I’ve been exploring the tech field for the past three years, and I’m currently in Grade 12. I’ve jumped from web development to app development, QA, UI/UX, and now graphic design. I do graphic design as a hobby, mainly for myself, so that if I start a business in the future, I can create my own designs.
I left web development, app development, QA, UI/UX, and other fields after exploring them in depth and learning the basics. For the past year, I’ve been exploring cybersecurity, and I genuinely feel like this is what I want to pursue.
I’ve read countless Reddit posts and watched tons of videos, but nobody really explains what it actually takes to get into cybersecurity. Everyone says, “Start with TryHackMe,” so I did. But eventually, I hit a paywall. I tried pwn.college too, but found the website difficult to navigate, and I think it’s associated with a university course.
People say to learn networking, so I completed Cisco’s networking basics course. I’ve also installed and experimented with Wireshark, Nmap, and Burp Suite. I’ve scanned networks, intercepted HTTP requests, and explored the traffic. But despite all this, I STILL FEEL SO LOST!
My ultimate career goal is to become a Cybersecurity Analyst. From what I’ve learned, I may need to start with an IT support or networking job and gradually work my way up. At the same time, I want to explore bug bounty hunting alongside my studies.
But everyone recommends something different. Whose advice should I follow? Where can I find a structured, step-by-step learning path and resources that is genuinely free?
I’m sure there are thousands of people in the same situation as me. We want to learn cybersecurity, but we’re overwhelmed by conflicting advice and don’t know where to start. We need guidance from people who actually work in cybersecurity, not just another list of tools to install.
I’m also thinking about creating a Discord server where cybersecurity professionals, industry experts, and people currently working in bug bounty hunting can guide beginners like us. It could also be a great place to connect, learn, and network with people in the industry.
But before we think about creating a Discord server, please help me figure out the learning path first. If enough people in the comments are interested in joining a community like this, we can consider building one together.
If you’re a cybersecurity professional, SOC analyst, penetration tester, or bug bounty hunter, please share your advice. I’d genuinely appreciate it, and I’m sure many others would too.