TryHackMe is one of the most beginner-friendly cybersecurity training platforms available today. Unlike Hack The Box, which throws you into the deep end with minimal guidance, TryHackMe uses guided “rooms” — interactive lessons that walk you through concepts step by step, with embedded questions, hints, and a browser-based attack machine so you can practice without installing anything. In 2026, TryHackMe has grown to over 3 million users and remains the top recommendation for complete beginners.
Getting Started
Creating an account is free at tryhackme.com. The free tier gives you access to a significant portion of content, though a premium subscription ($14/month) unlocks all rooms including the structured learning paths. For beginners serious about breaking into security, the subscription pays for itself in organized content alone.
Once registered, deploy the AttackBox — TryHackMe’s browser-based Kali Linux machine. This lets you complete every room without needing a local VM. Click “Start AttackBox” at the top of any room page. You get one hour free per day; subscribers get unlimited time.
Alternatively, download the OpenVPN configuration file from your profile and connect your own Kali or Parrot OS machine:
sudo openvpn your-username.ovpn
Verify the connection with ip addr — you should see a tun0 interface in the 10.x.x.x range.
Best Learning Paths for Beginners
TryHackMe organizes content into Learning Paths — structured sequences of rooms that build on each other. For 2026, the best beginner paths are:
Pre-Security
The Pre-Security path is the true starting point. It covers:
- How the Web Works — HTTP, DNS, web servers
- Linux Fundamentals — navigation, permissions, text processing
- Windows Fundamentals — file system, Registry, Sysinternals
- Network Fundamentals — OSI model, TCP/IP, Wireshark basics
Completing this path takes 40–60 hours and gives you the foundation every room assumes you have.
SOC Level 1
This path prepares you for a Security Operations Center analyst role. You’ll work through:
- Phishing analysis
- SIEM tools (Splunk, ELK Stack)
- Network traffic analysis with Wireshark and Zeek
- Threat intelligence frameworks (MITRE ATT&CK)
- Incident response fundamentals
Jr Penetration Tester
This is the flagship path for aspiring pentesters. It covers:
- Introduction to Pentesting — methodology, reporting
- Web Application Fundamentals — OWASP Top 10 in practice
- Burp Suite — intercepting and modifying HTTP requests
- Network Security — Nmap, exploiting services
- Privilege Escalation — both Linux and Windows
- Metasploit — exploitation framework basics
Completing this path earns you a certificate and prepares you well for eJPT certification.
Essential Beginner Rooms
If you want to dive into individual rooms before committing to a path, start here:
| Room | Topic | Difficulty |
|---|
| Linux Fundamentals (Parts 1–3) | Linux CLI | Easy |
| Intro to Networking | TCP/IP, OSI | Easy |
| Burp Suite: The Basics | Web proxying | Easy |
| OWASP Top 10 - 2021 | Web vulns | Easy |
| Blue | EternalBlue exploit | Easy |
| Pickle Rick | CTF challenge | Easy |
| RootMe | Linux web app CTF | Easy |
| Advent of Cyber (annual) | Multi-topic | Easy |
Advent of Cyber deserves special mention — it’s a free 25-day event every December with beginner-friendly daily challenges covering a different security topic each day. Even if you encounter it outside December, the archived rooms are excellent.
Tips to Progress Faster
Use the hints wisely. Each room has a hint button for every question. Don’t use hints immediately — struggle for 15–20 minutes first, then check the hint. This builds problem-solving skills far better than reading the answer immediately.
Take notes in Obsidian or Notion. Create a note for every room with the commands you used, what they do, and the key concepts. A searchable personal knowledge base is invaluable when you encounter similar challenges later.
Join the TryHackMe Discord. The community has category channels for every room where you can ask for nudges (not full answers). Senior members are helpful, and discussing your approach accelerates learning.
Do the free rooms first. The free tier includes enough content to complete the Pre-Security path entirely and make meaningful progress through Jr Penetration Tester. Don’t subscribe until you’ve burned through the free content — you’ll know by then whether the platform suits your learning style.
Practice Linux commands daily. Every pentesting task involves the terminal. Use man pages, practice piping commands, and get comfortable with grep, awk, find, and sed. These basics save enormous time in every room.
After TryHackMe: What’s Next?
Once you’ve finished the Jr Penetration Tester path, you’re ready for:
- eJPT (eLearnSecurity Junior Penetration Tester) — the most beginner-appropriate professional certification, well-aligned with TryHackMe content
- Hack The Box — move to the Starting Point machines, which are still guided but harder than THM
- PicoCTF — free CTF platform with excellent beginner competitions
- PortSwigger Web Security Academy — free, deep web application security training
TryHackMe also has its own certification program — TryHackMe Certificates — which, while not industry-recognized in the way CompTIA or OSCP are, demonstrate commitment on a resume for entry-level roles.
Tracking Your Progress
TryHackMe has a built-in streak system, leaderboards, and badges. The gamification genuinely helps maintain motivation. Aim for the daily streak — even 30 minutes of learning per day compounds significantly over months.
After 90 days of consistent practice on TryHackMe, most dedicated beginners have the practical skills to attempt bug bounties on programs with broad scope, contribute to open-source security tools, and confidently discuss security concepts in interviews.