Certification Roadmaps // Zero to Hero

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OSCP (Offensive Security Certified Professional)

The industry-standard penetration testing certification focusing on hands-on, practical hacking methodologies and reporting.

Advanced
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Linux Fundamentals & Scripting

Establish command-line fluency and learn bash/python automation.

Core Concepts

  • Linux file system hierarchy, permissions, and ownership
  • Process management, networking commands (netstat, ss, ip)
  • Text processing utilities (grep, awk, sed, cut)
  • Basic bash scripting, loop structures, and automated reconnaissance scripts

Lab Setup instructions

Install Kali Linux VM or configure an Arch-based penetration testing workspace. Set up a local SSH server and write scripts to harvest syslogs.

Required Documentation Habits

Create a structured CherryTree or Obsidian notebook. Document every command run and its stdout. Categorize notes by topic (e.g., Linux Cmds, Shell Scripting).

Typical Pitfalls to Avoid

  • [!]Using GUI tools excessively (stay on the CLI as much as possible).
  • [!]Not writing scripts from scratch (leads to lack of coding confidence during exams).