Learning how to hack

[Wither121]

So... I'm kindaish new to hacking.... I know some SQL injections, php, I know HTML, i know how to SOMETIMES change website using notepad  and the page source and (again sometimes depending on a few things) how to get a password emailed to me... When i came to this page I felt kinda noobish seeing all these good hackers. Now I'll jump to the point. I need to learn how to hack...better. I dont know HOW to learn. That's where i'm stuck, I cant just google shit. I don't even know WHAT to google. when i went on hackthissite.com i could do most of the basic missions and a few realistic ones but that's all. If i could train with someone, starting from my level and going up, that would e great. If anyone could tell me a website or something on where or how to learn to hack (for free) that would alos be great. Thanks!

[SanCliare]

I respect your interest. Usually people simply come here asking how do I hack XXX or retrieve XXX password. That's really annoying.

The annoyance is that hacking isn't really about breaking into shit. It's more about curiosity and discovery. Even black and gold hats can agree. You still sound like you want to break into systems but that probably means that you dont yet understand what you're looking at. That means You have the curiosity. As far as discovery...

Try looking around here: https://tuts4you.com/download.php?list.19
I've used the Lenna tutorials for Reverse Engineers. I don't frequent that site but it's a good place for noobs. Good luck.

[immortalghost]

Don't be afraid to trawl through old threads for info.

https://evilzone.org/hacking-and-security/where-to-start-with-hacking/

This is a good starting place, then just search the tuts section etc.

[Deque]

Some people have a different view on this, but I don't think that google is enough.

You cannot find stuff yet, because you need to learn the basics first. That includes the terminology and the basics of how programs work, the computer works, websites requests work, etc. The exact topic depends on the kind of "hacking" you want to learn. Someone who wants to crack software will have to learn entirely different things than someone who wants to find vulnerabilities in websites. Concentrate on one thing first. Don't try to do all of it at once.

If you don't know a programming language yet or not well enough, start with learning one. You will need it.

Apart from that, as you say you don't know how to learn, this is a personal topic. People have different learning styles. So try different things. Some people make notes all the time while they browse for stuff. Some learn by doing, they have an idea or a project and see what they need to learn in order to solve it. Others like to read a lot of books and get a lot of knowledge prior to jumping into any projects (moi). And then there might be people who just look under the hood of things that are already there, changing small things and see what happens.

You also have to find out, which media is good for you. Do you like to read books? Real books or rather e-books? Do you need to talk to people about stuff? Do you prefer videos? A lot of people say they like videos, but be cautious. There are studies showing that learning from them does not work well, although you might think you do.

Try stuff out and see what suits your personal learning style. Hack learning to learn hacking.

Also, once you know the topic and the programming language you want to learn, we can also give you advice on learning resources.
E.g. Lena's tutorials which were mentioned above are a perfect resource for reverse engineers (people who look under the hood of programs, e.g. for cracking them or for malware analysis). However, you need to learn assembly before you start reverse engineering. Lena's tutorials are actually the second step.

So steps for you to do:
1. Define the topic you want to dive into
2. Look for basic resources on the topic. If you don't find any, ask.

[Comm4nd0]

I don't personally think hacking is something you can just learn. I look at it like this...

Take a pen for example. you know how to hold it and write with it but you don't know how it really works. Once you do know how it really works you will then understand how to take it apart and look at the ink inside, change the spring for a different one or add new parts to it.

To be able to hack something you need to truly understand how it works in the first place. Because you need to know what should/shouldn't be there. If you can change or add parts to it to an end goal.

Let me give you a real life example. On a local network, devices are constantly learning where other devices are. So if a computer wants to go to facebook.com the network will know exactly where to direct the traffic. If you know that then you might think as a hacker, 'why can't i redirect their traffic somewhere else'... So, you can set up an ARP spoof to redirect traffic to where you want it to simply by sending out the wrong, but right for you information on the network. now, when someone types facebook.com in their internet browser their traffic is redirected to you because of what you did.

Now you see, by understanding what is going on on the network you're able to change, add, access, view etc etc as you have a better view of what's going on and how you can manipulate it.

Hope that helps.

