Learn Cybersecurity: Hacking 101

Learn basic hacking skills for free at these monthly events

If you’ve ever seen The Matrix, then you remember the scene where Neo gets the giant jack plugged into his head. This is followed by a compressed lesson in kung fu, which he masters in a matter of seconds. Unfortunately, we can’t offer you instantaneous skills in cybersecurity, and we haven’t developed our kung fu curriculum just yet. What we can offer the next best thing to all of the cyber n00bs out there: Hacking 101 workshops.

Our (Free!) Hacking 101 events will allow you to try your hand at hacking with hands-on sessions led by cybersec pros. We will take you through a variety of skills and systems, allowing you to walk away with the ability to (almost) instantly understand and implement cyber practices, at a basic level.

Until instantaneous learning becomes a reality, Hacking 101 is your best option for taking your first steps out of n00bville, and into the world of hacking jiu jitsu.

What is Hacking 101?

Hacking 101 events are the perfect, no-strings-attached way for you to learn hacking skills, make new connections and get hands-on in the world of cybersecurity. As the “101” denotes, these are basic-level events that are intended to serve as an introduction for cyber n00bs (beginners). But make no mistake, this isn’t your typical 101, consisting of endless death-by-powerpoint presentations; Hacking 101’s are conducted in a similar way to our immersive education programs. A sneak peak if you will.

These events will teach you about various cybersecurity topics through a combination of expert instruction as well as hands-on experience. Below are just a handful of the systems and skills that our Hacking 101 events will expose you to:

• Network Security
• Social Engineering
• AppSec
• Threat Hunting
• Network Discovery NMAP
• Virtual Machines
• Microsoft PowerShell
• SQL Injection
• Python
• Cryptography

Why Should I Attend?

The obvious reason being that it’s great for beginners who are interested in pursuing a cybersecurity career. If you’re not sure which career path to head down, hacking 101 events will give you a taste of the basic principles behind different cybersecurity roles.

Are you interested in breaking networks as a pen tester? Our VirtualBox Hacking 101 events will teach you how to build controlled hacking environments known as Virtual Machines, so that you can understand how to set up your very own hacking lab.

Maybe you like the idea of outsmarting and tracking down hackers as a SOC analyst? Our Threat Hunting 101 will give you a first hand glance at the common methods hackers use to breach security systems. It will also give you an introduction to the methods of hypothesizing the whereabouts and tactics of advanced threats.

No matter what cybersecurity career you’re considering, we’ve got a 101 that’ll introduce you to the concepts behind prevalent cybersecurity roles. That being said, Hacking 101 events aren’t only for cybersecurity career seekers.

If you’re not ready to consider a career in cyber, Hacking 101’s can still be extremely beneficial. Cybersecurity is part of everyone’s life, whether you like it or not. The skills you can learn in our 101’s will help you to better understand the world of malicious hackers, thus shedding light on ways that you can protect yourself from their attacks.

With that in mind, our Social Engineering 101 event teaches you how to defend yourself from psychological manipulation techniques, often used by hackers to steal valuable data. Sound far-fetched? EY’s Global Information Security Survey 2017, found that uneducated or careless employees are considered to be the cause 77% of cyberattacks. Threats are ever-present, and everyone can benefit from a lesson in cyber-self-defense. If you’d like to read more about these techniques, check out SecureSet Lead Technical Instructor, Eric Huffman’s blog on Cyber Psychology.

Who’s Teaching?

While our Hacking 101 events cover basic hacking concepts, our instructors are far from cyber-slouches. With instructors’ experiences ranging from US Special Forces to NASA software engineering to IBM security engineering (and more), you can rest assured that each event is being taught by an experienced cybersecurity expert. Several instructors work with us full-time, which means you’re getting a strong (and free) taste of the education we provide through our immersive programs.

Not only will you get a feel for how our instructors think and operate, you will also have the opportunity to join a Q&A session.

What Do I Need to Know/Bring?

Hacking 101 events are friendly for absolute beginners; ZERO experience is necessary. You’ve never set up a virtual machine before? No problem, we’ve got your back. Never heard of SQL injection? You’re not alone. In fact, the less you know, the more we recommend that you attend one of our 101’s. You might be amazed to learn how cyber-savvy you already are.

As for what to bring: A laptop, power cord and your curiosity are all that you’ll need. If an instructor feels that additional materials will enhance the learning experience, you’ll find details attached to the event on the SecureSet events calendar. As a general rule though, we try to keep our events as accessible as possible.

If you’re interested in cybersecurity, but you’re not quite ready to take the red pill and “see how deep the rabbit hole goes,” then grab a seat at one of our upcoming Hacking 101 events. Whether you’re curious about hacking, or you’re actively considering a career in cybersec, there’s really no reason for you not to learn some cool and useful cyber-skills. We’ve got 101’s right around the corner, so mark your calendar!

Learn more about how our CORE, HUNT and PATH programs can help you launch your career in cybersecurity. You can also learn about all of our programs at secureset.com.