Help A Beginer Hacker

[NateH]

Hello everyone I'm new to the hacking world and trying to get some tips how i should start.

Right now i'm studying computer programing (c++) but i would like to learn me how to hack and see how things word.

would be great if you guys/girls can say what i should start with and some programs that i should use :)

Cya

/Nate

[Pwnd2Pwnr]

Knowing how processes work is just as important as how programming is implemented. Google "A+ certification"...

[Radau]

This post may be interesting to you if you haven't seen it already:

http://forums.hak5.o...-and-hackademy/

Welcome aboard! :)

As for what you can use, you really are only limited to what kind of hacking you want to pursue. For example lately I've been getting into hacking from mobile devices (Galaxy S3 with Backtrack 5, just waiting on Monitor Mode to be patched), but you could also focus on website vulnerabilities and tools similar to the WiFi pineapple. For the most part you're limited by your imagination and your willingness to learn. If I were you I would test the water with all of the different types that interest you and find out what you like.

Edited October 4, 2012 by Radau

[Infiltrator]

Hello everyone I'm new to the hacking world and trying to get some tips how i should start.

Right now i'm studying computer programing (c++) but i would like to learn me how to hack and see how things word.

would be great if you guys/girls can say what i should start with and some programs that i should use :)

Cya

/Nate

You are actually on the right track, and everyone who starts into the hacking field should have some prior knowledge of a programming language. Secondly, I would recommend a networking course such as Network+ or CCNA, this will give you an understanding of the fundamentals of what protocols, IP addressing, subnetting and the general configuration of a switch and router are.

Then once you are more advanced, you could dive into Virtualization, server installation and configuration, and network and wireless security. And most importanly, always practice what you learn.

[Radau]

You are actually on the right track, and everyone who starts into the hacking field should have some prior knowledge of a programming language. Secondly, I would recommend a networking course such as Network+ or CCNA, this will give you an understanding of the fundamentals of what protocols, IP addressing, subnetting and the general configuration of a switch and router are.

Then once you are more advanced, you could dive into Virtualization, server installation and configuration, and network and wireless security. And most importanly, always practice what you learn.

Couldn't agree more about studying for a networking certification or taking a class. Check some of the local community colleges in your area and see if they offer a CCNA prep course or something of the like. If it's affordable (the one at my community college was) then you should go for it. It helps to have other people to work through it with, plus you don't have to drop money on cisco switches.

Alternatively, if you do not want to drop the money for a course Cisco Packet Tracer is a fairly good mock network building tool (with some flaws) that gives you access to most everything you would need to study any of the more basic things. Another thing you could try is checking some local companies for any equipment they may be throwing out, that's how I acquired various servers, laptops and desktops that I'm applying towards my path to a CCIE.

As for actual programs, backtrack will have pretty much everything you could ask for and more. Armitage (if it's still supported) is a good tool to get into metasploit and understand how it works. The Social Engineering Toolkit (SET) is also relative easy to use and very powerful. But like I said before it really depends on just what type of hacking and/or cracking you were looking into, if you can give us some general ideas it may help us help you.

[digip]

We've got tons of threads and topics with the same questions, so without really going too deep on repeat topics, id say,

1, start here:

2, use the search feature at the top of the forums to research topics of interest, someone has probably already asked the question and posted an answer to an issue or subject

3, google, and also amazon for some books on comuting

4, read, read, read, and lurk as best you can. Ask as little amount of questions you can, and just lurk. Lurk the forums, IRC networks(not just irc.hak5.org, but any subject or irc channel whose topic matches what you want to learn) and in general just observe. When there are things you've observed you don't understand, or can't get working on your own, from what you've seen, then come in with questions, and good descriptions of what you tried, what failed, how it failed, error messages, screen shots, commands tried, etc, then, people will chime in on where the problems are if they know the answer.

In general, kind of be a wallflower for a while, and just absorb as much info as you can, try things you see, in video, text tutorials, etc, and then work through the problems as best you can until you get stuck, and then come in for help. Best way to learn, is by doing, and in general, hacking is not a simple "How do I hack" question to answer. The mere definition of hacking, is so broad, that it encompasses many different things, but at its heart, is the desire to learn, using your own curiosity and inventiveness to get something to do something it might not have normally been meant to do, whether to improve or exploit, either way, tinker, experiment, observer, and then try again. Don't get discourages when things don't work as you expect, or when people give an answer, that leaves you with more questions. Its all about the journey, not the work already done by others, and in learning, we all need to do some leg work on our own in order to have a better understanding of how things work in general.

Also, once you've been around a while, hook up with like minded people and make friends, and find a mentor. Someone, who has the time and patience to sit down with you and work through scenarios and things you're trying to learn too. Much of what we do as hackers, is self work, but it never hurts, to have friends and work with others smarter than oneself. We can't learn, if we think we know everything already. Find local computer clubs, hacker spaces, 2600 meetings, etc, and branch out from there.