Cyber Reference Manual

This site serves as a reference over various tools and websites which are of value in cybersecurity. This site is for educational purposes. I add to it over time, so we're all learning together.

Contact Info

If you feel anything was credited incorrectly, or you would simply like to talk about the latest regarding cyber or video games, add @catsmapschaos on Discord or send an email to: catsmapschaos@pm.me

Gain a Solid Foundation

Having a strong understanding of how operating systems work, how networks operate, and how systems and applications interact will help significantly. Pace yourself, and it helps to be on the journey with others too.

Read Books and Blogs

There is nothing in this field you cannot learn for free online through publicly available resources. There are several excellent books and cyber blogs as well.

Practice Hands-on Skills

One free resource I routinely recommend is pwn.college which is hosted by Arizona State University. It is also worth starting your own personal project or research, as you will learn much more this way. If you have no clue where to start, look at spinning up virtual machines and create an internal lab to experiment with.

See What's Out There

There are so many various career pathways in cyber other than the typical blue and red team roles. CISA's Cyber Career Pathways Tool is an excellent resource for seeing what's out there.

Be Curious and Think Outside of the Box

Curiosity and creativity are crucial traits in this field. If you don't particularly enjoy one sector of cyber, don't torture yourself. There's a massive world out there to explore.