Presenting Starting Point

Dear Community,

Hack The Box is proud to present Starting Point! If you are interested in diving into the captivating world of hacking, penetration testing and cyber security in general, Hack The Box has got you covered!

Learn How To Hack

Are you a beginner? Looking around the internet for a way to start practising and learn how to hack? No matter if you are coming from the web or app development world, if you are a sysadmin, working in IT or studying IT, a gamer, or just curious, it is not out of reach to start your journey in hacking and cyber security. All you need to do is login to the Hack The Box platform (a small hacking invite challenge will be waiting for you at the door) and look for Starting Point.

6 Steps To Start Your Journey In Cyber Security

Starting Point shows you how to get started in the platform and all the basics you need to know to stay on top of your hacking game.

First things first.

Begin with the Starting Point Tutorial:

• Step 1 "Software": Start by setting up your environment! Tips on how to set up your computer’s Virtual or Native Environment with proposed Operating Systems in order to have all the needed tools to start your hacking journey.
• Step 2 "VPN Connection": Learn how to manage and establish your VPN Connection to start interacting with the content you are about to hack.
• Step 3 "Enumeration": Your next step is to learn how to enumerate and hack the machines that are coming next. Start with the tools you should familiarize with and learn how to use them. Next, from the output results, start identifying which of them you should focus your attention on. The objective is to learn how to use the information you have discovered in order to find an entry point to hack the machine.
• Step 4 "Foothold": After gaining more critical information about the machine, you have your entry point. Understand how to exploit the vulnerability you identified and establish a foothold on your target. Learn how to initialize your first reverse shell connection and start enumerating the machine from the inside.
• Step 5 "Privilege Escalation": Now that you have your foothold as a low privilege user, your next and final goal is to escalate and become the highest privileged user, aka Root or Administrator. Learn how to search for weak points inside the machine. Once you discover the next weakness, it is time for some more serious hacking! Learn how to successfully exploit your target, become the highest privileged user and complete privilege escalation. Now is the time to find the root flag on user’s files that prove you solved the machine successfully!
• Step 6 "Complete": This is the final step! Submit your root flag to complete the final step. You have successfully completed the Starting Point Tutorial. Time to leap into action and start hacking more machines!

Training Machines For Beginners Only

Next? Starting Point Machines, it’s action time!

Starting Point consists of easy HTB Machines for beginners only. All the machines include latest and must-know vulnerabilities and exploits. Additionally, once you are ready to start pwning, you have access to full write-ups that explain thoroughly how to crack the machines, show which tools you must familiarize yourself with and how to use them in order to start building your own hacking methodology and security-first mindset.

Anyone in the IT, Development, InfoSec and Engineering Field that is interested in Hacking should give Starting Point a try. Go beyond textbooks and theory, start practising and learn how to hack by doing.

The best part? You can enjoy Starting Point for free. A range of free Starting Point Machines will always be available. However, if you decide this is the place for you to learn and take your hacking skills to the next level, by subscribing to HTB you unlock not only more Starting Point Content but the entire HTB platform, including hundreds of constantly updated, gamified machines, challenges, endgames along with plenty of other features. There are many great reasons to join Hack The Box, Starting Point is just one of them.

Ready to start? All you need is dedication and, of course, to #ThinkOutsideTheBox!

Happy Hacking!

Hack The Box Team