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Advice Needed: Next Steps for Learning Kali Linux - Printable Version

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Advice Needed: Next Steps for Learning Kali Linux - myso - May 30, 2024

Hi everyone,

I recently familiarized myself with Kali (VM) and have been learning some neat tricks. I am by no means an advanced Linux user but have a knack for picking things up quickly and generally know enough not to do anything too stupid.

After watching a few YouTube videos, I managed to crack my own WiFi password and, with permission, that of my neighbor. I'm a bit stuck now as I want to keep developing my skills but don't really know what the next steps should look like. Beyond just improving my knowledge of the command line, I like having "tasks" or "projects" to do that actually make me put some knowledge to use (things like cracking my own WiFi password, for example).

Does anyone have any suggestions for some logical next steps and potential goals to put in place? Things that aren't too advanced that they'll be overwhelming, but not so easy that they won't require me to learn or develop any new skills.


RE: Advice Needed: Next Steps for Learning Kali Linux - Nomad.Null - May 30, 2024

Mainly you want to start understanding the essential methodology for testing software and network client/server applications. Web apps are also a great area to study in.

Tryhackme and hackthebox are free and open CTFs you can participate in to exercise these skills. If you are completely new and have no idea where to go to achieve your goals, mentorship and a lot of books is usually the next step lol.


RE: Advice Needed: Next Steps for Learning Kali Linux - Bastille - May 30, 2024

As said above, TryHackMe is the best if you're a beginner, if you could afford the paid version (14$ per month I guess), it's even better.


RE: Advice Needed: Next Steps for Learning Kali Linux - myso - May 30, 2024

(May 30, 2024 05:56 PM)Nomad.Null Wrote:  Mainly you want to start understanding the essential methodology for testing software and network client/server applications. Web apps are also a great area to study in.

Tryhackme and hackthebox are free and open CTFs you can participate in to exercise these skills. If you are completely new and have no idea where to go to achieve your goals, mentorship and a lot of books is usually the next step lol.

Thanks for the suggestions. It's worth noting that I have no intentions of turning this into a career or anything of that sorts. This is mainly out of pure interest and wanting to learn and help out whoever I can along the way.

I'll check out the resources you mentioned.

Thanks again.


(May 30, 2024 09:43 PM)Yseurk Wrote:  As said above, TryHackMe is the best if you're a beginner, if you could afford the paid version (14$ per month I guess), it's even better.

Would you say the paid version is worth it for someone who doesn't plan on doing anything related to the field as an actual career but is just interested?


RE: Advice Needed: Next Steps for Learning Kali Linux - 7 - May 30, 2024

I remember being in exactly the same situation.
Used Kali (actually was backtrack then) to hack a wifi, great success! Now wtf do I do now..

Actually, my best advise is to uninstall Kali and go install basic Debian first. Don't get distracted with tools and try to use them until you understand how to use linux. Wifi hacking is child play but most of the other stuff requires a little more experience with linux commands.

By all means, try running msfconsole (metasploit) and build a payload but then what?
Learn Linux, networking and reconnaissance before you move forward


RE: Advice Needed: Next Steps for Learning Kali Linux - Bastille - May 30, 2024

(May 30, 2024 11:20 PM)myso Wrote:  Would you say the paid version is worth it for someone who doesn't plan on doing anything related to the field as an actual career but is just interested?

Yeah because you can access more rooms and the most important are the learning paths, they will guide you and tell you what room / course to do and in which order. But you can still start with the free version and see later if it need it

Edit : oh and you may also check the following thread, I think you could find valuable infos : https://hackforums.net/showthread.php?tid=6263412


RE: Advice Needed: Next Steps for Learning Kali Linux - myso - May 31, 2024

(May 30, 2024 11:45 PM)NulldB Wrote:  I remember being in exactly the same situation.
Used Kali (actually was backtrack then) to hack a wifi, great success! Now wtf do I do now..

Actually, my best advise is to uninstall Kali and go install basic Debian first. Don't get distracted with tools and try to use them until you understand how to use linux. Wifi hacking is child play but most of the other stuff requires a little more experience with linux commands.

