“Where do I start?” is the question we hear most from students who want to become ethical hackers. The internet is full of tools and tutorials, and it is easy to jump around without making progress. This roadmap gives you a clear order: six months, one focus at a time, with free places to practise and a target at the end of each month.
Month 1: Networking and How the Internet Works
Every attack travels over a network, so this is the foundation.
- OSI and TCP/IP models, IP addressing and subnetting
- Common protocols and ports: HTTP/S, DNS, SSH, FTP, SMB, RDP
- How a web request works from browser to server
- Hands-on: capture and read your own traffic in Wireshark
Goal: explain what happens when you type a website address into the browser.
Month 2: Linux, Windows and Basic Scripting
- Linux command line: files, permissions, users, processes, networking commands
- Windows basics: users, services, PowerShell, the registry
- Bash and Python scripting to automate small tasks
- Hands-on: OverTheWire Bandit (free) to practise Linux commands
Goal: be comfortable working entirely from a terminal.
Month 3: Ethical Hacking Fundamentals and Tools
- The five phases: reconnaissance, scanning, gaining access, maintaining access, covering tracks
- Set up a home lab: Kali Linux plus vulnerable machines in VirtualBox or VMware
- Core tools: Nmap, Metasploit, Hydra, John the Ripper, Nessus or OpenVAS
- Use AI assistants to explain tool output and speed up OSINT – but always verify their answers
Goal: scan a lab machine, find a vulnerable service and exploit it.
Month 4: Web Application Hacking
Most real-world pentesting work is on web applications and APIs.
- OWASP Top 10: broken access control, injection, authentication failures and more
- Burp Suite: intercepting, modifying and replaying requests
- SQL injection, XSS, IDOR and file upload flaws
- Hands-on: PortSwigger Web Security Academy (free), OWASP Juice Shop and DVWA
Goal: find and explain at least five different OWASP Top 10 issues in practice apps.
Month 5: Practice Platforms, CTFs and Your First Certification
- Solve beginner rooms and machines on TryHackMe and Hack The Box
- Join beginner-friendly Capture The Flag (CTF) events
- Write up every machine you solve – this becomes your portfolio
- Prepare for a certification such as CEH v13 (see our CEH v13 exam guide)
Goal: 20+ solved machines with write-ups, and a certification booked.
Month 6: Specialise, Build a Portfolio and Apply
| Path | What you do | Next skills to learn |
|---|---|---|
| VAPT / Penetration Tester | Attack networks and apps to find weaknesses | Active Directory attacks, API testing, report writing |
| SOC Analyst | Detect and respond to attacks | SIEM, log analysis, incident response |
| Web / API Security | Specialise in application flaws | Advanced Burp Suite, API security, bug bounty |
| AI Security | Test and secure AI and LLM applications | Prompt injection, OWASP Top 10 for LLMs |
- Write one sample pentest report on a lab machine
- Put your write-ups and scripts on GitHub or a simple blog
- Build an ATS-friendly resume and apply for VAPT trainee, SOC L1 and security analyst roles
Our guide on writing an ATS-proof cybersecurity resume covers the last step in detail.
Want a Guided Path?
Self-study works, but a mentor and a structured lab can cut months off the journey. Our Ethical Hacker AI (CEH v13) course follows this roadmap with 16 hands-on modules, 24/7 online labs, placement support and four daily batches – offline at HITEC City, Hyderabad or live online. Wondering which certification to aim for? Read CEH vs OSCP vs PenTest+.