Ethical hacking with TryHackMe's Capture the Flag series
Capture the Flag!
© Lead Image © Clint Scholz, fotolia.com
TryHackMe's Capture the Flag puzzles are a useful source for users who want to learn about ethical hacking and penetration testing.
Security-minded users today can look online for a seemingly endless catalog of attacks and defenses. I have found the inimitable TryHackMe website [1] to be an indispensable tool that has allowed me to tailor my ethical hacking learning in a way that is both efficient and enjoyable. In my opinion, the presentation of each learning exercise is second to none, and the volume of content is exceptional.
This article describes one of the Capture the Flag (CTF) exercises on the TryHackMe website. A CTF exercise is a ready-made scenario that allows the user to play the role of an intruder, attacking a system and searching for a way to breach security and gain root access. Each time you solve a CTF puzzle, you capture a "flag" and are awarded points that allow you to assess your progress and compete with other users. As you can probably guess, I chose a CTF exercise based on a Linux machine. Before sitting down to write this article, I contacted TryHackMe and received permission to write about this CTF. The Bounty Hacker CTF described in this article is one of the many free CTFs on the TryHackMe website, so create a free account and try it yourself if you are interested.
On Your Marks
TryHackMe provides lots of free content, but if you pay a few dollars a month, you get faster CTF server startup times and dedicated UI attack machines that run in a browser. However, it is also possible to connect into their networks via a VPN without subscribing.
[...]
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
US / Canada
UK / Australia
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
There's a New Open Source Terminal App in Town
Ghostty is a new Linux terminal app that's fast, feature-rich, and offers a platform-native GUI while remaining cross-platform.
-
Fedora Asahi Remix 41 Available for Apple Silicon
If you have an Apple Silicon Mac and you're hoping to install Fedora, you're in luck because the latest release supports the M1 and M2 chips.
-
Systemd Fixes Bug While Facing New Challenger in GNU Shepherd
The systemd developers have fixed a really nasty bug amid the release of the new GNU Shepherd init system.
-
AlmaLinux 10.0 Beta Released
The AlmaLinux OS Foundation has announced the availability of AlmaLinux 10.0 Beta ("Purple Lion") for all supported devices with significant changes.
-
Gnome 47.2 Now Available
Gnome 47.2 is now available for general use but don't expect much in the way of newness, as this is all about improvements and bug fixes.
-
Latest Cinnamon Desktop Releases with a Bold New Look
Just in time for the holidays, the developer of the Cinnamon desktop has shipped a new release to help spice up your eggnog with new features and a new look.
-
Armbian 24.11 Released with Expanded Hardware Support
If you've been waiting for Armbian to support OrangePi 5 Max and Radxa ROCK 5B+, the wait is over.
-
SUSE Renames Several Products for Better Name Recognition
SUSE has been a very powerful player in the European market, but it knows it must branch out to gain serious traction. Will a name change do the trick?
-
ESET Discovers New Linux Malware
WolfsBane is an all-in-one malware that has hit the Linux operating system and includes a dropper, a launcher, and a backdoor.
-
New Linux Kernel Patch Allows Forcing a CPU Mitigation
Even when CPU mitigations can consume precious CPU cycles, it might not be a bad idea to allow users to enable them, even if your machine isn't vulnerable.