By all means, try running msfconsole (metasploit) and build a payload but then what?
Learn Linux, networking and reconnaissance before you move forward

Thanks for the suggestion! I'll definitely take that into consideration.


RE: Advice Needed: Next Steps for Learning Kali Linux - 7 - May 31, 2024

(May 31, 2024 03:04 AM)myso Wrote:  Thanks for the suggestion! I'll definitely take that into consideration.

I don't mean that to sound harsh. I just remember trying to learn metasploit, beef and ettercap without knowing linux or networking properly and it was a nightmare. so I put down backtrack picked up debian and learnt networking. Then the learning process was 5x faster or more.


RE: Advice Needed: Next Steps for Learning Kali Linux - myso - May 31, 2024

(May 31, 2024 03:39 AM)NulldB Wrote:  I don't mean that to sound harsh. I just remember trying to learn metasploit, beef and ettercap without knowing linux or networking properly and it was a nightmare. so I put down backtrack picked up debian and learnt networking. Then the learning process was 5x faster or more.

No that makes total sense. I appreciate the insight.

Any reccomendations for where to start? Not really looking to make a big investment, just want to improve and learn to do some cool things.


RE: Advice Needed: Next Steps for Learning Kali Linux - 7 - May 31, 2024

(May 31, 2024 04:14 AM)myso Wrote:  No that makes total sense. I appreciate the insight.

Any reccomendations for where to start? Not really looking to make a big investment, just want to improve and learn to do some cool things.

Personally, I would learn networking basics and basic linux commands.
How I learnt linux commands was by setting up linux servers so I had no graphical interface to assist then I began installing and testing github releases


RE: Advice Needed: Next Steps for Learning Kali Linux - happygonutty - May 31, 2024

(May 30, 2024 03:34 PM)myso Wrote:  Hi everyone,

I recently familiarized myself with Kali (VM) and have been learning some neat tricks. I am by no means an advanced Linux user but have a knack for picking things up quickly and generally know enough not to do anything too stupid.

After watching a few YouTube videos, I managed to crack my own WiFi password and, with permission, that of my neighbor. I'm a bit stuck now as I want to keep developing my skills but don't really know what the next steps should look like. Beyond just improving my knowledge of the command line, I like having "tasks" or "projects" to do that actually make me put some knowledge to use (things like cracking my own WiFi password, for example).

Does anyone have any suggestions for some logical next steps and potential goals to put in place? Things that aren't too advanced that they'll be overwhelming, but not so easy that they won't require me to learn or develop any new skills.

Have you tried looking into CTFs? I think you should be looking at these kinds of challenges as it would make you use most of your Kali, programming, networking and other techniques that you have previously learned. Try out picoctf.com for a start as this is truly for beginners, you get to have points and unlock challenges. Best thing you do is try not to cheat, but its up to you OP. 🙃


RE: Advice Needed: Next Steps for Learning Kali Linux - jm0524895 - May 31, 2024

(May 30, 2024 03:34 PM)myso Wrote:  Hi everyone,

I recently familiarized myself with Kali (VM) and have been learning some neat tricks. I am by no means an advanced Linux user but have a knack for picking things up quickly and generally know enough not to do anything too stupid.

After watching a few YouTube videos, I managed to crack my own WiFi password and, with permission, that of my neighbor. I'm a bit stuck now as I want to keep developing my skills but don't really know what the next steps should look like. Beyond just improving my knowledge of the command line, I like having "tasks" or "projects" to do that actually make me put some knowledge to use (things like cracking my own WiFi password, for example).

Does anyone have any suggestions for some logical next steps and potential goals to put in place? Things that aren't too advanced that they'll be overwhelming, but not so easy that they won't require me to learn or develop any new skills.

before you do any type of hacking . Lean the other areas of IT first such as computer networking and programming .


RE: Advice Needed: Next Steps for Learning Kali Linux - Bry4n_1337 - Jun 3, 2024

do some rooms on tryhackme and hackthebox than you could play CTFs