Cybersecurity Engineering

TCP/IP, DNS, HTTP/S, TLS, firewalls, and packet analysis with Wireshark.

• Professor Messer: CompTIA Network+ N10-009 (free videos)coursefree
• Wireshark Docsdocfree
• TryHackMe: Pre-Security Path (free)coursefree

• Capture & analyse HTTP traffic in Wireshark
• Explain the TLS handshake
• Map subnets with nmap

File permissions, processes, log analysis, and hardening a Linux server.

• OverTheWire: Banditlinkfree
• TryHackMe: Linux Fundamentalscoursefree

• OverTheWire Bandit levels 0–15
• Analyse /var/log/auth.log for failed logins
• Harden an Ubuntu server (fail2ban, UFW)

Write network scanners, log parsers, and exploit POC scripts in Python.

• Automate the Boring Stuff with Pythondocfree
• Black Hat Python (No Starch Press)coursepaid

• TCP port scanner with socket
• Password brute-forcer (lab only)
• Log analyser: detect brute-force attempts

Injection, XSS, CSRF, broken auth, IDOR: find and exploit them in a safe lab.

• PortSwigger Web Security Academy (free)coursefree
• OWASP Top 10 2021docfree
• DVWA: Damn Vulnerable Web Applicationrepofree

• SQL injection: UNION attack
• Stored XSS on DVWA
• IDOR: access another user's data
• Complete 10 PortSwigger labs

Reconnaissance, enumeration, exploitation, and post-exploitation with Metasploit & Burp Suite.

• TCM Security: Practical Ethical Hacking (PEH)coursepaid
• TryHackMe: Jr Penetration Tester Pathcoursefree
• Hack The Box: Starting Point (free)linkfree

• Nmap enumeration + service fingerprinting
• Exploit a vulnerable machine (HTB/THM)
• Privilege escalation via SUID binary
• Burp Suite: intercept & modify a request

Wireless attacks, ARP spoofing, MITM, VPN analysis, and Active Directory basics.

• TCM Security: Practical Network Pentestingcoursepaid
• TryHackMe: Network Security Modulecoursefree

• MITM with Bettercap
• Crack WPA2 handshake (home lab)
• Active Directory enumeration with BloodHound

Log analysis, threat detection, Splunk queries, and incident triage workflow.

• LetsDefend: SOC Analyst Learning Path (free)coursefree
• Splunk Education: Free Fundamentals 1coursefree
• TryHackMe: SOC Level 1coursefree

• Write a Splunk SPL detection query
• Triage a phishing alert on LetsDefend
• Create a SIEM rule for brute-force detection

Memory analysis with Volatility, disk forensics with Autopsy, and IR playbooks.

• TryHackMe: Digital Forensics & IRcoursefree
• NIST SP 800-61 Rev 2 (free)docfree

• Volatility memory image analysis
• Recover deleted files with Autopsy
• Write an IR playbook for ransomware

SY0-701 concepts: threats, cryptography, PKI, identity, network security, and compliance.

• Professor Messer: Security+ SY0-701 (free)coursefree
• Jason Dion: Security+ Practice Exams (Udemy)coursepaid

• Score >85% on 3 practice exams
• Pass CompTIA Security+ SY0-701

Apply everything: complete a CTF event from recon to root flag.

• Hack The Box: Competitive Labslinkfree
• PicoCTF: Beginner-friendly CTF (free)linkfree
• CTFtime: Upcoming CTF calendarlinkfree

• Complete 5 HackTheBox machines
• Submit write-up for 2 challenges
• Compete in one live CTF event