Want to learn ethical hacking but don’t know where to start? You’re not alone. With cybersecurity jobs growing 35% faster than other tech roles and average salaries reaching $120,000+, more people than ever are looking to break into ethical hacking.
The good news? There are now dozens of excellent platforms where you can learn hacking skills legally and safely. The challenge? Figuring out which ones are worth your time and money.
This guide breaks down the best platforms to learn ethical hacking, from complete beginner to advanced professional level. Whether you want to become a penetration tester, bug bounty hunter, or cybersecurity analyst, we’ve got you covered.
What Is Ethical Hacking (And Why Learn It?)
The Difference Between Good and Bad Hacking
Ethical hacking (also called “white hat” hacking) means using hacking techniques to improve security rather than cause damage. Ethical hackers:
- Only test systems they have permission to attack
- Report vulnerabilities to help fix them
- Follow responsible disclosure practices
- Use their skills to protect organizations and people
Why companies need ethical hackers:
- Cyber attacks happen every 39 seconds
- Average data breach costs $4.45 million
- There are 3.5 million unfilled cybersecurity jobs
- Hackers are getting more sophisticated every day
Career Opportunities in Ethical Hacking
Popular job titles:
- Penetration Tester ($75,000 – $150,000)
- Security Analyst ($65,000 – $120,000)
- Bug Bounty Hunter ($50,000 – $300,000+)
- Red Team Specialist ($90,000 – $180,000)
- Cybersecurity Consultant ($80,000 – $200,000)
Best Beginner-Friendly Platforms
1. TryHackMe – Perfect for Complete Beginners
Why we love it: TryHackMe makes learning hacking feel like playing a video game. Instead of throwing you into complex scenarios, it walks you through everything step-by-step.
What makes it special:
- Browser-based labs – No complicated setup required
- Guided learning paths – Clear progression from beginner to advanced
- Gamification – Earn points, badges, and rank up as you learn
- Amazing community – Helpful Discord server with thousands of members
Pricing:
- Free tier: Access to 60+ rooms and basic challenges
- Premium: $10.99/month for all content and private rooms
Best for: Complete beginners who want hand-holding through their first hacking experiences
Learning path recommendation:
- Start with “Complete Beginner” path
- Move to “Web Fundamentals”
- Try “Offensive Pentesting”
- Advance to “Red Teaming”
2. PicoCTF – Academic Excellence Made Fun
Why it’s amazing: Created by Carnegie Mellon University, PicoCTF is designed to teach hacking fundamentals through progressively challenging puzzles.
What you’ll love:
- Completely free – No hidden costs or premium tiers
- Beginner-friendly – Originally designed for high school students
- Excellent progression – Challenges get harder as you improve
- Real competition experience – Annual competition with thousands of participants
Best for: Students and beginners who want a solid foundation in hacking fundamentals
Skills you’ll develop:
- Basic cryptography
- Web exploitation
- Binary analysis
- Digital forensics
- Reverse engineering
3. OverTheWire – Classic Learning Through SSH
The old-school favorite: OverTheWire has been teaching hackers for over a decade through command-line challenges accessed via SSH.
Why it’s still relevant:
- Completely free – Always has been, always will be
- Linux skills focus – Essential for any cybersecurity career
- Progressive difficulty – Start with Bandit, advance to more complex games
- Community respect – Completing OverTheWire challenges is a badge of honor
Popular war games:
- Bandit – Linux command line basics (start here!)
- Natas – Web application security
- Krypton – Cryptography challenges
- Behemoth – Binary exploitation
Best for: People who want to master Linux and command-line skills
Intermediate Platforms for Skill Building
4. Hack The Box – The Industry Standard
Why professionals choose HTB: Hack The Box is the platform that most hiring managers recognize. Many job postings specifically mention HTB experience.
What sets it apart:
- Realistic scenarios – Machines mirror real-world corporate networks
- Active community – Forums, Discord, and local meetups
- Industry recognition – Recruiters actively scout HTB players
- Professional certifications – OSCP-style certifications available
Pricing:
- Free tier: Retired machines and basic challenges
- VIP: $20/month for active machines and VIP labs
- VIP+: $30/month with additional perks
Getting started challenge: To even create an account, you need to solve a basic hacking challenge. This filters out casual users and creates a more serious learning environment.
Best for: Intermediate learners ready for realistic penetration testing scenarios
5. Parrot CTFs – Real-World Security Training
Why it’s gaining popularity: Parrot CTFs focuses on practical scenarios that mirror actual corporate environments and security incidents.
