
Build a foundation in networking by exploring IP and MAC addressing, encapsulation, OSI and TCP/IP models, and the role of ports, protocols, and pfSense firewall rules.
Compare the OSI and TCP/IP models to understand how data traverses networks, highlighting the seven OSI layers and four TCP/IP layers, their roles, similarities, and real-world applications.
Explore how transport layer uses ports (TCP and UDP) to deliver data to the right app, and how encapsulation and decapsulation move data through headers and trailers in OSI layers.
Explore pfSense firewall rules, learn top-down evaluation (first match wins), and build specific allow rules while blocking everything else; test with ping and browser, review logs, and follow best practices.
Explore how the domain name system translates human-friendly names into ip addresses, enabling browsers to locate websites and observe the lookup process with Nslookup.
Establishing a home cybersecurity lab is crucial for anyone serious about advancing in the field of cybersecurity. A home lab provides a controlled environment where you can safely experiment with various tools, techniques, and scenarios without the risk of compromising real-world systems. It allows you to gain hands-on experience with the latest cybersecurity technologies, from SIEM systems to intrusion detection tools, and practice responding to simulated attacks. This practical experience is invaluable, as it bridges the gap between theoretical knowledge and real-world application. Moreover, a home lab fosters continuous learning and skill development, enabling you to stay current with the ever-evolving cybersecurity landscape. By setting up your own lab, you create a personal sandbox for innovation, experimentation, and mastery, ultimately making you a more effective and confident SOC analyst.
Choose quick start, basic, intermediate, or advanced virtual labs to practice cyber defense. Build with VirtualBox or Proxmox, including Kali Linux, Windows, Pfsense, and Active Directory network segmentation.
This lesson covers installing VirtualBox on your host system.
Import a Kali Linux VirtualBox appliance to start learning quickly, then configure bridged networking, test connectivity with ping, and access the overthewire.org primer module and Bandit series.
Set up the 2026 basic lab option with VirtualBox to run Kali Linux and Windows 11 for quick hands-on cybersecurity lessons, enabling bridged networking and VM communication.
Learn to install or update VirtualBox, enable virtualization in the host BIOS, download the latest Windows host version and the extension pack, and complete a clean install with defaults.
Install Kali Linux VM in VirtualBox for a basic lab, download installer image, set up bridged networking, allocate memory and CPU, expand disk, install, and verify networking.
Master IPv4 fundamentals, including 32-bit addresses, octets, subnet masks, and CIDR notation, and learn how PfSense utilities like DHCP, NAT, and routing create secure lab networks.
Create and test pfSense firewall rules to control traffic using top-down evaluation where first-match wins, writing specific allow and block rules for web, SSH, and DNS.
install pfSense v2026.2 in virtualbox to use it as a firewall, router, and dhcp server, configure two internal networks (lan0 and lan1) with a web-based interface.
Configure pfSense from the command line by assigning WAN, LAN, and OPT1, set LAN 10.0.1.1/24 and OPT1 10.0.3.1/24, enable DHCP ranges 10.0.1.11–10.0.1.250 and 10.0.3.11–10.0.3.50, and prep GUI access.
Finish configuring pfSense part 2 via the web interface on the Windows 11 VM, setting DNS, DHCP, static mappings, aliases, and firewall rules for ecore and attack LAN.
Download and set up a pre-built Kali Linux VM in VirtualBox, configure internal network, verify connectivity, and ensure full-screen operation for the cybersecurity lab.
Install a Windows Server and promote it to a domain controller to manage Active Directory, authentication, and security policies while learning VirtualBox setup and internal network configuration.
Install and configure Active Directory on a Windows server, rename it to ecore-dc, promote to a domain controller for a new forest with root domain ecore.local, and configure Certificate Services.
Learn to create and organize users, groups, and policies in an Active Directory domain, including service accounts, a Steel Mountain SMB share, and a group policy to disable Windows Defender.
Join a Windows 11 VM to an Active Directory domain, configure DNS to the domain controller, and log in with domain credentials for centralized policy enforcement and management.
Install Sysmon on Windows 11 using a preconfigured Sysmon config, run as administrator, and verify logs in Event Viewer, preparing for forward to Splunk.
Install Splunk on a Windows 11 VM, configure the 500 megabytes per day trial limit, and enable data inputs to ingest Sysmon and Windows logs for siem-style dashboards.
Master practical tips for a stable VirtualBox cybersecurity lab, including memory optimization, snapshots, network types, and PFSense firewall rules for reliable lab access.
Upload iso images to proxmox, create a Windows 11 VM with TPM and EFI, install from the Proxmox web GUI, and prepare additional VMs with Ubuntu and Kali images.
Install a Kali Linux VM in Proxmox from the Kali ISO and configure hardware, networking, and boot options.
Install Windows Server 2025 as a domain controller in Proxmox for the eCore network by creating a VM, selecting the ISO, enabling EFI and TPM, and configuring the network driver.
install pfSense in proxmox by creating a vm, adding four network adapters, and configuring three dhcp-enabled lan subnets (10.0.1.0/24, 10.0.2.0/24, 10.0.3.0/24) with wan access; Spice is covered next.
