CHALLENGE INFORMATION
Platform: TryHackMe
Path: Pre Security
Module: N/A
Room: N/A
Description: Introduction to the TryHackMe (THM) Platform.
Introduction
As you may have already noticed, this path requires no prior knowledge; therefore, no prerequisites are specified.
Being the first in the series, this write-up focuses on introducing you to the structure TryHackMe (THM) uses to organize its learning content. Although the site layout aims to be intuitive, some users may find it overwhelming at first glance. This document should alleviate some of that confusion.
After logging in to the website, select Learn from the top menu bar.
Figure 1: Selecting Learn
In the sidebar, choose Learning Paths to display all available learning paths. Before selecting the Pre Security path, review the path description and note both the intended difficulty level and the estimated completion time.
Figure 2: Selecting the Pre Security path
A single click automatically enrolls you in your selected learning path.
Figure 3: Pre Security path description
As you can see, the THM learning platform follows a simple structure: a Path comprises multiple learning modules. Each Module consists of building blocks called Rooms – the most basic and frequent elements on the platform.
Consider our current path with its modules and rooms. To illustrate this structure, we can depict it in a tree-like manner:
Pre Security Path
- Introduction to Cyber Security Module
- Intro to Offensive Security Room
- Intro to Defensive Security Room
- Careers in Cyber Room
- Network Fundamentals Module
- What is Networking? Room
- Intro to LAN Room
- OSI Model Room
- Packets & Frames Room
- Extending Your Network Room
- How the Web Works Module
- DNS in detail Room
- HTTP in detail Room
- How websites work Room
- Putting it all together Room
- Linux Fundamentals Module
- Linux Fundamentals Part 1 Room
- Linux Fundamentals Part 2 Room
- Linux Fundamentals Part 3 Room
- Windows Fundamentals Module
- Windows Fundamentals 1 Room
- Windows Fundamentals 2 Room
- Windows Fundamentals 3 Room
After selecting a path, you can examine the various rooms upon which the entire path is built by expanding their respective modules. Our path contains the following modules:
Figure 4: Modules
You may join any room in the path regardless of whether you have completed previous rooms. However, we strongly recommend following the presented order of modules and rooms, as some rooms build upon knowledge acquired in earlier ones.
Here you can see all the modules in the current path, expanded:
Figure 5: Introduction to Cyber Security module
Figure 6: Network Fundamentals module
Figure 7: How The Web Works module
Figure 8: Linux Fundamentals module
Figure 9: Windows Fundamentals module
You may notice two circles surrounding each room’s image. The first circle (from left to right) functions as a checkbox; it becomes checked once you fully complete the room. The second circle denotes your progress through the room.
In short:
- Empty circles – Get to work!
Figure 10: Empty circles
- Full circles – Great job!
Figure 11: Full circles
Let us begin. Click the first room in the series, Intro to Offensive Security, located under the Introduction to Cyber Security module.
Figure 12: Entering a room
After joining the room, follow the steps (see #4) and the guide to complete the tasks (see #3). Finish all tasks before moving on to the next room.
Figure 13: Joined room
As you can see, some rooms require you to operate on a set of machines. Both attack and target systems may require you to start them (see #2), though sometimes you need only download the files required for the room.
If you get stuck at any point, do not panic. You can find help (see #1) on the forum post or by asking the community for a nudge on the Discord server. Alternatively, similar walkthroughs to this one may already exist for some rooms. Once you complete the room, you can add your own write-up to help others on the path.
Hopefully, after following this short tutorial, you will be able to dive right in and begin your own learning journey.