Cybersecurity Beginner’s Guide

I realize that the biggest barrier to entry in the world of information security is experience. There are many unfilled jobs in cybersecurity, but why is it so hard to get an entry-level job? Employers expect candidates to have at least a year or two of experience in cybersecurity. Additionally, the jobs that require no experience are hard to come by and have many qualified candidates. So, I wanted to share how I was able to get an internship as well as gain experience outside of my internship to strengthen my IT security toolkit.

Some of the resources I used were TryHackMe, FreeCodeCamp, Coursera, Quizlet, Reddit, and YouTube. In addition to these, I had textbooks and resources provided by my university, and I acquired a Security+ certification, as covered in another post. However, I want to keep costs to a minimum for those starting out.

TryHackMe is a hands-on resource that has helped me understand the world of offensive and defensive security with practice using industry-standard tools. The main interface is the TryHackMe attack box, where you can simulate interacting with machines through the Linux command line and other tools.

FreeCodeCamp has helped me upgrade my scripting skills and knowledge, allowing me to understand technical concepts through the lens of cybersecurity.

Coursera offers many free and paid courses that can bridge the gap between technical and administrative knowledge. The paid option provides access to more courses, but most free courses offer similar benefits, minus some knowledge tests and the ability to earn a certificate.

Quizlet has been really helpful in memorizing specific terms, port numbers, etc. I believe memorization is a great first step in understanding cybersecurity and is one of the building blocks of Maslow’s pyramid of understanding. It gives you the ability to recall from your memory bank and build upon that knowledge.

Reddit is a great place to get insight from other cybersecurity professionals and others in your shoes. You can see answers to questions you might have or get advice on something else that may not already be posted. This was one of the best places for me to get a comprehensive understanding of what skills I was missing, what I was doing wrong in the job search process, etc.

YouTube is a great resource for visual learners and is free! There are many different channels to choose from, and like Reddit, it is a wealth of knowledge.

I am yet to do research on solid cybersecurity podcasts, so if you know of any, please reach out and let me know!

The great part about many of these resources is the ability to get certified, showing employers you have taken the time to study and complete these courses.

I also found a comprehensive cybersecurity roadmap online that beginners ought to follow: https://roadmap.sh/cyber-security. There are many other great roadmaps on this site that you should check out!

I will try to compile a larger list but in the meantime, I hope this helps!