How I Started Learning Cybersecurity with Hack The Box and TryHackMe

Introduction :

Hi, I’m Sumant, an engineering student at PVPIT in Budhgaon, Sangli. While my head is usually full of coursework, my real passion is cybersecurity—the thrill of understanding how systems are both broken and protected.

Let's be honest: starting out in this field can be overwhelming. I created this blog to document my own journey through the chaos—the messy first installs, the frustrating errors, and the small but exciting victories. It's my personal logbook, but I hope it can also serve as a friendly guide for anyone else feeling a bit lost.

This isn't about being an expert; it's about learning in public. My goal is to share my notes as I go, hoping they help someone else on the same path. Here’s to making cybersecurity a little more human, together.

Let’s Grow TogetherIf you’ve ever felt lost at the start of something new, you’re not alone. I’m still just beginning myself, and I’m excited to keep sharing my progress (and struggles) along the way. If my notes or stories help one person feel a bit less overwhelmed, I’ll consider that a win. Here’s to learning, growing, and making cybersecurity a little more human—one step at a time!

Setting Up My Lab :

Before I could even think about trying the rooms on TryHackMe or Hack The Box, I realized I couldn't just use my main laptop—that felt like a quick way to accidentally break something important. This is where setting up a "lab" came in. For me, this meant installing VM Ware Workstation Pro, which basically lets you run a safe, separate computer right inside your own. Think of it as a digital sandbox or a playground where you can experiment without any risk. I chose to install Kali Linux inside it, which is the go-to OS because it’s packed with all the security tools you need. Honestly, seeing that Kali desktop finally boot up for the first time in its own window felt like being handed the keys to a secret new world—my personal command center, ready for action.

You can download the VM Ware Workstation Pro 17 for absolutely free. It is totally free for personal use. You can also download the kali linux for practice purpose where you can play with it and practice well. Some following stepls you need to follow they are as follows : To download the files click on the name of it

Step 1 : Download the file provided to you i.e (Kali Linux).

Step 2 : Open VM Ware Workstation Pro 17.

Step 3 : Click on Open a Virtual Machine.

Step 4 : Now it will show the details of all and then power on the virtual machine.

After Switching on the Virtual Machine

At first the very importsnt step is to update the machine. To update the virtual machine follow the commands below:

$ sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade

Hack The Box :

Learning How to Learn

Honestly, after getting my lab set up, I was buzzing with excitement to jump in and start hacking. But the first couple of modules on Hack The Box Academy, "Learning Process" and "Intro to Academy," were a bit different than I expected. It felt less like learning a secret technique and more like learning the rules of a new, complex board game before you can play. The "Learning Process" module was all about how HTB teaches you—they explain a concept, and then immediately make you get your hands dirty trying it out. It’s about building real skills, not just reading facts. Then, the "Intro to Academy" was the practical tour of the website itself—showing me where the buttons are, what the "Pwnbox" is (your own hacking computer in the browser), and how to actually connect to the targets. It might seem basic, but I quickly realized it was saving me from a ton of future confusion. So in the end, I didn't learn a specific exploit, but I learned something more important: the right way to learn on the platform.

Try Hack Me :

The Wi-Fi network inside my home? That's the LAN, the Local Area Network. It’s our own private little digital bubble connecting my phone, my laptop, and my family's devices all together through our router. We control it; we have the password. It’s basically our digital 'house'.

So, what’s the WAN, the Wide Area Network? It’s everything outside that 'house.' It's the internet itself—the massive public network run by companies like Jio or Airtel that connects my house to my friend's house, to Google's servers, to literally everything else in the world.

My LAN uses the WAN to get online. So when I'm on my Wi-Fi (LAN) and I send a message on WhatsApp, that message travels out through the WAN to reach my friend. Thinking of it as my private house connected to the giant public world made it all feel a lot less like magic.

Let's Connect:

My Portfolio | LinkedIn | GitHub