Welcome • User Guide
ToS • Privacy • Canary
Donate • Bugs • License

©2026 Poal.co

627

Looking for advice on where to start.

In my 30's and been Mac person since like 2010.

I looked up some courses to learn Linux and downloaded Ubuntu to my Virtual Box VM.

Looking at free beginner and intro level cybersecurity programs to familiarize myself with the foundational stuff.

Downloaded Tor and have Express VPN on my phone (yes, an iPhone) and have yet to really explore Tor until I am better acclimated with the risks.

My questions are mostly around how to best and most efficiently get up to speed on what I would need to best secure my own systems as well as learn blackhat and whitehat "hacking" techniques -- both for my own defense and also for a possible career change.

Any advice from people with experience would be greatly appreciated:

Course recommended and to avoid Tools recommend and to avoid Any other tips and tricks I should know starting out.

Looking for advice on where to start. In my 30's and been Mac person since like 2010. I looked up some courses to learn Linux and downloaded Ubuntu to my Virtual Box VM. Looking at free beginner and intro level cybersecurity programs to familiarize myself with the foundational stuff. Downloaded Tor and have Express VPN on my phone (yes, an iPhone) and have yet to really explore Tor until I am better acclimated with the risks. My questions are mostly around how to best and most efficiently get up to speed on what I would need to best secure my own systems as well as learn blackhat and whitehat "hacking" techniques -- both for my own defense and also for a possible career change. Any advice from people with experience would be greatly appreciated: Course recommended and to avoid Tools recommend and to avoid Any other tips and tricks I should know starting out.

(post is archived)

You are currently inside a comment thread.
Click here to see all the comments (24).
[–] • 0 pt

Not really change careers per se. Although it may grow into that.

Right now it’s about securing my own systems, learning how malicious hackers operate, and things like that.

[–] • 0 pt

You don’t really need to learn how to hack to be a safe computer user, you just need to learn a few rules of thumb and just use common sense.

Because I am assuming you are just using a desktop, and not running servers and other devices?

[–] • 0 pt

Ya just using a laptop actually. No other devices yet.

The hacking thing is more of a skill I’d just like to Keene

[–] • 0 pt

Always keep your system up to date with patches.

Don’t install untrusted software. Do not run weird files on your system. Use common sense.

Use different and strong passwords on different websites. Consider using a password manager, safari has one built in.

Use 2FA on important websites, like email and banking.

Don’t fall for phishing scams, search online to learn how to defend against those.

You follow these rules and you’ll reduce the chance of getting popped by 99%.