Start Here: Breaking Into Cybersecurity

A free, in-order path to learn real cybersecurity fundamentals, before you spend a dollar on a cert or a course.

Want the honest hype-vs-reality data on this path first?

Interview with The Cyber Security Engineer | Break Into TECH

Your free step-by-step path

Every step here is free. Check them off as you go, saved privately in your browser.

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1.Watch this first: a real cybersecurity engineerBefore you study anything, watch the interview above to hear what the job is actually like from someone doing it.
2.Get comfortable at the command lineMost beginners have never touched a terminal. OverTheWire's Bandit wargame teaches Linux basics one level at a time, built specifically for absolute beginners.OverTheWire: Bandit
3.Learn networking fundamentals for freeSecurity concepts don't mean anything until you understand what's being protected. Professor Messer's free Network+ videos cover this, taught for people with zero background.Professor Messer (free)
4.Start TryHackMe's free Pre Security pathGuided, browser-based, hands-on rooms, no install needed. The free tier covers this entire path.TryHackMe: Pre Security
5.Learn core security concepts for freeProfessor Messer's free Security+ video course is the credible free milestone people recommend finishing before spending money on anything, including the CompTIA exam itself.Professor Messer: Security+
6.Practice with beginner-friendly challengesPicoCTF is free, gamified, and built for newcomers, with hints and write-ups so you're not stuck.picoCTF
7.Join a community and start asking questionsr/cybersecurity and TryHackMe's own Discord are both free and welcome beginners. Lurk first, then ask.r/cybersecurity

When Paying Might Make Sense

You don't have to finish the free path above before considering this. A paid program makes sense whenever you want a packaged, structured way of learning and a designated community to talk through what you're working on, whether that's day one or after you've already tried the free fundamentals. We partner with Springboard for that reason.

Cybersecurity Training (Springboard)

Quick Answers

How do I get started in cybersecurity with no experience, for free?

In order: get comfortable at the command line with OverTheWire's Bandit wargame, learn networking fundamentals through Professor Messer's free videos, work through TryHackMe's free Pre Security path, then Professor Messer's free Security+ course before you ever pay for the exam. Practice with picoCTF, and join a community like r/cybersecurity to start asking questions.

What's the best free way to learn cybersecurity basics?

Professor Messer's free video courses (Network+ and Security+) are the most consistently recommended free resource, paired with TryHackMe's browser-based, hands-on rooms, which need no install and cover real fundamentals at zero cost.

Do I need a degree or certification to start learning cybersecurity?

No, all of the resources in this free path (OverTheWire, Professor Messer, TryHackMe, picoCTF) require nothing but time and a computer. A cert like CompTIA Security+ becomes useful later, once you've built real fundamentals and want something to show employers.

Not sure this is even the right path for you?

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