Throughout the path, I explored computer fundamentals, operating systems, networking, how the web works, and the basics of offensive and defensive security. What I enjoyed most was connecting theory with practical experiences from my university labs. Some concepts that I had used before started making much more sense once I understood what was happening behind the scenes.

In this article, I'll share a few of the key things I learned, the connections that stood out to me, and what I want to explore next.

Containers and SSH : Connecting theory with practice

This was one of my most eye-opening moments especially revisiting docker containers.

I had come across docker containers when I was attacking the vulnerable machine Cybersploit 2 in my home lab using Kali Linux and although I managed to create a container inside Kali I didn't properly understand the concept of docker. I thought "docker" was a command that was relevant to that very vulnerable machine but this learning path blew my mind on how far off I was from the real point.

This TryHackMe learning path also made me realize the security concerns while creating docker containers too : If a normal user in an organization has root privileges inside a container it has a major risk of privilege escalation because in cybersploit 2 I was able to get root access through this vulnerability in docker.

Virtualization : What happens behind the scenes?

I have used virtual machines throughout my degree programme whilst learning the Linux fundamentals, especially while using Kali Linux attacking vulnerable machines like metasploittable 1 and 2, Cybersploit 1 and 2, Golden-Eye etc... But the Presecurity helped me better understand the concept of virtualization, why we need it and how hypervisors fit into this place here.

A hypervisor allows us to divide our physical machine into multiple virtual machines with each of them operating in it's own virtual environment. This helped me understand how the VM Ware and Oracle Virtual Box we used com under the type 2 hypervisors running on top of our existing OS aiding us for testings and learnings.

Networking: Understanding How Systems Communicate

This topic helped me connect a lot of concepts together. I learned how data moves across networks and how different protocols play specific roles in communication. DNS helps translate domain names into IP addresses, while HTTP is used for communication between web browsers and web servers.

Offensive Security vs Defensive Security

I had a concept in my mind that I hated defensive security and I will always get into offensive security in the future but completing the dedicated rooms for both the fields changed my mind. Let me explain:

The CIA Triad consists of confidentiality, integrity, and availability. These principles help explain what security aims to protect: keeping information accessible only to authorised parties, ensuring it remains accurate and trustworthy, and making sure systems and data are available when needed.

I also explored how offensive security involves identifying weaknesses, while defensive security focuses on protecting systems, detecting threats, and responding to them.

This helped me appreciate the defensive side and proved me I have a lot to learn and experience before choosing a side but I got a solid foundation doing this learning path.

Takeaway?

My biggest takeaway is that learning becomes more valuable when I go beyond memorising concepts and try to understand how things actually work. Revisiting technologies I had already encountered in practical labs helped me see the value of connecting theory with experience.

Going forward, I want to continue working through hands-on security exercises, exploring systems in more depth, and documenting what I learn along the way.

This is the beginning of my journey with Priyanverse, where I'll share practical experiments, technical discoveries, and lessons learned as I continue exploring cybersecurity.