Hack The Box powers first hands-on cybersecurity labs in LinkedIn Learning

The new partnership delivers 11 practical cybersecurity courses via LinkedIn Learning, setting a bold new standard for skills-based training making cybersecurity upkilling available for all.

We are thrilled to announce an industry-first partnership that embeds our hands-on cybersecurity labs directly into the LinkedIn Learning platform, making Hack The Box a content partner to provide simulated attack environments and role-based skill development that goes far beyond theory.

In other words, for the first time, millions of learners can launch live targets and technical exercises within LinkedIn Learning, with no separate login or software required.

It’s a bold move designed to create modern cyber analysts at scale. The need grows clearer day by day: Recent LinkedIn data shows that companies hiring for cybersecurity skills are up 75% year-over-year, and job postings have surged 31%. Yet, the number of professionals adding cybersecurity to their profiles has grown only 4%.

This partnership directly addresses that shortfall by making practical, threat-informed cyber education accessible to LinkedIn Learning’s global user base. The result is a new standard for how the cyber workforce is developed, arriving at a moment when it’s needed most.

The AI boom has redefined threats (and skills haven’t kept up)

The timing of this collaboration is no coincidence – it comes at a critical juncture for cybersecurity workforce development. Three main trends from the current industry landscape are particularly compelling to this initiative:

• Demand for cyber talent far outpaces supply, creating an estimated 4.8 million unfilled cybersecurity positions globally. Every month, more organizations report difficulty finding qualified analysts when digital threats multiply.

• This talent crunch is amplified by the rise of artificial intelligence. Attackers are already weaponizing AI for more sophisticated phishing, malware automation, and even deepfake scams, upping the ante for defenders. Nearly 29% of security leaders now rank AI and LLM-driven threats as their #1 concern, ahead of even ransomware (...and that’s a lot to say). 

• At the same time, enterprises and public organizations alike are shifting toward skills-based hiring: Valuing proven, hands-on ability over paper credentials, which makes practical experience more critical than ever. By LinkedIn data, over the last 2 years, there's been a 7% increase in the share of cybersecurity job postings not requiring a degree.

Traditional cybersecurity courses and certifications, while valuable, often fall short on real-world application. Employers want evidence that candidates and staff can actually perform under real circumstances. This is exactly why Hack The Box and LinkedIn Learning are joining forces now—to deliver a cyber readiness solution tailored for this moment.

Inside the new Cybersecurity Analyst labs: Now on LinkedIn Learning

LinkedIn Learning users now have access to 11 interactive cybersecurity labs powered by HTB Academy.

These labs form a new Cybersecurity Analyst curriculum (designed exclusively for LinkedIn Learning), targeting one of the industry’s most in-demand and fastest-growing roles. 

Learners on LinkedIn can launch real, browser-based hacking simulations and attack detections directly within a course. HTB’s lab environment is embedded in the LinkedIn Learning interface, so there are no additional logins, software, or setups required. Everything is seamless; by clicking “Start Lab” users are dropped into a safe virtual network that looks and feels like a real-world environment under attack.

These modules provide a structured curriculum with foundational knowledge and practical skills needed for adaptive analysts, covering a hybrid skillset from offensive to defensive domains – crucial in today’s thread landscape.

• Network enumeration with Nmap (discovering hosts and open ports)

• Footprinting and reconnaissance (e.g., DNS, SMB)

• Malicious traffic analysis via Wireshark

• Vulnerability scanning (e.g., Nessus)

• Incident response following NIST guidelines

• Threat hunting with Elasticsearch, Splunk, and more

These topics mirror the skills or activities that organizations are increasingly valuing when hiring and following NIST guidelines, especially as attackers adopt AI-driven tactics.

By integrating HTB’s labs into LinkedIn’s learning ecosystem, the partnership ensures that learners gain not just knowledge, but true competency. Each lab provides a safe environment to practice defending against modern threats, allowing organizations to future-proof their workforce.

“As threat actors increasingly adopt AI to accelerate and evolve cyberattacks, organizations must equip their teams adequately to respond with speed, precision, and expertise. Through our partnership with LinkedIn Learning, we are integrating HTB Academy’s performance-based, scenario-driven labs into a platform trusted by more than 1 billion, enabling professionals to build real-world expertise and giving enterprises a trusted way to validate and scale cybersecurity readiness.”

– Haris Pylarinos (aka ch4p), Founder & CEO at Hack The Box

Building the next gen of cyber analysts

If you are on LinkedIn Learning, you can dive into the new Hack The Box labs today. Just head to the LinkedIn Learning Cybersecurity Labs section and launch a module to begin your hands-on practice.

See for yourself how interactive labs can accelerate your skill development. And for organizations aiming to upskill their teams at scale, now is the time to act. Book a call with the Hack The Box team to learn how this partnership can elevate your cybersecurity workforce.

Whether you’re an individual learner or an enterprise leader, this HTB & LinkedIn Learning collaboration delivers the tools you need to build strategic cyber resilience.

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