths. The platform’s structured approach to learning, catering to beginners as well as advanced users, made it an ideal choice for me. The initial steps involved exploring various rooms (aka training modules) that cover a specific topic like network security, web application vulnerabilities, and cryptography.
Why I choose this platform?
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Hands-On Experience: One of the most valuable aspects of TryHackMe is the practical, hands-on experience it offers. Unlike theoretical learning, this platform allows users to engage directly with real-world scenarios, making it easier to understand complex concepts. For instance, I learned about XSS attacks by actually exploiting a vulnerable website, which solidified my understanding far more effectively than reading about it.
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Structured Learning Paths: TryHackMe provides various learning paths tailored to different skill levels and interests. I followed the “Complete Beginner” path initially, which was a well-organized introduction to fundamental cybersecurity concepts. This path gradually built up my knowledge and confidence, preparing me for more advanced topics like penetration testing and red teaming.
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Community and Support: The community aspect of TryHackMe is another highlight. The platform’s forums and Discord channels are filled with like-minded individuals eager to help and share their knowledge. This sense of community made it easier to tackle challenges and find solutions to difficult problems.
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Certification and Recognition: Completing modules and paths on TryHackMe often comes with certifications that are recognized in the cybersecurity industry. These certifications are not just badges of honor but also valuable additions to my professional portfolio, showcasing my skills and commitment to continuous learning.
Want to check my profile ?
The information displayed on my profile badge serves as a quick summary of my achievements, offering a snapshot of my journey and progress in cybersecurity learning and practice.
On this badge, my rank or level indicates my overall standing or experience on the platform, based on the points you have accumulated from completing tasks, challenges, and rooms. The second total points represents the total number of modules (aka rooms) I have finished through my activities on the platform, reflecting my progress and engagement.
If you click on the badge you will be able to review my profile:
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Badges Earned: Badges are awarded for specific achievements, such as completing a learning path, winning challenges, or reaching certain milestones. These badges visually represent my accomplishments and areas of expertise.
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Completed Rooms and Challenges: A count of the rooms (modules) and challenges you have successfully completed, showcasing my commitment and the breadth of topics you have covered.
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Top Skills or Areas of Expertise: Highlighting the specific skills or areas where you have demonstrated proficiency, such as penetration testing, network security, or cryptography.
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Certificates: Any certificates you have earned for completing specific learning paths or achieving high scores in certain modules, providing formal recognition of my skills.
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Recent Activity: A log of my recent activities, such as rooms completed, challenges attempted, or badges earned, giving a snapshot of my current focus and progress.
My learning experience (so far…)
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Set clear goals: as usual, setting clear goals for what you want to achieve on TryHackMe is crucial. This could be mastering a specific skill, completing a learning path, or earning a certification. I am starting with the web fundamentals. I will complete one room per day on TryHackMe for the next 30 days, beginning on 2024 July 20th. This will enhance my practical cybersecurity skills, prepare me for industry certifications, and contribute to my professional development in the cybersecurity field.
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Consistent practice: as maby things in life, one key to success is constant practice. I am daily engaging with new rooms and challenges on TryHackMe. That’s help me a lot to keep my skills sharp and up-to-date with the latest threats and defense techniques.
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Explore different areas: I think I should not limit myself to web security aspect of cybersecurity. TryHackMe offers a wide range of topics, from offensive pentesting to advanced topics like exploit development. I think it’s very interresting to have the possibility to explore different areas and improve my skills set.
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Join the community: the community is a valuable resource for learning and networking. Right now I don’t have much time left to engage more with the community.
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Document my progress: I am already keeping a journal about my experiences and what you’ve learned. There’s a chance that I’ll blog about my experience. I think it will also help in retaining information. I have high hopes that it will showcase my journey to potential employers or future collaborators as well.
I will link relevant blog posts here