Cybersecurity Roadmap

Introduction: Cybersecurity is one of the most in-demand fields on the planet - and also one of the most confusing to break into. This roadmap cuts through the noise. No fluff, no overwhelming jargon. Just a clear, step-by-step path from zero knowledge to job-ready skills. Who this is for: ▸ Complete beginners. ▸ Students who want practical skills, not just theory The Big Picture Phase Focus Goal Phase 1 Foundations : Understand how computers & internet actually work Phase 2 Networking : Read network traffic, understand protocols Phase 3 Linux & Windows : Navigate both OS like a professional Phase 4 Programming : Read & write basic scripts Phase 5 Core Security : Learn how attacks & defense work Phase 6 Specialize : Pick a lane: Red, Blue, or Cloud ** Phase 1 - Foundations:** Before learning how to hack or defend anything, you need to understand how computers and the internet actually work. Skip this and you'll be blindly running tools with no idea why they do what they do. What to learn: ▸ How computers store and process data (bits, bytes, binary) ▸ What an operating system does ▸ How the internet works at a basic level (client, server, request, response) ▸ What IP addresses, ports, and protocols are Free resources: ▸ CS50's Introduction to Computer Science : https://pll.harvard.edu/course/cs50-introduction-computer-science ▸ Professor Messer's CompTIA A+ : https://www.professormesser.com/get-a-plus-core-1-certified/ ** Phase 2 - Networking:** Networking is the bloodline of cybersecurity. Every attack and every defense happens over a network. You cannot protect what you don't understand. What to learn: ▸ OSI Model - 7 layers, what each one does ▸ TCP/IP - how data actually travels across the internet ▸ Key protocols: DNS, DHCP, HTTP/HTTPS, FTP, SSH, SMTP ▸ Subnetting - how IP ranges work ▸ How firewalls, routers, and switches fit together Hands-on tools: ▸ Wireshark - capture and read real network traffic ▸ Cisco Packet Tracer - simulate networks for free Free reso