Install OpenVSwitch on Proxmox, create VNBR1, and configure three VLAN ports (10, 20, 30) for PFsense. Validate IPv4 subnets 10.0.1.x, 10.0.2.x, 10.0.3.x and implicit deny before firewall rules.
Learn PFSense configuration by creating WAN, Ecore, AllSafe, and ATT&CK LAN firewall rules, enforcing implicit deny, testing with ping and DNS, then preparing Windows domain joining.
Set up users, groups, and policies in Active Directory by creating an organizational unit for groups and provisioning a SQL service account, then applying a policy to disable Windows Defender.
Install Sysmon from the download, configure it with the Sysmon modular xml file, run as administrator via command prompt, and verify logging in event viewer to complete the lab setup.
Install wazuh on Kali Purple, create and deploy agents to two Windows machines and a Windows Server, and manage them from the wazuh dashboard.
Install Velociraptor on an Ubuntu VM in the AllSafe LAN via Proxmox, set a static IP, generate the server config, and access the GUI at 10.0.2.3:8889.
Take snapshots of the base lab during phase one review to revert to a known good state when experimenting with Ubuntu, Velociraptor, Kali, Kali purple, and the DC.
Set up pfSense in VMware Workstation, configure three network adapters, assign two LANs with 10.0.1.0 and 10.0.2.0 subnets, enable DHCP, and validate with a Kali Linux test VM.
Create a persistent desktop shortcut to connect to a Kali VM in Proxmox via the Spice protocol, using TLS, self-signed certificates, and a direct port 5901 without ticketing.
Explains how Apple Silicon changes virtualization, guiding you to install VMware Fusion, download ARM64 images like Kali Linux and Windows 11, configure network adapters, and test VM communication.
Build a basic Apple silicon lab by installing Atomic Red Team scripts and Splunk. Enable PowerShell transcript logging, install Splunk apps, configure log inputs, and manage snapshots for revert.
Are you ready to level up and gain hands on experience in cybersecurity? Introducing The Complete Cybersecurity Analyst Course—your one-stop solution for mastering the skills and gain hands on experience you need to excel in the cybersecurity field.
Prerequisites
As the name suggests, this is a "hands-on" course. You will be required to install virtualization software on your system. We recommend a Windows host system; however, a Mac will work also, but there are some limitiations based on newer Apple Silicon chips.
Our goal is to provide everything into one course that includes a wide range of opportunities to increase your knowledge and gain that critical hands-on experience. We will not break up essential knowledge into multiple, expensive modules, this course gives you everything you need in one comprehensive package at a one-time low cost.
This course features:
All-in-One Access: We cover everything from the basics of cybersecurity to advanced threat analysis, network security, incident response, ethical hacking, and more. No need to purchase multiple courses; it’s all here!
A la carte menu: This course has something for everyone. Pick and choose your lessons based on your interests and experience level.
Regular Content Updates: Cybersecurity is an ever-evolving field, and so is this course. Enjoy new content added regularly to keep your skills sharp and up-to-date with the latest industry trends.
Lifetime Access: Your learning journey doesn’t have an expiration date. With lifetime access, you can revisit the material anytime you need a refresher or when new modules are released. Learn at your own pace, on your schedule.
Access to Updated Content: The course authors will continue to add lessons, projects, and other opportunities to gain hands-on experience and you will automatically have access to the new material with no added cost.
Expert Instructors: Gain insights from seasoned cybersecurity professionals who bring real-world experience and actionable knowledge to the virtual classroom.
Don’t miss out on this opportunity to unlock your full potential as a cybersecurity analyst without breaking the bank. Enroll in The Complete Hands-On Cybersecurity Analyst Course today and start your journey towards a secure, rewarding career in cybersecurity!
One of the unique features of this course is emphasis on hands-on learning. Theory and concepts are essential, but true mastery comes from practical experience. "The Complete Hands-On Cybersecurity Analyst Course" exercises are a series of hands-on labs conducted in a virtual environment that you build yourself. These labs simulate real-world scenarios and provide you with the opportunity to apply what you’ve learned in a controlled, risk-free setting. We will guide you through setting up your own virtual environment that you will use to complete labs, projects, and testing. By setting up your own virtual environment you will gain an understanding of key concepts that are missed in many of the pre-built and browser-based lab environments.
Collaborate directly with the course developers and fellow students in a dedicated Discord server.
Below are some of the areas in which you will gain practical experience.
Threat Detection and Analysis
Threat Hunting
Cyber Threat Intelligence
Malware Analysis
Purple Teaming
Linux Basics
Virtual Lab Environments
Password Cracking
Email and Phishing Analysis
SIEMs (Splunk, Elastic, Wazuh, etc)
Cybersecurity Fundamentals (CompTia Security+ SY0-701 Objectives)
Incident response
Network monitoring and forensics
Vulnerability Scanning, Assessment and Management
Utilizing advanced tools and techniques for cybersecurity defense
WiFi Pentesting
Honey Pots
Reverse Engineering
Writing Malware Emulations
Web Application Pentesting
C2 Frameworks