network-security-study-plan.md

Network Security Study Plan

In this plan, let's assume that you already have some computer science skills (linux basics, common windows or mac os use, search on the internet, edit a file...).
But first, what is network security ? Network security includes all methods, both defensive and offensive, to protect and maintain functional a network.

This plan has several objectives, in short :

• Understand networks and how it works
• Common vulnerabilities and how to detect them
• How to remedy these vulnerabilities and secure your network

1. Understand networks and how it works :

In this first part you will focus on learning the basics concepts of networks (architectures, protocols,...)

First you can check some youtube videos and playlists, such as :

• Networking for Ethical Hackers from The Cyber Mentor
• You Suck at Subnetting from NetworkChuck

Next you can check some "learning paths" from tryhackme (an online platform to learn ethical hacking and cybersecurity including network security where you will first need to create a free account) :

• pre security training (section 2 is the most important for network but others are interresting too)
• beginner (section 3 is the most important for network but others are interresting too)

2. Common vulnerabilities and how to detect them :

Now that you have basic knowledge of how networks works, you will learn about some of the most common vulnerabilities and attacks.

Here is some tryhackme modules :

• network security
• wireshark
• Windows Exploitation

You can check too this playlist about a tool called netcat which is consider as the "pentester swiss knife" : HakTip: Netcat - Network Port Scanning, File Transfers, and More! from Hak5.

If you feel yourself ready, you can do some rootme (another online cybersecurity learning platform where you will need to create a free account) challenges, you can check those categories :

• network (of course)
• web - server (interresting if you have some web hacking knowledges and want to work both on web and networks)

3. How to remedy these vulnerabilities and secure your network :

Now, you know how networks works, have knowledge of common attacks and vulnerabilites and you can use some useful offensives network security tools, so it's time to learn ways of remediation and standard defensive network security tools.

First, a youtube playlist (again) :

• Blue Teaming and Network Defense Series from LoiLiangYang

Then, some tryhackme modules :

• Network Security and Traffic Analysis
• Network and System Security

Final advices :

To finish with this plan, as I said above, you should at least create free-accounts on platforms such as tryhackme or rootme. This is useful to learn cybersecurity and developp skills and knowledge.

You should create a github account too, to post code and projects about cybersecurity or whatever you want (if you don't code yet, please consider this other tryhackme module. After that, you will certainly find content on youtube to go further in programming, which is more than useful for cybersecurity.

A X(twitter) account can be useful too to keep informed of cybersecurity news and to build a reputation into the domain.