Comm4nd0

[Wither121]

Thanks so much guys this helps A LOT!

[0E 800]

Hacking or learning how to hack is a lot like building a house...

There are carpenters that can build a house from the ground up. They have been around and know just about everything with regards to their trade. Super experience points.

Then there are specialist who only do one function like electrical or plumbing or landscaping. Sure the super-carpenter might know all this stuff, but its quicker to just contract out in order to get the job done faster.

Then there are painters. All they do is paint. Even so, there are good painters and there are your piece of shit painters.

Sometimes people discover that what they learned in one job applies to other things. That be a hack.
Learning about computers and how they communicate in a way is like hacking your own mind. Your mind being like a rubber band, once it stretches it never goes back to the way it was.

yadadamean?

[HTH]

Following up on what 0E 800 Said;

you don't learn to build a house by reading, similarly you don't learn to hack by reading.

You can't lay drywall until you've done it and you can't hack until you've hacked something.

Now, you can read a bunch and understand things extremely well before you do it, like what type of tools to use and the best approach; but you're gonna have to get in there with a mask/proxy and just do it.

You CAN learn just fine using Vuln By Design VMs but unless you'll constantly increase the difficulty you won't get anywhere. You should never stop where you get stuck, because that's where you will stay. You should constantly be working to improve yourself, eventually you'll be able to do things that you never thought you would.

I think this applies to any skill, constant improvement is required, nobody likes the furnace man who still insists asbestos is the best idea, and nobody likes the hacker/programmer whose telling you how good you have it because he used to use jumpers, and fuck you C is as far as he will go. No OOP for him thanks!

[Xires]

A couple quick remarks to clarify what I believe HTH's intentions were...

You don't learn to build a house by JUST reading, but reading should definitely be involved in the learning process.  Similarly, you don't learn to hack by JUST reading, but reading should, again, definitely be involved in the learning process.

You could lay drywall for the first time; it's possible.  However, you can't honestly, and without error, say that you have done so without having actually done so.  The same applies to hacking; it needs to be done in order to gain from the experience.

The rest is pretty good.

Also, "fuck you, use C" is a perfectly valid argument, IMO.

[Xires]

You should practice on things you own yourself.  There exist virtual machines and distributions specifically designed with vulnerabilities in order to permit testing and exploration.  Using those, you're not going to risk getting in any trouble nor harming any innocents/unintended by accident.

[Resistor]

Fortinet lists that as a phishing site fwiw.

[luverose]

Some people have a different view on this, but I don't think that google is enough.

You cannot find stuff yet, because you need to learn the basics first. That includes the terminology and the basics of how programs work, the computer works, websites requests work, etc. The exact topic depends on the kind of "hacking" you want to learn. Someone who wants to crack software will have to learn entirely different things than someone who wants to find vulnerabilities in websites. Concentrate on one thing first. Don't try to do all of it at once.

If you don't know a programming language yet or not well enough, start with learning one. You will need it.

Apart from that, as you say you don't know how to learn, this is a personal topic. People have different learning styles. So try different things. Some people make notes all the time while they browse for stuff. Some learn by doing, they have an idea or a project and see what they need to learn in order to solve it. Others like to read a lot of books and get a lot of knowledge prior to jumping into any projects (moi). And then there might be people who just look under the hood of things that are already there, changing small things and see what happens.

You also have to find out, which media is good for you. Do you like to read books? Real books or rather e-books? Do you need to talk to people about stuff? Do you prefer videos? A lot of people say they like videos, but be cautious. There are studies showing that learning from them does not work well, although you might think you do.

Try stuff out and see what suits your personal learning style. Hack learning to learn hacking.

Also, once you know the topic and the programming language you want to learn, we can also give you advice on learning resources.
E.g. Lena's tutorials which were mentioned above are a perfect resource for reverse engineers (people who look under the hood of programs, e.g. for cracking them or for malware analysis). However, you need to learn assembly before you start reverse engineering. Lena's tutorials are actually the second step.

So steps for you to do:
1. Define the topic you want to dive into
2. Look for basic resources on the topic. If you don't find any, ask.

Its really helpful[emoji5]