Unique features:
- Corporate-grade challenges – Scenarios based on real security incidents
- Active Directory focus – Essential for enterprise penetration testing
- Custom content – Challenges created by working security professionals
- Team collaboration – Built for team-based learning and competitions
Best for: Intermediate learners who want enterprise-focused training
Skills you’ll master:
- Active Directory exploitation
- Advanced web application testing
- Network pivoting and lateral movement
- Incident response and digital forensics
6. VulnHub – Download and Hack
The DIY approach: VulnHub provides downloadable vulnerable virtual machines that you can run on your own computer.
Advantages:
- Completely free – Hundreds of vulnerable VMs available
- Offline practice – No internet required once downloaded
- Variety – VMs for every skill level and specialty
- Community writeups – Learn from others’ solutions
Best for: Self-directed learners who want to build a home lab
Popular VM series:
- VulnOS – Multi-vulnerability scenarios
- Kioptrix – Classic beginner challenges
- HackLAB – Intermediate exploitation practice
Advanced Platforms for Professionals
7. Offensive Security Labs – Elite Training
The gold standard: Offensive Security created the famous OSCP certification, considered the most respected entry-level pentesting cert.
What you get:
- PWK course materials – Comprehensive penetration testing methodology
- Lab access – 70+ machines in a realistic corporate network
- OSCP exam – 24-hour practical penetration test
- Industry respect – OSCP certification opens doors everywhere
Investment:
- PWK + Lab time: $1,499 for 90 days
- Additional lab time: $20/day
- Exam attempt: Included with course registration
Best for: Serious learners ready to invest in professional-level training
8. HackTheBox Academy – Structured Learning
Professional development focus: HTB Academy provides university-style courses with hands-on labs and real-world scenarios.
Course categories:
- Penetration Testing – Complete methodology training
- Web Application Security – OWASP Top 10 and beyond
- Active Directory – Enterprise environment exploitation
- Mobile Security – iOS and Android application testing
Best for: Professionals who want structured learning with clear objectives
Specialized Learning Platforms
9. PortSwigger Web Security Academy – Web Hacking Master Class
The web application security bible: Created by the makers of Burp Suite, this platform focuses exclusively on web application security.
Why it’s exceptional:
- Completely free – No cost for world-class training
- Hands-on labs – Interactive challenges for every vulnerability type
- Expert content – Created by the team behind Burp Suite
- Industry standard – Referenced by security professionals worldwide
Topics covered:
- SQL injection
- Cross-site scripting (XSS)
- CSRF and clickjacking
- Authentication vulnerabilities
- Business logic flaws
Best for: Anyone serious about web application security
10. Cybrary – Free Cybersecurity Education
Massive course library: Cybrary offers hundreds of free cybersecurity courses covering every aspect of information security.
Course highlights:
- CompTIA Security+ preparation
- Ethical Hacking Fundamentals
- Incident Response
- Digital Forensics
- Network Security
Best for: Beginners who want broad cybersecurity knowledge before specializing
Live Competition Platforms
11. CTFtime – Your Competition Calendar
The competition hub: CTFtime.org is where the global CTF community tracks competitions, team rankings, and writeups.
How to use it:
- Browse upcoming CTFs – Find competitions that match your skill level
- Form or join teams – Connect with other players
- Track your progress – Build your competitive resume
- Read writeups – Learn from top teams’ solutions
Types of competitions:
- Jeopardy-style – Solve individual challenges for points
- Attack-Defense – Maintain and attack services simultaneously
- King of the Hill – Compete for continuous control
12. picoCTF Competition – Annual Academic Challenge
The biggest student CTF: Every year, picoCTF runs a massive competition for students worldwide, with prizes and recognition.
Why participate:
- Beginner-friendly – Designed for newcomers
- Team building – Great for study groups and clubs
- Recognition – Top performers get noticed by universities and employers
- Free – No cost to participate
Building Your Home Lab
Essential Tools for Learning
Virtual Machines:
- VirtualBox or VMware – Run vulnerable VMs safely
- Kali Linux – Most popular penetration testing distribution
- Parrot Security OS – Alternative to Kali with additional tools
- Metasploitable – Intentionally vulnerable Linux for practice
Must-have tools:
- Burp Suite – Web application testing (free Community edition)
- Nmap – Network scanning and enumeration
- Metasploit – Exploitation framework
- Wireshark – Network traffic analysis
- John the Ripper – Password cracking
Setting Up Your First Lab
Step 1: Get the hardware
- Decent laptop with 16GB+ RAM
- At least 500GB storage space
- Reliable internet connection
Step 2: Install virtualization software
- Download VirtualBox (free) or VMware
- Allocate enough resources for multiple VMs
- Enable hardware virtualization in BIOS
Step 3: Download vulnerable systems
- Start with Metasploitable 2
- Add DVWA (Damn Vulnerable Web Application)
- Download VulnHub VMs as you progress
Step 4: Install your attack platform
- Kali Linux is the most popular choice
- Parrot Security OS is a great
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