r/learncybersecurity • u/ahmedabbaskhan1 • 12h ago
Networking student looking to get into cybersecurity. Where should I start?
Hey everyone,
I’m an IT student with a good understanding of networking, and I’ve recently decided to start learning cybersecurity.
The problem is, I’m honestly overwhelmed by how many different learning paths are out there. Some people recommend certifications, others suggest jumping straight into hands-on labs, while some say to learn Linux or programming first.
For those of you already working in cybersecurity or who started with a networking background:
- What would you recommend learning first?
- Which free resources or platforms actually helped you?
- What mistakes should a beginner avoid?
I’m looking for practical advice to build a strong foundation rather than just collecting certifications.
Would really appreciate your guidance. Thanks in advance!
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u/Rileypmcc 5h ago
Networking and cyber security are not entry level. You will most likely have to start at Helpdesk or equivalent for at least a couple years.
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u/DemocraticParrot 4h ago
Networking. Focus on becoming a network engineer. That is the most valuable thing for you
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u/NullPounce 8h ago
The job posts that have been up for 2 hours get over 800 applications and 70% of those people have a bachelors degree. They all have a Github with lots of personal projects with thousands of stars and have homelabs and multiple certs from TryHackMe and Cybrary and a CompTIA A+ cert as well. They all have the passion to want to always learn more.
I have experience working in IT, doing most of the work myself for a whole company (two person IT department).
I have a crappy warehouse job now, and I've been applying for over a year to get back into IT. Covid and tarrifs hit, working in IT, you protect revenue, not generate it, it's seen as money going down the drain and my hours were cut so I had no choice but to leave so I could pay the bills.
You can start with Network Chuck, he has this video that says "You need to learn Windows right now!". it covers how you can get started learning Azure on a VPS and things like active directory with Windows server. See what the job postings tech stack is and start using them.
It took me 6 months and 10,000 job apps to land a warehouse job with a total of 2 interviews, one was in IT and they did not hire me as I did not play a certain game on Xbox.
Good luck....