What’s the best beginner path for learning cybersecurity and Linux?
Asked by
MellowPine47
I'm completely new to cybersecurity and want to understand the fundamentals before moving into practical ethical hacking. I'm especially interested in account security and recovering access to my own old accounts, but I don't have the login details anymore. I understand that account recovery should go through each service's official recovery process rather than trying to bypass security.
Hack The Box was recommended to me, but it feels too advanced because I'm missing the basics. I've also heard that Linux is important for cybersecurity, although I don't know how Linux works, whether it's free, or whether I need to replace Windows to use it.
What beginner-friendly learning path, courses, or practice platforms would you recommend? Ideally, I'd like to start with the absolute basics and gradually progress toward practical cybersecurity and ethical hacking.
Answers
For structured introductions, Professor Messer’s networking and Security+ material is a solid starting point. NetworkChuck and David Bombal also have beginner-friendly IT, networking, and Linux lessons. After the fundamentals, TryHackMe is usually more approachable than jumping directly into harder challenge platforms. PortSwigger’s Web Security Academy is free and excellent for learning web security through guided exercises.
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Don’t jump straight into Hack The Box. A good progression is IT fundamentals, networking, Linux basics, security fundamentals, then practical labs. Learn the command line, files and permissions, processes, basic networking commands, and simple shell scripting. You can try Linux in a virtual machine or use WSL alongside Windows, so replacing Windows isn’t necessary. Linux distributions are generally free.
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Cybersecurity is a lot more than learning attack tools. Start by understanding how operating systems, authentication, networks, permissions, and social engineering work. Basic security habits matter too: don’t plug unknown USB devices into your computer, and never reset an account for someone without verifying their identity through the organization’s process. For your old accounts, use the provider’s official recovery options and contact support if needed. There’s always more to learn, so focus on steady practice instead of trying to cover everything at once.
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