Where should I start?

[NarubiaN]

Hey guys. I'm a bit of a programmer (VB.net+Javascript) and I'd like to get into the general hacking area.

In the past, I've experienced with keylogging and bruteforce hacking, though I'd like to really become an expert.

Where should I start? What, in your expert opinions are the steps I should go through, in order to become great at hacking?

[Infiltrator]

If you want to become great at hacking. I'd start off with some networking course such as CCNA or Network+, it's imperative to have a sound knowledge of how a network really works.

Then learn a programming language such as C, Python and PHP. They would be ideal languages to have knowledge of. Once you've become proficient at a language, you may want to learn assembly language too and a bit of reverse engineering. As a hacker you need to know how to reserve engineer a piece of software.

A big must for becoming great at hacking, is knowing how an OS works from inside out. And last but not least, learn another OS preferably a Linux distro.