The pre-security pathway is meant as a pre-requisite for all the other pathways on TryHackMe. It teaches the basics in IT technology to help you understand how to attack and defend IT systems and technology.

Introduction to Cybersecurity

This module is a repeat of the first module from the Introduction to Cybersecurity pathway. It covers the basic concept behind offensive and defensive security, and the available careers in cybersecurity.

Network Fundamentals

This module covers the core concepts of how computers communicate. It introduces the OSI model, and understanding packets and frames as a concept. It also introduces different communication protocols, including DHCP, ARP, TCP and UDP. Completing this module awarded the Networking Nerd badge.

How the Web Works

This module covers the basics of how the web works, from how DNS works, to HTTP is used to request pages and information from a website. It also covers the languages used to build a webpage, including HTML, CSS, JavaScript and PHP. I used some of the knowledge I learnt here to help build this website. Completing this module awarded the World Wide Web badge.

Linux Fundamentals

This was a very important module for me, as up until this point, I was largely unfamiliar with Linux as an operating system. The first room covered basic commands that help you navigate the command prompt. The next module covered SSH, allowing you to remotely log into another machine. It also covered file system interactions, permissions and common directories. The last room covered common programs and utilities that make life easier on a Linux machine. One helpful tool that I used a lot later on was being able to serve a HTTP server, which can be useful for serving malicious files to remote computers to help gain RCE. Completing this module earned the cat linux.txt badge.

Windows Fundamentals

This module covered all the basics of the Windows operating system, from how to interact with the file explorer, to how to change settings and find user accounts. It then went on to cover some of the in built functionality and tools in Windows, such as the Resource Monitor and Registry Editor.