Insights from TryHackMe’s Pre-Security Path

🎯 My first milestone on the road to cybersecurity

In my last post, I shared why I chose to pursue a career in cybersecurity. Today, I’m proud to say I’ve completed my first major step: the Pre-Security Path on TryHackMe. It laid the foundation I needed and gave me a much clearer picture of what cybersecurity actually involves and why it’s so important.

📚 What I Learned

🌐 1. How the Internet Works (Really)

Before this path, I used the internet every day without thinking about how it works. Now I can explain:

What IP addresses and DNS do
The difference between HTTP and HTTPS
What happens when you type a URL into your browser

This changed how I view everyday tech. So many moving parts are working together behind the scenes — and each one can be a potential attack point.

🔌 2. Basic Networking Skills

Networking is the backbone of cybersecurity. TryHackMe made it digestible with hands-on activities that covered:

Ports and protocols (TCP, UDP, HTTP, FTP, etc.)
Tools like ping, traceroute, and nslookup
How attackers and defenders use networking knowledge

Understanding networking has helped me better grasp how cyber attacks happen — and how to trace or stop them.

💻 3. Linux is Your Best Friend

At first, the Linux terminal felt like a foreign language. Now I’m much more comfortable:

Navigating the filesystem
Using basic commands like ls, cat, grep, and chmod
Managing file permissions and users

Since many cybersecurity tools run on Linux, this knowledge is essential — and empowering.

🔐 4. Cybersecurity Concepts

This section opened my eyes to what cybersecurity really is. I learned about:

The CIA Triad (Confidentiality, Integrity, Availability)
Common threats like malware, phishing, brute-force attacks
Basic defenses like firewalls and multi-factor authentication

Cybersecurity isn’t just about hacking — it’s about building a mindset of security awareness.

🔑 5. Intro to Cryptography

This was one of the most mind-blowing parts. I explored:

How hashing protects passwords
The difference between symmetric and asymmetric encryption
Why HTTPS and digital certificates are essential for trust

Cryptography felt like unlocking a secret layer of how the internet works.

🧠 What I Learned About Myself

Beyond the tech, here are some personal takeaways:

🧩 I learn best by doing. TryHackMe’s interactive labs made it all click.

🤔 Curiosity drives progress. Googling terms, watching videos, and exploring outside the course became part of the fun.

💪 Imposter syndrome is real—but beatable. Every small win built my confidence.

🚀 What’s Next: Cybersecurity 101

With Pre-Security done, I’ve just started the Cybersecurity 101 path. It’s already more practical and hands-on, focusing on:

Vulnerability scanning
Security operations (SOC basics)
Beginner-level CTF challenges

I’m excited to document this next stage — and share the highs, lows, and learning curves that come with it.

🙏 Thanks for Reading!

If you're just starting out, I highly recommend TryHackMe’s Pre-Security path. It’s clear, practical, and beginner-friendly.

If you’ve already been through this phase, let me know what helped you most when you were starting out. Drop a comment or connect. I’d love to learn from your journey too.

📌 Follow my journey here on Hashnode
🧠 Next post: What I’m learning in Cybersecurity 101

What I Learned From TryHackMe’s Pre-Security Path