Welcome to the Ultimate Cybersecurity Roadmap, your definitive guide from absolute beginner to advanced cybersecurity professional. Whether you're a student, career switcher, or ethical hacking enthusiast, this roadmap offers structured learning paths, hands-on projects, certifications, and real-world interview prep to launch and grow your cybersecurity career.
- What is Cybersecurity?
- Getting Started: Core Fundamentals
- Technical Foundations
- Skill Development by Cyber Domain
- Tools of the Trade
- Certifications Roadmap
- Hands-On Learning (Labs & Platforms)
- Cybersecurity Projects
- Resume, GitHub, and Portfolio Guide
- Interview Preparation
- Bonus: Free Resources & Communities
- Sponsor & Support
- Connect With Me
- Disclaimer
- Thank You
Cybersecurity is the practice of protecting digital systems, networks, and data from unauthorized access, damage, or theft. It combines technical skills, policies, and tools to ensure confidentiality, integrity, and availability of information.
Core Concepts:
- Confidentiality, Integrity, Availability (CIA Triad)
- Threats, Vulnerabilities & Attack Vectors (Phishing, Malware, DDoS, etc.)
- Interest in technology and security
- A computer/laptop with internet access
- Curiosity, discipline, and persistence
- Computer Networks (Learn internet basics, Cisco Packet Tracer)
- Operating Systems (Linux focus: Ubuntu, Kali)
- Programming Basics (Python preferred)
- Cybersecurity Fundamentals (TryHackMe, Cybrary intro courses)
- Networking Protocols (TCP/IP, DNS, HTTP)
- Linux Command Line Mastery
- Virtualization & Cloud Basics (VirtualBox, AWS)
- Version Control with Git & GitHub
- Encryption & Cryptography (AES, RSA, hashing)
| Domain | Description | Start Here |
|---|---|---|
| SOC Analyst | Monitor & respond to security alerts | TryHackMe SOC Level 1, Blue Team Labs |
| Ethical Hacking | Perform authorized penetration tests | TryHackMe Offensive Path, HackTheBox |
| Threat Hunting | Search for hidden threats proactively | Splunk Fundamentals, Sigma Rules |
| Incident Response | Investigate & recover from attacks | DFIR Tools: Autopsy, Volatility |
| Governance/Risk | Compliance, policy & audit | ISO 27001, NIST, CIS Controls |
| Category | Tools |
|---|---|
| OSINT | Maltego, Spiderfoot, Google Dorks |
| Recon | Nmap, Nikto, WhatWeb |
| Vulnerability Scanning | Nessus, OpenVAS |
| Exploitation | Metasploit, Burp Suite |
| Password Attacks | John the Ripper, Hydra |
| Log Analysis | SIEM tools (Splunk, ELK Stack) |
| Forensics | Autopsy, FTK Imager |
| Malware Analysis | Any.run, VirusTotal, IDA |
| Level | Certification |
|---|---|
| Beginner | CompTIA Security+, ITIL Foundation |
| Intermediate | CEH, CySA+, Cisco CyberOps Associate |
| Advanced | OSCP, CISM, CISSP, GSEC |
- TryHackMe (Guided Labs)
- Hack The Box (CTF Challenges)
- OverTheWire (Linux & Web Wargames)
- Blue Team Labs Online
- RangeForce
- CyberDefenders
- Build an ethical keylogger (lab environment)
- Create firewall rules with iptables
- Password strength checker in Python
- Web app penetration testing on DVWA or JuiceShop
- Packet sniffing with Scapy
- Write vulnerability assessment reports
- Static & dynamic malware analysis
- Threat hunting using ELK Stack or Splunk
- Red team vs Blue team simulations
Upload projects on GitHub with comprehensive README & documentation.
- Highlight labs, projects, and certifications on your resume
- Showcase writeups, tools, and research on GitHub
- Publish blogs on Medium, Dev.to, or Hashnode
- Build a personal portfolio site (HTML/CSS or Notion)
Key topics:
- Network protocols (OSI, TCP/IP)
- Common attack types (XSS, SQLi, DoS, MITM)
- Linux & Bash scripting skills
- Security tools (Wireshark, Burp Suite)
- SIEM basics & scenario-based questions
- Reddit: r/netsec, r/AskNetsec
- Discord: InfoSec Prep, TryHackMe, HackTheBox official servers
- Twitter: @thecybermentor, @JohnHammond010, @SwiftOnSecurity
If you find this roadmap helpful and want to support my work, consider sponsoring me on GitHub or sharing this repo with your network. Your support helps me keep creating and updating quality content.
| Platform | Link |
|---|---|
| GitHub | github.com/minhaj-313 |
| @cyberwithminhaj | |
| Shaikh Minhaj | |
| @minhaj_313 |
📧 For collaborations, projects, or job opportunities, contact me at: cyberwithminhaj@gmail.com
This repository is for educational and ethical purposes only. Always perform penetration testing or hacking activities with explicit permission. Unauthorized access or attacks on systems you do not own or have authorization to test are illegal and punishable by law.
Thank you for visiting this repository and embarking on your cybersecurity journey. Stay curious, stay ethical, and keep learning!
Made with 💻 by Shaikh Minhaj